Do horses get jealous?

New horse at the yard was deemed a perfect match for my boy (two old gents looking an easy life) and he is stabled directly opposite so they have become thick as thieves and as it suits me and other owner we tend to take turns in doing both boys and whoever is up first will turnout both etc. Well new boy has decided that i am also his now and if im in with my boy he will have a right bang about until i go over to him at which point my own will cock his head nearly upside down and look confused as to why he is not the one getting all my love because i am afterall HIS. Its a big love triangle.

My home herd don't get jealous, cause none of them care about me in any way haha
 
tankgirl1 said:
Yes but horses don't think like humans so to use the term 'jealous' is anthropomorphising them
Click to expand...

The definition of jealousy is resource guarding. It's described as a feeling of unhappiness or anger when someone else has something that you want. Some people and animals feel threatened when another is given something from the person that they rely on to meet their physical and emotional needs.
 
With any horses we've had, if I stand at the gate and call it doesn't matter which horse comes over first, it is always the most dominant that ends up being the one who gets the best position even if they are the last to arrive. I think it's all about herd hierachy rather than jealousy. I notice if I feed fatty first rose will bang her door, but she doesn't bang whilst I am preparing the feeds, if I am leading her to the gate and Fatty gets too close, she will pull a face at him or strike out yet she will happily graze next to him on her own terms. It's all about hierachy as she'd do this regardless of who was feeding her or leading her.
 
My pony that I bred from a foal was used to being attended to by me after her mother. Five years after her mother died I got another one. Before that she had been used to other horses in the stable next to her and she might not always like them but was not upset.

When I got my other one she was visibly upset and jealous despite being attended to first and last at all times. She was foul to my second one for months and was desperate for attention. Eventually they became best friends and she relaxed.
 
Cocorules said:
My pony that I bred from a foal was used to being attended to by me after her mother. Five years after her mother died I got another one. Before that she had been used to other horses in the stable next to her and she might not always like them but was not upset.

When I got my other one she was visibly upset and jealous despite being attended to first and last at all times. She was foul to my second one for months and was desperate for attention. Eventually they became best friends and she relaxed.
Click to expand...
Glad to hear this as I have a similar situation - and 3 months in at least the fencing between them doesn’t get broken regularly 😐. But if you want anthropomorphic then I deal with it like I would 2 jealous employees - any arguments have to be kept out of working time!
 
windand rain said:
mine live out 24/7/365 so nothing to do with confinement or even restriction the behaviour is pure jealousy
Click to expand...

Mine are the same and also experience quite obvious jealousy. They’re not fed, so on a daily basis, going into the field means that the only thing they’re expecting is cuddles. Sixpence couldn’t care less, but the other three all want a turn. Mary is very shy and subordinate, so she tends to hover as close as she can get without entering the fray, but Flower and Tudor both get visibly jealous of the others receiving attention. Tudor is dominant and will move the other three off until he feels he’s had his fair share, but Flower isn’t remotely perturbed. She’ll also try and squeeze herself into any cuddles with Mary and Six, which she wouldn’t dare to do with T. I’m not really sure how anyone could watch them and doubt for one second that it’s some form of emotion/feeling that’s driving their responses.
 
My mare can be. I was schooling a young ex racer and all was fine until both mares were on the yard at the same time and I was spotted cheating with another horse.

The next day they were both on the horse walker together and we used to take the horses off in twos. These two had been led together before but this time my mare launched herself at the youngster. I let go!

The poor young mare was driven away from me then mine turned around and came back to me.

No food involved - & she did look jealous!
 
tankgirl1 said:
Yes but horses don't think like humans so to use the term 'jealous' is anthropomorphising them
Click to expand...

Jealousy in humans is resource guarding also as it’s base level. Whether that be affection from a parent or food.

I think people underestimate animals understanding and I’d rather anthropomorphise than think that animals don’t feel.
 
Sussexbythesea said:
I think people underestimate animals understanding and I’d rather anthropomorphise than think that animals don’t feel.
Click to expand...

To my mind they have exactly the same feelings as us, it is not putting human feelings or thoughts onto animals just simply fact. Humans are more clever in some areas animals in others. How on earth do my swallows manage to get to within 6 inches of where they sat last year without a sat, nav.:D
 
My mare tends to chase any other horse off if they come near me in the field whether there is food or not so I suspect there is some jealousy there
 
Off on a slight tangent here, but with regards to 'anthropomorphising' horses - and other animals, I don't think there's anything wrong with crediting animals with all to human emotions at all, human beings are, after all, animals. I remember reading an account of a farmers wife who was attacked in the field by a very stroppy cow protecting her calf. The cow had her on the ground and was about to inflict some serious damage to her, when her horse (who was turned out in the same field) came hurtling over and started to 'double barrel' the cow and drove her away. The horse then stood guard over her until she was able to stagger to her feet. Not a case of jealousy, I know, but I think shows the horse experiencing a real depth of emotion. Love, compassion, fear for his human?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top