What horses were trying to teach me about leadership?

This paper is describing one viewpoint in improvement as a leader. As horses are social animals they have quite developed non-verbal communication system. This analysis is using horses as mirrors to non-verbal communication of human leaders.

MY MENTORS IN LEADERSHIP STUDIES

SUIKUN DAHLIA alias PAAVO

Paavo was huge (withers around 178 cm high) Finnish cold blood, register number 1118-90. Head resembling a cello box. Back wide like paddleboard. It seemed that he had a good childhood in Dahlia stables with other race horse applicants. Paavo was a failure as racehorse when I bought him without seeing from summer pasture. Unfortunately he never learned to trot in a way racehorses should and gained a chronic leg problem in trying. Paavo had good self-esteem but panicked when force was applied. I was fortunate to spend about 3 years with Paavo. Finally his leg broke entirely and we had to put him down.

STRAGON SERAPIS alias SAKARI 

Sakari was high (withers around 180 cm high) mixed blood (non-registered), but oh so narrow shouldered after Paavo. Sakari’s back felt all bones and spine. Even with saddle there was a feeling of falling all the time. Sakari was brought up as sole foal, just with his mother, no social contacts or running wild in green fields with others alike. Sakari was sensitive like a moose when I first led him to our stables. Later of that same evening he rested his head against my shoulder when I was tending his lower lip. Sakari did not appreciate personal zone and he was unsecure in facing all unfamiliarity. We spend together about 3 years both in Oulu and Helsinki. Sakari went back to Oulu and had life of jumping and personal training horse.

SARKKO

Sarkko was normal built (withers 172 cm high) Finnish cold blood, register number 2416-96.He was born in famous family of both race and riding horses (Fathered by Harkko). Brought up in vicinity of the Ypäjä Horse Academy and got wide upbringing as both race and riding horse. Later he was mistreated and when I entered his pen for first time, he was shivering against the furthest of it's side afraid of me. Sarkko was with me also about 3 years. I had to sell Sarkko to mounted Police of Helsinki, where he served almost 5 years before the retirement.

TRUST BETWEEN MEMBERS OF TEAM

Horses – like Human- are social animals. Social structure means that herd has positions relation to roles and responsibilities. Leading mare is telling where to eat and when to move. Leading stallion is watching over for threats and protecting the herd. There is an individual space that members with lower status respect. There are codes of conduct that all members are following and adhering the youngsters to follow. Peaceful coexistence is the ideal status within the herd.

Social relationships are built on trust and role expectations. Members of herd trust that leading mare is finding best grass and water enough for everyone. They also trust that leading stallion is giving them early warning if threat approaches. Mares are taking care their foals. Foals are following the example of their elders. Individuals in those roles do their best to live up the expectations of others. Otherwise they are denied the social comfort and habits of the flock.

Trust is two directional since leader considers the proposals of other members, but after decision she is expecting others to follow. More independent Paavo was often proposing routes and directions when we were trekking through forests of Kello. Sometimes I let him take us where he wanted and sometimes I took us through new routes and sceneries. Especially in midwinter when land was covered with snow up to the stomach of the horse, I let Paavo to find paths beneath pulverised snow. Or in dark autumn nights when we were walking with Sakari. I did not see but some slight lightness in the sky between trees showing possible road track. I trusted Sakari’s better night sight to keep us on the right track. 

PROXIMITY

Being together

Trust and confidence in the relationship are built on base of doing tasks in closeness. Horse notes your body talk, and in best situation, you watch horses body talk. Both will learn the others manners and get used to them. Trust is based on expected behaviour. One of the ways to do this is to work with horse in round yard, with as minimum sources of distraction as possible. Working in this context means more socialising with the horse than drilling it. Leader can play with horse, tickle his curiosity or just be in the moment and let other be as well. Being in the moment might also be just leading horse to juicy clover field and sit beside as horse chews. Horse is gradually taking you as team lead and surveyor of threats and he can concentrate on enjoying the clover.

