05/20/2025
Learning how to "think horse" is a vital step in becoming a good leader and partner for your horse. Once you recognize what your horse is thinking/feeling, you can help support, build confidence and redirect them. As I emphasize in my teaching, follow, match, lead!
5 Common Misconceptions About Horse Behaviorâand What Neuroscience Really Says
By Jenn Currie | Brain-Centered Horsemanship
Weâve all heard them. The casual labels, the assumptions, the age-old advice passed down in barns and arenas. But when we pause and consider whatâs happening under the hoodâin the brainâwe start to see behavior differently.
Letâs break down five common misconceptions about horse behavior and explore what neuroscience really tells us.
1. âHeâs just being naughty.â
The Myth: The horse is misbehaving on purpose, maybe even to annoy you.
The Truth: Horses arenât moral creatures. They donât have a concept of ârightâ or âwrongâ the way humans doâthey have a concept of safe or unsafe. When a horse resists, reacts, or refuses, itâs not about defianceâitâs about survival.
Labeling behavior as ânaughtyâ often causes us to overlook the real cause: fear, pain, confusion, or unmet needs. The brainâs number one priority is safety, and if a horseâs behavior is changing, itâs usually their way of communicating discomfort or distressânot plotting rebellion.
2. âHeâs just testing you.â
The Myth: Your horse is trying to see what they can get away with.
The Truth: This idea puts the horse in a manipulative role theyâre not neurologically wired for. Horses have a frontal lobe, but itâs less developed than ours. They can think a few steps ahead, but they do not plan elaborate schemes to test your patience.
Most of the time, what we interpret as âtestingâ is actually the horse seeking clarity, consistency, or reassurance. Their brains are designed to respond to the present momentânot to strategize about dominance.
3. âHeâs pretending to be scared to get out of work.â
The Myth: The horse isnât actually afraidâheâs faking it.
The Truth: Fear in horses is real and often misread. Neuroscience shows that when the amygdalaâthe brainâs fear centerâis activated, logic takes a back seat. That freeze, spook, or bolt isnât planned. Itâs a reflex.
If your horse âacts scaredâ in one environment but not another, it doesnât mean heâs fakingâit means his brain is reacting to context. Horses donât generalize well. A tarp in the arena isnât the same as a tarp in the woods. If their brain perceives a threat, the response is genuineâeven if it seems irrational to us.
4. âHe knows better.â
The Myth: The horse is doing something wrong even though theyâve already learned whatâs expected.
The Truth: Learning isnât linear. Just because a horse performed something yesterday doesnât mean they can execute it today under different conditions. Stress, distractions, pain, or lack of sleep can all impact recall and performance.
Think of it like this: the hippocampusâthe part of the brain responsible for memory and learningâcan become overloaded. If a horse is overwhelmed, theyâre not being stubbornâtheyâre hitting a cognitive limit. They need time, repetition, and rest.
5. âHeâs being disrespectful.â
The Myth: The horse is trying to assert dominance.
The Truth: This one is especially harmful.
âDisrespectâ implies intent and moral judgmentâsomething horses simply donât possess. What looks like âdisrespectâ is usually miscommunication.
Horses speak through movement, pressure, posture, and energy. If your horse is crowding, biting, or ignoring cues, itâs not about dominanceâitâs about confusion, anxiety, pain, or poor timing. When we replace punishment with observation and curiosity, we begin to teach, not just correct.
Why This Matters
When we mislabel behavior, we miss opportunities to teach, connect, and understand. Neuroscience doesnât just explain behaviorâit gives us a roadmap to build safer, more trusting partnerships.
As someone whoâs worked with both horses and humans for decades, I can tell you: when we train with the brain in mind, the results speak for themselves.
Letâs stop guessingâand start understanding.
Want to Learn More?
Follow me Horse of a Different Color: Brain-Centered Horsemanship or visit horseofadifferentcolor.org to explore upcoming clinics, articles, and hands-on opportunities to dive deeper into brain-centered horsemanship.
