马术教学课堂 | 环境对你的马有影响吗？ Can Your Horse's Environment Affect Him?

环境对你的马有影响吗？

——当然有，而且影响非常大！

杰瑞米 • 麦克尔斯

（Jeremy Michaels）

Jeremy 长期担任英国马会BHS训练和马术学科总监以及教育总监一职，现任英国马会 BHS 考试总考官和西英格兰大学哈特伯瑞学院马术学科讲师 。
自2002年起，Jeremy协助中国马术协会及天星调良国际马术俱乐部完成俱乐部星级认证及教练员资格认证，并协助天星调良国际马术俱乐部完成了国际马术培训及考试中心认证、国际马术骑乘中心和马主马房管理中心的认证。

马是一种非常敏感的动物，然而许多人对此并不了解。只有那些拥有自己的马，而且又有幸能花很多时间与马相处的人才能明白我的意思。在马厩中，你经常可以看到一些标识牌，譬如“请保持安静”、“请不要乱跑”、“请不要喂食马匹”等等。不要以为马主和马房经理是在故意刁难或是阻碍大家和马亲近，其实他们是在保护这些马匹。对于生性自由、喜欢奔跑的马儿来说，被圈养其实是一种违背自然习性的生活方式。所以人们有义务尽力减少马匹在这种环境里感受到的压力和不适。

上百万年来，马匹依靠它们的本能博得生存。马的听觉、视觉、嗅觉都进化得格外发达。它们的生理构造（例如耳朵、眼睛、鼻子）使其可以为了生存，躲避猎食或与其他动物搏斗。

和人一样，有些马匹对外界刺激的反应比同类更加敏感。一般来说，与冷血马、温血马相较而言，纯血马是最敏感的马种。在这里我用“一般”这个词，是因为我也曾经遇到过非常安静、对周遭噪音反应不大的纯血马，也曾遇到过非常敏感的冷血马和温血马。有不同：每匹马都是不同的，我们对待马的方式也应因材而异。也有相同：不论是教学马还是竞赛运动马，我们都要给予它们同等的尊重和其应得的待遇。

如果马场允许客人在马厩周围到处乱跑、制造噪音、大声喧哗、砸门……那么很多马会烦躁不安、生气、精神压力倍增，会影响它们进食和消化食物，搅扰它们利用课间间隙自我减压和休息，干扰马匹工作——直接影响马匹的健康。

马房应该是安静的，正如我们人工作了一整天要回家好好休息一样。马儿回到自己的马厩，需要的是放松，它们可以吃草、吃料、饮水，如果想的话还可以躺下小憩一会儿，而无需担心随时会冒出令它懊恼的搅扰。美式马房在成本、人工节约方面很出名，但它并不适合所有性情的马匹。也许你也会注意到不是所有的马都能和它的邻居愉快地相处，它们可能会互相踢踹、试图咬对方、敏感逃避、转动着眼珠，向邻居示意自己对于和它们如此近距离地共处感到非常不满。一个称职的马房经理会尽早注意到这种行为，并适当调整马厩安排，以便让马找到适合自己的邻居。马匹有很强的领地意识，这种不友好的行为在马吃食时更为明显。同时，母马和公马或骟马成为邻里，矛盾和冲突产生的可能性便会增加。

我们如何确保为马匹提供最佳的环境呢？

• 马厩必须具备足够的空间，以满足马匹自由走动和躺卧的需求；

• 铺有厚度适中的垫料能够让它们躺下休息或排尿；

• 一个不被噪音持续干扰的安静环境；

• 足够良好的通风和无尘条件；

• 规律的饲喂；

• 优质干草和持续饮水供应；

• 马匹还需定时得到良好的打理、佩戴尺寸合适且安全舒适的马具；

• 规律性的运动对马匹健康至关重要——无聊的马匹更易养成陋习且变得紧张。哪怕牵着它们在外面遛半个小时，或者让它们在放牧场舒展一下四肢，马儿会感到更满足。

我们怎么知道马儿是否开心呢？

这是个非常好的问题——我想人类很难真正了解马匹是否对这个世界满意，但我们可以通过观察它们的表现得到一些线索。

开心的马吃喝有胃口并且对食物充满期待。它没有坏习惯，例如咬槽，厩内绕圈、咀嚼、咽气、撕咬等；开心的马也不会在你经过或走近它的马厩时敏感逃避，而是很安静的凑到门口，希望以此引起你的注意。

开心的马儿面部表情是轻松的（它的下嘴唇是放松的，眼睛很柔和、很安静，耳朵向前且放松，而不是向后背着）。当你进马房为马备鞍时，它不会敏感逃避；当你打理它时，它也许会觉得痒，但不会试图咬你或踢你。一匹健康快乐的马如果有机会便会经常躺下休息，这也是它信任周遭环境并感觉舒服的表现。

我觉得仅仅是观察马儿、和它们在一起，就是一件非常美妙的事情——在马房里溜达，观察不同的马对人和对同类的反应，就足够让人陶醉。从简单的观察中我们能学到很多东西。下次当你和马在一起的时候，试着花点时间同它们说说话，抚摸它们，让马知道你爱它们，这些真的会让你们之间的关系大有不同。

骑乘愉快！

相 关 文 章 阅 读

Can Your Horse's Environment Affect Him?

