Things your horses have taught each other…

[maya2008]

Recently deceased Sports pony lives on through the habits she taught others…most notably waving the bowl around to ask for more once dinner has been eaten!

One summer, years ago, she and a friend also taught a younger pony how to jump. The pony jumped like superman, front legs stretched out straight in front. Wasn’t the best technique ever. So Sports Pony and friend spent one afternoon when we’d moved the strip grazing fence cantering up to the longer grass and jumping into it, then back through and jumping out. Again and again and again with little friend until she understood that she needed to fold her front legs. It was so sweet to watch!

Last night I also noticed that coblet (who is the same colour as DHP and adores her) has taught little DHP yearling to rear. Sneaky… her friend had a go at her, so up she went to defend herself. We all stood there in shock, as all she used to do was present backside and kick. Did put friend nicely in her place though!

What habits have yours taught each other?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I can't remember any of mine teaching others anything. Only story I have is a horse learning from a human. Michael did tell me of one occasion when he walked through my stallion's paddock and climbed over the gate. Poncho followed him and climbed up the gate with his front legs. Fortunately left it at that.

 

[Snowfilly]

My old boy was smart and I used to trick train him - he could bow, shake hands, pick things up in his teeth and hand them over and the like. He taught one of the others to bow, so the little pony would bow in hopes of treats in the field.

Had a brood mare who waggled her tongue around after she’d finished a short feed. We’re now on the third generation of tongue waggling ponies, including a couple who aren’t even related to her!

 

[Cortez]

Not mine, but a friend's horse taught all the others at a yard to kick the doors. Not cute, and yard owner not best pleased.

 

[meleeka]

To go in an open stable and wait nicely for tea. That only really works with the really greedy one (and it was taught by a cob) but the other mare just follows me until I get to her stable.

 

[PurBee]

Mare has taught the gelding to call for me if they ever need anything - he now yells more than she does! They’re quite a talkative pair.

I love hearing them when they’ve wandered into separate fields from each other out of sight, the conversation goes like this:
”where arrrrrre you?!”
”im over here!”
”where’s here? I cant see you”
”im here!”
”why dont you come here?”
”no, you come here!”

Then i hear galloping hooves ?

 

[scruffyponies]

My hackneyxwelsh is one of nature's survivors. He taught all the others to eat nettles whilst they still sting (spicy?!) and to fish under the water for duck weed in the winter.

 

[smolmaus]

That there are monsters lurking underneath drainage grates. She had never looked twice at one before her friend passed on the life saving info.

 

[GinaGeo]

Mine was stabled next to an ex Advanced Eventer who taught him how to undo Stable Bolts.

As long as I double checked the kick bolt was on, we were good for awhile, but I then couldn't work out if I was forgetful or going mad. Because he began to be able to get out with the kick bolt on.

He'd worked out how to drop the top bolt onto the kick bolt which then opened the door. I've taken the hint. He gets to be free range now and if stabling is mandatory he gets a chain up as well.

 

[Hannahgb]

Mine was stabled next to a young arab that would throw his head round in a circle over the stable door. Apparently the owner encouraged it.
Mine then picked it up, he did it for years, could never stop him even once moved yards and away from the arab. Very annoying

 

[dorsetladette]

My old boy has taught both the babies to be mannerly at the gate. He goes first anf they wait until he's out the way. But then its a free for all.

 

[maya2008]

My hackneyxwelsh is one of nature's survivors. He taught all the others to eat nettles whilst they still sting (spicy?!) and to fish under the water for duck weed in the winter.

All my natives eat nettles, except for delicate little bogof yearling, who doesn’t like the stinging sensation! The others don’t even seem to notice ?. Do yours eat them upside down? I always wonder if they do that because they sting less that way!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Not mine, but a friend's horse taught all the others at a yard to kick the doors. Not cute, and yard owner not best pleased.

A whole yard of door kickers is my idea of absolute hell ?

 

[Gloi]

My I Icelandic taught the others how to paw thistles, even the big crown of thorns ones, into a mush to eat them without getting prickled. Within a couple of years they had cleared the previously heavily infested fields of thistles.
He also dealt with nettles the same way or pulled them up by the roots to eat later.
Fortunately none of the others learnt how to pull out electric fence posts by the base off him. They just waited for him to take the fence down for them.

 

[scruffyponies]

All my natives eat nettles, except for delicate little bogof yearling, who doesn’t like the stinging sensation! The others don’t even seem to notice ?. Do yours eat them upside down? I always wonder if they do that because they sting less that way!

They used to eat them when they were going over in the autumn, but now they just go right at them, and indeed will go for them in preference to grass. Same with thistles, which must be really tasty, judging from the enthusiasm.

 

[windswoo]

My older horse taught my new horse hedge grazing - she didn't do it the first summer we had her, but over the winter she obviously got the idea from him.
I've got mixed hedges which are huge so I don't mind them chomping on them. Luckily she hasn't picked up some of his more annoying habits.

 

[Ratface]

Not mine, but a friend's horse taught all the others at a yard to kick the doors. Not cute, and yard owner not best pleased.

I regret to say that Old Horse found that if he kicked the stable door at 0430hrs, the farmer who owned the yard and all the immaculately managed grazing land round it, would leap out of his bed, put on his wellies over his pj's and feed the whole yard to prevent the dogs yelling and waking the village up at the same time! I'm sure he was delighted when we left.
Old Horse still does it, but his current YO hasn't fallen for it, so he just does a couple of knocks and then gives up. Poor darling!

