One person horses, do they exist?

[Alphamare]

Do you have a one person horse? How much of one person are they? I have one that can't be caught by anyone but me or hubby unless I am there. Same for ridden. If I am there he is fine. He is very sensitive and nervous but with me you would think he was a plod!

How do you know yours is a one person horse?

 

[5horses2dogsandacat]

Yep!! She will bite or even on occasions try and kick anyone other than me. I have never trusted her enough to leave her alone with someone and on one occasion when I asked my dad if he would very kindly turn out for me she really went for him.

I think she's a one horse person. Lol

 

[LouS]

No, not really, if someone else handled it every day etc it would soon get used to them.

 

[muddygreymare]

Yes definitely, she is so much better with me than she is anyone else, she will behave for other people but she much prefers being with me. For me she actually works nicely, for other people she goes into 'i'm a beach donkey' mode and cant be bothered to work. She will happily let me spend ages cuddling her and just sat with her, yet she doesn't like other people fussing over her. I'm not planning on ever selling her so I suppose it doesn't really matter

 

[Ladydragon]

Do you have a one person horse? How much of one person are they?

Um...kind of...

I bought a QH recently... Two years old, in the field with his family herd and fairly unhandled... A few people had been to view the young stock and brood mares for sale but our boy had apparently refused to have anything to do with any visitors and took aloof to a new level... The first time I saw him we just clicked and the breeder was pretty gobsmacked when he let me run my hands over him and when I popped a halter on he followed me around the field on a loose lead rope... He'll let my husband or son do the doing for him up the yard and is well behaved - but he's definitely a different boy if I'm around...

We've got a 5yr old TB that I don't ride... I'm just not good enough and have pretty dire confidence issues... A lass from the local university works him and my son has lessons on him... The horse is a real sweetheart and not a typical TB at all - he's happy to have anyone on board... But if I'm watching he keeps an eye on where I am and if I shout "good boy" or "come on" he really responds to my voice and 'lifts' a bit...

So not really 'one person horses' as they're good for everyone else - but I'm 'mum'...

 

[JingleTingle]

No I think such a thing is very rare - to the point of being highly unlikely. However, I do think a lot of owners like to tell themselves that their horse is - but give it a while with a knowledgeable new owner and it will more often than not be the same for them.

To me such statements are akin to the sort of declaration that 'Nobody can manage/ride my horse but me' i.e 'I like to think I am so very good at handling and riding that nobody could possibly do as well with my highly strung and difficult horse!'

 

[Alphamare]

LouS I do and I don't agree with you but for things like going on holiday I can't get him ridden or even caught and brought in because he doesn't trust anyone else. And it's not like I am going to pay for them to come handle him daily either. Or the farrier, i can leave the others to be done no problem but not him.

 

[JanetGeorge]

To me such statements are akin to the sort of declaration that 'Nobody can manage/ride my horse but me' i.e 'I like to think I am so very good at handling and riding that nobody could possibly do as well with my highly strung and difficult horse!'

Agreed. And - frankly - people who boast that only they can do anything withtheir horse just reveal themselves as bad trainers. IF it was true, what the HELL do they think will happen to that horse if they get run over by a bus?

The kindest and most sensible thing you can do for any horse is to teach it to be sensible and good with any reasonable rider. That way, they'll always have a chance of getting a good home!

 

[Stacey6897]

Yes, when I got mine as a yearling, I spent a bit of time getting to know him, halter breaking, taking for walks etc, then wanted to show him off to my friends, he wouldn't come near them, bit embarrassing, so I made sure I got plenty of people to see him and do stuff with him, until he was fine with it

Little mare has trust issues so it takes a while for her to get to know anyone, once she knows them she's fine, not so much a "one person horse" as an "I don't know you" horse

 

[Apercrumbie]

Yes I have had a couple of one person horses. This doesn't mean that I was the only person they would ever do anything for but I had one who would really misbehave for anyone but me. Gentle training and a lot of patience pretty much solved the problem and when I had to sell her on she had a few teething issues but now goes very well for her new owner. In a way she is still a one person horse, it's just that that one person has changed.

 

[TicTac]

When I purchased my mare they told me she would be happier on a one to one basis. This is true to an extent but only that she likes her routine and consistent handling and prefers the reletive quiet on our yard to the busy dealers yard I got her from.

My mare could be ridden by most people but I only like her to be ridden by a chosen few. She will ' protect ' me if I am in the stable with her and somebody is outside trying to talk to me or get my attention but she can be caught and handled by most people. So I would say that rather then her being a one person horse, she and I have a strong bond and works better for me.

