Variables

Whenever I’m problem-solving a situation, I like to get as much info as I can, and see if there are commonalities and/or differences in different versions of the situation. What is consistent, and what is variable? What seems to have a noticeable influence?

In these two videos, I’m trying to do some really informal, soft “bodywork” that’s more of a question than actually trying to change anything. I get two clearly different answers. There are as many variables as one can possibly notice, but here are a few relevant ones:

Things that stayed the same:

Location - same stall
Presence or absence of other horses - Fi is in other stall
Weather conditions - roughly the same
Food reinforcers - none (this isn’t training)
Food/meal - roughly same amount before each video
Me - same approach and emotional content (as much as I’m aware) both times

Things that were different:

Different people - she had seen the vet in there earlier in the day of first video
Events - had vaccinations
Time - same time of day, but second video is 15 days later

The variable in question here is distance - a foot or so away vs touching. What’s the difference between the videos? I can’t 100% say for sure, but knowing my horse, the one that stands out the most for me is the time difference. 15 days puts her in a different part of her cycle, and this would suggest it’s a much more comfortable time for her in the second video. There is a possibility that the vet visit could have contributed to her discomfort in the first video, but I really don’t think so. She didn’t seem to struggle for any of it, and had no trouble re-entering the stall a few hours after the vet visit. What could have made a small contribution is the vaccines, as she has a reaction to them, which could have been starting around then.

You guys, behavior always has a reason and a function. Dissecting a situation like this, seeing it from a behavioral perspective, doesn’t sterilize or pathologize it any more than being able to diagram a sentence makes one unable to read nuanced literature. Navigating relationships with another species is both a logical and artistic endeavor. Sound, coherent logic is the container from which artistry emerges. Both are needed to know when to act, and when to refrain. Both are necessary for relationships to flourish.