Naughtiness in horses... is it different when it's your own?

[PapaFrita]

I was riding the Ginger One today, and he clunked a fence quite hard and he had a bit of a paddy and I... laughed!

He took off a bit, had a buck or two and shook his head and swished his tail... I knew he didn't mean anything by it (not like he used to be!) and I was OK with it...
When PF bucks (very seldom) it's the same; perhaps it's cold, windy or she's feeling particularly well.... doesn't bother me in the least
HOWEVER, I sat on a horse yesterday at the show yesterday while someone was walking the course. I was only walking him round but he was prancing a bit and I was wound up like a spring expecting him to go off on one! He certainly didn't jog anymore than PF does at a show but I was soooo uneasy! Perhaps the ears flat back made me a bit nervous, or perhaps A's past is still rather fresh...
Anyone else much more relaxed during 'naughty moments' as long as its their own horse??

 

[Madam_max]

I think it's because you know how far your own horse will go. It's a case of the unknown.

 

[Skhosu]

Yes! I will happily accept anything my lot throw at me normally, leaps, bucks etc. but hate doing it on a different animal, and in fact find it quite scary if they start getting wound up!

 

[PapaFrita]

Possibly... but I know the horse I rode and have seen him being ridden loads and loads of times. There really wasn't any reason to expect him to try to kill me, and yet that's what it felt like! Perhaps it IS just a case of trust and knowing how far a horse will go.

 

[ruscara]

Perhaps it's not so much what the horse will do, as the fact that it's someone else's and therefore YOU are being judged by its owner on how you cope, what you do, whether it's your fault etc.? Perhaps you are just that bit more self conscious?

 

[PapaFrita]

That would probably be true if I were actually riding the horse- I would certainly be more self-conscious- but in this case I was just walking it around

 

[ruscara]

Oops, sorry. I misunderstood. Maybe it was trying to kill you, then? And you had every right to be worried!

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I certainly feel much more confident riding my seren, have had her 14years so feel comfortable doing most things with her,sometimes i should have more confidence in her though!
But i definately agree, when you know you horse you generally know what they are going to do,in that you expect certain behaviours,ofcourse i am not saying you can predict everything but with your own you have a better idea at least

 

[PapaFrita]

Maybe he WAS!!

He certainly didn't seem very happy AND he got eliminated SJing...

 

[Bess]

My horse usually spends the first 5 minutes or so of a hack with his eyes on stalks looking around for flapping things or anything out of its usual place to have an excuse to spook at. This isn't helped by the friend that I usually hack with recently deciding to get tough with her very laid back (lazy) horse, who doesn't react to her leg so she's now taken to hitting him - and twice catching mine in the process. I now have to check which side she has her stick on and go as far away as possible on the other side, or my horse will flip. If this was my first ride on my horse I would probably say eeek not for me and head back home, but he's just a bit sensitive and doesn't like horses being hit (same as me).

 

[Sal_E]

Agree with K&C - when you KNOW your horse, it makes it so much easier. Even though you knew this horse from a distance (so to speak...), it does make a difference when it's suddenly you who's got to do it - once you've got a feel for him, it'll be like one of your own!

 

[Honeyb060674]

Honey was prob one of the only horses on the yard people NEVER offered t'o swop onto! And yet I'm not comfortable on other peoples animals, for all of the reasons mentioned here! Honey and I have an 'understanding' With other horses the familiarity isn't there and you can't be quite sure what the next move/reaction will be. I always found that because I sat quite happily on the wee ginger one whilst each leg went off at a different angle and she could flybuck like a good un...I am wary of other horses

 

[Farm Kat]

I am completely the opposite, I know my horse, and I know when he is having one of his moments he will do anything to get me off, although I have good stickbaility, and rarely do come off, including grabbing my leg if he can. So I actually feel safer alot of the time on unknown horses, who are sometimes alot worse, I just deal with it, but always anticipate it with my own, so much so I was actually too scared to ride him for over a year, although I would get on any of my others, one was a chronic bolter when we first brought him, and anyone elses for that matter! It's the known that I don't like.

 

[vanessahook]

i completely agree with this. my horse can be very difficult, has been over backwards etc and is aggressive in the stable.
No one wants to be near her and cetainly no on ever offers to ride her. However, it doesn't bother me in the slightest!! I've had my friend come over after watching me ride, shaking and asking if im ok and im there humming to myself!
BUT if that was someones elses horse, as soon as it pranced and threatened to stand up i would s**t myslef and get off!!!
Its strange!

 

[MagicMelon]

I agree, its all to do with trust. If you KNOW your horse does behave like that sometimes but isnt anything dangerous then your fine about it! For example, one of mine is hilarious - does a few bronc displays, generally gets over-excited and leaps about nickering etc. but I just laugh because he's never been nasty with it, its pure excitement and Ive never felt like I was going to fall off or anything.

However with my TB its a totally different story! When he bronc's, thats it your off! He has bolted a few times (he has this weird quirky side to him but 98% of the time he's brilliant!!) and bronc'd like hell until I fall off. So when he gives me "that feeling" just before he's going to do that I start freaking out coz I know it means I will be about to be chucked off!

You know you can trust some horses but not others. If your on an unknown horse then you have no idea what is normal behaviour and what the result of any behaviour will be!