Do you have a special bond with your horse?

FinellaGlen

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This question was posed on another forum and it got me wondering. I feel that I have a very strong bond with my pony, Nelly, and it seems to be mutual. She's my 4th horse and I bought her sight unseen from Scotland. I've had her for 6 months now. I fell in love with her the moment she stepped off the rather grand racehorse transporter. Everyone pulled my leg saying that they thought a leggy TB was going to step out and then my short legged, hairy native came down the ramp blinking in the sunshine.

When I go up to the yard she gives me a lovely greeting and if my OH or daughter get to her stable first she says hello to them but, apparently, stands there looking over their heads until I appear when she gives me a really big whicker. She seems to trust me when we go out hacking too, even when we go to new places and I trust her like I've never trusted any other horse.

So, am I just being daft or do you sometimes feel a special bond with one of your horses?
 
I feel a bond, not sure if its special but it feels like it to me..I have only had her 4 months so we are still building our confidence in each other but she whinnys to me when she sees me and I trust her and she is starting to trust me
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I bred my coloured horse ,Penfold and helped deliver him and milked the mare to give him as he was slow to stand up. He will nearly jump on me if he is scared and is more like a son than my horse . I tell my daughter to look after her brother when they go xc!
 
I know exactly what you mean... I have four, and as close as I feel to them all, there are days when I feel like one of them understands me better than anybody or anything in the world (I will say, that he is the naughtiest of the lot though..) But he always seems to know when im upset or down about something, and will not leave my side untill hes pulled as many stupid faces or stood and been cuddled long enough for me to be happy again. Also, everyone that goes out to the field to see him on their own, will come back with a 'he tried to bite me' story, which always makes me laugh, he would never dream of doing that when I was there, took me ages to believe people when they first started saying it!
 
I think I have a bond with my pony. When I first got him I was very very nervous and used to be sick when I rode. Not once did that pony take advantage of me in any way even though I used to physically shake at times. Now I'm getting some confidence and have done some very basic dressage tests which we got 68% in and he is growing with me. I get a lovely greeting every morning
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He is fantastic with my son too. OOOHHH I just love him to bits
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Yup i think i did. When i had my old pony mickey. The first time i touched him i knew he was the one for me. And i know that we had a special bond because he would do stuff with me that he wouldnt do with anyone else! And riding him bareback was the most amazing feeling as i felt at one with him. I trusted him with my heart and soul, and even though he was far off the most perfect pony in the world, i knew he was and still is the perfect pony for me. I had him for 5yrs and i must admit they were the best 5yrs of my life! I just felt like that him and I did have and still have a special bond, and no horse could ever replace that bond. And even though he is in a new home now, when ever i go to visit we just bond straight away! I will never forget my little man!
 
I have a very special bond with my oversized highland boy. I bought him as a two year old, he's 16 now. Before he was backed, I would take him out around the village and show him all the scary things and then when he was ridden he was and is bombproof. He will lay down in the stable and put his head on my lap, close his eyes and nod off. He always gives me whiskery kisses and a nice whinny when I see him. Definitely my one in a million.
 
My son and I love ours. Really love them. And my dear retired Arthur(17.3hh, IDTBX) was very special( he's with a great family who had my last retired horse fifteen years ago). The day after my husband died tragically, I went for a ride. It was Feb. Very, very cold. Very windy. THings jumped out of every hedge. I was crying my eyes out and barely holding the reins. Arthur, who could shy with the best of them, didn't put a foot wrong and when we got back and I untacked him while howling, he rested his cheek against mine. Before that he had always been an intensely professional horse, not at all interested in cuddles but not hostile, either. Just matter of fact. But that day, he knew and I cd cry about it all over again. I visit him but it's a double-edged sword. Our shared history is coloured by tragedy and we remind each other. He's happy where he is, pootling round a farm ,nannying youngsters....but I miss him and hope he doesn't miss me as much. So yes. Bonded.
 
Wont jump for anyone else
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don't think that is a good thing.
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She always whickers to me in the morning
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naww gives me big kisses and tuckes her head up indide me coat and nods off- she is quite nervous with other people. Also has alot of respect for me
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she's so cute
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special bond with poppy, when i got her she had been poorly treated and we worked really hard together and really love each other, even tho we had to part ways for a wee while the now, i still love her to death and she'll always be my best bud in the world
 
I know what you mean. When I first went to try Flora, I found her to be much bigger than I expected (16.3hh heavyweight hunter with lots of shire in her feet!). In the stable she looks huge (whenever people meet her in a stable they comment on her size) and my first thought was "I'm not getting on that"! Then I figured I'd driven three hours to see her so I might as well. As soon as I began riding her I felt a real affinity withher and I knew that I had to have her. I also knew there was no point in me having her vetted because I would buy her whatever. That was four years ago and our bond has grown deeper and deeper over that time. I could never part with her under any circumstances. I have never felt these feelings with any other horse. We were made for each other and its such a pleasure to have her
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God that sounds mushy
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I think I have a pretty good bond with Murphy. He looks after me when I need to be looked after, and pushes me when I need to be pushed. We have so much fun together and if I really panic out hacking, he sort of takes over and just gets on with it. He's a one in a million to me.
 
I think I have quite a bond with Twiglet......it certainly didnt start that way as we drove each other mental for the first few months!

