When I first got my mare, she was an uncontrollable bucker. One day I was riding in the ring by the road. It was a battle, doing everything i could to stay on and get control, when she suddenly stops dead, feet planted. Standing there a few feet away IN THE RING is a woman holding a baby. (Right!?) She says she saw me riding and was hoping her daughter could pet my horse. I could barely nod, shocked at the sudden change and the possible danger. That kid slapped the crap out of my horse's face a couple times while my mare stood with her head lowered calmly nuzzling her little feet. The woman thanked me and walked away. The whole time, my heart was racing and i couldn't even speak. As soon as she was out of the ring, the rodeo resumed. I'll never forget that!
Yeah, my barn does therapy for special needs children, I volunteer along with my lessons, and it is truly amazing how in tune the horses are with the kids, and so PATIENT! Even the ones who are usually perma-cranks are sweet with the kids, they are truly the most incredible creatures!
I grew up around Standardbreds that my folks owned; looking back, they were very tolerant of me and my messing around, and I've seen the same behavior in other horses many times since. Most tolerate kids the same way they tolerate foals.
I think all of this is true. But I also think that some horses just like some people better, just like some people like some people better. We've all seen horses that would do anything for one person as opposed to being uncooperative or sassy with someone else, or "take special care of" a person that they seem to particularly like, even in the stall or pasture. And many horses immediately become very interested or baby sitters with younger or disabled children. Horses are so sensitive - I think that individual preference does sometimes play a part IMHO. Great topic! Thanks!
Dang :/ this lowkey lowers my confidence. My horse is difficult for me. But not other people. I was telling everyone he doesnt like me. But they all said he was like a kid. He is difficult for his mom. But he wont misbehave with other people working with him. I was so stressed out over him disliking me too. I guess its true:(
I have spent most of my life around horses and I genuinely believe horses will decide in an instant if they like someone or not. This can change over time but you can have an instant connection with a strange horse and the next one not. This is often the horse's choice and nothing to do with anything you do. I have owned quite a few horses over the years and when I buy a horse now I look at it more of an exercise of a horse choosing me rather than the other way around. Color, breed, previous training are all fairly unimportant to me if I feel the horse doesn't "choose" me. Horses have a huge brain in their head but it's not geared towards money, driving a car or anything like that, it's acutely tuned to social relationships, security in the herd, communication by the tiniest body language cues, smells, sounds etc etc. So small are these cues, you can't possibly start holding yourself differently when you walk or change your voice or smell very easily, so it's easier to work with a horse that's naturally in tune and happy with who you are from the get go. Most people choose a horse by how it looks, color, size, type, but it's an emotional and intelligent being, it's not a car. Most things can be overcome with good training and time but this can be a long enough process anyway, no point making it more difficult. Letting a horse choose you rather than the other way around and everything is so much easier.
My horse will almost certainly outlive me by at least a decade so I'm already looking for his next home. He will be the one to choose his next human. He's the one who has to live with that person, not me, so it's only fair for him to make the choice.
I have one mare who really likes how I ride her but is a lot grumpier for everyone else (she won’t be bad, but she is less relaxed from the get go and you can see her arguing a bit with most other riders). Meanwhile my gelding will love anyone who has the potential of giving him a treat and could honestly care less who is riding him. I find the different personalities that each horse has.
Horses by Hulachowdown anyway I could buy your gelding? I honestly give forever homes to my horses,but,I’ve lost a lot of confidence due to bad crashes and I’m kinda old,now:(
Horses are empathic. My horse taught my daughter to ride. I she didn't think Karen was sitting properly she wouldn't till she was, she did this all the way through her walk. She was good as gold, that horse kept teaching her until she could jump. She was the best horse i ever had, followed by Timmy another schoolmaster. Both of them were gentle and kind to everyone, no kicking or anything, sweetest horses in. The world, i miss both of them so much.
