Is it possible that horses switch off? Really??????

[Madam_max]

Corroy has had a bit of a sore back so has some time off and then just walking hacks. She had been so lazy out hacking and not really interested in much really, I was convinced there was something wrong with her. Anyway, I took her in the school today and was dreading the fact that she may be really switched off. How wrong could I be, she was really forward and enjoying herself. SO my question is do some horses really need constant variation and even hacking can become boring?

 

[katie_southwest]

I find sometimes my mare is almost on remote control when we hack out, we have to go up the same bit of road to get to the moor, so she is almost aleep walking up there!

 

[ibot]

i think even with horses they like a change the same as us it keeps them on there toes

 

[NeilM]

Yes, without a doubt horses get bored with the same old thing.

I know of a pony who is shared by a teenage girl, her mum and the ponies owner. We had him to stay for a few days due to holidays.

My wife has known the pony and his owner for years, as they used to share our field, and she could not believe how totally dead he was to ride, he just follows along and shows no real interest in anything at all. We did manage to get the adrenaline running a little when three of us all cantered up the same (wide) path at the same time, but for most of the time he was with us, and whenever we see him out, he just looks sad and bored, poor chap.