Link Image Marv Walker Index Page

Herd Dynamics: Effective Leadership
Is Neither Dictatorship Nor Domination

Now then, let's discuss how effective leadership is not domination or dictatorship.

Effective leadership always has a high degree of choice. The most effective leadership really operates under the premise that you make the choice to follow or not. However, that decision determines whether or not you reap the benefits of the leadership. If the leadership has no benefit then one either goes elsewhere (chooses not to follow) or one assumes the leadership (challenges). In other words, choosing not to follow, requires one to go out into the world of uncertainty. There is less security thus there is more fear.

It is important that I as a being displaying lead-horse ability ACTIONS, allow the horse to continually have the option of choosing not to follow. At any time, unless I simply *MUST* physically control the horse for safety considerations, I must allow the horse freedom to say, "I'm having doubts about your leadership. I am no longer going to comply."

When the horse makes that choice regardless of what motivated it to do that, I then, as a being who is demonstrating herd leader horse ACTIONS, say to the horse, "If you are not willing to follow my lead then you must leave my area." Since herd dynamics allow me as a leader to take any rights I am able to take and enforce, I can choose what is my area. My area is as large as I want it to be and if he is in that area, he will comply (or challenge - which is difficult because it requires the horse to override a previous assumption with no indication the leadership ability situation has changed) or he must leave.

Since I as a human have greater reasoning power than he does, I can set it up to where it is impossible for him to leave my area (round pen for one, leadline or stall for another). Now then, I have eliminated two of the three possible choices the horse has in this specific situation - leaving my area AND challenging me for leadership. That ONLY leaves complying. In nature, in a herd situation, there is no other option - he simply must comply in keeping with the herd dynamic. All he has to do is say to me by his actions, "Okay, I'll comply." And instantly, just as if he was actually in a herd totally comprised of horses, EVERYTHING is all right with the world again.

While he was not complying AND I was enforcing the herd dynamic, fear rose. Namely the fear he was not going to be able to find a herd to be a part of - thus he would be more vulnerable to predation and would be denied the socialization inherent in being a herd member.

Horses look to the herd leader for justification for an action. When something spooks them they follow the lead of the lead horse. If they flee and look back and she is not fleeing, they circle and rejoin the herd. If the lead mare is fleeing, they are ALL fleeing and they will go for as long and as far as she does.

Security or the removal of fear is rooted in the herd dynamic principle.

As long as there is a clear leader, there will be clear compliance.

In the next post of this series, I will posting about the influence of third party fear, horse or human, in and out of the herd dynamic principle.

Marv "Hmmmm... there havn't been that many comments about my comments...I fear." Walker

The Last Page Was #3 ~ Herd Dynamics: Fear Is A Product Of Choice.
This page is #4 ~ Herd Dynamics: Effective Leadership Is Neither Dictatorship Nor Domination
The Next Page Is # 5 ~ Herd Dynamics: The Variables Of Fear

Click here to check out my very reasonably priced DVD inventory covering many of the subjects featured on my site's pages in greater depth.

Back To Top

For Further Information Contact Marv Walker 706 816-7190 Evenings 9 to 12 PM
Questions, comments or suggestions
Back to Marv Walker's Index Page

vBulletin statistics