Mahoganybay
Well-Known Member
How do you gain complete trust with your horse, you know the type my horse would walk past/through anything for me type of trust.
Trust
- Thread starter Mahoganybay
- Start date
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
I think that really depends on the individual horse and its personality.
With mine, when I've had them for a while i know how they will likely react to things and they know I won't put them in danger. That's when I feel like we have a mutual trust. But none would be unquestioning in every situation, even the old girl who I've had in my life for 16 years... I know her inside out, she knows me well and we can both predict each other's next move like dancing partners... but she will still kick off at the hunt and will be a snorty idiot with cattle!
Is there something specific that you have in mind?
With mine, when I've had them for a while i know how they will likely react to things and they know I won't put them in danger. That's when I feel like we have a mutual trust. But none would be unquestioning in every situation, even the old girl who I've had in my life for 16 years... I know her inside out, she knows me well and we can both predict each other's next move like dancing partners... but she will still kick off at the hunt and will be a snorty idiot with cattle!
Is there something specific that you have in mind?
Mahoganybay
Well-Known Member
Just a pondering really Milliepops, I have a relatively new mare (having owned a gelding for the last 11 years) and we are at the ‘getting to know each other’ stage.
She’s quite a scardy cat without the reassurance of another horse out hacking, so I am doing a lot of inhand walking, just the two of us. The trust is coming when I’m on foot, but when on board out hacking on our own I think my nerves come into play and the trust is less so.
She’s quite a scardy cat without the reassurance of another horse out hacking, so I am doing a lot of inhand walking, just the two of us. The trust is coming when I’m on foot, but when on board out hacking on our own I think my nerves come into play and the trust is less so.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
I reckon it takes at least 12 months to really get inside each others heads 
don't worry, just keep on going and it'll develop. The more you can watch and learn to read her reactions, and the more consistent you can be, the easier it will be for you both. But ultimately she might just be one of those less confident horses. You can still teach her that she needs to do what you ask She just might not become pushbutton.
don't worry, just keep on going and it'll develop. The more you can watch and learn to read her reactions, and the more consistent you can be, the easier it will be for you both. But ultimately she might just be one of those less confident horses. You can still teach her that she needs to do what you ask She just might not become pushbutton.
scats
Well-Known Member
I think it can sometimes simply take time, but, honestly, it doesnt always happen. It very much depends on the horse.
I would ride Diva into battle. But I felt that trust with her almost instantly.
In 30 years of horses, Ive had 4 that I trusted with my life in any situation and who would do anything I asked with no hesitation. Thats out of 9. The others I had varying degrees of trust with.
I would ride Diva into battle. But I felt that trust with her almost instantly.
In 30 years of horses, Ive had 4 that I trusted with my life in any situation and who would do anything I asked with no hesitation. Thats out of 9. The others I had varying degrees of trust with.
Mahoganybay
Well-Known Member
I am happy to go at relaxed pace and it takes as long as it takes as long we have some form of progress, we have only been together since April, and she’s my first Warmblood (eek).
Weekly lessons, and I’m learning how to press the right buttons. Hopefully I will look back on this post in 12months time and think how far we have come. She’s an absolute smasher.
Weekly lessons, and I’m learning how to press the right buttons. Hopefully I will look back on this post in 12months time and think how far we have come. She’s an absolute smasher.
Meredith
riding reluctantly into the sunset
Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. I have had 8 horses of my own in many years and although I loved most of them to bits and had great trust in them all I would never have trusted them implicitly.
I have owned my most recent horse for 6 months and the trust is growing albeit slowly. At the start the horse was bargy, opinionated and I thought I had made an almighty mistake. Today my instructor said she could barely believe the improvement we had made and how well the horse was going for me.
I think my smile said it all.
I have owned my most recent horse for 6 months and the trust is growing albeit slowly. At the start the horse was bargy, opinionated and I thought I had made an almighty mistake. Today my instructor said she could barely believe the improvement we had made and how well the horse was going for me.
I think my smile said it all.
[69117]
Well-Known Member
Of all the horses Ive had I have only had one that I would have trusted with my life, in any situation. I think it depends on the horse, and also the circumstances. I had him for eleven years, and after a year I would have trusted him implicitly
Others Ive trusted, but that has been more because I knew them so well.
Others Ive trusted, but that has been more because I knew them so well.
googol
Well-Known Member
I had a horse that I just trusted and its honestly one of those things that I cant describe how or why it happened
My friend viewed him for me first and gave him a glowing report so that helped from the get go (it was a horrible wet day and she told me he was an angel even with horses going mad in the field beside)
Then I remember the first few times I rode him just feeling safe. One time in particular we were in a brand new yard, in the dark, and the yard owners cattle escaped and ran round the arena and he just stood there and watched even tho I was soo tense and frozen with fear lol
Our partnership just grew and grew and we got each other so I let myself trust him more and more and I feel he did too. Was an amazing feeling. I loved nothing more than having the arena to myself or dandering down the road together just enjoying him. In the 6 years I had him I rode about 5 x per week and can honestly say I had about5 bad rides, usually when I had to share the arena lol sorry nothing really to do with him!
Hard to sum it up except to say we clicked and trusted each other. If ur nervous like I am u do have to push yourself a bit to break into the trust zone but once your there your there with the right horse!