 

[HashRouge]

I had people saying that my Welsh would teach my Arab to crib bite when we first started keeping them together, but glad to say that is not the case (we're 10 years down the line!). The Arab has, however, taught the Welsh about eating bananas, including the peel. They both go nuts over them, but he never used to know what to do with them - he very much took her lead!

 

[HorseMaid]

The mare in with my mare has taught her to run away when we go to catch them, it's very annoying!

 

[Spotherisk]

Mine worked out ride and lead beautifully, having never done it before. They would happily go along side by side but as soon as they heard a car (long before I did) would seamlessly merge into single file and resume side by side afterwards. Didn’t matter which one I was riding, and they were about 20 years difference in age.

 

[catkin]

We had a youngster who taught her nanny horse not to be whipshy.

We had tried just about every de-sensitising thing with the old mare to no avail. Who knew the answer was to let a sweet playful 2 year old encourage her friend to join in a game of picking up whips with your mouth.

 

[tda]

My old pony tinker taught anyone who'd watch that if you are determined enough you can get out of any field if the grass was greener on the other side ? ?
The stallion we had here for a few years taught all his babies to chase birds out of the field, pheasants, partridge, ducks, crows, whatever ???????

 

[millitiger]

Kicking the door...!

 

[scats]

Door kickers are one of my most hated things. My friend has a chronic door kicker and he’s a nightmare.
Millie grabs her headcollar off the hook outside her stable and chucks it on the floor when she knows it’s turning out time. Polly now does the same.

 

[Reacher]

Mare has taught the gelding to call for me if they ever need anything - he now yells more than she does! They’re quite a talkative pair.

I love hearing them when they’ve wandered into separate fields from each other out of sight, the conversation goes like this:
”where arrrrrre you?!”
”im over here!”
”where’s here? I cant see you”
”im here!”
”why dont you come here?”
”no, you come here!”

Then i hear galloping hooves ?

Yes my retired mare is very talkative and after several years, mr H has started talking. He will give a bellow out on a hack if he thinks his hacking partner might be around the corner (he started with a girly squeal and progressed to a bellow).
He even gives a deep wuh huh to me if he thinks he is due a treat.

 

[PurBee]

Its interesting to read everyone’s accounts, and to know horses learn all sorts of things by observation of other horses.

I recall when my gelding was being difficult with foot handling, i would unpick the mares feet first, her loose, with him near us watching, then because she lifted her feet without fuss, i could then move onto picking out his feet and he’d mimic the mare’s unfussy demeanour.
If i did his feet first, i’d have him being his usual difficult self.
It was by accident i learnt he observed and would mimic the mare - but once i realised what was happening i picked her out first everytime!

Trimming his rears were especially fidgety - once, the mare observing from 20m away, him being reluctant to even lift his rear feet, with me asking patiently. The mare came close to us, and then he lifted his feet. I wondered if she silently communicated to him to behave or something, but it was a tangible difference whatever the reason.
After that, whenever he was being difficult, i would say to her to come and tell him to behave for a quick trim, she would, and he did!
They could always see each other for trimming so it wasnt a ‘visual comfort’ thing. Whatever gets said silently between horses i find most interesting.

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

My youngster learns by copying my old pony. His first attempts at eating the gorse just involved him ramming his head into the bush and trying to get a big mouthful which obviously was rather unsuccessful and prickly, then he watched my old one carefully picking the flowers off and got the hang of it. Anything new that he's not sure of I do it with the old pony first while my partner stands with him and points out to him what the old one is doing. I know we must look crazy to anyone watching but when you point to what you want him to watch he really does look at what you're pointing at and really concentrates on what's happening, then when you try again with him at whatever it is he just does it straight away like he's been doing it for years, he's like a sponge for learning and worryingly clever, I'm sure he could out wit me easily if he was so inclined, luckily for me he loves doing stuff with you and being told he's wonderful. ?

 

[PurBee]

My youngster learns by copying my old pony. His first attempts at eating the gorse just involved him ramming his head into the bush and trying to get a big mouthful which obviously was rather unsuccessful and prickly, then he watched my old one carefully picking the flowers off and got the hang of it. Anything new that he's not sure of I do it with the old pony first while my partner stands with him and points out to him what the old one is doing. I know we must look crazy to anyone watching but when you point to what you want him to watch he really does look at what you're pointing at and really concentrates on what's happening, then when you try again with him at whatever it is he just does it straight away like he's been doing it for years, he's like a sponge for learning and worryingly clever, I'm sure he could out wit me easily if he was so inclined, luckily for me he loves doing stuff with you and being told he's wonderful. ?

Your horses remind me of the russian guy nevzorov, has a friend teaching horses latin! Mind-blowing but true! I can hunt for a video if anyone’s interested ?
Their capacity for learning never ceases to amaze me.

 

[stangs]

Your horses remind me of the russian guy nevzorov, has a friend teaching horses latin! Mind-blowing but true! I can hunt for a video if anyone’s interested ?
Their capacity for learning never ceases to amaze me.

I for one would love to see a video of that!

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

Your horses remind me of the russian guy nevzorov, has a friend teaching horses latin! Mind-blowing but true! I can hunt for a video if anyone’s interested ?
Their capacity for learning never ceases to amaze me.

I'd love to see that video!