Agency is to have a physiological & cognitive sense of predictability & control over ones experience. This can be developed extrinsically from things such as routine, social interactions & structures, and learning reliably consistent stimulus/responses during human handling, riding & interactions. This improves the horses intrinsic (cognitive or emotional) state of motivation to repeat the responses with close to cognitive neutrality, as a result of learned predictability and lessened stress states from the reliably consistent outcomes of the above. This is why horses run from things they fear so well. It is the easiest, quickest response for the horses brain to action, so in doing so reduces the requirement of cognitive load, or potentially risky 'processing' of a threat. risky? because it uses energy that it could be using for 'running'.... Why do hoses run? Becasue they can. The body moves, the brain learns. Humans can relate to this somewhat with understanding of how going through routines on 'autopilot' once we have practised them for a number of times with repetitive consistency reduces cognitive load, and decision fatigue. Some of us recognise this as flow. Many of us even report not remembering doing something - and that is getting even closer to the equine cognitive experience. Equine Agency is now becoming a more commonly understood concept in equine cognition and is believed to be the 'positively reinforcing' link between predictability & outcome, and improved wellbeing & welfare. Predictability = relaxation > reduced cognitive load. Ambiguity = Confusion (which is a functional state of anxiety) > heightened cognitive load & increased prolonged stressors. Thats about as close to a potential threat as you can get... Clear is kind. Unclear, is unkind. Make predictability the expected outcome.
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