We had ideal terrain in Kello to explore with Paavo. Many were the trips in to the nearby woods that I made with him. Mainly lazily walking barely using halter but guiding by seat we explored and cleared sand bunkers, fallen trunks, hills and shallows. Occasionally I raise him to gallop and we sprinted through clear trail and again down to walk in negotiating more unfamiliar ground. In tight places or steep slopes I unmounted and led Paavo by walking ahead. This created relationship in which we both trusted each other. We learnt to know our abilities by overcoming together many challenges. 

Touch

Feedback is essential for positive habituation. The fastest feedback is the release of pressure. As soon you sense that horse’s muscles are moving towards your request, you should release the pressure. Horse’s skin is sensitive as it can sense a fly standing on its hide. One should not pat horse forcibly but make similar movement with fingers that other horses may do when they are “grooming” each other’s with their teeth and lips.

Saddle makes it easier to sit on horseback but without saddle there is better touch between the horse and rider. I tried to have all terrain riding done without saddle. With Paavo’s wide back it was pleasant but on Sakari’s narrow back very painful. I had to use thick western blanket with Sakari but only thin cloth with Paavo to prevent sweating. The touch of one’s seat was sensitive without saddle and horse was listening seat aids well. We had training lessons with Sarkko wearing only saddlecloth and halter with western rope. Seat aids were enough to guide horse’s motion only direction needed some added signs with rope.

Who is moving who

Moving feet does not mean that you frighten horse running around, but gently use your statue and leverage of rein to move horses hind leg for one crossing step. Just ask horse to give way more with your spirit than pushing with hand. As soon as horse reacts with leg muscle, release the pressure and leave horse in peace of being together without asking anything. This is the simple request-release action that should become normal behaviour of a leader. Leader does not yell to horse or - even worse - hit it if trying to build a trusting relationship. Leader can show his feelings but not throw them on one’s companion. 

We spend countless hours with Sakari walking 8-figures on ground before every riding session. I had him in rope halter and asked him to follow me through the path of large 8. There were sudden stops that sought Sakari to pay attention and not walk over me. This was to teach him to respect my personal area. There were changes in direction to teach horse to follow without anticipation. The lesson gained was that in building relationship based on trust, there needs to be activity in togetherness.

SPIRIT AND ENERGY OF A LEADER

Leader’s energy is calm, steady and consistent. Energy should be focused towards next challenge. 

We took habit to have city treks with Sakari in Helsinki. Nervous Sakari was in his comfort zone in forest and off-roads but did not like cars at all. So we started having street walks. Past parked cars, incoming buses and loud sounding JCB’s. The key thing was calm and steady seat. No tension in leg muscles, loose feeling to mouth, slight tap with heel if hesitation occurred. Lesson was that leader should preserve calmness and steady drive towards set coals to create path of comfort to his followers.

Be interested about things since horses are.

Horses are both curious and sensitive. New places and creatures are interesting to horses. We had often our dogs following riding treks with Paavo and Sakari. Horses were following what dogs were doing. Paavo realised that dogs were keen splashing in water and he was showing out the ditches with water to our dogs. With Sarkko we took the relationship with dog further by introducing obstacle courses to man, horse and hound. Together all three of us jumped over trunks and ditches both horse and hound following the man in their turn. I was leading dog when riding with Sarkko through obstacle course where both horse and hound did tricks together. Lesson was that animals and humans were more focused and able to learn new skills, when providing challenges for both body and mind.

Make up your mind, stick with it and advance unwavering.

Sarkko was profoundly scared and hypersensitive when we got him. He became braver each day with us but kept the sensitivity for uncertainty of the rider. Once we were starting show jumping competition wearing a full uniform and facing high expectations to win that class. Sarkko cleared first obstacle easily, but then I made a mistake. I was trying to balance and slow down a bit his canter by pulling slightly with reins first time ever. Sarkko took it as wavering and refused the second obstacle.  As there is one correction allowed, we approached obstacle again and I was trying to force him over, he refused more markedly and dipped me down from saddle. The only rider in military uniform falls from his horse in second obstacle – what a humiliation. Lesson was that one should advance unwavering and trust the horse to do his job.