 

[guesstimation]

Tigger has been a bit like that and doesn't like strangers but he's a turncoat at the end of the day if someone perseveres and spends time with him! Just found a sharer for him and left her to it first time Sunday initialy he didn't want to be caught but gave in and got ridden! I've purposely had people go see him and do stuff as I'd rather he was well adjusted and ok with other people. He will play up more because he doesn't trust the handler, so a windy day with me he'll plod along but with someone else most things blowing are scary, still he's getting more and more handling by others so that might change too! Oh and if they have a carrot.....

 

[SuperCoblet]

More of a family pony, he will only go near myself, my mum, and my dad, wont go near anyone else (unless they have food!)
However i am the only one that can ride him, ive spent 3 years getting him to trust me enough to even go out the paddock gate in company, let alone do a SJ course, go to camp, hack out, jump XC jumps and hack bareback, in a headcollar, on his own up the road. Stick someone else on him and he goes skitts, rearing, napping, spinning, bucking, bolting, anything to get to a safe place and be back with me.

 

[JFTDWS]

I agree with Janet George - one person horses are an indicator of bad training. I expect mine to behave well regardless of who is handling them or riding them - yes I can normally get more out of them because I know their buttons and they know what I want - but they are obedient with others and try to perform as best they can.

 

[Burnttoast]

Agreed. And - frankly - people who boast that only they can do anything withtheir horse just reveal themselves as bad trainers. IF it was true, what the HELL do they think will happen to that horse if they get run over by a bus?

The kindest and most sensible thing you can do for any horse is to teach it to be sensible and good with any reasonable rider. That way, they'll always have a chance of getting a good home!

Couldn't agree more. And, what's more, what an owner may think of their horse is often not true. When I freelanced I came across a fair few owners who took this view, and it turned out that their horse was actually perfectly straightforward and a lot more adaptable than its owner gave it credit for.

 

[JingleTingle]

I agree with Janet George - one person horses are an indicator of bad training. I expect mine to behave well regardless of who is handling them or riding them - yes I can normally get more out of them because I know their buttons and they know what I want - but they are obedient with others and try to perform as best they can.

Absolutely - I would go further and dare to suggest that it is almost bordering on neglect of fair and correct handling to NOT train a horse to accept other riders and handlers. You are not doing the horse any favours, a bit like keeping a young child away from other children and nursery school - then smiling fondly when the little brat screams the place down first day at school because you have kept the poor infant so 'special' to bolster your own value of worth.

 

[JFTDWS]

Absolutely - I would go further and dare to suggest that it is almost bordering on neglect of fair and correct handling to NOT train a horse to accept other riders and handlers. You are not doing the horse any favours, a bit like keeping a young child away from other children and nursery school - then smiling fondly when the little brat screams the place down first day at school because you have kept the poor infant so 'special' to bolster your own value of worth.

sorry my post should have read "I agree wiith Janet George and grumpyoldmare" since you had already said words to the same effect...

 

[Lolo]

Some horses do better bonding with one person. Reg is a lot jumpier around me than he is with Al, and that's because he trusts her more.

However, he's perfectly polite with everyone and generally a bit of a sweetheart on board and on the ground. When he gets very stressed, he can get a bit funny- he got caught out in a thunderstorm and his fieldmates were brought in- he was cold and worried and in a bit of a tizz, and I couldn't catch him. Al turned up and he walked over to her! But generally, he's very good with anyone.

 

[ABC]

My lad is a one person horse in the sense that he prefers to have one consistent handler at all times, but I doubt he's too bothered as to who that handler is.

As someone said, I can get more out of him because we have a bond, but I have no doubt that given time he would form a bond with someone else and behave just as well.

 

[Four Seasons]

Yep. My stallion is a one person horse. Had him since he was a foal, bred him myself. He lets himself be handled by other people, but wants nothing to do with you. He is very focussed on me.

 

[Auslander]

Nope - they don't exist. I would challenge anyone who thinks their horse can't establish a relationship with another handler to let another competent person handle/feed/care for it for a week (without visiting). I'm confident that said horse will be happy to accept the new handler pretty quickly.

It's our responsibility as horse owners to make sure our horses are well adjusted members of society, who can be safely handled by any competent person. If I thought for a moment that a horse under my care was becoming neurotic enough that he would only allow me near him, I would take steps immediately to resolve the problem.

 

[dafthoss]

Mine can be handled and ridden by any one, he loves having a child to look after and puts all his concentration in to what the child asks if they ride him but he is also rather good at a plank impression with some people just depends on who it is and if he gets on with you. He is never naughty with other people and will quite happily walk trot and canter round just doesnt work as hard as he could and tends to go solid through his neck and jaw .
I think some of it is I know his buttons but if I think about it to much then yes it does make me feel bad that he planks with people as I think its me letting him down. Now we are at uni he is having a lot more people have a go on him and I'm hoping that this will help although I'm sure if some one else worked with him more then he would be fine with them because he did similar with me when I got him.