My horse is very sensitive and picks up stress very easily. I’m always very calm when I’m around him and try to be understanding as to why he reacts instead of punishing him for doing wrong. He has NEVER tried to hurt me (he has thrown me off several times and sometimes I’m not as attentive as I should be so I’m no horse whispering god lol, but I have had him for 3 years and he has never kicked me or been mean to me) but when some people in the stable try to handle him he can get so stressed (because they are so nervous and stressed so he gets really scared cause he thinks something awful is going to happen) and when he then reacts strongly and tries to bolt off of kick his way out of the danger they punish him... so he becomes even crazier and one time he even tried his best to kick one of them in the head when they went into his paddock... I luckily walked by then and went into the paddock to calm him down and tell the woman who was in his paddock to get out immediately. As soon as she got out he happily trotted to me and wanted to cuddle, obviously she was the problem... He is a nice horse, you just got to be attentive and listen to him and he would never do anything towards anyone (several people in the stable who have had no previous experience with horses has no problem with him, cause they don’t punish him for being scared so he trusts them). But these people that makes him so stressed out doesn’t see that they are the problem (their horses can’t even be caught in the paddock), and I honestly don’t even know how to tell them that they are the problem. I have distanced myself and my horse from them now since it made me sick to my stomach seeing my horse so freaked out every time they are near but I feel for their horses... I don’t want to be a stuck up know-it-all but I can’t keep my mouth shut and see horses going thru such emotional tremors. How do you explain to people that punishing a horse never solves the problem? Sorry for this really long story I just had to get it off my chest, and sorry for my bad grammar English isn’t my first language
Happened to me. My instructor told me this horse does not want to ride well others and he is even suprised he is listening to me. I was so proud and happy and confident. Even done some jumps! Felt so comfortable in the saddle as well. The best feeling ever! Experienced oposite with other horses ,too...mostly😅. That was my soulmate horse. Total understanding and joy.
What a great video! This is something I'm fascinated by. I used to volunteer at a therapeutic riding program. In exchange, I would have a lesson on the horse before the child arrived. The horse could be completely wooly and messing around for me, but as soon as the little boy with autism arrived, their entire demeanor would change. Many years later, I had myself been recently diagnosed and was having a lot of trouble in my life. This new guy arrived at the barn, and everyone says he treats me completely differently. I don't know if there's something about autism that reads differently to horses or if he was picking up on my emotional state, but he rides noticeably differently for me. He makes different decisions and is so patient with me, and apparently much less so for others! Horses are so sensitive and they can be so healing. He arrived right when I needed him. Likewise, a horse that you find harder to work with and earn respect from can be exactly what you need--and you might not even have known it. I think horses are emotional mirrors--not that they mirror you, but they force you to hold a mirror up to *yourself*.
That was so beautifully said! I have Asperger's myself, and the mare I ride is pretty grumpy for everyone else, but we kind of just click, haha- she doesn't even nip at me when I tighten her girth, and she even does that to the instructor she respects- not likes, haha, but respects. I think she genuinely LIKES me, I have worked really hard on just being kind, being slow and gentle with handling, lots of horse biscuits ( the way to her heart is through her stomach for sure, haha!) letting her graze, and hang out with her mini donkey buddy, stuff like that, I really think we have formed a nice relationship! She is so special to me, she even shares her name with my late mother, I feel such a connection with her! She has healed me in a lot of ways... My barn also does therapy for children with special needs, mostly autism and behaviour issues, and I also volunteer- though I have to pay for my lessons, haha- and Rebecca is a gem to the kids as well, horses are truly amazing creatures! Anyway, sorry to ramble, your comment was lovely and I identify with much of it, best wishes and luck to you in your journey!
Thanks for the video and great explanation. That's exactly what is happening with me and my horse. My riding seams to be a constant fight while my instructor can perfectly control my horse both from the ground as well as when she is in the saddle. I think my emotional state, especially over-expectations towards myself and the horse, as well as the patterns of behaviours from the past are the reasons of that. No need to say how frustrating it is... Somehow it is a consolation that it's not only my problem. Sometimes I really want to give up because of that. Thanks Callie for the video and all of you for the comments.