Integrity and consistence

Horses are herd animals. They build social habits to manage both normal pasturing and new experiments. Social habits make it possible for horses to be in automatic mode when eating in security of other herd members. Habits kick also horse to flight or fight in presence of danger. My wife was especially strict in doing everything in consistent way. Weather it was grooming, feeding, saddling up or competing everything was to follow same comfortable routine. Nor horse or the horseman were required to make any decisions but follow the comfortable habit. Lesson was that a leader should create comfort zone from normal work and routines and focus energy and decision making on major challenges.

Behave like you know where you two are riding

With Paavo we enjoyed a rare experience of riding with herd of elks. Paavo got a whiff of them much earlier than I got any clue. He signalled concern and fear by wavering in his gait. Once I got a glimpse of elks, I tried to hide my eagerness by relaxing my seat and leading Paavo consistently towards the herd. For short time we were jogging beside these great animals but eventually unable to cross rough terrain as long strides as elks. Lesson identified was that leader creates a spirit of sureness to allow others to experiment, try and fail while still sustaining safety.

Leader rewards for the slightest effort and smallest try, so his followers know that their efforts are noticed and appreciated.

With horses rider can reward in many ways. There are voice, hand, seat and leg aids that may provide feedback. Horse is as sensitive to voice as a dog. Horseman can habituated horse to take low, soft voice as reward. A gentle stroke with hand along the horse’s neck might do the trick. Relaxing ones seat is clear sign of approval. Furthermost stopping the pressure and leaving horse in peace is most rewarding feedback to horse. Feedback needs to follow immediately the right reaction.  When horses leg muscles start taking cross step, then the leg pressure should stop. Lesson is that direct, specific and clear feedback enforces wanted behaviour both in horses and people.

Leader is respectful in his requests, but he expects to be listened to. He follows through the effort that he has decided with enough energy to get it carried out.

With Paavo we did long explorations in the evergreen forests of Kello. As the terrain was former seabed and sandy, it was safe to go and try new paths running throughout area. We ended taking different routes every day. First it was me that chose our tracks but after I allowed Paavo to propose a path one day, he was eager to propose tracks of his liking. I accepted them only when they were taking us in new experiences and not heading back to stables. Lesson was that one should be able to listen to horse and consider his proposals rather than being autocratic all the time.

Rider seeks reaction from horse by applying moderate pressure with aids. If horse reacts, the release of pressure should be immediate. If horse is not listening, pressure needs to be emphasised with for example slight touch with a whip. Pressure needs to be kept until first signs of positive reaction is recognised. Lesson for leader is that after decision he should use moderate effort to communicate and motivate his people. People should be left to continue in their own peace, when reaction towards intended execution is recognised. When execution is not imminent, leader should focus his will on spot to get things started.

STATUE

Get control over your feelings, body and behaviour

I had problem of becoming tense in show jumping competitions. Sarkko was seeing this in my statue and sensing it through rigid seat and the edginess of my aids. The statue of one’s body is yelling out your feelings. When angry your shoulders are stiff and your movement rough and edgy. When in peace your shoulders are relaxed, your motion smoother and flexible. Anger projects fear whereas tranquillity projects safety. We were not successful in competitions before I got more control over my feelings. As I relaxed my behaviour and body, horse was back in safety and relaxed also. Only relaxed and willing horse could give its best effort on track. Lesson was that leadership needs self-awareness and self-control in all means of communication to get guidance through and create effect.

Look forward and beyond the next challenge

When advancing through a jumping course it is important to keep your eyes in the hurdle ahead. This will help you to estimate distance and pace of your horses gallop. It also signals your horse where you two are going. On the top of hurdle rider should fix his eyes to next hurdle and give horse signal to gain proper gallop. The statue of your body is all the time oriented onwards and towards next challenge. Legs and seat will define the corridor of advance to your horse. Reins and seat is providing your horse a balance on that track. It is comfortable for horse to advance towards unknown challenges when it has both corridor and balance.  Lesson was that leader might delegate tasks and missions to his followers with direction and balanced motion but never the full responsibility of result.

