Horsenality

Determining a horse’s horsenality is done by taking their characteristics and behavior and placing them on a chart designed by Parelli. There are four types of horsenalities and a horse can have characteristics in each of those sections, whichever section they have the most characteristics in is their main horsenality. A horse’s horsenality can change, the goal is to get the characteristics out of the extreme levels and also to get the horse more centered.

A horse’s horsenality is on a continuum, with the center between the two being the “Learning Zone” where they are willing to listen and follow you as their leader. As they get further from the learning zone on either the Left Brain or Right Brain side their behaviors become more extreme.
A Left Brain horse is more confident and tends to be more dominant. A Right Brain horse is more reactive and frightened. An extroverted horse will show their reactions outwardly, where an introverted horse will hold them in and let them build.

Left-Brain Extrovert

A Left-Brain Extrovert can be playful, smart, charismatic, naughty, mischievous, can have the tendency to kick or bite, mouthy, willful, exuberant, friendly. Left-Brain Extrovert horse is already confident and more dominant and as it gets further away from the learning zone that confidence and dominance grows. They show their dominance more outwardly than an introverted horse. A Left-Brain Extrovert needs play and a focus that aren’t boring to help them be more centered. To center a Left-Brain Extrovert, they need to know that you are the leader. One of the principles of a leader is moving the feet of others. Some of the techniques for this are playing some of the games such as, yo-yo, driving, or sideways games. A Left-Brain Extrovert is quick and smart and they need a leader that will be quick too. If I were asking a horse to play the circling game or yo-yo game I would move through my phases very quickly. A Left-Brain Extrovert needs patterns to give them a purpose, but does not need patterns to be to repetitive or they will get bored.

Left-Brain Introvert

A Left-Brain Introvert is clever, non-responsive, disinterested, argumentative/defiant, has tendency to buck/charge, they are unmotivated/dull, food oriented, easily bored, stubborn, seem lazy. A Left-Brain Introvert is confident and will shut us out. The left-brain introvert does not like riding in circles. A principle for Left-Brain Introvert is that they need incentive, the techniques for incentive can sometimes be motivations by giving them treats after they accomplish something you ask of them, or since they are often “short horses” they like the incentive of getting rest. Patterns help the Left-Brain Extrovert be motivated to think.

Right-Brain Extrovert

A Right-Brain Extrovert is an outwardly reactive horse. They are impulsive, can’t stand still, hyper alert, panicky, have a tendency to bolt/rear, run over you, high-headed, bracy, over-reactive, forward-aholic. A RB Extrovert is very unconfident; they are very fearful, and spooky. They have not yet met the hierarchy of needs, they need a leader to reach Safety so they do not feel the need to panic and run. The friendly game is something that is very good for them, they need a lot of approach and retreat whether it is from you or an object. They need to do things slower, and shouldn’t be pushed too far until they are calm and feel safe. They need something to focus on so that their RB extrovert habits can be broken, since they can only process one thing at a time they need to keep moving to something else. When I am on a RB extrovert horse that gets spooked its best to keep them moving and change their focus. The squeeze game is good for a RB Extrovert because it teaches them that after something frightening occurs they can come back to you for safety. Patterns are good for a right brain horse because it helps them to have consistency and learn to relax as they perform the pattern.

Right-Brain Introvert

A Right-Brain Introvert is tense, quiet, obedient, distrustful, hesitant, has tendency to kick (in fear), freezes then explodes, unpredictable, shy/timid, can’t think, catatonic. A RB Introvert is non-responsive. They can be difficult to read. A Right Brain introvert horse needs comfort. You cannot push a RB introvert before they are ready or they will lose their trust in you. While playing the games go through the phases more slowly because a right brain introvert needs to process the things you are asking of them. These horses have the tendency to freeze then explode. They are fearful, spooky, claustrophobic, over-reactive. A Right-Brain introvert learns to become confident and trusting in you as their leader when you take them through consistent patterns.

Iceman's Horsenality

At the beginning of the semester Iceman's Horsenality was a much more extreme Right-Brain. He showed both introverted and extroverted Right-Brain characteristics. Throughout the semester he became much more centered and did not show the right-brain characteristics as often, and when he did they were no where near as extreme. He did mildly develop some Left-Brain introvert and extrovert characteristics

Iceman's Horsenality chart at the beginning:

Iceman's Horsenality chart at the end: