How often do you shout or raise your voice when dealing with your horse?

I dont shout or raise my voice - the only thing it does is to upset them even more.
Instead I alter the tone of my voice to indicate how i approve/disapprove of behaviour.
xxx
 
I often hear people shouting at their horses and wonder if it's actually so that the other owners can hear that they are reprimanding their horses or whatever...
 
Same as Dancing Queen, never raise my voice or shout but alter my tone! Usually when he's trying to yank his hay out of his haynet before ive even had chance to tie it up!!! His names Timmy but it usually gets altered to 'Timothy!!' lol :D

Having said that the whole time ive had him, I can honestly say he's never put a foot wrong so its only usually ever said in jest!! :D
 
when they are down the end of the field and haven't heard the car pull up!! lol :)

sometimes big hairy chap get a little possessive over me and nips the others so they cant get near. I only ever give a short sharp "ah" in a raised voice and he backs down.
 
i shout at the top of my voice and whistle at my dogs every day whilst out on hacks to stop them chasing off after pheasants (they are getting better though so am having to do it less - but still at least once a ride - horse ignores me as is so used to it lol

so i suspect if i ever did shout at her she's not even realise!
 
Will shout when they are attacking each other, generally doing something unpleasant or stood on me

They are also used to me yelling at the dogs, so sadly hooves are not removed that fast when squishing my feet.

However most of the time they get talked to in a normal voice!
 
I hadn't thought of shouting when calling him in the field! Yeah, I do that.....

Some owners seem to enjoy raising their voices as soon as they come onto the yard shouting to their horse (who is in the stable) "HELLO MY BABY GIRL/BOY. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? <owner makes pretend neighing noises to the horse> MUMMY LOVES YOU AND IS GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXTRA BIG FEED TODAY!!! BUT FIRST SHE"S GOING TO RIDE YOU SO YOU DON"T GET A BADDY TUMMY!!!" I dunno, maybe I'm premenstrual or something....
 
Most of the time it's just a warning tone, which he recognises and obeys most of the time. If he still insists on being a prick he gets a short sharp reprimand in a slightly raised voice. As soon as he hears that he stands like a scalded child - he knows when he hears that it's time to back off and I'm really serious, as it's saved for when he's really trying it on.

If I ever judge that he's genuinely worried by something (rather than just being a knob) then of course he doesn't get told off, just calmly reassured and quietly carry on with whatever I'm doing. :)
 
I dont shout at the shetland, if I even raised my voice he'd freak out (was abused before we got him). My welsh on the other hand gets a firm "oi" when he's being a plonker, I used to be really soft and quiet with him and ignore bad behaviour but he had no respect for me. Now i'm the boss and he knows it! x
 
Hilarious Trish C - I've just noticed your horse is wearing red wellies!!!!

I will raise my voice at mine as and when I need to. If I ask them to move back and they ignore they will have a raised 'back' spoken to them. The same if I ask them to move over and they ignore me. They have 2 vocals before a prod.
 
I used to shout. Used to slap him too - always in anger. Worked out pretty quickly that all it did was stress both of us out.

The last time I raised my voice was about a month or so ago when I caught him about to lie down in his stable - wearing his saddle! It was a knee jerk reaction and all I said was "noooooooooo" - startled him into remaining standing and then I went into his box calmly, gave him a scratch, removed the saddle and left him to it.

I have never raised my voice while on board - although I did whoop for joy when we got softness and bend on the left rein in trot for the first time - Kal didn't seem to react ;).

Now we take a different approach. If he forgets his manners, he gets "the look" and a finger point . . . that's enough for him to look all sheepish. Generally, though, when his manners are forgotten it's for a reason, and I can usually see it coming . . . e.g., when he bit me the other day when I was girthing him up. He's been girthy for a while (we have now solved the problem) and I was not quite as tactful as I usually am putting his lunge roller on . . . so he nipped me hard (having warned me by grinding his teeth) . . . no, it's not acceptable for him to put his teeth on me - but he was telling me he was uncomfortable the only way he knew how. I yelped, stood back fighting back the tears (it really hurt) and then continued what I was doing. There was no point reprimanding him b/c it was already done - he had warned me and I hadn't done what I usually do which is a) push his face away (gently but firmly) - saying "No"; b) take more time doing up the girth; and c) reward him with a scratch when he so clearly wants to nip and doesn't.

