Do horses 'know'?

MrsElle

MrsElle

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I haven't been too well and haven't seen the horses since Monday, my lovely friend C is keeping an eye on them for me.

OH took me over to see Blue and Lola this afternoon and it was weird the way they reacted. Blue was all over me like a rash. He was sniffing me all over and walking so close that when stopped he walked into me! He was licking my hair, nibbling my shoulder and being very attentive, bless him. I have left him for a week before and he wasn't bothered about me at all on my return that time, so his behaviour is definately odd. OH wondered if I still smelt of hospital and therefore not of me, despite having showered since my release!

Lola on the other hand was very reticent to come and be petted and hid behind Blue most of the time but I haven't had her as long as I have had Blue.

So, do horses know when something is wrong?

What are your experiences?
 
They do indeed, IME. We had a young woman staying here with Dissociative Identity Disorder, the old Cob girl absolutely adored the young 'personality', could take or leave the older one, but took care of them both outstandingly. After sister had had her pot removed from her broken ankle and started riding again, her Clydie mare made herself as short as possible, to assist sister to get on! This was a mare who we had had to teach to stand still to be mounted, by building her a pen of bales :D
 
definiteley they do - my cob is a very independent chap - always thought he could take me or leave to be honest, until 2 weeks ago.
I was very ill and couldnt visit him for over a week, my husband, daughter and other liveries kept eye on him - exercised him, groomed him etc but i just couldnt visit for about 10 days.
When i first went to visit i couldnt do much as i was still ill - so i just sat on a comfy tree stump with him in his field and groomed him a bit, talked ot him - just watched him really.
- then he very gently groomed me (first time ever) nuzzling my hair and ears, when other horses came near he shooed them away.
When i left to walk (well hobble) down to the gate he actually herded the other horses away from me - he walked all the way down with me, sort of circling me and if any horse came near he shooed them away!
Magical!!!xxx
 
When I had my cob he always knew when I was ill (I'm a depressive) and was very loving and not his usual vibrant self. I think they are extremely sensitive beings.
Ginabella, bet you felt so much better after that!!
 
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They absolutely know! benson was very much an independant soul, not a cuddly boy at all.
I had IVF treatment a few years ago in the summer when they were on night time turnout, so were in the stable during the day.The day I found out it hadnt worked I went to the stables where bens was laying down in his stable, something I had never seen. He allowed me to go into his stable, and I knelt down by his head, to which he lifted it up and lay his head across my knees, and went back to sleep.
He let me cry into his mane for ages, so yes, they definately know!
 
Sort of the other way round...last week I found a very ominous lump on our beloved family pony. We've owned her for nearly 18 years, she's always been quite aloof and detached, not the chummiest of mares and certainly never been one for cuddles etc.

After I found the lump I let her into the yard, loose, to amble around as she pleased while I sat on a tack box and rang the vet. After the phone call she came over and stood in front of me, which was unusual, and then she lowered her head and rested her forehead on mine, and we stayed like that for about 10 minutes. She's never done anything like that in all the years we've owned her, and I have to say I was in floods of tears afterwards.
 
Sov-n-Dom said:
When I had my cob he always knew when I was ill (I'm a depressive) and was very loving and not his usual vibrant self. I think they are extremely sensitive beings.
Ginabella, bet you felt so much better after that!!
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lol i so did - but now hes back to his normal bratty couldnt care less self lol but i dont care - love him to bits the miserable old sod lol:D:D:D
 
gala said:
Sort of the other way round...last week I found a very ominous lump on our beloved family pony. We've owned her for nearly 18 years, she's always been quite aloof and detached, not the chummiest of mares and certainly never been one for cuddles etc.

