The Science of Nature vs Nurture

The purpose of my page is to offer sound scientific evidence and advice on horse behavior and genetics. The scientific field of Behavioral Genetics, also called behavior genetics, is a field of scientific evidence that uses genetic methods to investigate the nature and origins of individual behavioral differences. While the name “behavioral genetics” connotes a focus on genetic influences, the field broadly examines how genetic and environmental factors influence individual differences and the development of research designs that can remove the confounding effects of genes and the environment.

My contribution to the field includes pioneering work in the variations in the number and position of hair whorls on the scalp in cattle and horses. The hair whorls are linked to lateralization in the nervous system or laterality, which can help to explain the side preference phenomenon in horses.

I thrive on challenging the conventional wisdom in all horse disciplines and welcome thoughtful, reasoned criticism. I don’t respond to mean or unreasonable comments from experts and professionals who base their reputations and the training methods they use on pseudo-science, conjecture, or pure speculation. This page is not for you if your ego gets bruised and you reject evidence challenging your long-established beliefs.

A new dimension in psychology called “open to experience” (OTE) highly correlates with intelligence. If you’re open to experience, welcome aboard.