Like humans, horses have many different types of personalities, making some easier to get along with than others. By understanding your horse’s personality type, you can learn better ways to bond with him, and work with him for your purposes.

The first personality type is dominant. A dominant horse will always seek to be in charge of the situation. He will challenge his rider, questioning each stage of his training. This is not always a bad thing, as dominant horses are often the best competitors. They will try their hardest to prove themselves, pushing past their limits if necessary to get the job done. Owners of dominant horses need to be strong and willing to work to win any challenges their horse may throw at them. If a dominant horse gains control, the rider can easily be carried away and become injured.

On the other end of the spectrum are timid horses. These horses are at the bottom of the pecking order, and expect to be bossed around. They tend to be spooky, and will cringe away from aggressors. While they do not need a rider who challenges them all the time, they are in fact very difficult to work with on a regular basis. Their rider needs to be strong and confident, unwilling to accept any foolishness. If the horse should spook or flinch away, the rider needs to show confidence and guide the horse firmly in the right direction. Timid horses are happiest with an owner who keeps them in line and acts as their leader. They can make flashy show horses, but are generally poor choices for pleasure riding due to their unpredictable nature.

Babysitters are a wonderful type of horse that work very well with a range of riders. Babysitters are sensible types who are neither dominant, nor at the bottom of the pecking order. With their cool head they have the ability to keep the less experienced rider out of trouble. While they generally do not sparkle in the ring, babysitters are good performers and offer consistent results.

Some horses are just plain silly. They are the clowns of the equine world, always playing games and doing things their riders would rather they didn’t. Challenging to even the best riders, the clowns can become loyal partners to their riders. While they love to goof off, they often bond closely to their best friends and will do anything they can to please. These horses can outperform many classier animals if working with a rider to whom they have bonded.

Of course, there are also the stubborn horses. These horses are often placid in nature, but practically impossible to persuade to do anything they don’t want to do. These can make wonderful pleasure horses, or low-level mounts, but because they often resist learning new things, they rarely move into the higher levels. With an easy-going rider stubborn horses can be safe, enjoyable mounts for the most part. A rider who is equally stubborn can gain a superb performance from a stubborn mount, but can expect to fight every step of the way.

When looking for the perfect horse for your needs, consider the personality you will be dealing with. If you are a timid rider, be sure to choose a horse who will take care of you rather than fighting you every step of the way. Likewise, if you like a challenge, don’t pick a babysitter type who would rather putt around taking care of beginners. Like people, horses have personality preferences, and it takes a good match to make the perfect team.