The survival of a horse depends on his ability to observe and interpret the messages of other horses. When a herd is calm, it allows him to see what is happening around him. When one horse gets aggressive, the other animals in the herd will try to separate them.
In a conflict, opponents are likely to bite or kick at one another. Then, as soon as the disagreement ends, they move on.
I regularly observe my herd and see them grazing and standing a few feet apart. They are striving for a calm state of mind.
Although many people try to be calm around horses, it is important to be aware and calm in order to learn Horse Speak. Being quiet inside allowed me to be more present in the moment, which was very helpful in learning how to communicate with horses.
Zero is the first thing I teach my students. In order to practice Zero, I ask them to imagine a peaceful place that they would like to visit. Some of them might think of a favorite song, while others might envision an image of a happy memory.
In order to learn how to communicate with horses, I often have my students stand in the middle of their herd and breathe deeply into their bellies. Then, they notice how their horses respond.