How long did it take you to really get to know your horse?

W

Waffles

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2011
Messages
1,034
Location
Cardiff
Visit site
I know the relationship is obviously developing continuously between horse and owner/rider, but what breakthroughs did you find made you "gel" in the first year with your horse?
 
I've always found the first few 'breakthrough' moment where you feel so proud of both yourself and horse and do things that really put a grin on your face are very bonding, always felt exceptionally close to mine when I feel proud of the pair of us :)
 
I'm still bonding with my boy as I've only had him since mid February. I think though the 'ah moment' for both of us was when he recognized me standing at the gate to his field without me calling him. He neighed and came running up to me. He does this all the time now and I must admit it melts my heart.
We still have a long way to go as there are times when he still tests me and tries to pretend he is the boss but he he is such a lovely boy that I can't help but be besotted by him.
I think it will probably take another 6 months to a year before we are both completely trusting of one another.
 
It's been different for me every time. My first horse felt like it was instant. I just got on and it all worked perfectly. My cob, again fairly quickly, my daughter's first pony we had 18 months and never worked, second pony a few weeks and finally my youngster it was almost 2 years before I felt properly attached to her for her rather than just because she was a sweet young horse.

I think it depends on what and how much you do with them as my bonds have developed most quickly with the horses I've looked after myself and been able to work with right away.
 
2 or 3 months then suddenly turned and really looked at me when I spoke to him. First proper eye to eye contact. Within a week after was nickering to me and following me around. On board it was when (sadly) I walloped him for bucking , rearing and refusing to go down the field. I think his previous owner had just got off when he played up. A wallop gave him such a shock he shot off down the field and decided life would be more fun if he did as he was told. Joy to ride these days - after 4 years!
 
It has taken way longer than usual with my current gelding. Some of this is due to the fact that he has had a multitude of physical problems (two operations) and after two years with him I have yet to have had any real time riding him, and don't know if I ever will. BUT having said that it took me 18 months to finally 'get' him. He has a very excitable and explosive personality. He virtually jumps out of his skin frequently when being handled, led to and from the field etc. He used to almost give me 'heart attacks' his explosions were so sudden and with no warning. But then a few months ago, I suddenly realised that this was him 'having fun'. They were not the result of a nervous personality, but it was something he just enjoyed doing 'for fun'! :rolleyes: And when I realised this, it was amazing. Instead of feeling nervous around him, I started to laugh at him. He really cracked me up. He was/is a complete clown. Never once had he barged me or stood on me despite all his outbursts. He bounces along on the lead rope like an overgrown puppy. I have learned to love him and now feel we have a very good bond. If I am ever lucky enough to overcome his physical problems (post op kissing spine) then I am sure he will be a horse in a million. :)
 
I'll have had my 6yo for 2 years in August, and trust me, we're still having fantastic days and off-days, and still getting to know each other. He's going through what his first owner seems to think is his 'teengage stage' at the moment, and even though I've been confident on him since day 1 he's been doing what he can to take the mick for a few months now! If you're worried that your 'getting to know each other' process is a little slow, don't be worried, some pairs take longer than you might think.
 
Ive only had mine a week and he followed me round paddock today :Dand is coming to call (prob carrot orientated):rolleyes:.So pleased as he has been turned away from november and Im his first owner as he came from stud.Little break throughs every day. Very rewarding. :)
 
I've had my mare 2 years (on the 22nd May) and I am only now starting to feel that I really know her and trust her. I'd say this has really started coming on in the last six months or so! God, I love her! Think I am a little bit obsessed!!
 
I've had Jack for nearly two years now, however I'm still finding new little 'quirks' as we try out new stuff.

Probably after our first ride/hack together where he was strong, foreward and opinionated, and I was uneducated, bareback but for once in my entire life not nervous, and our first (and last :o) lesson where charging at, and taking out other horses was our priority rather than cantering circles (:o) I decided that he was my horse :eek:
 
Billie1007 said:
Think I am a little bit obsessed!!
Click to expand...

That sounds like me! Ha ha. I've had my mare 2 years and I do think we have a bond, I trust her and feel as though I really do know her, I hope she trusts me. I love how she always whinnies when she spots me coming onto the yard or when I come out the tack room, OH says its just cupboard love :rolleyes:
 
It took me a little over a year (18 months, if you count the time I was riding her before) to really gel with my loan mare. We got on very well from the beginning, but I'd been forced to retire my life partner mare during that time and it had really affected me. In December, loan mare wrenched her back hoolying around the field twice in two weeks. I kept her in on controlled exercise for a few weeks (at the advice of the professionals) to stop her doing it again and it was in that time that I suddenly realised, good days or challenging ones, I still miss my life partner but that my loan girl isn't just a nice project any more, she's become "my" horse too. I must have let some sort of mental wall down then or something and I guess she sensed it, because we really seem to have synced since then and are getting on better than ever.

My baby mare (if you can call a 17hh 3 year old "baby"!), I clicked with when I first met her over a year before I bought her. She was in with a hoof abcess, bored, and wanted attention. Though she was technically for sale, I walked away then. 14 months later, she was brought in to be sold and yelled for my attention across the barn, despite being indifferent to everyone else. It was a real she picked me moment. We seem to have been able to read each other ridiculously well from day one!
 
I think shortly after breaking through her tie up issues, mounting issues and hacking alone.issues we bonded but stopping riding and going back to ground work with big problems let everything fall into place now. we are currently playing cross the stream and within 15min she was being ridden up it, this pony won't go over puddles on hacks. So pleased with her.
 
It probably took me a good year to 18 months to really get to know him, but I still keep getting lightbulb moments that remind me how strong our bond now is.

I think one of the turning points was when he was on box rest with his leg fracture . . . all that extra time together really helped.

I did have a lightbulb moment yesterday though . . . I had had a particularly awful hack with him - he just bounced the whole time, cantered on the spot, jogged, bucked and just generally threw himself around (hasn't done that for ages) . . . so b/c I don't particularly want to die, I got off. When we got back to the yard, I was heading to the mounting block to get back on and go in the school and wear his little springy socks out when a fellow livery said "I'll bet he's really nice to ride" (having seen me ride him in the school already) . . . so I offered for her to sit on him. She is an excellent rider . . . competes her own horse every weekend - SJ and eventing. She really struggled to get a tune out of him . . . he pulled out every trick in the book to evade her . . . stargazed, nosied at what else was going on around him, went both above and behind the bridle. He did give her a few nice strides . . . but was otherwise a monkey. It wasn't her riding at all - it was because he didn't know or trust her. I got on and instantly he was soft, relaxed and gave me some beautiful work. It did feel good (although I have a feeling she won't be asking to ride him again ;) - I think she thought he was an awkward so-and-so).

P
 
There is an old saying that it takes 12 months for horse and rider to bond as ,if the horse has been ridden by someone else, they have gotten use to been ridden that one way and a new rider comes along and they have to relearn all over again.
 
Maybe that's it. I backed one of mine and fell in love at first sight, 1st proper home she had. The other being very young straight out of racing has never had one to one and I ride different than experienced work riders so he seemed to like it.
 
I've had mine since he was two and we just don't see eye to eye.I think we are both to stressy at times and we are never ever going to get on.He doesn't trust me and I don't trust him. So a vicious circle ensues :(:(
Just to say he is 6 now so we have been trying to get on for a long time

He whinnies when he see's me etc but riding ? not an enjoyable experience for me and now a chore. Bless him he is a sweet horse but not for me so he is now up for sale
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top