I learnt riding in the 90s as a kid and then had to stop due to injury. Even as a kid I felt like something was missing in the instructions, and that we were just supposed to get it. Now, with an animal behaviour degree and all these wonderful resources available, I know what I needed was being taught how to truly read the horse and the concept of breaking the task down. So many things make a lot more sense now. I know it might be difficult to explain it to kids, but I hope trainers nowadays spend a bit more time on these topics, to help all their students have a true chance at connection with the horse instead of just picking out the ones that somehow can. Great, informative video for all publics!
When you really think about this, horses (and animals in general) are really amazing and read us better than we read them. While this is fascinating, it can also be frustrating when you experience this first hand- the horse does well with one individual/experienced trainer, and not so well with their inexperienced owner or the environment changes. I have experienced this with my own horse as well as with school horses and have also observed this with other horses and their riders.
One time at my barn awhile ago i had SO much trouble catching a school horse in the paddock and i was trying to catch her for a long time, and then one of my barn friends came and had no trouble catching her at all. it was very interesting to see how she treated me vs. the other girl
Great job breaking down all those components. My mare and I are currently on track and our trainer has gone out of her way to address all these factors. I think that's primarily why she's had so much success with everyone at our barn. This is a very helpful response to a question that has many possible answers.
I just bought my first horse for myself and my children. He was AMAZING at the sell barn, then we got him home and he was difficult and dangerous. We realized he was not only picking up on my lack of confidence in his care and maintenance, but also he had gone from a very no nonsense work oriented enviornment to being a family pet. Once my trainer reminded him he was here to work as well, and reminded me to be more confident, we got our amazing horse back. 😊
I rode a horse for a year that would be picky with who rode her. She was amazing with me and my instructor/friend. I absolutely love her. But she was reactive when another kid rode her. And they would act like she was such a difficult horse to ride. I never thought that. She is a very free spirited horse. She took direction very well and very light reins. Part of the issue was a lot of people were too heavy on the reins and jerking her head. She was a retired barrel racing horse. Absolutely love her
I used to have group lessons before lockdown, I’ve noticed with certain horses I really struggle to get them to canter, while others can apply pressure once with leg and immediately transition. I once rode one of these horses alone in the paddock and he was amazing... Should be getting back in the saddle hopefully next week!
Yep, had this happen with a horse I was tasked to train for someone at their house. I was told this horse was wild and crazy and would act up on the trails and the owner wanted someone to train it to not do that. So, I started with the horse, started with lots of groundwork, slowly starting towards riding it, as if it knew nothing, asking for a little more and a little more each time to see what it knew and where the "holes" in its training were. The horse RARELY acted up for me, and when it did, I made sure to let it know I wasn't accepting it and I'd slow down and back off to do something else easier instead. When the owner's grandchildren rode it, the horse was pretty good, too and took care of them, for the most part. There were a few moments when the grandchildren wanted to push their luck and the horse would get a little bent out of sorts, but I'd say nope, not doing that anymore, let's slow down. Then, the owner would take the horse out on the trails after I rode it and have a lovely time. One week, it rained ALL WEEK and I was unable to get out there because the rain was just too unpredictable and he didn't have any indoor/covered work area. So, he TOLD me don't worry about coming out, we'll try again next week, even though I told him I don't mind working in light rain. Needless to say, he took that horse out on the trails that weekend, pouring down rain and everything (I presume, since there was a big system that came through and drenched most of the surrounding areas), and the horse apparently was HORRIBLE for him and "EXTRA dangerous" that weekend. So basically after that incident, that I didn't see, the owner "fired" me because he wanted someone who could put more time and effort into the horse and train it to work on the trails better than I allegedly was (even though he always sang my praises after every weekend when I came out). I decided it was best to just cut my losses (sad to say, because the horse was so sweet), but I definitely felt like saying "well, what did you expect? It was pouring rain, I didn't get a chance to work with him this week since YOU said don't bother coming, even though I told you I could find a day, and you're FAR too rough with him and have NO CLUE what you're doing, even your wife is too afraid to tell you that...." But.... alas.... I hope that horse is doing okay.... :-(
@@leonarda7875 Yeah, it is sad... And dangerous for that man. He was the kind that would tell you to your face "let me know what I can do to help you" and then not take ANY of your advice or suggestions when you suggest maybe HE ride the horse and we can work together, or that he start doing this or that when he's riding it, or that the reason the horse does this or that is because of behavior, NOT medical issues (he swore up and down his horse was either blind or deaf or some other thing because it was overly sensitive to sound).... yet the poor horses probably hadn't seen a farrier and certainly hadn't been brushed in months before I got there..... They weren't abused, by any stretch, in terms of having food or water so it would be useless to have animal control out.... but still.... Not good!