But he is a very sensitive boy and we've got a good relationship now.....he's definitely my horse in a million! I dont really attribute it to 'cuddles' as he cuddles everyone given half the chance, but more an understanding of each other and our many mood swings! I don't know any other horse that I could form a relationship with like I have with him - they all seem a bit dull in comparison to my little weirdo
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I never really thought i did, i thought we had an understanding and trusted one another implicitly, but not a special bond. He hardly ever neighs to me. But my yard commented te other week how much of a bond we had! It made me really happy! he says when she looks after him hes not the same horse as he is when im around him!
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So yes i guess i do have a special bond with my horse!
 
I know I've got a very special bonding with my baby!!
Probably not a manly thing to be said...but hey ho!!

There's no better way than to end a crappy day at work, than being in the stable with my boy. I know he understands, it can't be explained.... or can it?

There's something about the reaction I get, depending upon the mood I'm in when I approach his door! The normal reaction is for him to come and place is nose right into my chest and slowly lower his head, then for the next god knows how long he gets his stroke, whilst falling into a sleepy/relaxed state!

I can safely sit anywhere in the stable/field with him, and he'll join me. I ride him with total 100% trust and confidence, and he returns that, I work around him with 100% confidence, knowing exactly what his response will be to anything, and him knowing mine.
Personally, I think the bond people get is from a total and genuine understanding of each other. My boy knows, that only good things happen when I'm with him, and no matter what.....he is NEVER in the wrong, if there's ever a reaction, say whilst we're out hacking, there is always a reason, and it's never his fault.

A special bond...... it's possible.....I know!
 
I had a very special bond with a pure-bred Arab that I owned for almost nine years. I bought him as an 18-month-old and taught him everything (apart from actual schooling). I sold him almost 5 years ago (long sad story and a decision I have regretted ever since) and since then had only seen him - in passing - twice up until last Friday. I saw in at the far end of a very large field. I called his name and he flung up his head to look; I called him again and he came galloping flat out down the field to me. I could have cried. He's still my very special angel and I'd love to buy him back. . . . .
 
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I know I've got a very special bonding with my baby!!
Probably not a manly thing to be said...but hey ho!!

[/ QUOTE ] Thats kind of attractive
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I have a strong bond with Ralph. He comes to me in the field and protects me if other horses come up. Wherever I go in the yard, he watches me.

I had an accident last year and was unable to get to the yard for a few weeks and he pinned, causing mayhem in the field chasing horses etc, he had to go out on his own until I came back and then started to settle.

He had a bad begining as an RSPCA rescue and was broken too soon, not a word I like to use but he was broken and not backed. He rebelled and was deemed dangerous and was going to be sent back to the RSPCA, so I stepped in and took him on, turned him away and let him be a baby again.

I re backed him when he was 4 and have never looked back, we have a great partnership
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I definitely have a bond with mine, he is with me for the rest of his days. After 8 years he still does funny little things that amuse me, and I'm always learning new things from him, plus I love the fact that we know each other like the back of our hands - can only compare it to marriage haha!
 
I think me and my horse have a special bond, she knows the sound of my car and starts shouting for me to hurry up if I am messing about putting my wellys on and dont go straight over to see her. She was on box rest for the first 4 months I had her so I think that helped because we spent so much time together! Plus, she is my first horse and as soon as I knew her I knew she was perfect. I would never part with her in a million years!
 
Some lovely stories here. It is nice to hear about all the much-loved HHO horses. Sometimes it seems that all we read about is cruelty cases and it's good to know that there are some great horses and owners out there. who have genuine trust and affection between them. I've just had a letter through from the ILPH and this thread has prompted me to write them a cheque.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I know I've got a very special bonding with my baby!!
Probably not a manly thing to be said...but hey ho!!

[/ QUOTE ] Thats kind of attractive
wink.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

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Oooooo
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X
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I think I had a bond with my little SJ. He was in bad shape when I got him as an unbroken 4yo and he was super skinny. He was scared of hard feed and I had to hand feed him for a week before he would eat from a bucket. I had him for 5 years an dhe would start hopping at the front on his stable when I arrived (very naughty I know) and would come in when called. I did a lot of my A-level revision in his stable.
My last mare was also very close to us. I rescued her from a riding school an dit was purely a pity purchase. She turned out to be so lovely. She had a real bond with me and OH who learnt to ride on her. She was out on 170acres and luckily came when called! If she couldn't see you she would neigh to let us know she was coming. My OH would often take her to the areas of the yard that had lots of grass and he would lie on the ground while she ate round him. She would warn off anything that got too close. We sold her last year as we were moving and I still miss her and OH really does. We have been to see her a few times, but the last time they asked us not to come again as she wouldn't eat for 2 days after.
 
I did with Amy May - no doubt about it.

Not particularly with Thumper - it's still early days for our partnership though.
 
I don't own my own horse but have a couple of horses that I ride full time and feel I have a very close bond with them. I don't think I could get as much from them if I didn't. I've just taken on another ride and can see our bond starting to develop which is a really good feeling
 
Definitely with my mare that I have had for 11 years now.
She was totally anti-humans when I bought her - she was untrusting, defensive and aggressive...it took ages to gain her trust and acceptance...but I persevered and always knew I could never give up on her.
She hates other people talking to me when I am with her (she will move inbetween us)...hates it if I talk on my mobile phone (gets grouchy and starts fidgeting).
I have a condition which sometimes means I have 'bad' days...on these days she would always be very quiet and careful, when I rode her she would totally take the lead and I just knew she understood I wasnt up too much.
People have said that the safest place for me is in the stable with her...no-one would be able to get past her!!!
I think she is totally gorgeous...I am always amazed by her.
 
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