About six months or so ago, he nipped me for no reason while I was leading him out to the field - I think he was playing - I didn't shout AT him, but I did throw a wobbly - jumped up and down and waved my arms about and babbled - it surprised and startled him so much (he clearly thought I had lost my mind) that he never did it again :).

If I'm trying to bandage him and he won't stand still, I will ask him firmly to "staaand" - if he continues to be ignorant (and it's not b/c he's trying to evade a fly or a horse he doesn't like/is frightened of has just walked past him, etc.) then he gets a growl and a tap on the leg. Further repeat infringements mean I stand up, make him back up, repeat "staaaaaand" and then continue. Same with picking out feet, bathing, tacking up - anything really!

P
 
Waffles said:
I hadn't thought of shouting when calling him in the field! Yeah, I do that.....

Some owners seem to enjoy raising their voices as soon as they come onto the yard shouting to their horse (who is in the stable) "HELLO MY BABY GIRL/BOY. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? <owner makes pretend neighing noises to the horse> MUMMY LOVES YOU AND IS GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXTRA BIG FEED TODAY!!! BUT FIRST SHE"S GOING TO RIDE YOU SO YOU DON"T GET A BADDY TUMMY!!!" I dunno, maybe I'm premenstrual or something....
Click to expand...


Oh good god - those people - cant stand them! i usually just give them a withering look. Its like that directline advert selling pet insurance and they salesman talking in baby tones to the woman.


I dont need to shout mine up - they hear the car or spot us and come galloping up. It really is a lovely greeting xx
 
I'm quite a quiet person so to me raising my voice is shouting - so I do it quite a lot! My mare can be a total sod when she wants to be but a firm, loud 'NO' or 'OI' stops her in her tracks and we carry on.
 
Very very rarely. But then in general my horses are pretty well behaved.
If I've ever felt teeth or had a leg coming my way then they are very quickly cowering in the corner with me having yelled at them, but I can't remember the last time I had to do that. I did raise my voice at my current horse not long ago when he pushed past me out of the stable.

ETS when I ride and if they get a bit bouncy or I suspect naughty behaviour then they get a firm No. Funnily enough I spent quite a lot of time saying that out autumn hunting yesterday!!!
 
Last edited:
Funnily enough I shout/squawked today when a kitten nearly got under Sophie's feet in the barn. I tend to only get loud when something like this happens, which isn't daily or even frequently. I squawk in the car with other drivers too when they take a corner too fast for my balance. :o
It's a really annoying habit I can't seem to get control of.
 
I shout quiet often, I grew up in a large family so it was shout or be ignored. I found out very early on the only time my horse listens to me is when I shout, otherwise he barges all over me! :rolleyes: I have a large pack of dogs at home too so again find for the majority of them the only time they take my request seriously is when it's followed with a 'NOW!!!!'

Both my dogs and my horse are happy calm well adjusted sociable animals and I never ever raise my hands to them (don't have to with a fog horn voice like mine.;)) so I think the odd 'OY MATE LISTEN' isn't going to harm them.

Polarskye just reminded me at the XC on Sunday I did whoop very loudly after we cleared the dreaded house jump which I was expecting major problems at!!! The jump judge was laughing so hard she dropped her walkie talkie!!! I was just so shocked we'd got over without any discussion I took both hands off the reins and shouted 'WOOOHOOOO'...then realised there was a turn and log jump coming up quickly!! Lol!!!
 
Last edited:
Waffles said:
I hadn't thought of shouting when calling him in the field! Yeah, I do that.....

