Are you picky/protective about who touches your horse?

[PandorasJar]

Farm I used to work on takes donkeys and farm animals to homes for oap and disabled etc. I know of two others locally doing the same, one with a pony.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I used to be at a yard and my field had a footpath running through, someone saw boys kicking a football at my horse he was galloping around like a nut case, so i am fussy about where my fields are now do not want thugs terrifying them.

 

[kerrieberry2]

my mare I don't worry about so much! but she's a right grumpy cow, she puts her ears back at most people that try to touch her.

but my boy I don't really let anyone else handle him! only because he is a very sensitive soul and also likes to stand up on his back legs when he's stressed out, so I wouldn't want him hurting anyone else! I would be angry if someone gave him treats in the field also! I'm sure as he grows up and gets easier to handle I won't mind so much but until he chills out he won't be lead by anyone else!

 

[tallyho!]

I don't mind now, when she was younger I would worry in case she hurt someone. My main concern is people getting hurt. The horse is less important than people.

She leads like a saint now at 18mo and I let anyone handle her. Good for her education. I let people groom, lead, feed her but insist they make her back up and stand or when leading I insist on them carrying a small crop to ensure she doesn't fall behind or get lazy. That's all I ask and most people on the yard respect my wishes and say how well behaved and polite she is.

 

[Dubsie]

It's not the people it's the loose dogs....

 

[Sprocket123]

I dont mind really, im a bit sensitive about people feeding her treats as shes had a colic op i get a bit worried!, i have witnessed a livery feeding her horse a toffee apple before....

 

[Honey08]

Well if you had something very valuable would you be happy with people touching it? My horse is priceless, not for sharing with just anybody

They're not sharing it though, they're just patting it!

Oh, and so long as they not sue me/my insurance company if they're where they shouldn't be and it all goes bits up

This is what worries me most, I fence most of the footpaths off if I can, so they can pat and chat over the fence but not get squished! I once had to rescue some people and their dog off one of our XC fences because their dog had spooked the sheep, which ran past the horses and spooked them, and the people got scared!!

We have an outward bound type place across one field, with school kids using it most days. Our 17h hunter spends half the day being cuddled and fussed over the fence, having handfuls of grass shoved in his face! He likes grabbing toggles on their coats and picking them up if he can! The teachers at the place even know his name! When they're in the other field that has a footpath going through, we often get people telling us how lovely and friendly he is.

We used to have DIYs and one fed titbits to ours, despite me asking her not to (when I wasn't there). The youngsters got quite nippy. She did stop when one ripped her pocket trying to get at the goodies!

 

[windand rain]

I actively encourage it I even tack up the old pony and let the tinies have a pony ride. However I wouldnt like them in the field as the small pony doesnt like kids and will pick them up and chuck them back out of the field. I remember being a horseless horselover and I would hang over the fence just watching them graze. So no not precious about them at all but worry if I am not there that they may do something and sue me. I try to keep the naughty one away from the footpath though so that helps a bit

 

[Lego]

As others have said... yes and no.

My lad was quite headshy when I got him, and I've put a lot of time and effort into sorting this problem out. He is now fine, as long as you are gentle - when one of the girls on the yard was turning out for me, he got very headshy and difficult to catch again as she was quite abrupt and not careful about avoiding his ears... Took weeks to get back to where we were before.

However, he seems to know when it's a real numpty handling him, as he ignores the poking finger in the nose and the botched attempt to get the headcollar on and off

I let pretty much anyone on the yard give him a pat and a treat as long as he doesnt start getting grabby, and I'll occasionally stop on a hack to let kids have a pat and say hello, but always when I'm there, and I wouldn't be keen on any random people just wandering up and poking/feeding etc.

 

[jenf]

I am a carbon copy of Popeyesno1fan. Don't mind people touching when I am there. Don't want him socialising over the field gate at all, he paws when excited and has already had a foot stuck in a gate. In stable he shoots back if people rush towards him, flings his head up and cracks it on top of doorway. Have had to pad up top of doorway to protect him. So no, I don't want anybody anywhere near him when I am not there and have put up "This horse bites" signs even though he doesn't.

 

[9tails]

I don't mind people petting my horse, but there are quite a few people I wouldn't allow to handle my horse. The shouty, panicky, arm waving ones.

 

[bubbilygum]

It's not the people it's the loose dogs....

I told one dog walker that it really wasn't sensible letting his dog into my horses field (quite a small pointer). He said "oh don't worry, he won't bite!". I told him it wasn't my horse being injured that was the problem, but rather his dog being hurt, at which point I proceeded to point out to him the size of my horses hoof in comparison to the size of his dogs head. He now calls his dog away when he passes .

 

[Zimzim]

I dont mind anyone handling my mare as shes easy, but Im very protective of my youngster. Hes a big lad (17hh), 4 years old, sports horse. He is actually quite a friendly giant, but quirky and can be quite sharp and its taken me a long time to build up a good relationship with him, so I wont allow novice or inexperienced persons to handle him as some people wont be able to react quickly enough to put him in check. Its mainly for safety.

 

[ChiffChaff]

I don't have a horse but if I did I wouldn't mind at all, so long as the horse wasn't likely to go full beserker at the fusser.

As a shy, horse deprived child I was always hanging around fence lines watching the horses and petting them if they came over. I would have been mortified if someone told me off for it!