Kelsey Dayle John

This essay on the nuances of animal autonomy and more-than-human respect is part of the Companion Species series, which investigates a complex, interconnected, and co-constituted web of beyond-human relating. Series editors: Tessa Archambault, Dylan Couch, Kuhelika Ghosh, Ellie Kincaid, and Bri Meyer.

1. Introduction In human–equine interactions, many humans, including our research team, have wondered if we are correctly interpreting a human–equine interaction, or if we are fairly or unfairly imparting our own human beliefs, thoughts, and feelings onto the equids—in what is known as anthropomorphizing [1]. For those who have training in equine behavior, this internal dialog can become even more confusing.