“Connection” between horse and rider

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I’m not really a big believer in the bond between a horse and their owner. It’s a nice slushy thought but I’m not sure horses think that much?? I’m thinking that as long as they are looked after they don’t really care who does it!

BUT

My horse is on full livery now and in all the time I’ve had him (7 years) I’ve not really been his sole carer, or exerciser, I just do the fun stuff. We are mainly a hunting combo but have done BS/BE in our younger years. I’ve brought him on from being a baby and he is a fabulous hunter, really good and tends to behave most of the time with me.

He does seriously naughty things with other people though!! A few examples;
Jumped a gate instead of a tiny wall with my mum , pecked on landing, mother had quite serious facial injuries.
“Accidently” jumped a hunting gate onto the road on a hack with someone I was paying to exercise him
Bucked my friend off in the school, then on the tarmac in quick succession

I’ve never had any of these problems with the boy. My friend who he chucked off twice now thinks it’s because “we have a bond”, I think it’s because he trusts me and we understand each other, but is that the same thing?
 
I would say yes. I could be confident and have a great bond/trust with a horse on the ground but that may not transfer to the saddle if I'm not confident whereas someone more confident may have a better bond/trust inthe saddle because they're confident.
 
I think you know each other extremely well, you probably read him better than anyone else and stop any exuberant behaviour before it starts, he will feel safe with you as you do with him. I think he has character, I would not call him dangerous just needing a competent rider that can keep the lid on at times, reacting before he gets it into his head to do something he should not .
 
Sounds familiar! I have a 19month gelding, he's like a pet lamb for me, can do ANYTHING to him yet for anyone else he's a brat! Won't let them catch him, refuses to move once he is caught ect... I'd like to think its because he's knows I'm his owner but you never know!
 
I think there is a connection as with my old boy we just click and Are on the same wave length, pretty much always have been :D

I think that our horses behave better for us the owners than they do for anyone else :)
 
I agree with the author's point of view! I learned a lot. Thank you!
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Slushy is the way to go! Slush between horses and riders is like the glue that sticks envelopes down. Without it, the christmas card would fall out along with Granma's £10 note.

It's the slush that gets me off my fat butt and into the sideways-rain braving Bath holiday traffic and flooded lane to get my 'ickle baby-kins'.

Slush gets me through skinny fences that make me wince and grimace all at the same time and it is slush that allows me to laugh at my face when I see the photo in the tent yet gasp with awe at the chap's talent!

Without slush, there would be no horse. I'd probably be a famous film star by now carrying my Chihuahua in a Gucci Dog-bag wondering what the attraction of enormous toothy smelly things were.

Just illustrating a point.
 
Connection to me is the communication. I don't mean anything mystical or air-fairy. Some horses you can just "think" what you want to do while you're riding them and they do it because they know your subtle shift in weight and position. You look at Charlotte and Valegro and know there's a connection. Someone else who is just as skilled a rider, or perhaps better - won't be able to get the same tune from the horse because what is lacking is the connection. The rider knows the horse's mood and can adjust accordingling and the horse knows the rider and likewise can do without necessarily being obviously asked (yet is not "anticipating" a movement).

That connection isn't just limited to dressage (despite the example above) but is in all forms of equestrianism.
 
I didn't think I had much of a connection with my horse but he IS in tune with my riding. For example I just need to breathe out and he slows down. If anyone else is riding him and I am anywhere in the vicinity he ignores them completely and looks for me! It's a bit embarrassing as he's pretty safe so a few family members/novices have had a go on him... and he's been a total ignorant swine!
But in terms of a deeper connection I didn't think so til my Nana died, I sat in the field and cried and he came and put his head on my shoulder. First time he'd ever done that.
 
I read a quote by a top event rider (can't remember who) and she said the most important thing is that your horse loves you.

I know plenty of people who would scoff at that, but I am an absolute believer that if you have a connection or if your horse loves you then they will go that extra mile for you and try their hearts out. I was watching Valegro and Uthopia this week, thinking they were completely connnected to their riders, and especially Valegro clearly 'loves' Charlotte.

I think horses are very emotional and can be in a bad mood, a good mood, really have close relationships and people/horses they don't like.
 
Catching up on some old posts tonight!

Some really lovely replies here. I find it really difficult to know what they are thinking sometimes!?

For example, Badger is a COMPLETE donkey to handle, complete gent with ladies, puts up with my dad. Puts up with my non horsey boy friends if he is in a chilled mood but if he's feeling a bit silly, or other horses are pratting around he really does not behave for non horsey boy friends at all!! He takes the piss!!

Is this because he doesn't trust them? Doesn't like them? It seems like he's a bit offended that we've subjected him to them!! :P

I do think it depends on the horse though. My mums horse is a poppet for everyone. He's been a open TC winner/field masters horse and everything in-between to having a complete novice having their first ride on him. I have to say though he seems to have a bit more going on between the ears than my boy? Or perhaps just less set in his ways?

Horses are odd creatures! I think I would be a naughty horse! :P
 
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