After I found the lump I let her into the yard, loose, to amble around as she pleased while I sat on a tack box and rang the vet. After the phone call she came over and stood in front of me, which was unusual, and then she lowered her head and rested her forehead on mine, and we stayed like that for about 10 minutes. She's never done anything like that in all the years we've owned her, and I have to say I was in floods of tears afterwards.
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this is beautiful - yes they definiteley know x
 
i'd say-my mare is always very quiet and 'soppy' when i'm upset.

also, she can normally be naughty in some way when i ride her but one time i broke my ankle last november and rode her with my cast on,leg hanging there heavily. therefore no stirrup on that leg-i just hobbled over to her and was helped on and bless her she walked around really steadily and got slower when i wobbled!
and was a gem and calmly waited as i slowly got off too. love her <3 :D
 
Definitely agree with everyone on this. I fell off and broke both both ankles a couple of years ago, the last my boy saw of me for three weeks was me being carted off in an ambulance! Apparently the whole time I was away he was very subdued and off his food. When I finally came home on a wheelchair and demanded to be taken to see my babies (I was a very impatient patient!) they both came cantering over and nuzzled me very gently. It brought a tear to my eye! :)
 
They definitely know :) When I visited mine after a hospital stay for a broken back my normally bad mannered gelding was so gentle around me. My mare called for me when she seen me.

When I'm down and upset I'll have abit of a cry and my gelding will wrap his neck around me to give me a cuddle/head lock. He's not a people horse but he'll give me a cuddle most days now. You've got to love them lol ;)
 
I really want to believe it and some lovely stories here. I don't think mine gives two hoots. I had my shoulder op about 8 weeks ago and when I went to see him straight after with my arm in a sling still dopey, I didn't even get my usual "well, go on then.. hug me if you must" face he just sniffed it and wandered off! Cheh... ignorant beast.

Infact, he ignored me for about 4 weeks and gave his temporary rider hugs and nuzzles instead.

Hurt I was. Hurt.

(It's all fine now by the way, I'm getting my hugs and nuzzles)
 
Mine is incredibly affectionate all the time so dont always see a change! But I do think they know, when Im angry/het up/upset hes much more respectful/cautious of me even though I have never ever got wound up with him, he can just sence it. When Im tired he turns into even more of an affectionate dope than normal though and trys to fall asleep on me :)
 
gala said:
Sort of the other way round...last week I found a very ominous lump on our beloved family pony. We've owned her for nearly 18 years, she's always been quite aloof and detached, not the chummiest of mares and certainly never been one for cuddles etc.

After I found the lump I let her into the yard, loose, to amble around as she pleased while I sat on a tack box and rang the vet. After the phone call she came over and stood in front of me, which was unusual, and then she lowered her head and rested her forehead on mine, and we stayed like that for about 10 minutes. She's never done anything like that in all the years we've owned her, and I have to say I was in floods of tears afterwards.
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That is so touching. Something similiar but not quite so emotional. My little Shetland had a mild bout of gas colic last Summer, I sat with her in her box on the mounting block which I had dragged in there. She also came over to me and lowered her head into my lap, I stroked her and spoke to her for a while and then moved the block a few feet so I could watch her breathing and her stomach tension, she wouldn't allow me to, kept coming over and resting her head on me. It touched me because she is not demonstrative at all usually.

Also, I think I have mentioned on here before that when my first dog died I was quite distraught and feeling emotionally drained. Our gelding became very protective over me, wouldn't let the other horses near me in the field and wouldn't let my husband near me in the stable, he is usually the most laid back soul going.

They are very sensitive creatures I think.
 
On a different note. I had owned my boy for several months when I went away for two weeks. He had never been demonstotive, the opposite in fact.

Whilst I was away the yard owner said she hadn't been able to get near him and I would have trouble catching him.

I went down to his field and called him. I couldn't see him and was close to panicing when I saw a pair of ears above a rather tall gelding. I called his name again and my boy came racing accross the field and did everthing but throw his front legs around my neck, I could not believe it. I was so gobsmacked. Bless him, he knew I would be back.
The others on the yard thought I would never get near him again and that he had gone feral!!!!
Jane
 
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