The simple answer is a resounding ‘YES’ – very much!

The horse is a very sensitive animal and many people are unaware of this fact.Those of you who own a horse and are lucky enough to spend a lot of time with him will understand what I mean. You often see signs in stables such as, ‘No noise’, ‘No running’ and ‘Please do not feed the horses’; the owners and managers are not trying to be difficult or obstructive but are trying to protect their horses. Being stabled is a totally unnatural way of life for a horse that was born to run free on the plains. As humans we must try and reduce the horse’s stress levels in this environment.

Horses have relied on their instincts for survival for millions of years. Their senses of hearing, sight and smell are particularly well-developed. The way they are designed physically (ears, eyes and nose) is to enable them to either run or fight for survival. Some horses, like some humans are more sensitive to external stimuli than others. Generally, Thoroughbreds are the most sensitive breed of horse compared to a more native breed that is a cold or warm bloodbreed. I use the word ‘generally’ because I have met many TB’s who are very quiet and not sensitive to noises and I have met warm bloods/cold bloods who are extremely sensitive. Every horse is different and must be treated as such. It makes no difference if you are working with a school horse or a competition horse – they all deserve the same level of respect and treatment.

If visitors to the yard are permitted to run around the stables making noise, shouting, laughing and banging on doors, many of the horses will become upset and stressed. This will affect their wellbeing - the way they eat and digest their food, the way they rest and de-stress between lessons, the way they work, etc.The stables need to be quiet places where the horses can return to their stables ( like you coming back to your house/ apartment/ flat at the end of a longday at work) and feel that they have a place to relax, eat hay or hard feed, drink, lie down if they want to and not have to worry about external, potentially upsetting stimuli. American Barn-style stabling is very cost-effective and labour-saving but does not always suit every horse’s temperament. You may notice as you walk down a barn of horses that they do not always get on with their immediate neighbour – they might kick out or try to bite, pull faces, roll their eye and generally demonstrate their displeasure at having another horse so close to them. This is where a good stable manager will notice such behaviour early on and will try and move the horses so that they eventually find a neighbour they are happy with.

This un-neighbourly behaviour will be more evident at feed times due to the territorial nature of horses; also, if mares and geldings/ stallions are stabled next to each other there is the potential for conflict. 

How do we ensure the best environment forhorses? Stabled horses must have a large enough stable to move round freely andlie down if they want to; they need sufficient bedding on which to lie down and stale (urinate); they need a quiet environment without constant noise and upset; they must have good ventilation and as much as possible, a dust-free environment; regular feed times; a good supply of roughage (hay); access to aconstant supply of fresh water; be well and regularly groomed; well-fittingtack and rugs, which do not rub them. Regular exercise is essential – a boredhorse will develop bad habits and will become stressed. Even if they are walkedout in hand for half an hour or even better, turned out to stretch their legsin the paddock, the horse should be more content.

How do we know if our horse is happy? A very good question – I guess we don’t really know if he is really happy with the world but there are certain signs we can look for, which might give us a hint: a ‘happy’ horse will eat and drink well and look forward to his food; hewill have no bad habits such as crib-biting, box-walking, chewing, wind-sucking, biting, etc.; the ‘content’ horse will not pull faces when you walk past or gointo his stable but will calmly put his head over the stable door for attention; the ‘happy’ horse will have a relaxed facial expression ( his lowerlip will be loose, his eyes will look ‘soft’ and calm, his ears will be forwardor relaxed and not pulled back); when you go in the stable to tack him up hewill not pull faces; when you groom him he might be naturally ticklish but will not try and bite or kick you. The ‘content’ horse will often lie down when he has the chance – this is a sign of trust and that he feels comfortable in his surroundings.

I find it fascinating just watching and being around horses – to walk down the barn and see the different individuals and how they react with us and with each other is fascinating. We can learn so much by simply observing horses. The next time you are with a horse, spend the time to talk to him, stroke him and show him you LOVE him, it really does makea big difference to both of you. 

Happy riding!

文/ Jeremy Michaels

图/ 依米影像、Hank

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