Horse Rubbing Head on you - is it good or bad ?

[DabDab]

Zombie thread

 

[Mule]

?‍ Z

 

[Peanut&miley1]

Our yard has been debating this on and off for a while now - your horse rubs his head on your arm or back when you go to get him from stable and or field - gently i may add.

Now i think it is an issue - he is invading your space un invited, he is saying - oi i can do this. As grooming is usually instigated by the dominant horse i use this agrugment to back my case.


The opposites say he is being submissive and wants your smell on him, by offering you his "vunerable" head he is showing he trusts you..

what do you lot think?

I let mine do it - she's very gentle, not at all pushy or bargy about it, and knows not to do it until the bridle is off. I usually do it for her by bunching up my sleeve and giving her ears a vigorous rub with it anyway, which leaves her in floppy-lipped ecstasy.

She's only little; I wouldn't let a larger horse do it as they'd probably knock me flying (intentionally or not!).

The only problem I see is being consistent - you can't let a horse do it at home and then shout at them for doing it all up the back of your show jacket at a competition!

I agree my horse isn’t all that big and he is a very gentle gelding! He doesn’t push me and rarely does it he is very very well mannered and I personally don’t mind he loves face rubs and sometimes the bugs really bother him so he just ask me to run him gently which I don’t mind if it got really bad I would become more strict about it but he’s a good horse and doesn’t do it to be rude! Is that okay or is it still a bad thing in my situation?