Where do we draw the line at treating our horses like people?

arwenplusone

arwenplusone

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Ok, an example - It makes me really cross when riders refer to their horse as <font color="black"> </font> ; not he or she but it
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Pedantic yes, but it got me thinking, where do we draw the line at anthropomorphism (ie - giving horses human feelings, characteristics/brains that they don't have)?

Am often hearing 'oh he hates his pink rug' or 'you've hurt his feelings'
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But where does it go too far?

I know of someone who had a horse 'psychic' out who told them that their horse was gay and that he was sick of being laughed at. PMSL - they paid £50 to hear this
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Essentially they are animals but people do tend to treat them as one of the family - this is very evident when people get sensitive about horses being PTS or shot.

What do you all think?

Just off now to go and make my mare a cup of cocoa and read the foal a bedtime story.....
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I used to get into trouble at uni when refering to horses as people-saying "horses who" instead of "horses that", its a hard habit to break! I think some people do go too far, but it just shows they care! By the way your kitten is sooooo cute!
 
lmao at the gay horse

Dont tend to give them feelings...other than "youve pissed him off now" when its ears back and teeth coming at you
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lol
 
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I used to get into trouble at uni when refering to horses as people-saying "horses who" instead of "horses that", its a hard habit to break! I think some people do go too far, but it just shows they care! By the way your kitten is sooooo cute!

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Now you see that is interesting because I would always say 'horses that'
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but I hate it when a horse owner says (of their own horse) 'oh it jumped badly today'.

Don't be fooled - that kitten is a lethal ball of teeth and claws...
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What's wrong with calling a horse *it*?

I think way too many people make themselves believe horses have human thought patterns. At the end of the day a horse does not stand in its stable thinking "I am going to piss my rider off today" - they may exhibit signs of being uncomfortable but that is more likely than not because they do not understand WHAT is being asked of them. A horse may associate someone with rough handling, and it will exhibit signs of "hate" towards that person, but it is usually apprehension because they do not know how they will be handled.
 
i hate it in ads when it says "a nice person" that really gets my back up but i do treat my horse as one of the family she comes down the pub and i no i shouldn't but i do treat her as a kid lol
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don't get me wrong i still know shes a horse and i don't stand for bad manners shes not molly coddled and is out as much as possible without rugs and alot of the time no shoes.

i also hate it when people say "it" insted of he/she
 
You MUST tell me who's horse is gay. LMAO
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Let's be honest though, your mare doesn't like her rug.
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My opinion is, that they are animals not people. They don't think like people, they don't act like people and sometimes they have no idea what we people are on about.
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Anthropomorphising just makes us feel better about certain situations. ie when J was put down I was very distressed, even though I know he didn't suffer. It was my way of coping with the situation.

However if Yogi were to have a 'moment' in the school I know it's not him trying to get one over on me. The first thing I think is when was he last exercised, what's the grazing like, how long has he been stabled, what's he been fed, etc etc.
 
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What's wrong with calling a horse *it*?

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Lol - I'm not actually sure - I think I just would never refer to anything that had a gender and a name as an 'it'. Think it might just be the grammar pedant in me
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Agree 100% with the rest of your post - but I know a few people who wouldn't!
 
nothing wrong with calling a horse "it" IMO.

as for human traits..no way..a horses brain doesnt have the make-up to think like a human..it doesnt think "oh its raining, i'll get me coat"..or " i'm not in the mood for hacking, i'd actually like to have a siesta in my bedroom"..

as for psychics.....give your money to a horse charity.charletan doesnt cover it.

to me a horse is neither a member of my family or a pet...
 
I call my mare 'it' or 'the mare', or baggage or cowbag or brat

It doesn't mean i dont love her, doesnt mean i love her less, it a turn of phrase!

horses arnt stupid, but they do not care if you call them, 'it' her, or him.
they care about routine, boundries, consistancy and grub
 
I've never really thought of treating horses like people until I heard it mentioned on here, they are horses at the end of the day!
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I don't think there is anything wrong with being nice to them though, even if it only makes us feel better!
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I would feel horrible if I called my horse "it"!!
 
