How Sensitive are your horses?

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Joyous70

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I have a lovely little mare, she's been with me for 18 months, i knew as a breed they were a sensitive type, however, i did not bargain for just how sensitive she would be.

She picks up on the slightest of differences in my moods, and if my period is due it can completely stress her out, i don't suffer with PMS, or i didn't think i did, i can get tired, but she seems to pick up on this and it worries her, she can become incredibly stressed out, even though as far as i can see i haven't changed my way of handling or dealing with her.

Has anyone else a sensitive soul like this?
 
Yes a Connemara mare who will not even look at strangers turns her head away. She doesn't like change.Won't accept anything but her usual food, doesn't take treats from your hand if you have upset her by giving her a bath or getting her feet done. Is silly about being away from her friend if they travel together to a show but is fine if she goes on her own. She is just a massive Diva
 
My boy is very sensitive. He is very much a mummy's boy, doesn't entertain strangers at all unless I am around and nearby. He is a little gem for me to handle, ride etc but wont allow himself to be caught by others. I wouldn't dream of letting anybody else ride him as he so many little quirks and things he cannot cope with (he is a rescue) I have been through 5 different farriers to find one who he will let do his back feet (a woman) The only men he will let near him are my OH, but he is wary of him and will only go to him if I am there, and the dentist. Dentist is an ex jockey so a small man so I can only assume that his abuse in the past was from a man. He is also very wary of overweight people (man or woman) so wondered if the abuser was a little plump.

He is very sensitive to my moods too and can be such a loving pony when I am down. I had an operation a few months ago and was limping for a while. He was so gentle around me and walked so slowly next to me so I could lean on him.

Last night I was poo picking and someone was shooting in the woods. Pony spooked, cantered straight over to me, screeched to a halt and put his head on my shoulder. So very cute and such a mummies boy :)
 
My girl is wary of strangers too, she will put her ears back and swear at them or gets uppity with them if they try and fuss her, but if im standing with them chatting etc., then she seems to accept them.
 
I have a sensitive boy too but it makes him all the more special. He wont allow people he doesn't know to catch him in the field, is wary of most men, has never trusted vets/farrier's/physio's and will panic if a horse near to him gets told off!

I would defo say he picks up on my moods too, and understands a lot of what is going on, for example I have had to full loan him to a good friend of mine for the moment, and the day we'd confirmed the details i turned him out as normal and he just stood at the field gate watching me walk away until he couldn't see me anymore... broke my heart!

The strangest thing is his reaction to my pregnancy. He had been very interested in my sister when she was pregnant with her 2nd child, he was nuzzling her belly and nudging her lots which he never normally does... but with me i think he knew something was different before i did! We did some dressage literally a week after i must have fallen pregnant and he was very odd in the warm up, at the time i couldn't put my finger on why but now i think it must have been that. Then shortly after he started becoming protective over me with his horsey neighbour who was a bit of a thug, not long after i realised that i was preggy and gave him the biggest cuddle to say thanks. Love and miss him loads
 
One of the old horses at my yard was very sensitive. He had definitely been badly treated and knocked around a bit before he arrived, covered in rain scald, bald patches and mud.

He was an absolute gem to ride, but he was a worrier. If you were a firm, or overly confident and pushy rider (some horses need them!), you could see on his face and through his body langauge how tense and upset he was. It was then that he would be spooky or flighty. He would go off his food if he didn't get regular attention or fuss, and would often look to follow people he trusted or knew for reassurance. I really felt for him because the girl who owned him at the time had a nasty fall when they panicked each other while she was mounting... She barely went near him after that and then he was sold on :( If I could have afforded a horse all those years ago I would have had him!
 
Yep, my bf's mare is the most sensitive soul I have met, I reckon! It has taken her almost 2 years to warm to me, she is a lovely little horse but coupled with her sensitivity she is very reactive and it can be difficult to maintain her focus and attention on one thing for any length of time when schooling - she tends to notice EVERYTHING and is very easily distracted. Her sensitivity means her reactions can be a bit over the top and can boil over fairly quickly! Despite that she is an absolute superstar and I wouldn't change her personality for the world :) and I have found ways of 'managing' her sensitivity to work to my advantage and to contain her reactions.

My boy on the other hand is very laid back, not really overly bothered by anything, he can be a bit looky from time to time but he doesn't really do much other than snort a bit, and then get over it!
 
Sheep said:
Yep, my bf's mare is the most sensitive soul I have met, I reckon! It has taken her almost 2 years to warm to me, she is a lovely little horse but coupled with her sensitivity she is very reactive and it can be difficult to maintain her focus and attention on one thing for any length of time when schooling - she tends to notice EVERYTHING and is very easily distracted. Her sensitivity means her reactions can be a bit over the top and can boil over fairly quickly
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This sounds just like my girl, i did put the easily distracted down to being a youngster, but i think thats just the way she is. A friend recently said we are like twins, she mirrors me!! and yes im easlily distracted too:o
 
My mare is a total different kettle of fish to my gelding, she was very standoffish for the first 18 months, now she’s very affectionate and since finding out I was pregnant she has been outstanding, in the past when she’s had sporadic work she’s been a bit cheeky, sometimes downright naughty but now she’s been a doll. I lunged her for the first time in a while the other weekend and fully expected it to be like ‘flying a kite’ as she has been the past but she was a diamond, didn’t put a foot wrong. Hopped on her for 5 mins in the school last weekend and she was saintly, responsive but very careful with me. She certainly knows something is up. She’s also become very snuggly when I turn her out, before she’d just wonder off to eat!
 
I'd say my highlands are sensitive, but probably not in the way you describe. Fergus is a worrier and likes plenty of reassurance or he'll clam up with another rider - he's perfectly well mannered, but he just won't push the boat out and risk offering something "wrong". He's fine to handle for anyone and friendly, but not the world's most confident pony without his wingman.

Daemon is a cocky sod but sensitive in that he's highly reactive to ride and not the sort you could chuck a novice on and send them off. Not if you wanted to see them again alive anyway! He's a good sort of sensitive - not an abused, sad sort of sensitive.
 
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