My friend viewed him for me first and gave him a glowing report so that helped from the get go (it was a horrible wet day and she told me he was an angel even with horses going mad in the field beside)
Then I remember the first few times I rode him just feeling safe. One time in particular we were in a brand new yard, in the dark, and the yard owners cattle escaped and ran round the arena and he just stood there and watched even tho I was soo tense and frozen with fear lol
Our partnership just grew and grew and we got each other so I let myself trust him more and more and I feel he did too. Was an amazing feeling. I loved nothing more than having the arena to myself or dandering down the road together just enjoying him. In the 6 years I had him I rode about 5 x per week and can honestly say I had about5 bad rides, usually when I had to share the arena lol sorry nothing really to do with him!
Hard to sum it up except to say we clicked and trusted each other. If ur nervous like I am u do have to push yourself a bit to break into the trust zone but once your there your there with the right horse!
Talism4n
Well-Known Member
I would have trusted my old boy to walk through fire for me by the end, though I can't say anyone else had the same experience with him. He was a nightmare to begin with, rearing and taking off every time he thought he'd made a mistake, but I always felt right on him from the moment I met him. It took about 3 years to really get to grips with him and build trust in each other, particularly from his perspective. He was so perfect by the end that his last year was spent galloping about bareback and often at home in just a neck strap (vet's advice to lose the saddle). He never put me in any real danger despite the scare tactics early on.
I think it has to be the right partnership, built over time, but in the early days it can be really hard to see. The first few times I rode my new horse I thought I'd made a horrendous mistake and sometimes I still find myself saying that he'll never be like my old boy, but I can see huge improvements already. Friendships like that take time and work to get right, but it's worth the hard slog to get there.
I think it has to be the right partnership, built over time, but in the early days it can be really hard to see. The first few times I rode my new horse I thought I'd made a horrendous mistake and sometimes I still find myself saying that he'll never be like my old boy, but I can see huge improvements already. Friendships like that take time and work to get right, but it's worth the hard slog to get there.
MrsMurs
Well-Known Member
Im 6 months into owning my gelding and I too wondered at the beginning how long it would take to get to know and trust my horse. I would say some are easier to get to know than others, in that some are simpler, straightforward characters than others - same as humans really! My gelding was chilled on arrival and has been chilled ever since, but looking back I can see how much progress we have both made in trusting each other even without massive hurdles to overcome. Now he just seems to know his job, know my expectations, know his routine. I think clear and consistent rules on the ground, in everything you do with your horse goes a long way to fast forwarding the building of trust.
Mahoganybay
Well-Known Member
My very first pony, a mare I trusted with my life, in the 11 years I owned we only had one incident where I was scared, very early on and totally my fault. I never came across anything that she spooked at or wouldn’t go past, often leading other horses.
Then my gelding became mine from my daughter as she went to Uni, superblad but he slowly knocked my confidence, I came off him numerous times and tbh I really didn’t trust him that much, just knew the triggers and avoided them. Which tbh meant that I couldn’t do all the things I wanted.
I’ve now got my beautiful mare, and I’m hoping that we can build that trust and I can gain some form of confidence, she’s a lovely girl and already I feel she wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. I guess it just takes time.
Then my gelding became mine from my daughter as she went to Uni, superblad but he slowly knocked my confidence, I came off him numerous times and tbh I really didn’t trust him that much, just knew the triggers and avoided them. Which tbh meant that I couldn’t do all the things I wanted.
I’ve now got my beautiful mare, and I’m hoping that we can build that trust and I can gain some form of confidence, she’s a lovely girl and already I feel she wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. I guess it just takes time.
henmother
Well-Known Member
Before I got on mine he went away to a local well respected eventers yard . She had him and put him through his paces. Towards the end of his time away I went up and rode out with one of the girls . When I brought him home I rode out with yard owner , we rode out a lot , this helped give me confidence . He took confidence from yard owners horse too. I can't remember ever not trusting him , but I can remember being a little apprehensive. Not because of him but because of my accident ( up and over on share horse, left me an incomplete para). I think it's something you have to build , whilst always maintaining a degree of respect . When we started hacking solo , I'd say to him, you look after me and I'll look after you . I can remember the very first time we rode out alone , just us two . We went on a regular route and whilst I was on the look out for potential spook obstacles he was as good as gold.
I'd had him for several months before I rode him and during that time we spent a lot of time grooming , just faffing , putting the hours in to get to know him on the ground . I trust him with my life every time I get on . Trust is a beautiful thing .
I'd had him for several months before I rode him and during that time we spent a lot of time grooming , just faffing , putting the hours in to get to know him on the ground . I trust him with my life every time I get on . Trust is a beautiful thing .
Auslander
Well-Known Member
I didn't trust Alf one bit when I first got him, and he certainly didn't trust me. It took a long time for him to give in, and believe that I wouldn't hurt him/put him in danger.He was very standoffish with me, and would run, rather than waiting for reassurance, when something scared him He's now gone a bit too far the other way!
I wouldn't say I trusted him to behave appropriately in every situation - he can be very sharp/reactive - but I will go anywhere and do anything with him, because I trust in my ability to cope with whatever he throws at me. On the ground, I trust him implicitly - with me, with other people, with the dog...he's pretty much perfect! Except with mares! If he can get near an in-season mare, there's no reasoning with him!
I wouldn't say I trusted him to behave appropriately in every situation - he can be very sharp/reactive - but I will go anywhere and do anything with him, because I trust in my ability to cope with whatever he throws at me. On the ground, I trust him implicitly - with me, with other people, with the dog...he's pretty much perfect! Except with mares! If he can get near an in-season mare, there's no reasoning with him!