Has anyone here had any experience of horse communication?

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TheoryX1

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First of all, I dont mean horse communicators - I think thats been done on here and everyone has their own opinion on this. What I mean is, and without meaning to sound really weird, has anyone here any the experience of their horse actually communicating with them in any way. I was reading through the thread about horses having higher emotions and although I havent commented upon it, I personally do believe they do. I've had a few experiences with my own horses, and I am happy to share a couple of them. Those of you on the forum who know me personally know I am a fairly hard business woman most of the time, but things have happened around my horses which cant be explained rationally.

Well, first story, about 3 years ago I was going through an extremely busy and pressurised time at work, so much so that I was not spending any time with my horse at all and had to leave it to Mini TX. During that time we were talking of some very ambitious business plans, which would take me away from home and leave me with little time for my horse, and I did seriously toy with the idea of selling or loaning him, which did torture me to be fair. Anyway, during a very serious meeting with my business partner I asked him how I was going to do all of this and carry on with my life. I told him I was seriously considering selling my horse so I could commit to this, but it tore me up inside to think of it. Now my business partner and I have a lovely working relationship - he is like the brother I never had and he just looked at me and said I should not sell my horse, when I talked about him my face lit up, and we would find a way around this ambitious plan - which we then went on to do eventually.

However, later that evening I went up to the yard and gave him a hug around his neck. He gave me a cuddle back, which is not like him, and the words came into my head 'I am so glad you are not going to send me away'. It was odd, I had the strangest feeling that he knew - god knows how he knew, but he did......... Now call me silly, but to this day I do believe he did commuicate with me at some deep level.

The other experience I have had is with my daughter's mare. Now my daughter events and had a horrendous season last year with two nasty falls and a huge loss of confidence. She decided to do one last even of the year at Larkhill BE, and entered the BE100 Open with the plan of having a good ride around and ending the season safely. Now that mare is normally very spirited as she knows her job and loves it, and my daugher was horribly nervous as well. That little mare was as quiet as you can imagine at this event, she did a lovely dressage test, and jumped a double clear. It was as if she was on her best behaviour to make sure my daughter was looked after - she is normally a good girl, but my daughter said this went beyond looking after her like normal, it was as if she knew she was nervous and wanted to do well for her. Well she won it to our great delight, and it was a lovely way to round off the season. After the presentation we went back to see her before we drove off - we have to box her up or she will mess around, and we always show her the frillies. I gave her a stroke down her neck and she looked at me and I heard the words 'You wanted me to look after her and I did'. What a clever little mare!

I know there are some of you who will think I am daft, but a clairvoyant friend of mine always tells me that horses are more intelligent than we realise, but we also have to listen to them as well.

A long thread, sorry, am cooking roast chicken with all the trimmings and apple pie for those of you who got this far.
 
I absolutely believe that horses can perceive and communicate on a level that many people do not believe is possible. I also very strongly believe that we all have the ability to tune in and hear if we choose to develop that sense.
 
I do believe horses can communicate with us, I've never had it in the form of words, but I quite often get gut feelings or emotions from horses, I've been right about horses having illnesses in the past and I knew when a horse at my old job was dying.
 
I'm still learning to trust my "instincts" and figure out if it's me being fanciful or not. :) I got a hug from ASBO cob today when we got back to the yard and i thought he seemed really pleased with how our ride went even though he did a mini strop and took off with me because he lost sight if his buddies. I hope he was saying 'sorry for panicking mum :).
 
Yes I'm sure they communicate like this.

Take a couple of weeks ago when I fell off my mare following a freak fall on her part when she got her foot in some soft ground which had eroded with the recent wet weather. She's 16'2" and I'm only 5'1" and due to my current fitness following an illness cannot get on without using a mounting block.

We came to an abrupt halt when I fell off and she stood looking at me. I'll swear I could "hear" her asking "What are you doing down there? You are not supposed to be down there!" and she looked really shocked.

The mounting block has been an issue since she has previously been ridden in a saddle which didn't fit properly (I've only had her a few weeks) and at first would swing her hind away from the block in effect making it impossible for me to mount. So OH constructed a "mounting tower" for me which I wheel up to her when she's tacked up and simply walk up the steps and get on. She can't move because I position her up to a gate at the other side. Well she could move but would knock me and the tower over completely if she did. She still dislikes our regular fixed mounting block and I am working on that. The day I fell off we went to a farmers house and with their permission I climbed onto their garden wall to remount suspecting that in reality I wouldn't be able to get her anywhere near. The correct way I couldn't. Each time she just swung away from the wall but I had hurt my leg quite badly and it was a long walk home.

I thought "Come on Abs I need you to take me home" she turned around so her otherside was alongside the wall and stood whilst I got on. I'll swear she knew what I was thinking. She also carried me home really gently and then stood by the block she was afraid of to enable me to get off.
 
