bonding time? how long did it take you?

[kerrieberry2]

I was clipping my mare earlier (suspected cushings, clipped all year round) and I was thinking how lucky I am to have such a lovely girl! she loves being clipped, will stand there for hours! we only moved yards a month ago, and the boy was stood by the gate calling occasionally and having the odd trot around! she didn't bat any eyelid!

which then got me thinking, for the first 5 yrs (had her for 12yrs) if this had been going on she'd have been going made, she's a massive stress head and is the head mare, so always stresses if her friends are stressed! I can honestly say I don't think it took us about 5 yrs to bond properly, she is very independent and was uninterested in me when I came to check her! I couldn't catch her in the summer if I wanted to ride! and she was a cow to ride! jogged the whole time, bolted, would be even worse in company! cantered on the spot if I tried to school her!

but now I can honestly say she is the most perfect horse in the world, even at 28

Did anyone else take so long to bond with their horse?

 

[mandwhy]

Gosh I thought I had taken a long time with my horse, I have had her about 9 months and she has completely changed her attitude. She was quite 'my way or the highway' and very non compliant with her feet, especially farrier, and so nappy to ride, and generally 'eurgh go away silly person' although don't get me wrong, not horrible and perfectly sweet to handle mostly... But I'm glad we're finally getting somewhere!

We went to our first show a couple of weeks ago and that was quite a bonding experience, with the loading on a trailer as well... she started pawing and stressing as soon as we had loaded her to go home and I left to let the other person in to load their horse, so I had to stand by the jockey door so she could see I was still there while the other horse was loaded. Bless her I was a little bit touched as I didn't think she liked me all that much or cared if I was there or not haha!