Rock Star or Goddess?

Yesterday, I shared some personality stuff from Is Your Horse a Rock Star? Sydney is most likely an Accountant. Speedy G is less easy to pinpoint. He is more Energetic then Lazy, more likely to be Curious than Afraid, and overwhelmingly Friendly as opposed to Aloof. But is he more Dominant or more Submissive?

When I read the chapter that talked about D vs. S, I thought he was Submissive as every other horse near the barn squeals and strikes at him when they visit over the fence, although I think Speedy G initiates most of those responses. The one thing that helped me decide that he might be Dominant was this line, "If you ask the Energetic Dominant horse to slow down when he does not want to, he will invariably respond with a bit of temper by pulling or rooting, even bucking or kicking out." Yep. That's Speedy G.

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G Ima Starr FA - The Rock Star (DECF)

www.horsepersonality.com

While I still suspect that Speedy G might actually be The Goddess (SECF), the personality traits attributed to The Rock Star suit him well. And interestingly, he's even named appropriately!

According to Dessa Hockley, the book's author, "The DECF has a strong ego, bordering on cocky, but personable and charming enough to endear them to you. The world revolving around them as it should be. Their feed schedule, their exercise program - they expect you to have that on the top of your to-do list." Oh my. That is Speedy G to a T. 

She also has him pegged when she says, "This is not a horse to fight with over small issues at any age. He is friendly and engaging, seeking the relationship with you. He is willing to work with you on most issues. […] Do not allow him to push you around but do allow him a few of his own ideas."

I always say that Speedy loves going to shows. He performs much better in a show arena than he ever does at home. According to Hockley, I shouldn't be surprised: "The Rock Star loves to be in the limelight. […] They love the attention from beginning to end. They love to have an entourage following them around making sure everything is in order for their performance." Yep. That is my horse. He'll give me the "hoof" at home, but at a show, he is in his element.

Of Speedy G's four personality traits - Dominant, Energetic, Curious, and Friendly, only one is really strong, his Friendly. I think that element influences the other three. While he is Dominant, he's so stinkin' friendly that it comes across as playful. He is also Curious, but not so much that he doesn't always leave himself an exit. And I think that his Energetic only applies to what he likes to do as he sometimes comes across as a tad lazy (behind the leg). 

Even though both of my horses could fit in a different personality profile, this book is really helpful for understanding why my horses do what they do and why they react the way that they do. I'm putting it back in my bookshelf, but I can't wait to pull it out next summer to see if they've changed at all. If Sydney were more submissive and less afraid, he could easily be The Steady Eddy. If Speedy mellows at all, he could easily become The Goddess, a true heart horse.

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