Cattle and Pressure

Cattle, like many livestock, are able to communicate by pressure. They are able to give into pressure, like when being tied, or move away from pressure, as in when they are being loaded into a trailer.

A good example of how cattle respond to pressure can be see when they are sorted by a team of people on the back of horses. Horses are also an an animal that responds to pressure very well and because of this they are able to work with cattle on a whole different level.

When a herd of cattle is together there is a sense of security for the animals. They are able to move as if they are all linked by one brain. They move together without thinking. If one animal moves the whole herd moves. one stops, they all stop.,However, when a single cow is cut (separated by rider on horseback) from the herd it becomes a whole different animal. This animal starts feeding off the horse’s energy. It pushes away from the horse and all it can think about is getting back to the herd. The animal constantly is looking for a loophole and tries to outsmart and outrun the horse.

PC: Leanne Belway

There are two ways to push a cow, the first is through body language. Cattle move at different pressure points. The closer the horse gets to the cow, the faster the cow will move. The further away the horse is from the cow, the slower it will move. If the horse is in front of the cow it will cause it to turn. When the horse is behind, it will push the cow forward and faster. To stop the cow the horse must stand in equal line to the animal as if in a mirror.

The second way to push a cow is by pure force. Both horses and cows are large, thick animals that can easily push each other around. Even though it doesn’t and shouldn’t happen, there are times where the rider might have to ask their horse to push the cow. This comes in handy when working with lazy cattle or in a large herd.

PC: Leanne Belway

Cattle are smart animals, but they are also prey animals. If pushed too hard they might try a jump a fence, ram into whatever is pushing them, and potentially hurt themselves or others. Working with cattle is a game of outsmarting and conveying to the animal that their movements are their idea. You can’t scare them and stress them out, you must work with the way they think by properly working with their pressure points.

Resources: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex8274