Are there any other nutters out there that think theyre "in tune" with their ned?

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Samantha008

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Ok so im writing this at the risk of being sectioned....

Does anyone else think they can understand their horses thoughts? And i dont mean actually hear the thoughts (im not that crazy), i mean feel what the horse is feeling?

For instance, my mare trotted over to me the other day, she wasnt doing anything different, its more that i sort of "sensed" she wasnt feeling ver well. Role on two days later and shes got a cold :/

Im sure its a subconscious thing, maybe im so tuned in to her that if something is slightly different i pick up on it and make a judgement. It could be a look in her eye or something, or carrying her head a bit lower than usual or something? Im not sure? I dont do it with any other horse though, iv got another horse ove had a while and i have no idea whats going through his brain!! But lexi always seems to manage to tell me. Ive never ever got it wonrg with her either. Ive never said soemthing that hasnt come true. Like if shes feeling unwell, or lonely. She barged me in the field the other day. She hasnt ever ever done that before, but i got a feeling that it was because id taken her boyfriend out the field. Shes used to him being away from her, but this was one day longer than usual, and i swear that i could "sense" her having a tantrum. Sure enough, put the fella back in and shes her old self again. This is a logical one i knoe, but its the feeling i have, not a conscious thought path. If that makes sense? Is there anyone else out there that feels like they can understand their horse beyond a body language level? I dont mean read minds or predict her future or anything that crazy, i just mean somehow be in tune with them??

Please help me feel im not in need of a straight jacket!!!
 
Turning your question about - I'm quite sure that my old mare was far more adept at knowing my moods than tuther way about!

At times this approached a sixth sense - once a upon a time, when I had been quite injured but still went to bring her in she was extremely concerned and soft rather than fligging her considerable weight around in a tizzy at being left out too long away from her grub.

Unfortunately this equine understanding was far from complete - demonstrated by her dragging my through the stable door at the same time as her backside - breaking two of my ribs - but even then she appeared to be very apologetic dribbling all over me as I sat in her box winded !

One of my very best horsey moments was with all the yard ponies turned out - it was quite late in the evening near Midsummer and there was soundless lightning flashing in the northern sky - I was nonchallently feeding nuts tp the ponies while looking up when all of a sudden I realised that they too were all gazing upwards while gently chewing - at that moment we were all on a level - just animals staring in wonder!

Continuing on the theme, I'm convinced that horses are far more intelligent than most folk give them credit for - they will hit their heads on the same obstacle three times in a row but seem to have a capacity for quite complex thoughts ( though expressing them to us might pose a problem!) Once I was grooming while the mare ate her tea - there was a loud disturbance outside, someone was doing alot of swearing coming up from turnout - we both started to the door - mare poked her head out with me under her chin - a certain favourite lady of mine was obviously having a very bad day, cursing and literally beating the ground with a headcollar - my mare came down to my level and looked me eye to eye - I swear her face changed as if to say - good to you with that one!! And we both rushed back into the box before we were spotted. Haha.
 
I did have a horse whisperer out to my boy, also does sacro-cranial, she told me stuff that could be relevant to any horse, but some things I did not know about, he liked his rider [short dark hair] who had a sore back, well how did she even know someone else was riding him.
Also a whole long list of moans, smelly drains in the field, and someone in the field was biting him, he did not like it [that is absolutely him] to being afraid of the echo in the indoor school, and how he would run up one corner if I tried to let him free school in it [true], he missed his friend [grey pony] and he had travelled in a big lorry down a steep hill [true], he does not like driving [well who mentioned driving, not me].
So although I am sceptic, it was a worthwhile experience, and he got a massage too, which he adored.
I did buy a book by Magrit Coates, but found it too fluffy for me, but some people believe in these things.
I know my boy very well, and pick up most of the signals he sends out, when riding I have to watch his ears all the time, as any naughtyness is generally preceeded by a "think"
 
Absolutely!