Been there, when my trainer rides my horse, it is as if it was another horse. After watching the video, I’ll go with different physical skills as the main cause for different behavior. I have to work so much more on getting better, I enrolled on Wendy Murdoch’s training and has done wonders for me, but I’m so grateful for all your videos an teachings that keep helping me to build up on my skills.
I’ve had this experience before, but not as the receiving end! I’ve ridden quite a few horses that have responded better to me riding them than others and I found this topic really interesting. Its really thought provoking!
Good topic!!! I find it hard to find good horse friendly people. The easier folks to get along with are those that don't know much about horses because they don't have that fear per say ☺ this is an interesting and can be a difficult topic if your not continously educating yourself on horses 🥰🥰🥰
I actually promote horse “equine”therapy to doctors who have never heard of it and are clueless to all of the capabilities a horse has to help people with a variety of disabilities or extensive problems affecting their lives. Equine therapy is the best for anyone (who loves horses) who suffer from OCD, ADHD, PTSD BTD’s to other disabilities from a lack of confidence to living your life in a wheelchair for medical physical disabilities. I love how you stress that a horse will pick up on your frame of mind. I personally free myself from every worldly issue we deal with on a day to day basis to be one with the horse. I love that horses do have that ability to let you know their ok with. If your horse is fine around someone else but rambunctious or a little skittish with you, you need to walk away and check yourself...take ten deep breaths, shake it out and re-enter in a different frame of mind. I love how horses are so intelligent they do remember faces and photographs. Thank you for saying this because sometimes doctors need a little education to prescribe this and be able to justify the affects on how much it can actually help someone wanting equine therapy vs going to a gym. I would love it if you could make a video somewhat more specific on how a horse does pick up on individuals personalities and are the best form of treatment of person to animal telepathy and the great forms of exercise a horse is from grooming, feeding, haltering, walking them to riding them. They have always been my #1 go to. Insurace companies will authorize horse time if a doctor simply justifies how it’s actually helping you individually. We need some simple short videos to refer them to (if necessary) to educate them. I love your calming and understandable explanations. With so many problems in the world today...if you reach 100 people for example, that’s 100 less stressed out people in the world. We are our brothers (and horses) keepers...for or future generations to come. Thank you especially for this video...🥰💞🐎
I was learning to trot on a school mare and after 3 lessons and she absolutely refused to go beyond a walk and I gave up and switched to the geldings and no problem. I am learning to canter now and back on the same mare. Well the same issues and on the second lesson she was bucking me and shaking her head. The trainor got on and she was perfect for her. Even the Trainor said this isn't going to work at the end of the lesson and it wasn't me. I was devastated as now I have to go back on a Connemara Pony(I am a bit tall for him) to get experience as there are no other suitable horses at the stable. I have tried another mare at the same stables for a few months before she was sold and she barely tolerated me. Your confidence takes a big hit!
My Appaloosa acted crazy with my friend who is an experienced horse person and began bucking and bolting while being saddled, he is now back to normal after returning home.
A horse at my lesson barn< his name is Daisa and apparently he's really stubborn with everyone. Yet when I get on or lunge him he"s really well behaved and it's been the same since I met him. Granted he's gotten alot better with others. But mostly everyone at that barn thinks he still prefers me. And we all don't know why
I used to ride my horse very well. I tried 4 other riders on him. None of them could really ride him. Then he had some pain & he wouldn't let me ride him. We also had a communication problem. His pain was fixed. I started all over with him. So far everything is going very well. I completely care about how he thinks & feels. I have no idea if he will take another rider. I doubt it. Nobody knows that horse as well as I do. Thanks for the vid....very good info.
