The potential for learning seems to be more during this period than during any other time in the horse s life. The horse is a social animal, prone to flight. The horse matures quickly, rapidly learns the disciplines and rules adherent to the social structure in which it is raised, eagerly following it s leader. Fear causes the flight response that greatly diminishes the horse s ability to learn. The human species is predatory and social.
Social contact is necessary, but communication is often characterised by impatience and aggression.
There is a noticeable difference between the sexes concerning communication techniques. The male is overall, more impatient and aggressive than the female. In addition to being milder in the aforementioned communication techniques, the female is more protective and nurturing than the male, she a mother. The idea was considered quite the norm for a number of reasons, i.e. the majority of trainers were men and the method worked on most horses, it served it s purpose and the horse did what was expected of it. The increasing involvement of women within the horse industry brought a change in the attitude towards horsemanship.