Aloof horse?

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Lissie2

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Anyone else have an aloof horse? He doesn't like much fuss, tolerates being groomed (would never stand for it without a head collar) only comes to you in field if he spys food. He is very horse orientated not people orientated. I guess I miss having a cuddly horse. On the up side he looks after me under saddle, good as gold. He has NO respect for his owner (he's a loan) and I know has had shocking ground manners with her in the past, which I spent a long time correcting. He never disrespects me on the ground and does what he is told but he doesn't he seek you out either. He's a funny beasty. He seems quite grudging and offen pins his ears when being brought in. Anyone else have a grump? On the other hand every now and then he can be a soft dafty but it's rare....on those occasions he will groom me.
 
Sounds alike mine. I think he's been used to getting tacked and go none of this mamby pamby stuff. He has moments when he is cuddly but he could quite happily live without me.
 
Not owned one personally as I am drawn to extroverted friendly horses, but I have cared for plenty. In fact, I would say 'aloof' horses are pretty much the norm. It is more unusual, IMO to get one that loves being petted and is a real people person. I blame the way they are trained, with many professional establishments discouraging such behaviour. Horses are often 'taught' to be aloof.
 
Mine is like this, owned her 6 years and she hasn't changed!

She has fabulous manners, she will stand to be groomed tied up or otherwise but more because she knows that is what is expected of her. Don't get me wrong she does like a fuss and to be groomed but she would rather be out in the field with her mates!

The only time she reacts to seeing me is when she hears me/my car and she wants to go out she starts kicking the door and pacing about.

She comes to call in winter because her stable has food in it. Summer time I am made to walk because the field has food in it.

Very good at nagging me when she is fed up and wants back out with her horsey friends. She nudges me with her top lip! Only gently but enough to be annoying.

On the whole I would prefer this over a horse that is really in your face. We respect eachothers space, I can feed her in her stable and muck her out and she will move her bum out of my way to help out etc.

She is a funny mare.
 
Mine would play tricks on me and didn't particularly mind interacting with me, but go to give her a cuddle and she would turn away. In fact the back end got more of my attention than the front because that didn't argue! I knew nothing of her history but her summer coat would reveal a pattern of many whip marks on her flank, and given her nature I suspect she had had a great many owners who just couldn't handle her (quiet and good on the ground, brakeless hot-headed loon under saddle!). I suspect she had put up a barrier to protect herself because she learned that humans weren't to be trusted and kept sending her away to more strangers. It was a good 10 years before she really let me in and towards the end was extremely affectionate. The real change came when I'd been away for a few days, and when I went out into the field to see her she came over and leaned her forehead into my chest and stayed there. Cue lots of tears from me.
 
I don't have one myself, but I've known a couple from my riding school and college days!

None had bad manners etc and were lovely to ride, but they just weren't interested in human company.

Mine is the opposite, she is quite like a big dog and loves human company. She's not a cuddly horse but she likes to know what you're doing if you're in the field with her or mucking out, she will follow you around, and comes straight over when being caught.

Makes a difference to me as my old pony couldn't be bothered at all, not aloof as such as she liked human company, but she wasn't interested in what you were doing as much as my current mare!
 
My last horse was quite aloof at first. He had come from Germany and I suspect wasn't used to being subjected to lots of fuss and affection. After a few months he did get his head around it and became really quite soppy on occasion, just took him a bit of time to adjust.
 
Yes he had a mild bout of colic and the following morning he was very affectionate and kept grooming me incessantly. So it just goes to show there's a secret love there I think when he has a need :) hey ho...I cant make him what hes not.
 
Wagtail said:
Not owned one personally as I am drawn to extroverted friendly horses, but I have cared for plenty. In fact, I would say 'aloof' horses are pretty much the norm. It is more unusual, IMO to get one that loves being petted and is a real people person. I blame the way they are trained, with many professional establishments discouraging such behaviour. Horses are often 'taught' to be aloof.
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Totally agree. I remember being told years not to let horses rub their heads on me or otherwise initiate bodily contact. While I will not allow a pushy horse to batter me I am quite happy to teach my horses polite contact is welcome.
 
Mine is with everyone bar me, though you have to be attuned to see any affection. She doesn't whinny to me or other horses, isn't rude to groom but doesn't seem to enjoy it unless you find the itchy spot. The it's pointy lip and wobbly knees.
 
Ha well I am very strict and don't allow rubbing on me etc yet I've had very aloof and very friendly horses and everything in between. My current horse absolutely hates other horses yet loves people and children, particularly her "own" people.
 
They get more mellow with age. Mine allows me to cuddle him now, but there was a time he would take a polite step back if you threw your arms round his neck and gave him a hug as if to say 'err no thank you, kindly step away'.

Now I can even blow raspberries in his nose and he loves it!
 
I have one grumpy mare and one who would jump into my arms if she could. The grumpy one was passed around as a baby, I was her 5th owner when she was 5. So I think she shut down to human affection, but she does love her companions. Like yours OP, there are rare moments when she will show the odd gesture of affection to me, usually if she is feeling vulnerable. One thing she does which always gets me, she comes over to me in the field and rests her head against my tummy, she'll close her eyes and stay like that for a couple of minutes, then go back off to her friends again. I've never known any on my others to do this but its definitely her thing. She did it when I went to view her which of course meant she was coming home whatever :)
 
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