Because I’m a calm rider the more difficult/sensitive horses at the stable are relaxed when I ride them, with other people they run away. Because off that I have my ‘own’ select of horses I ride, it’s really nice because that way I form a really good bond with them. That’s a really big help when I help training these horses.
I have experienced what you are talking about though from the other side. I have had horses come in for training and I get told "they have problem X" and I take them out and don't find the horse has problem X at all. E.g. had a dressage mare that the owner said constantly challenged her, would try and go back home, would try to go to the gate, would wring her tail, pin her ears and generally make the ride miserable. I took her out in the mountains and rode her by herself and she was an absolute sweat heart, super brave would go over or through anything, absolute joy to ride. When stuff like that happens it is hard because then you have to try to nicely phrase it to the person that the problem isn't the horse, it's them, and most people don't react well to being told that.
Yes! I had a very hot, stressy ottb and I had a really difficult time learning how to ride him. I felt like my instructor at the time didn't suit us, even though I'd been having lessons with this person for years. I didn't feel like I was having my concerns heard as a pupil and my instructor had a "one size fits all" style of training with escalating pressure regardless of stress levels. I made the decision to move to another property, where we changed everything. My horse moved from a small individual yard (20m x 20m) at a busy property to large open pasture with other horses on a quiet, private property. I noticed a big difference in his behaviour and well-being. He became less stressed, didn't need to be worked 5 days a week, and was more manageable on the ground. I found a new instructor and went back to the basics. While I did eventually sell this horse because I felt that we didn't suit each other, I learned a lot from him and have changed the way that I keep horses. Now I'm a huge advocate for forage, friendship, freedom and realise that horses are individuals and need to have training that suits them. Looking back, it's no wonder that my horse had issues with stress and I'm sad that I let him down for such a long time. So many people don't understand the importance of group turnout and how much of a difference it can make to your horse's well-being. It's an easy thing to fix and will often produce positive results! As riders, it's so important for riders to speak up when things aren't right, and not be afraid of changing things. There are so many wonderful, knowledgeable people out there who can help you and your horse!
Kids do this too! They will totally terrorize you but when they go to another family members or friends house they are totally sweet, loving, well-behaved, and adorable !
Yes. The horse I ride at my barn knows the difference between me, my trainer, her young niece and very young daughter. He behaves differently for all of us and he loves to pop off the rail when I ride him. He stays on the rail for my trainer. We're working on fixing that problem.
Well the lesson horse I ride can be a bit stubborn and requires you to do the signals correctly or no response. Of the students I’m just about the only one that doesn’t have much issue getting him to do what I ask. Like I was riding without a lead line last week around the arena and doing some turns that were a bit wider than I was used to and my trainer informed me he tends to stop during those with other students but, I was more in-tune with him. My trainer also has a mare that hates other horses and isn’t particularly affectionate outside massages but, she loves me for some reason. I went in and kept her busy while cleaning water buckets and ever since she doesn’t forget me and just acts like the sweetest thing with me.
I'm probably being vain lol but at the riding stables I rode at age 8-11 there was a gelding named jigsaw who was always so sweet and compliant when I rode him but not with other people. When I rode him he always listened to my leg and vocal cues but other riders had alot of trouble getting him to do as asked
Oh My, yes. It’s happening now. The horse I ride in lessons is an x Jumper and very strong & forward. She’s run away w me & still does but much less frequently now. I was spooked & I’m sure there is fear there & she knows it. I’ve always said horses need confidence from their riders because ‘if ur I’m afraid’. Now we’re doing courses where I bring her down to the trot between fences after she canters off. We’re fine on the flat. This has been very frustrating because another rider shows & jumps her like a dream. No problems. She’s been riding her longer & since I’m older & coming back, she’s young & at the top of her game. They are a dream team. The horse & I have a wonderful relationship on the ground, nuzzling, loving & trusting. I believe I need to conquer my fear & learn how to ‘hide’ it from her in the mean time. We’ve made so much progress & she listens to me much more but still takes off. I’m sure this is because one I’m nervous expecting her to do it even when all is well & that the young Lady who rides her does so completely differently than me. Cues, style & attitude. Any ideas on how to relax. Build confidence? As I said the coming back to the trot is helping bunches. She’s listening to me more. However it still feels like once she starts jumping she’s all Let’s Go For it w me but not the other young lady. Help!
