The Different way different horses think

skint1

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I love this thread, I see this a lot with our horses and their attitude to electric fencing. The TB mares you can put up one piece of electric rope, not even electrified to fence them in or off something, they don't test it-they just believe in the rope... now the pony, if you want to pen him in you have to build a pen that would be a respectable obstactle on the Crystal Maze!
 

Antw23uk

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Gelding would see treat ball and say thanks and work it out quickly.

Mare would see treat ball and say NOPE!!! I cant just pull stunts like that, she would need a detailed conversation about it first. Once she knew it had food in it however she would kill it dead .. DEAD i tell you!!! Loves her food that girl, lol ;)
 

albeg

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After the horselyx, all goodies are closely monitored. Grey pony figured out that bashing it on the ground/a good stomp was enough to break it into easy to munch pieces. Cue a very sticky pony who was very happy.

(This was with one that was nearly empty).
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Turnips get booted around a bit, then stomped on. Not sure if it's out of annoyance or remembering that they can't run away after you smash them.

He hasn't had a treat ball, but given his ability to access most forms of treat within seconds of finding them (opening boxes/latches/tearing bags), it wouldn't hold treats for long I'd imagine.

Thankfully he doesn't open gates but he's a bit like skint1's pony as far as fencing goes. Found him outside the 5ft triple lined electric tape on more than one occasion, with no evidence of stretching the fence/jumping/limboing. He could tell when the fence went off at home and would have his face against the tape to get the good grass outside as soon as it went off.
 

Pearlsasinger

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My appy mare sussed her treatball out in seconds when she was 2 - just rocks moves it until the hole is pointing downwards and then gently rocks it from side to side with her nose. She also got apple bobbing immediately and when I hung up a stalk of sprouts she got through that in about 5 mins, before pulling the stalk off the string so she could chew it.

She doesn't get involved in the melee around the gate at coming in time - just waits slightly out of the way to be headcollared and walked through.

When she was 2 her 3yr old buddy got caught in a fence - I was worried when she didn't come to call for breakfast (but she called to me) so went to investigate, and found her standing calmly next to her friend, who'd somehow managed to knit her hind leg into two strands of wire. She's credited with keeping the trapped horse calm. The other 2 (older) horses in the field had disappeared over the other side of the hill to the bit with the good grass, but she'd stayed.

She waves a front leg around when she's eating, so has managed to get herself caught up between a tyre and the feed bucket that was standing in it, and her hayball. On both occasions she was still eating, but just neighed quietly at me as I walked past the stable - I go in to investigate and free her, but no panic or worry on her part at all. On both occasions she was still eating... :D I also watched her get her rug caught on a fallen branch when she was a yearling - again, no panic, she just worked out how to free herself before I got to her.

She seems to be a very clever little horse...

What a lovely post. I would love to meet your mare.

I used to have a Clydesdale mare, who, 3 weeks after we got her, got her foot caught on a wire fence. She stood perfectly still except for lifting the foot up and down as my Dad drove past. Fortunately he noticed that there was a problem, stopped the car and sorted her out. Dad always talked about how marvellous she was, recognising his car and knowing to attract his attention. Some horses just are very sensible.
 

DabDab

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What a fab thread - love seeing different horse personalities. I've never owned a treat ball so have completely missed out on all this fun :D Might go get one now just to see, as my three are all so very different personalities.

As far as fencing goes I have one who always stays put (even if a clear escape route has been opened for him), one who opens gates and carefully dismantles fencing (extensive reinforcement with bailing twine is required), and another who just jumps out if the other two are bugging her.
 

SEL

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My appy mare sussed her treatball out in seconds when she was 2 - just rocks moves it until the hole is pointing downwards and then gently rocks it from side to side with her nose. She also got apple bobbing immediately and when I hung up a stalk of sprouts she got through that in about 5 mins, before pulling the stalk off the string so she could chew it.

She doesn't get involved in the melee around the gate at coming in time - just waits slightly out of the way to be headcollared and walked through.

When she was 2 her 3yr old buddy got caught in a fence - I was worried when she didn't come to call for breakfast (but she called to me) so went to investigate, and found her standing calmly next to her friend, who'd somehow managed to knit her hind leg into two strands of wire. She's credited with keeping the trapped horse calm. The other 2 (older) horses in the field had disappeared over the other side of the hill to the bit with the good grass, but she'd stayed.

She waves a front leg around when she's eating, so has managed to get herself caught up between a tyre and the feed bucket that was standing in it, and her hayball. On both occasions she was still eating, but just neighed quietly at me as I walked past the stable - I go in to investigate and free her, but no panic or worry on her part at all. On both occasions she was still eating... :D I also watched her get her rug caught on a fallen branch when she was a yearling - again, no panic, she just worked out how to free herself before I got to her.

She seems to be a very clever little horse...

I have found my Appy by far the smartest horse I've ever worked with. That's not necessarily a good thing!
 
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