That's not quite fair. The horse's reaction was proper and proportionate. You just don't come out of nowhere and swat them on the ass. They are hard-wired for reciprocation.
I owned horses for 20 years. It's easy to get along with them if you have love in your heart. I always advised that when a person has to move around the hindquarters of a horse, they should stay in bodily contact with the horse and do nothing sudden. (1) It keeps them aware of where you are. (2) If they get a kick in mind, they don't have much distance in which to build up a stroke. Be trustworthy, and they will trust you. And you can trust them.
I like to say that horses have the intelligence, emotional maturity, and strength of a 3-year-old child...who weighs half a ton!
That's not quite fair. The horse's reaction was proper and proportionate. You just don't come out of nowhere and swat them on the ass. They are hard-wired for reciprocation.
I owned horses for 20 years. It's easy to get along with them if you have love in your heart. I always advised that when a person has to move around the hindquarters of a horse, they should stay in bodily contact with the horse and do nothing sudden. (1) It keeps them aware of where you are. (2) If they get a kick in mind, they don't have much distance in which to build up a stroke. Be trustworthy, and they will trust you. And you can trust them.
I like to say that horses have the intelligence, emotional maturity, and strength of a 3-year-old child...who weighs half a ton!