Do you think??

K

Kelly1982

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 January 2005
Messages
3,660
Location
Kent
Visit site
You get better bonds with horses if you breed them or purchase them when they are very young as they look at you as a mother figure so to speak?

Never had a horse under 4yo so was just curious
 
I've had George since he was 3 and can honestly say I've never had a bond with any horse like I have him.

He rarely questions anything I ask, and just goes along with it!
smile.gif
I'm sure it's because he doesn't know anything else!
smile.gif
 
Not really, from my own personal experiences. I currently have a pony who I've had since he was three. I think he would put up with anyone who fed him to be honest, it wouldn't have to be me. My old horse was a different story, he was neglected and hungry (and 20 yrs old) when I got him, he & I made friends very quickly, I think we had more of a bond than I do with the current little beastie.
 
It has taken me sooooo long to get a bond with my horse (i'd say around 3 years) he still doesn't respect me alot of the times but he is getting a lot better - he has been passed from pillar to post a bit really and this is the longest home he has been in which may be why but we will get there
smile.gif
 
See thats what i was thinking!!

If a horse has been past from pilar to post does it take them longer to bond with you as they are used to being past around whereas with a youngster they get taken away from their mother and then see you as their mum so to speak so get attached very easily??

Of course every horse will love anyone that feeds it but i mean properly bond with a horse.

Am i making any sense LOL
confused.gif
 
Yeah you are making sense - i agree with you. I think if you ahve a youngster they tend to treat you more as a mother figure, it takes a hell of a lot longer with horses that are passed around to different people - lets face it i don't think i would be very trusting or be able to bond with someone if i was passed around like some horses are but then again i suppose they get used to it
smile.gif
 
My friend has bought a horse last August. He's 8 and from what we can tell has really been passed about through no fault ofhis own.

He has a very strange way about him. Not nasty or bargy just distant and ignorant if that makes sense?

They have had various teething problems with him, mostly on the ground and in his stable.

He just doesn't seem connected to people the way George is but he is getting better
smile.gif


I think it probably gives an easier starting point with a young horse, but when it comes down to it, it's the quality of the handling and time that matters
smile.gif
 
I got mine when she was 12 months, before then she had barely been handled and was only weaned when i got her so i was her first "owner" really.
It hasn't made a blind bit of difference!! She has been very difficult and still tries to bite or kick me if she can (she's nearly 8).
Having said that there are times when she lets her guard down and you can tell we have been together through everything, but it is very subtle and it would be interesting to see if things were any different if i had got her later in life.
 
[ QUOTE ]

Having said that there are times when she lets her guard down and you can tell we have been together through everything, but it is very subtle

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the key word in your post is SHE
grin.gif


Shellee (the white grey to the right of my sig) is onw of my favourite horsea in the world but would still lift her leg and snake at me if she felt like!
crazy.gif


I adored her though as you say, the subtle connections with her were very meaningful. George loves me without question, but it's almost as if he takes me for granted too.

With Shellee it felt more like a sibling relationship. She would fight me occasioanlly, but when she opened up it was totally adorable!!
smile.gif


I love mares!!! (and miss her
frown.gif
)
 
I think you do have a better bond with one you bred... As far as I'm concerned Asti is my baby, and she's far more affectionate to me than anyone else!

OH hates it that even if he has a bucket in his hand, if he walks in the stable you get no response... I get a whicker off her every time I walk in, even empty handed.

She follows me everywhere too and totally trusts me. I have a totally different bond with her than I had with her mother who was far more independant.
 
I got my boy as a 3yr old and i'm not sure whether they treat us differently, but I definately treat him like a big baby (even though he's 6 this year). I think you are so aware that nothing you do should be a bad experience for a young horse and therefore you try alot harder with everything. Plus youngsters are more inclined to want human contact just out of curiousity, so it makes bonding easier
smile.gif
 
There is something about mares that you can't shake off, maybe its because im female myself and can appreciate why she behaves the way she does!!!

On many occasions i have wanted to never see her again but the next day she does something really funny/adorable and i give in and carry on. She's got me wrapped around her hoof really!!!
wink.gif
 
The one horse I had who'd been passed from home to home and abused and mistreated bonded with me VERY quickly.

He was 9 when I got him, but because I showed him kindness and patience he loved me more than anyone else. He listened to me because he wanted to, not because I was an amazing rider or anything. Far better riders than me couldn't get anything much out of him.
 
I got one of my horses when he was 8 but he'd moved around a lot and been very badly handled and treated- he was very mistrusting of strange men and really headshy, I had to totally reschool him from scratch and hes now a different animal, he's won loads of showing, dressage and jumping competitions and is much better with people. If he spots me from his trailer across a show ground he whinnies at me! However he's not used to other people riding him and still goes best for me- this isn't always great in the show ring though as he usually goes beautifully for me and then terrible for the judges, once he even refused to let a judge get up on him- needless to say we were booted from top of the line down a few places!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top