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I've had Po for eleven years. We know each other so well now we go for walks in the New Forest - both on foot, him without any leadrope. I find it very, very hard to describe how we communicate - we seem to have devised some weird pidgin language somewhere between gesture, sound, 'breathing depth', and cuddling.

I just know when he wants to go left, right, canter, trot, walk. If he is walking in front, he always make sure I fall no further back than a horse length. I decide which way he moves by moving left or right of his tail; sometimes he suddenly takes off around some gorse bushes and somehow I know we're now playing oops-I-lost-you-no-there-you-are. He *always* takes a circle back the way we came, so he has to run very, very fast to catch up with me.
He has realised that I'm just a slow human with two legs (bad), so if he wants to gallop and buck a little, then he has to be a bit inventive.

I never feel unsure of his reactions when we walk, which is, of course, stupid and irrational. If we meet other horses, dogs, cars etc.he usually falls into step with me, shoulder to shoulder, before I can say or do anything. I've never felt this way with another horse - I'm not sure I've felt this way with another living being! I wish I could upload some of the video I have of him on my mobile...
 
Horses are herd animals and they have that 'borg' thing going on. You've only got to watch how they all come together when startled and think as one - they can communicate amongst themselves in a far faster and more intuitive manner than humans can. The fact that sometimes they let us in on that, it's awe inspiring.

In answer to the OP's question - yes.
 
About 8 years ago when I didnt have the said pot to p... in I went up to my horses field really worried about how I was going to afford money for feed. I was stroking my old horses neck when he wandered off about 20 steps and kept looking at the ground. I went over and there was a £20.00 note on the floor - I dont know how to explain that one but hes always been my guardian Angel.
 
I had a nasty fall last week and pretty sure i blacked out for a second or 2. Really disorientated and couldnt work out which direction was home, also couldnt see my horse. After a few minutes managed to sort of half sit up and there he was standing right next to me, not even eating the grass. I had assumed he had gone back to his stable, but he actually hadnt budged. As soon as he saw me move he started nudging me to get up, and eventually put his head right down so I could sort of haul myself up using him, then very gently walked us both back to the yard. Didnt ride for a couple of days, when I did it was a lesson. My instructor commented that he was being a lot more gentle with me that usual, like he was looking after me. I do add, he is only young yet.
 
Oh yes they all communicate at their different levels......my former racehorse (FRH), because he was clipped this week-end was looking to go the gallops today, and was mad as hell, that he was simply turned out. He was also even madder when I gave another horse attention (he was being clipped as well) and FRH could not understand why - because he is evidently not a racehorse, so why were we bothering.....? FRH is the complete boss of the yard, and knows everything......the other day I rode past my sister in laws field - she appeared whiter than white convinced that her horse had broken his hock. Me and FRH went into her field and stables to investigate - FRH knew instantly what the problem was, and was busy advising vet when she arrived - not broken hock, but lyphengitus...he knew! Knowing B.......he can calve cows, sort out youngsters, even put the teenagers (children of the family) in their place - how does he do it?
 
Not with horses, but I've had strange experiences I can't explain with other animals.

1. When I left home, because of my allergies I had to leave behind two cats (hand-reared by myself and my sister) and a corgi I'd had since a pup. Some years later, they died of old age, each within a few months of the last.

The night each one died, I dreamed I was searching for her/him in a beautiful garden, I knew they were there but couldn't find them. In the morning, on each occasion, my mum phoned to tell me the pet in my dream had died.


2. Many years ago, I had a little terrier who went everywhere possible with me. I took him into town one day and tied him up outside a department store and went inside.

I was browsing round the shop when I suddenly felt overcome with panic and convinced something had happened to my dog. I left my shopping and ran outside, to find only his collar and lead hanging where I'd tied him. A passer-bye told me some young lads had undone his collar and let him go, and pointed the way he'd gone. I ran in that direction, calling him, and he came running back.

If I hadn't had that panicky feeling, by the time I returned, he could have been lost in the city, with no collar on. :eek:
 
I know that me and my old boy had a unique bond and he just understood me, and me him. I am the biggest cynic, but I know that he was something different. He definately knew my mood, if I cried when he was eating, he would stop completely and stand with me until I stopped. It was as if we could read each other's thoughts and feelings, and nobody else could.

I do think my girl now understands to an extent, but that 'communication' to a scary level isn't quite there. Maybe it will be one day, maybe not. I don't love her any less.
 
Yes, but I think its more that they can pick up the tiniest differences in body language, than a sixth sense. After 21yrs, & lots of crap along the way, my mare & I rarely communicate in a visible way. And yet I don't think its anything more than incredibly subtle body language. That doesn't make it any less special though, rather more so, because communicating with a horse on its own terms is more wonderful than a psychic dialogue.
 
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