Hi just had a situation where I’m loaning a school horse while the school is in lockdown for coronavirus. I alternate riding him between indoor school and ménage. At the beginning, the 3rd or 4th time In the ménage, he suddenly took a dislike to going in through the gate, and once in, the mounting block was in the wrong place from where he expected it to be, and shied away from it. Being a nervous rider, I reacted with fear, and from then on when I go to the menage, even if the mb isn’t there, he puts his head down as if there is something he is frightened of in front of him then starts reversing at high speed. Needless to say, this has freaked me out really badly, and despite trying to eliminate causes by leading him around in hand, and going in with other horses he knows, nothing has worked to stop him doing it. He is rock solid in the indoor school, and will take the lead in a class with others quite happily, or on his own in a private lesson, but doesn’t like being in the lead out hacking. He is also very particular about only going in one way to his stable, only accepting g being tied up outside in one location, so really doesn’t feel confident when his routine is even slightly different. In the end I asked the school owner, who is very very experienced, to see what she thought. She rode him into the ménage - experienced his dislike of going through the gate, but helped him through it, where he then proceeded to try and reverse at speed. I have to say I was quite pleased that she was able to experience his behaviour at first hand, even though it wasn’t as bad as I had experienced, and it was a bit of a battle of wills to resolve even for her. But she did, and after working him for 10 mins, the repeating taking him in and out of the gate a few more times, I took over. To say he was a different horse is actually a real understatement. I rode him into the ménage with no problem, and he didn’t show any of the previous problems. That was 3 days ago, and I have only been able to ride him since indoors, and can now feel the fear rebuilding in me that he will start again. Talking to another experienced person at the school who knows tHe horse extremely well, she felt that the problem for the horse was mixed signals - one moment I may be saying through my emotional state that it’s all ok, e next that it’s not, so he is confused. I know it’s me, but really struggling to sort my Rhadamanthus out over it
I came across this in a kinda different way. I'm not really sure why, but the horses at the barn where I lease tend to do better with me than the other folks who work with them. I'm not a trainer, and I have been out of the saddle for about 10 years, but especially the more nervous horses stand better for the farrier or go better under saddle when I'm with them. 🤷♀️
This one time I rode a horse who would buck every other rider off. I would see riders go flying through the arena and cringe from seeing them land. It was my time to ride him, and when I did, there was nothing that happened. He response perfectly and everything went smooth. I’ve gone on to event and show him, and I now have my very own bay gelding 🖤 His name is Benni 🖤💕 and he’s the love of my life 💞💞💞💞
Hey, I was wondering if you could make a video of how to sit the landing of a jump. It is just a little problem I have that has been bothering me. When I land is it just all the momentum pushing me forwards? And is this normal? I love your channel and its really helped me! I know you like dressage so you don’t have to make it if you don’t want to. But sometimes I’m worried about landing on the horses neck.
Few common tips! : try to keep your lower leg at the girth, its your centerpoint. Keep your upperbody up,straight and sit deep until you feel the front come up. You have 3 fases of the jump, the takeoff, midair and the landing. With takeoff you ofcourse lean forward from you hips. As soon as you feel the horse push off for midair you start already bringing you upperbody back up. (Ofcourse depending on how high the horse jumps the further back you lean) with the landing you want to slightly lean forward for one stride to not bother the horse. Hope this can help you a bit 🤗👍🏼
My horse treats me very differently than he does my trainer. She works him hard and he’s very sensitive and responds to cues quickly. For me he does as well, but if I accidentally ‘ask’ for something I can’t do, he will hesitate, like ‘are you sure?’ I’m an absolute beginner and he is so careful and kind with me, but once I learn something new and ask, he doesn’t hesitate after we do it once or twice. We have a great bond and he takes care of me as I learn dressage. My vet calls him ‘a horse with a brain’.
