Listening to Anna Louise's interview with Melanie Watson, I couldn't help but be transported back to my own early days learning to ride. Melanie's recollections of old-school riding lessons hit close to home, and not in a warm, fuzzy way.
The Ghost of Riding Schools Past
Melanie painted a vivid picture of her early riding experiences—instructors in full regalia barking orders while ponies like Flash plodded along, ignoring their riders completely.
I found myself recalling my own stint at a local riding school some 30 years ago. The riding school was within the Ministry of Defence and run by a retired soldier, it sometimes felt more like a boot camp than a harmonious horse-human partnership. The image of a 'naughty' pony being twitched is still seared into my memory - a practice that shocked me then as it does now.
Many years later, after buying my first horse, I signed up for an evening class at the local agricultural college, a level one horse care of some kind, and now, listening to Melanie, I recall the practical exercises involving restraining the horse, if memory serves by holding an ear or pinching the skin on their neck and not by taking the time to get the horse comfortable with whatever it was we were doing. It never did sit right with me, but it was taught under the banner of 'safety' for the handler and at the time I didn't challenge it.
While we'd like to think these are just quaint anecdotes from a bygone era, Melanie dropped a truth bomb. According to her, many equine studies programs aren't much better today (though exceptions exist).
The Equine Education Enigma
As Anna Louise dug deeper, Melanie revealed a startling contrast in animal education. Imagine: in one college building, students are learning cutting-edge behavioral science for dogs and zoo animals. Next door? Equine studies students are still being taught to 'show the horse who's boss'. How can the two be so different?
This begs the question: why is equine education stuck? Are we so entrenched in tradition that we're willing to ignore decades of advancement in animal behaviour science?
At this point, I encourage you to watch the episode with Lynne Henry, the founder of 'Think Like a Pony', if you need a dose of hope for the future.
The 'Speaking Horse' Myth: A Convenient Fairytale?
Perhaps the most provocative moment came when Anna Louise broached the 'speaking horse' subject. Melanie didn't just challenge this idea - she took a wrecking ball to it.
The notion that we can become 'part of the herd' or truly 'speak horse' is pervasive in equestrian circles. It's a romantic idea, isn't it? With enough time and intuition, we can cross the species barrier and truly commune with our equine friends.
But according to Melanie, this is a harmful myth. Horses, she argues, see us as humans, not as honorary horses. By pretending otherwise, are we missing crucial aspects of their actual behaviour and needs?
The Way Forward: Evolution or Revolution?
As the interview concluded, I found myself grappling with a fundamental question: Does equine education need an evolution or a revolution?
On one hand, centuries of horsemanship have given us valuable insights. On the other hand, clinging to outdated methods in the face of new evidence seems not just stubborn but potentially harmful.
So, curious equestrians, I put it to you: What should modern equine education look like? How do we balance tradition with science?
What was your experience in early riding lessons? Do you see these issues in equine education today?
Why You Can't Speak Horse