Some owners seem to enjoy raising their voices as soon as they come onto the yard shouting to their horse (who is in the stable) "HELLO MY BABY GIRL/BOY. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? <owner makes pretend neighing noises to the horse> MUMMY LOVES YOU AND IS GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXTRA BIG FEED TODAY!!! BUT FIRST SHE"S GOING TO RIDE YOU SO YOU DON"T GET A BADDY TUMMY!!!" I dunno, maybe I'm premenstrual or something....
Click to expand...

oh god no, not that sort of shouting but i do shout at the ginger boy when he's trying to bit a chunk out of one of the others backside and i have shouted STOP!! very loudly when the big girl has forgotten to apply the brakes when she comes running down the field towards me :eek::D
never shout when riding or handling any of them:)
 
Not very often actually (now I think about it) sometimes I have a growl and say WALK ON if he’s pussy footing about on the yard drive way when the other horses are flirting/running about over the fence otherwise he’ll stop and mess around and get a little excited down below if I gave him the chance so I have to be strict with him in those cirumstances or if he’s out with another horse and he starts pulling faces and putting his ears back getting all cocky as he’ll go for them otherwise so have to give him a firm NO, with the mare, never.

But on a whole for everyday handling, never with either, there both well manered and easy to do things with, so there is never any angry words exchanged.

Obviously I shout them over when catching them or raise my voice for schooling/lunging but that’s not in a shouting way, they both know my tone and horses will always pick up on what mood your in.
Fowl tempered people will always have issues with their horses, I’m a big believer in giving off good positive energy and your horse will also return you with that.
 
Waffles said:
Some owners seem to enjoy raising their voices as soon as they come onto the yard shouting to their horse (who is in the stable) "HELLO MY BABY GIRL/BOY. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? <owner makes pretend neighing noises to the horse> MUMMY LOVES YOU AND IS GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXTRA BIG FEED TODAY!!! BUT FIRST SHE"S GOING TO RIDE YOU SO YOU DON"T GET A BADDY TUMMY!!!" I dunno, maybe I'm premenstrual or something....
Click to expand...

*Vomiting quietly over my keyboard.*

I do shout at them reasonably frequently. Not as a reprimand, just conversationally - e.g. when they've not heard me arrive or just randomly if I have something to say to them. I also raise my voice when jumping - "we can do this, we CAN... you LEGEND... LEGEND PONY" etc - they know what I mean, and they also know it's entirely for my own benefit so I'm not thinking about WHAT it is that we CAN do :D

Actual instructions (back up, come, stay etc) are given in a quiet voice and any telling off is done in a low growl so mostly it's pretty quiet :)
 
taz gets shouted at when hes at the other side of the field and he just looks at me like "im alright thanks"

other then that i just growl at him like when he tries to grab people over the door (hes only grumpy in the stable after being on box rest for 9 months) hes also good at getting his front feet over the door which gets a short sharp "Oi" and then he stands at the back of his stable and sulks :o
 
It depends how far away they are, other end of the field then yes I shout but up close no.
The only time I really have to shout is when Molly is leaning over the fence. :mad
I train my horses to respect my voice so I can control them without having to be close.
 
I never shout. My horse is an anxious sensative soul so there is never any need. I just make the noise of " A A" quietly when she walks off when I am grooming her for example and she knows that means to stop walking off :D
 
I only shout when Im calling them from the other side of the field. If telling off etc I just alter the tone of my voice when required as I have two sensitive horses, and raising your voice can just makes things worse.
 
Last edited:
Don't,a look is usually enough and usually I just begin laughing (although I was mucking out at work today and someone was working a horse in circles in the enclosed round pen behind me and all I could hear was "Good BOooooy,Good BOoooooy,Good BOooooy........!" at the top of their voice every few seconds for at least 15mins.Nearly drove Me crazy...hate to think what it was doing to the poor horse!
Me,I like to keep my mouth shut and my eyes open :D
 
Hmm, i think I have been shouting/growling a lot recently as there has been some upset in the herd dynamics (I won't go in to details as too lomng a story!) and it has resulted in my pony (boss) deciding he now hates my horse (who was 2nd in command). They have been in the same field together for 16 years so this hatred is a little OTT. Still, I find myself shouting at the pony each time he goes in to 'attack' mode - especially if i feel he is coming towards me or is going to chase my horse in my direction.

Oddly, it does seem to work having his name shouted at him or being growled at - he does stop what he's doing (and then has a little tantrum on his own in the field squealing and lashing out at noone). I also shouted at my horse last night as he proceeded to barge through his stable door as I tried to shut it! Do you know though - I have no clue why I even bother shouting/growling/screaming at him for that as in 17 years it's not made a blind bit of difference!!!! Lol. Still, it's an automatic reaction really when half a tonne of horse is about to mow you down.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top