Relax and be cool – it will be copied

Sakari was uncomfortable in dark and in uneven terrain. He had problems stepping on snow in late autumn and on sand in late spring. Riding through evergreen forest in windy autumn evening was unnerving to Sakari. Although horse sees better in dark that human, it is also a prey animal so every crack of branch or off shape may be sign for a predator stalking. Rider takes then statue of the team lead by relaxing his legs and buttock, opening his shoulders and levelling his eyes generally upfront. Staring or trying to look something hard will signal horse that you noticed a danger. That might launch a flight reaction. Horse is quickly copying both nervous and relaxed behaviour. Lesson is that horse and human are learning by copying others behaviour. In stressful situation everyone’s eyes are on leader and his behaviour is loud signal to either flee, fight or relax and continue business as normal.

Leader provides serenity and safety thus following him is natural reaction

Horse is a social animal that follows the leading mare and is protected by leading stud. I had always long halter rope when leading my horses. They were following me behind my back and not by my side. With this I showed them their place behind the leader and went in first always to unfamiliar places and situations. There are two conditions for this: 1. Horse should respect horseman’s area and 2. Horseman is a trusted leader to horse.

When man bounds with horse there is no need for rope to have horse following him. We had many horses that we only took care over some time. They quickly found the place in our herd and followed us willingly without any ropes. It takes simply two issues: 

1. The leader signals comfort and direction with his statue. 
2. The horse accepts his place in the herd.

Sarkko adopted this so well that when we went to match show and I was trying to show my horse, he was relaxed, head down and with long back. Beside of us a full breed Arab horse that was stepping nervously around his trainer, Sarkko looked like a cow standing behind me. That was my first and last try to present my horses in a match show.

One who makes feet moving is the leader

In Kello we had both Paavo and Sakari together for a while. We had this special evening riding events for other riders and sometimes even for beginners. One session remains especially in my mind. We had one rider with her horse and her husband with us. I was riding with Sakari. The husband was sitting on Paavo in western saddle and the third rider followed last. Evening was getting dark but full moon and stars were providing enough light. After walking slowly to get the beginners seat relaxed, we came to beginning of straight path through woods. After everyone agreed we launched a cautious gallop. Sakari was eager to go faster but I signalled him to take it slowly with my seat. Paavo was right behind us eyes on me as he understood that he was trusted to take care of the beginner. The wife and her horse were not that relaxed or controlled. Her horse fight out from her control and tried to gallop past us. Paavo stopped the horse with his big behind signalling to stay at back. I showed example and went down to walk with Sakari and other horses followed. I was the leading rider that horses were following despite of their own riders.

SECURITY

No matter what happens, leader remains cool and solve situation with determination

Horse is a prey animal and first prone to flight. It is possible to habituate horse to first check the rider before darting into safe. If rider signals tension, then horse takes 5-10 steps away from danger even faster. Leader should remain relaxed in all situations. Both seat and statue are signalling tension and stress if leader is not knowingly control his feelings and body. Lesson is that body language is being copied in social situations. Distress is contagious in crew and leader’s behaviour is being copied in emergency situations.

Being left in peace within one’s own space means comfort

Unlike average belief one should not correct horse by constant aids: poking with heels, pulling with reins, squeezing with seat. On the contrary, correction should be quick and release of pressure is signal to horse that he is behaving correctly. Peace means security and comfort to horse. Lesson is that guidance is good but release of pressure, trust and space of operation is better when leading other beings.

MOTION

A horse in balanced canter can clear obstacles never faced before

We took habit to take Sarkko to fixed obstacle courses where ever we found them. This was good for his head but also taught us an important lesson of canter. Short, swift but balanced canter creates a foundation for horse to jump any surprising obstacle. This short canter was used where ever possible to practise it in different terrains and grounds following the teachings of Miyamoto Musashi.  Samurai taught that one should move in fight as one moves normally in everyday life. Lesson was that any system needs to first learn how to move in its environment and then use the motion to reach towards greatness.