My lad, Captain, is very easy to "read" for example I walked into the barn one day and he felt, to me, so sad, stressed and generally upset. Turned out he had been told off by the YO ( justified telling off) and he hates being in the wrong and told off. I can also "read" when he has decided that he has had enough turn out, staying in etc. He is very easy to tell with. I can also tell when he is getting poorly, eg his colicking or when his feet were hurting last winter, I think this is more about knowing the horse, knowing their usual facial expressions and understanding their character. He did however do something once I simply can't explain. His next door stable mare was ill very early one morning and he started banging his door and would not stop until YO came to see what was going on, cue a quick phone call to the vet. Strange that he understood a) that the mare was very ill and b) that he needed to get the YO)'s attention for her.

Fany is difficult to read. She is a very self-contained horse and likes to be slightly more aloof. However when she is happy to see you, she is very happy and you can see and hear her happiness! But when she is ill, rarely thank God, she is so stoic it is very hard to "read" you can tell something is wrong but you have to really look all over her to find out what it is!

FDC
 
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Totally agree with both aspects. I can pretty much guage what mood all three of mine are in within a minute or two of arriving at the yard, and get vibes as to whether their all ok or someone not quite right.

1stclassalan: Monty is a classic for this. He can really tell when i need a hug and also likes to be scratched and will often groom back. With me he goes straight for my lower back as i've got a lot of back issues, but with mum he goes for the back of her head were she had a brain tumor when he was a baby, almost like he can sense where our problems are. I think that was the sweetest thing i'd ever seen. The first time I took her back down the the yard after her op he was out on a 10 acre field, but as soon as he saw her he came flying up the field whinning to her and gave her a massive cuddle but was so careful with her.

They really are amazing creatures. xxx
 
Yes, I can always tell what he's like, when hes a bit sad, or grumpy, or tired, or happy, calm, excited and it works the same with him knowing what I am feeling like. Sometimes we butt heads a little if he's grumpy and I'm grumpy, but then after a few minutes we kind of chill and apologise. Sounds dumb, but its true.
 
With illnesses yes. I know my horses and learn what is normal and when the slightest thing is off I will know, it drives my mum crazy because she can't see anything wrong.

The day Koko fell ill the night before after competing he wasn't 100% and I said this to my mum so we set web cams up and kept an eye on him and then he went out in the morning. At a bout 11 I had a strange feeling that I needed to go and see him and when I did he looked dreadful. I'm so glad I caught him so he could get some pain killers so his death wasn't quite so painful as it would have been if he was left in the field.
 
Definitely. I know when something is wrong with nearly all my animals, and people as well. im definitely in tune with them.

But i also know that my close animals know me better than i know myself. the first person to react when im feeling rubbish is my dog, she will instantly be on me, or as close as she possibly can be, im not doing so good this morning (chicken drama) and she is literally pressed to my leg, if i was really sad, she would be laying on the laptop. When im happy or upbeat, so is she, but i dont think you can spend almost every day for 14 years with someone without having that bond.

I think its much nuttierwhen people havent got that connection.
 
I can read my boy like a book.I know when hes going to be naughty,ie wenesday puts them on a bit of grass (small field) and left them graze for a hour,now my section A came out to go into their own field,but my boy,hmmmmmm usual antic """ spun around""" (usual trick),and darted back off in the other direction. Another thing he does is he always refuses to let me put his head collar on (everytime) when hes in the cowshed lol When I used to long rein him and if he doesnt want to go forward in the direction your heading,he spins around really fast. lol lol.He hates tractors and quad bikes.
I know when hes got one on him (a strop).Then youve had it.You cant give him a treat after worming him,he wont have it lol. Hes a lovely boy tho.
I do sometimes wonder what hes thinking lol. I know when theyre not feeling good or if theres something wrong.
 
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Yes and no it doesn’t sound crazy, for me and no doubt many other riders we can use this six sense to our advantage it just depends how observant we are and the bond you have between the horse.