 

[5horses2dogsandacat]

I actually think the people who have said no definitely not and labelled any 'one person' horse as being badly trained just a touch rude. I handle all my horses exactly the same and all are very welled behaved except this one mare in question.

It was proven when I came off at a show busted up my knee and she stood guard and wouldn't let anyone near me.

There are so many different characters of horses and I think its a little shallow minded if u can't actually except that some horses may have a strong bond with one sole person.

 

[Auslander]

she stood guard and wouldn't let anyone near me.

And you don't see this as a problem? What if you had been unconscious, and in a critical condition?

 

[VixieTrix]

Blue is a family pony but ... After i had outgrown him (i just look after him now) the plan was that my sister would take over riding him and doing fun things (on a smaller scale as he is getting on a bit) But they never clicked, he was well behaved for her but there was just something missing; it never seemed to be the same bond that he and i had it was strange can't realy explain it lol!

Happily she has found a lovely pony who she has bonded with well, and i just try to make Blue's life as varied and interestin as poss and we seem to have retained our bond just as well

 

[rhino]

Nope, and I quite often find the 'badly behaved, one person horses' are far, far better behaved when the owners are not present

Ginger horse is anybody's Little tart I am proud of the fact that anyone can handle him Possibly because I work mostly with ponies, but I see it a essential that horses are trained to be accepting of new people.

 

[AfricanBeauty]

Yup definitely! My mare is so much better behaved when she has one on one time with me. I'd say there is only 1 person I really trust with her and her with (if that makes sense) and that is my current YM as she understands all the horses are individual and treats them as such. She also understands that you have to be firm with my girl otherwise she can take the mick and if you keep ignoring it she will be dangerous - only because she hasn't been told the boundaries and doesn't understand why she can't push you around. She is a dominant mare but at the same time she is very insecure. When we first got her she was on full livery then when I took her to University and was doing everything for her she was completely different. We connected so much better, and it was very satisfying to see the change in her. She definitely smells fear and will take advantage of that if she can, but give her a firm hand, and reassurance when she needs, and she will give you so much love.

I guess some would say she is a 'two' person horse as she is very happy with the YM but its the one-on-one attention she needs. I'm not going to sell her as there were several strange circumstances surrounding us finding her and I believe she was meant to belong to me. I love her to bits even if she can be a moody cow at times, give her the attention she wants and she is amazing.

For all those critics out there, one person horses do exist!

 

[Alphamare]

My horse isn't badly behaved for me though!!! But I have put a lot of time and effort into him. He is very sensitive and unless I am there I know for a fact he won't let anyone else catch him. I have not yet let anyone ride him without me there but he is impeccably behaved if I am there. I do think though that if they can't even catch him how could they bring him in or even ride him.

He is fine with someone who handles him more regularly, like my hubby. But not strangers.

 

[Burnttoast]

And you don't see this as a problem? What if you had been unconscious, and in a critical condition?

And the horse obviously gave up after a while, or the poster would still be on that showground now

Nope, and I quite often find the 'badly behaved, one person horses' are far, far better behaved when the owners are not present

Goodness, yes - I saw this quite a bit when I did a lot of housesitting. Owners would tell me how quirky their horse was and then be surprised when I had no problems - and it wasn't as though I had months to form a bond... I don't think I'm a particularly gifted handler, hence my belief that it's often all in owners' heads (for reasons of self-aggrandisement?). Obviously many horses will develop a bond with the person responsible for their care. But there's no reason to think that this is the *only* bond with a person they are capable of forming.

I speak as someone who's never had a horse to become proprietorial over ...

 

[Fun Foals]

To an extent yes.
At the stud i work at seasonaly the is a chesnut mare that can be tempermental to catch, but 9.9 times out of 10 she will walk over to me or at least stand still to be caught. Today my bf came back moaning that he would get an arms length away turn and run n buck away, let him get close and do the same. She is heavily in foal at the moment, and will be the same when she has foal at foot to, other people she is not keen on being with. I think shes great tho! and a very good mum
Plus the one stallion that my bf has been the main handler since he came to stud decided a few months ago he didnt like him turning him out anymore . Nothing had happened that he could think of that he wouldnt have liked, if he turns him out it has to be with a slip rope because as soon as he gets to the gate he just runs off and is not to happy all the way out. The other lad takes him out and he plods out like an old pony, can take him right in, close the gate to walker, go back to gate and let him go calmly.
Whaereas another stallion perfers my bf not the otha lad, its strange, they get treated the same by everyone.