Horses just don't like some people

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eahotson

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As above.My little mare is a cheerful little soul and loves attention.Something really odd happened though.Got a new instructor.She just didn't like her.I noticed that she stiffened up a bit whenever she came on the yard.Wanted to stand close to me.Would not go forward for her at all and when she took her into the lane she napped badly.I was shocked as I had never known her do that before.Instructor and I (pleasantly) parted company and I panicked and have sent her to Spanish trainer.He took her out for a hack on a loose rein and she didn't put a foot wrong.He sent me a video.She was marching out nicely, walking calmly and willingly through quite large puddles and didn't put a foot wrong.He took her to round up cattle on one occasion with no problems.
He always gives them a chance to behave badly because as he says, if he can't catch them at it he can't put a stop to it.Nothing to put a stop too it seems.
The previous yard also said they had had no problems hacking her out.I didn't see new instructor doing anything nasty she just didn't like her.
 
Might she have known the instructor from a previous yard? I learned to ride on an RS cob who hated the instructor. If she tried to adjust his tack and bridle he threw his head right up into the air and she was quite vicious in correcting him.
 
I was at a livery yard years ago and I remember riding in the outdoor school and the yo was standing right near the edge, I rode past him 3 times and the first time Arabi spooked at him and then he really didn't want to go past the next few times 🙁

Did make me wonder why he was so scared.
 
You often see 'doesn't like men' in adverts for horses that have been maltreated. I had one who was a darling with everyone (and had never been badly treated) but simply didn't like one friend of mine - not a horsey person, he simply visited the yard a couple of times, had never met this horse before or had any involvement. They must pick up on some sort of energy as dogs do. The converse is that every animal I have ever owned goes utterly gooey for my dad, who is a big calm gentle chap, who must give off some sort of calming vibes.
 
Sometimes people might smell of something, I had a horse that hated my friend for a short while while her mare was really unwell with a sinus infection. I can only assume he could smell the medication or the infection on her as he went back to being calm and cuddle after a couple months. It was only her he objected to!
 
AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
Sometimes people might smell of something, I had a horse that hated my friend for a short while while her mare was really unwell with a sinus infection. I can only assume he could smell the medication or the infection on her as he went back to being calm and cuddle after a couple months. It was only her he objected to!
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I find this utterly fascinating. I wonder sometimes if people are unwell and don't know it yet but the animals can smell it?
 
I have/had a mare and I also have her son.
They are both suspicious characters and will take an active dislike to certain characters - both remain polite but if given free will make their feelings clear (usually in point blank refusal to be caught by such person). Very weird.
 
Arabi is wary of alot of people he went to Rossdales vets some years ago and his groom met me in the lorry Park to show me where to put him, the stable was enormous and his been known to not let anyone put a head collar on him so I told them they might want to keep a head collar on him.

The vet rang me that evening and said no one could get near him even with a head collar, they had to use a bucket of feed each time to get him 😂
 
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