You cannot steer a horse that is not moving. Once moving one should be clear in communicating the direction.

Once the short canter was there, it was easier to direct Sarkko through obstacle course while keeping balance both in approaching the hurdle and in landing after it. Motion and balance provides a source of energy that can be directed with rider’s seat and other aids.  If rider is also having balanced seat then he can guide horse with precise and timely aids (leg, hand, seat and voice). Balanced motion of rider and his horse is a foundation in all riding. There are some equestrians that merely travel on horseback while horse takes care both of them. There are also caballeros that wrenches and pushes his horse through the track. Lesson found here is that a leader should find a balance with his organisation in continual learning and improvement to excel in flexibility needed in turbulent environment of present-day business or combat.

HABITUATION

Security is based on rituals, habits. 

Sarkko was unsecure and nervous when we got him. Gradually the trust was built as described in first chapter. Habituation was important method in familiarising horse to scary things. In the beginning Sarkko was afraid of having little children on his back. We did habituate Sarkko gradually by hanging in different positions on his back, having two people riding with him and finally having a dog on his back. Eventually we were able to go through obstacle course where two people were riding on bare back, hopping on and off through the course, doing 360 turns on horseback and finally a dog sitting on horseback. Lesson was that by gradually introducing seemingly scary issues, horses and people can be habituated to a degree that they feel comfortable with previously feared things.

If there is need to step beyond comfort zone, then trusted leader is needed. 

Once comfort zone is created a gradual introduction of new and thrilling things may continue. We could extend Sarkko’s comfort zone so he passed clearly the stress tests of police riders. Once so tense horse was a reference for courage when leading a pack of other police riders through rioting crowd. Lesson was that any individual can extend his comfort zone either driven by trusted rider or just social expectation faced as a leader of herd.

Leader knows where to go and protects from all evil.

Sakari was brought up mainly in small corrals not having social contacts besides his mother. Whenever there was a scary thing Sakari was trying to get safety among his people. This went into extreme that one time scary Sakari bumped into my wife and pushed her over in his search for security. Riding with Sakari was easier since he was getting feeling of comfort from the rider’s seat. Lesson was that a leader with his behaviour creates a feeling of authority and comfort that no new challenge creates too much stress among followers.

A CHECKLIST FOR A LEADER

1. Proximity is imperative to create basis for knowledge of each other’s habits, nature and competence when building a team.
2. Leader’s energy is calm, steady and consistently focusing on next challenge.
3. Leader should be interested of things that he wants his subordinates to excel in.
4. Leader should make timely decision and continue unwavering in its execution.
5. Leader should create a comfort zone around every day work and delegate decision making to subordinates. This enables leader to focus on future and more challenging situations.
6. Leader is looked on as role model. In times of stress his behavioural is being copied. Leader should at least pretend to know what he is doing and appear confident in the eyes of his subordinates.
7. Leader rewards for the slightest effort and smallest try, so his followers know that their efforts are noticed and appreciated.
8. Leader is respectful in his requests, but he expects to be listened to. He follows through the effort that he has decided with sufficient energy to get it carried out.
9. Leader is self-conscious and has control over his feelings, body language and behaviour. Relax and be cool – it will be copied.
10. Leader should not exhaust himself with normal decision but look forward and beyond the next challenge to prepare his followers.
11. Leader provides serenity and safety, thus following him is natural reaction to social species.
12. Leader teaches his organisation to move around more familiar environment before he tries to reach towards unknown spheres.
13. Leader coaches his organisation in continual learning and improvement. After adopting the balance of sustaining operation and continuous improvement, organisation is ready to face surprises of turbulent environment.
14. Leader projects peace and comfort no matter how fearful situation. Determined motion is always better than hesitation in decision making. When subordinates are moving towards right direction, leader’s touch should be as light as possible but feedback as quick as possible.