When riding/schooling or dealing with youngsters, in some circumstances with some horses, I like to take 5 minutes before I clamber on board, basically to get their head in the right place and get a sense of how they are feeling so I know how to work them, 5 minutes can make a lot of difference, from having a horse that you can’t mount, spooking at everything or something that is that stupid and full of beans it will throw you off with one lap of the school to listening, understanding, being calm and enjoying the work you’re asking of them is then going to make a more productive session for both you and the horse.
 
i think you just get to know the signs even if you don't conciously do it.
When Hovis was ill I just knew something was wrong. Husband told me i was being daft, YO did, friends did and even the vet did! He was acting normal, trying his hardest as always, he had a normal pulse, temperature and everything but I knew somehting wasn't right. I insisted on bloods much to my vets amusement - he wasn't laughing when he phoned the next day to say Hovis was very very anaemic and his white cell count was on the floor.
i'm the same when i get the physio out - i tell her I just "know" and I'm rarely wrong.
I don't think its anything more than somehow i pick up on the slightest thing with him. I don't do it knowingly but i guess we all do it to a degree.
 
I do with mine. I can always tell when something isn't right with them and what mood they are in. My TB is the same with me, if I'm stressed, it affects her and can make her tense. If I'm feeling 'down', she'll be quiet and gives me cuddles. My filly is always in a good mood, but seems to be more of a clown when I'm down. I know horses don't think like this, but it's almost like she is trying to cheer me up.

My dog is also very sensitive to me. If I'm ill, he won't leave my side and will curl up with me. I had an anxiety attach the other day and he came over to me and was licking my face like he was trying to calm me down. Either that or he just took the oppertunity to lick me to death!
 
I'm in tune with mine so much that he knows I'm a source of food and shelter! :p ;)

I know when he isn't right in himself and I do think he is beginning to get to know me. I've had a few bad days and tears and he's nuzzled me (unlike him he hates cuddles!), I think he also knows when he's pushed things too far as he will suddenly behave... Still I've only had him since Sept last year so we're doing okay so far :D
 
I think you can with a horse you have a strong bond with.
I can read my mare like a book, but I think she can read me even better and knows me better than I do. Usually she can be fizzy and sensitive to ride-i broke my ankle last October/November and after stiffly clambering on board, she went very steady, non spooky and didn't bat an eyelid at the cast banging her side!
So yes, they do know. And it'd be a crime if you had an animal that you saw everyday, bonded with and couldn't tell when something was off with them.

I've only had my dog 9 months, but already feel very close to him! Maybe because he's mine personally whereas the other dog is a family dog? He reads me like a book too and when i'd been away for a week recently he was even more excited to see me than the family dog who we have had 9 years. I'd spent a good amount of time saying bye to him the night before and he was quiet and mellow.


I think after a time you learn how to communicate with your animals totally-it's cruel that they don't live as long as we do and on a grand scale they are our companions only briefly.
 
Very close to my 3 yr old arab, been there from the moment she came out of her dam. She runs to me for affection & safety, protects me if she thinks I'm being threatened. Not sure if I'm 'in tune', or just quickly recognise behaviour which is abnormal.
 
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Yes definately and no it is perfectly normal for me anyway :) - so put your straight jacket away - glad there are other people who can sense and communicate on another level. Not just horses, my cats and dogs too xx
 
Nope definatly with you on that one.

usually it is little things, but the other week her ladyship had managed to remove the bottom bit of her stable at the back, and it took a couple of days to be sorted. On the day she could go back in, I was getting the "am so tired, am so so very tired" from her because she had done 60 hours out rather than her usual out in the day and in at night. Once she had come in and inspected the workmanship she then did " HUNGRY....... HUNGRY...... HUNGRY"

I have the same sort of thing from the dogs too, so have always thought it was normal.
 
i think i just feel too much sometimes, with people and animals, especially my stallion, when riding i just think what i want and it happens effortlessly, its a good thing in that with horses you can sense their mood and adjust work plans to suit them and if ott make a plan to relax them and have a profitable schooling session instead of calling it off.
oh and intelligence, very underestimated, i find horses incredibly intelligent, i often wonder how they learn so quickly.
 
Yes, I'm very in tune with Henry and my cats too. I normally demonstrate this by saying, "Don't you bloody well even THINK about doing that". They demonstrate their amazing grasp of English by sighing and moving on, lol!
 
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