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

I put a pink rug on my yearling colt, YO daughter said that he now will think hes gay. I talk to my lot simply so they get used to my voice and feel at ease with me working with them.

I never call them 'it', 'her' or 'him' its by the horses name.

Yeah i love my lot to bits and yes i do treat them as part of the family but at the end of the day they know im boss!
 
Of course horse have thoughts and feelings. They have horse thoughts and horse feelings.

And they do communicate. We're the ones with the big brains so if we can't understand them on their level why is that their problem?

Why would people want their horses to be people? Isn't the whole point that they're HORSES. Quite frankly I'm happy for the break from people . . .
 
I think it's not so much the 'it' word, or calling a horse names like baggage or scumbag etc., It's more the vibe that goes with it. it just seems to imply a general lack of respect on the name callers part to possibly not just their horse but to anything else as well. Maybe the person says it to make themselves sound hard, but in my opinion it just makes them sound stupid and lacking in the verbal skills department.
 
"Am often hearing 'oh he hates his pink rug' or 'you've hurt his feelings' "

i say things like that about mine, but only jokingly xD he's so funny though, he has massive ears, a little wispy forelock that stands straight up, and appaloosa eyes... sometimes his expressions are strangely human
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yeah, the 'it' think really annoys me too.
 
I have conversations with my horse, first thing he hears from me is "hiya gorgeous, how are you" but its not because I expect him to turn round and say "well actualy last night was a bit rough, neighbour kept me awake and just couldn't get comfy in my bed"
It's more to do with the body language I give off when I say these things to him, he can see the pleasure on my face and the tones in my voice back it up. He has become very vocal in the two years I have had him, he makes a whicker in return and from his body language I can tell he is pleased to see me.
Horses are, in my opinion capable of deciding if they like or dislike things though. Untill I got Oscar I might have thought this was airy fairy rubish, however I got yellow buckets for him for his water and feed and every day I would find the water buckers had been either smashed inhis stable or chucked out the top door, eventualy we ran out of yellow and I put in a red and black, next morning the black was in bits, but the red was fine! So I changed all his buckets to red and he has never broken one. As with his lead ropes, I had blue ropes and he chewed them all to bits, bought him a red one and he has still had the same rope on his everyday headcolar for the last year.
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[ quote]What's wrong with calling a horse *it*?

I'd get mighty cofused if everyone called their horse 'IT'
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I prefer to use their name, makes it simpler LOL


p.s. I have no problem with calling human children 'IT' though
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If I really think about it, my boys are more like dogs to me. They are very affectionate and people orientated, follow me everywhere and like to be with me and I do talk to them constantly, but I am known for being a chatterbox
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However, they are not human. They live in a stable, eat what they are given (especially honey oat biccies) and do as told (most of the time). I will not tolerate tantrums or bad manners. I have sold one horse, but it was for the best for both of us, we just didn't click. I have kept all the others to the end.

When it is their time to go, they will be shot at home and go to the hunt kennels.

I do the best for them, as I would for any of my pets, come to think of it people say my cats are more likes dogs too!

Perhaps I am wanting another dog?
 
I wouldn't say I treat horses like people, more like dogs! They all have different personallities.

As for the gay horse - I had one of those. He was a little TB and liked big chunky men. Girls always beat him up and he had the highest pitched neigh ever. Every year he chose a "friend" and they were separated together for the rest fo the summer year. It stopped him getting constantly kicked and kept him happy AND it didn't cost me £50!!!!!
 
Well mine wears a riding hat, riding chaps and carries a whip.......we also have conversations on a regular basis, he cries when hes upset.
 
I do consider my ponio's and cat part of the family and I will look after them the best way I know how. I also believe they are able to communicate basic feelings but would they be know if they were called 'it' or object to wearing a pink rug just because it is pink, I don't think so.
 
I consider my horse a part of the family, I love him to bits. I talk to him so he knows its me - it relaxes him. When I look at his face I know he hasn't a clue what I'm on about, but there's a connection there. It's probably the 'Feed me' connection, but it works! lol I never call him it, I love him like you love a dog, not a person but close to it.
I can't stand it when people call their horses, or any other animal 'it' - I mean why should they be an it, if they are male or female? It's not grammatically correct! lol It's also disrespectful, we are animals as well. I also can't stand it when people don't show feelings towards their horses, why would anyone want to spend all their time with an animal they don't particularly like? To be like that seems ... off - somehow.
Sorry if you didn't understand any of that, I'm bad at writing so other people understand what I'm on about! lol
 
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