„ Allelomimetic behavior—horses will copy what other horses do. Allelomimetic behavior is a range of activities in which the performance of a behavior increases the probability of that behavior being performed by other nearby animals. This instinctive herd mentality was originally developed to help horses stay in large groups to prevent predator animals from singling out individuals. „ Herd dominance—it is important to understand the natural hierarchy that forms in a herd. In a wild herd, lead animals establish their position and usually maintain it for extended periods of time. In domestic herds, the herd composition continually changes as animals are culled or added. This means the social structure changes each time the herd changes, which may lead to more instances of aggressive behavior as horses vie for the lead position. Careful introduction of new horses will help reduce the aggressive behavior and prevent potentially dangerous situations for workers and horses alike. Handling Horses Horses are instinctively prey animals who have a natural fear of humans. Most horses receive some training shortly after birth, called imprinting, to ensure that they are accustomed to human interaction and will be safer to handle when they are older. Imprinting generally includes the foal learning to be haltered and led, along with tasks like allowing their feet to be picked up and allowing humans to touch their mouth, ears, and girth area, Figure 10-37. Charlene Bayerle/Shutterstock.com Figure 10-37. Working with foals as soon as possible after birth will help them overcome their instinctive fear of humans. Teaching a 100-lb foal to pick up its feet is a lot easier than teaching a 600-lb yearling or 1,000-lb 2-year-old. Chapter 10 Large-Animal Production 553 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.