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You MUST tell me who's horse is gay. LMAO
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Let's be honest though, your mare doesn't like her rug.
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None on our yard
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- you are right about the rug tho' She doesn't feel that the colour complements her eyes enough and would like a blue one instead
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You are all WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!

Never a day goes by when me and my ned dont have a meaningful conversation
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agree with you
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.. my horse is a person
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my horses are completely part of the family! my yearlings like a dog, he follows me everywhere its so adorable, but he does'nt like his new rug...its boing brown and he wanted pink. hes sexually confused atm.
 
Far too many people IMHO humanise their horses, which is why they get so uptight about the meat trade and such like. They are NOT humans, do not think like humans, do not require things like humans. As far as I am concerend, my neds will wear whatever colour rug I buy, and if they have any dislikes, well, tough!
 
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they care about routine, boundries, consistancy and grub

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Thats exactly what I think! I have 3 very happy horses living here with me in a property with only 1.5acres (half of that is sand paddock!) but they have a spot on routine and they thrive on it, I constantly get people telling me how lovely and shiny/relaxed/friendly they are, and I maintain its down to routine! Routine to horses means security, security makes them happy.
 
well my horse is a horse suprisingly and she lives, breathes,eats and sleeps like a horse, i love her to bits, but she is not human, she is a horse with a character of her own, she has imo 'basic horse feelings' of sorts but thats it, she is a horse and always will be, no matter how much i try to strike up a conversation with her
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well my horse is a horse suprisingly and she lives, breathes,eats and sleeps like a horse, i love her to bits, but she is not human, she is a horse with a character of her own, she has imo 'basic horse feelings' of sorts but thats it, she is a horse and always will be, no matter how much i try to strike up a conversation with her
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You know i get the impression from your post, that your horse is in fact a horse!
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What's wrong with calling a horse *it*?



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It's a bug bear of mine too.

I just hate it. I think it is because the people who I originally heard saying it generally really annoy me. So from there "it" now annoys the hell out of me.

I cringe when someone talks of there own lone horse as "it".

Pathetic, I know but it really gets up my shnoz.
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well my horse is a horse suprisingly and she lives, breathes,eats and sleeps like a horse, i love her to bits, but she is not human, she is a horse with a character of her own, she has imo 'basic horse feelings' of sorts but thats it, she is a horse and always will be, no matter how much i try to strike up a conversation with her
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You know i get the impression from your post, that your horse is in fact a horse!
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Wow!! How freaky is that? I get exactly the same impression!
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interesting post especially as I've just put my boy up for sale! I really thought he'd grow old with me but the crux of the matter is I cannot afford to keep two horses and he doesn't do the job I brought him for essentially.

breaks my heart to have to do it but I have to be realistic and he'll never be the jumper I want - I think having a sharer has made me realise that aslong as someone feeds him and shows him a bit of affection he doesn't give two hoots whether it's me or not!!!

Best thing I can do is get him a good home where he'll be doing dressage and hacking which are where he's happy.
 
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well my horse is a horse suprisingly and she lives, breathes,eats and sleeps like a horse, i love her to bits, but she is not human, she is a horse with a character of her own, she has imo 'basic horse feelings' of sorts but thats it, she is a horse and always will be, no matter how much i try to strike up a conversation with her
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You know i get the impression from your post, that your horse is in fact a horse!
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Wow!! How freaky is that? I get exactly the same impression!
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Whoa! We must be mentally connected somehow!
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My horses are horses, I have more affection for some then others, but I dont forget they are horses. I also dont need to treat them as anything else as my teenage daughter treats them as big dogs, with cuddles glore, so one sentimental human is enough I think. I think a lot of the time people are aware their animals are not human but speak about them in way we all understand. I will use the term, she is a nice person etc, but it is an expression, &amp; no one for one minute is going to think anything else, or are they!
 
Ok have a confession, had one of those readings done on Will for a bit of a giggle really and LMAO when she said

'Willow would really like a year off without shoes', FFS!!

Then had to eat my words when he 'said' the only way he'd get that was if I was pregant and that I would go ballistic if that happened! Bloody hell perhaps there was something in it after all...

Anyway he's my best buddy but gets treated like a horse
 
Its a good job I know my horses are horses - its bad enough paying for our own wine bill without having to worry which bottle of finest red my mare prefers!
 
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