After several years of helping people temperament type their horses I have arrived at a rather funny conclusion: while many people love the idea of temperament typing, they don’t always love every aspect of their horse’s temperament.

The Water Horse – An Example
For instance, the amateur dressage rider who is fascinated by horses in the “million dollar mover” category usually ends up with a Water horse. While she may be thrilled with the horse’s movement, she may be totally unprepared to deal with the horse’s spookiness or his need for constant reassurance from his rider. Unfortunately, the Water horse’s spectacular animation is usually the result of his high-strung nervous system, and it is impossible to separate these two aspects of his temperament. The person has to accept the Water horse’s total temperament … or find a different ride.

both would offer the amateur owner a solid ride and do In truth, this dressage rider would probably do better with a Fire horse or Earth horse. While neither may have movement that rates a “perfect 10,”well in competition. The Fire horse loves to be at the center of attention, and hence excels in the show ring. The Earth horse is affectionate and wants to please, and will turn in one solid performance after another.

The Two Sides of the Water Horse
Every horse temperament type is like a coin, and every coin has two sides. The trick to being in total harmony with your horse is to find a temperament type that suits your riding discipline of choice and matches your own temperament. Below is a glimpse at the two sides of the coin for the Water horse.

The Water Horse
Many people are captivated by the Water horse’s almost ethereal, otherworldly presence. Anyone fascinated by the “beauty and majesty” of horses usually falls in love with the Water horse. By nature, this type of horse is elegant, graceful, and capable of beautiful movement. The Water horse excels in dressage, hunter, reining, and movements at liberty … anything that involves calm pre-planned movements in a safe environment.

Safety is truly the key when it comes to handling the Water horse, since fear is this horse’s predominant theme. The Water horse needs to feel safe. He will do just about anything for a person he trusts, and he looks to his handler constantly for reassurance and guidance. Without a firm and confident human, the Water horse can quickly devolve in a flighty creature who panics at the least provocation. If you are not looking for a relationship in which you must be both nurturing and confident, don’t fall for a Water horse.

Learn by Watching – The Water Horse and Temperament Typing
Want to know more about horse temperament typing? Check out our new educational online videos. Click below to watch the first in this series:

The Water Horse in YouTube

With these videos you should be able to get more of a “feel” for each temperament type by observing me typing actual horses. Enjoy!