Spend a few minutes to learn what we have observed about wild horse behavior.

By watching and living with our horses, we have gained tremendous insights into their behavior. And it is very clear that wild horses show a keen intelligence. This intelligence has developed over millions of years, and has evolved through the process of natural selection.

On this page we will share with you what we have observed about

• Horses’ relationship to their environment
• Their leadership traits and abilities
• How horses behave with one another, and
• How young horses form new herds

Horses’ Relationship to Their Environment

Like humans, horses behave differently in different environments and circumstances. Therefore, to understand a particular horse or herd, it is important to be sensitive to their surroundings, and to try to learn what kind of environment they came from.

For example, herds that live in areas with a lot of predators will develop different behaviors than those who live in peaceful areas where they are not threatened. Similarly, horses that have never seen human beings will react differently when a person approaches them than horses that have been around humans often.

At Return to Freedom, when we interact with the horses, we are very sensitive to their surroundings and environments. We create a space that is as non-threatening to the horses as possible, and we work hard to assure that each horse feels comfortable and safe. In this way we can work toward establishing trust and a permanent bond.

Leadership Traits and Abilities

Because wild horses live in herds, or bonded groups, we have noticed that every herd has its leaders. All horses show an innate intelligence and a sense of awareness to their environment. However, some clearly stand out as leaders that the other horses look up to and trust.

In a herd, the lead horses are the caretakers. They are the ones that are willing to put the safety and concerns of the group ahead of their own. As a result, they establish their leadership because the other horses recognize that they care about them. They also pay attention to the things that are important for every member of the group—not just themselves.

Each herd has a lead stallion and one, or more mares. The responsibility of the lead stallion is to keep the group together. He does this by showing care and concern for every mare in his herd. If he doesn’t, it is likely that the mares that feel neglected will wander off with another stallion and leave the herd.

Each herd also has a lead mare. It is the lead mare that is in charge of the day-to-day running of the family group. Among her many duties, she is responsible for scolding another member of the herd for bad behavior. And it is she who determines whether, or not, they can remain a part of the community.

The lead mare also makes the critical choices that will maintain the herd’s safety. One prime example is how horses escape if a predator threatens them. If her herd is threatened, the lead mare determines, in advance, which routes to take that will lead the herd to safety. As the lead mare takes the herd away, the lead stallion often pushes from behind, as he places himself between the herd and the predator.

How Horses Behave With One Another

Each horse will find his, or her, position, or place within the herd. A horse’s position is generally determined by how that individual can best serve the group. It is important to know that each individual has a specific role and responsibility to the community.

Much of each horses’ time is spent educating the younger colts and fillies. In this way it is clear that information is passed on from one generation to the next. And it is the daily interactions that educate and prepare the younger horses for the day that they will come of age and leave the herd.

How Young Horses Form New Herds

Just as with humans, the younger horses are cared for and educated by the mature horses until the day comes for them to leave their herd and begin their lives as adults. But the process is very different for colts than it is for fillies.

When the day comes for a colt to be on his own, he will be forced out of the herd by the lead stallion who does not want young males around to threaten his position. Over the years, we have observed that this is a gradual process, but it’s very hard to say exactly when it begins. From the time a colt is born, he is educated and trained by the members of the herd for the time when he will go out on his own.

There are different ways that colts are forced out of the herd. Sometimes the younger stallions travel along behind the herd—if the lead mare allows him to—until he finds another herd or group to join. Most often, however, young stallions that have been forced out of their herd will soon join up with other young stallions to form what are called “bachelor bands.” Ultimately these young bachelors challenge the lead stallions that they encounter, and one day may lure one or more mares away from a herd and begin a new herd of their own.

While young stallions tend to be forced out of herds, young mares ten to be lured away. As fillies reach maturity, they are courted by bachelors. Some will spend a few days off with the new stallion, not too far from her herd. Cries can be heard from her mother and other members of her family as she is off on this adventure of her own! This generally happens when the filly reaches about 3 years of age.

Sometimes, after she has been off breeding with him, the filly may want to return to her herd. However, there are no guarantees that she will be allowed back. Sometimes—for reasons that we really don’t understand—she won’t be allowed to return to the group. Other times young fillies return to the herd with no incident whatsoever—just as if she has returned from a necessary rite of passage.

If she has been allowed to return to the herd, the young bachelor that lured her away might remain very close to her family group, so he can stay connected to her. At some point, however, the filly will make the choice to permanently leave her herd and go off with her new stallion.