The International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) has released a position statement on the use and misuse of human-made concepts in horse training, such as dominance and leadership, warning they could jeopardize a harmonious relationship with the horse and compromise his welfare.

Developed by ISES Hon. Fellow and Professor Emeritus Jan Ladewig, DVM, PhD, in collaboration with the Learned Society’s council, the position statement disputes the belief that the person handling a horse must be in a top position of a dominance hierarchy (i.e., in an alpha position). Rather, it says horses interact with each other mainly on a bilateral (one-to-one) level, and do not possess the cognitive abilities to form the abstract concepts of hierarchy and rank.

"Horses have many talents, such as surviving even under harsh conditions,” Ladewig said. “They remember where food, water, and shelter are available, and they remember their social companions, as well as numerous other things.

"There is no indication, however, they are able to handle complex issues that demand cognitive abilities similar to the ones we possess,” he continued. “They are not good at generalizing and abstract thinking is not part of their cognitive abilities. The better we understand the way their brain works and the more we accept these limitations when we handle them, the better we will be able to establish a harmonious relationship with them