Inexperienced riders expect the horse to just do his job with no direction. I find people get too emotional when the horse does not know what to do because the rider is not being clear. Then the horse shuts down. The rider has to put the time in four to six days a week for a long time and learn how to ride. There is no way around that. Horses are willing partners if you train them the right way.
13 yr old mustang that me and my 10yr old daughter share....she is a puppy with my daughter but the mariest mare for me. 🤷♀️ shes fun tho🤣🤣. She walks up to my girl n lowers her head for the halter every time. I go in there and have to bushwhack my way around to get her. She is a comedian
I have a friend my horse would have nothing to do with from the start. In two years of seeing her daily he never warmed up to her at all. I've had to hang a sign on my stallion gate saying please do not enter in two languages. I can always tell when someone else has been in trying to catch him and who. He becomes very reactive around that person or people and snorts a warning at them every time they even walk past. Like many arabians he is a one person horse although he is okay with some few people going in and even grooming him as long as they don't try to halter or catch him. It depends on the person.
Thank-you for this video! I am experiencing this behaviour currently although it is reverse of the example you gave. I recently purchased a horse for my daughter. When we purchased this mare (Levi) we rode her and all was well. The horse was calm for the 2 hours we were with her and responded well to my ques, my daughter's ques and my friend's ques. My young son even handled the horse like he would a pet dog and the horse didn't even lift her head up from the grass she was standing on. Feeling confident, we bought her. We had her delivered to where we do lessons for boarding. Our trainer rode her and said she could use some work (maybe 2 weeks) just to clean her up as the previous owner did everything on the horses terms instead of his own. After the first week I spoke with the trainer again and she said that our horse was "hateful" and definitely not safe for my daughter, possibly not even for me. Naturally I am shocked to hear this! I'll be heading up there on my own in a couple days to asses the horse. This trainer has an excellent reputation for horse knowledge but also a reputation of being very tough. This has been my experience and so far has cost my daughter many tears despite our own very positive encounter with Levi. I will try asking Levi for some things in a manner much more gently than our trainer does in hopes that I can repeat our first experience. Question: Our trainer says that if a horse is mean with her then she will be with everyone. It has been my experience that, like you mentioned, a horse can behave differently with different people. Can that be the case here even though the behaviour is so drastically different or is there something else going on that I haven't considered? Thank-you for your time and consideration.
This is so true. My trainer can just walk by and horses come to attention. I've seen her just walk up when an owner is trying to load a resistant horse and once the trainer walks up the horse just jumps in the trailer. I think timing is key. My horse performs sooooo much better for my trainer. On the flip side when someone who is inexperienced gets on him, like my husband or grandkids, he walks around like he's caring precious, breakable cargo. With me he expects me to ride correctly and when I don't I don't get the results the trainer gets. It's almost like he is saying "C'mon Janise, you can do better than this!"
one horse i ride all the time sometimes when on a trail ride just starts sprinting and i can't get her to stop without turning her around. i was riding with a friend of her owner and she did this the girl i was riding with was shocked because apperently she has never done this with her owner. the strangge thing is that there where 4 girls before me that tried working with her with them she was so uncontrolable they got of within a couple of minutes and with me she is the calmest you will ever see her, her owner was shocked when i first rode her because he had never seen her that calm. why does she do the sprinting i don't understand?
I had a terrible problem getting my horse to pick up the correct lead going to the right. It was a constant struggle. Of course my instructor would get on and get it almost immediately. I assume this was the difference in our ability. One day I told a friend she could ride my horse. She got on and got the right lead on the first try. Needless to say,this was incredibly frustrating. Your video has helped me to understand why this happened. When I asked, he would just do a faster trot and I would get all undone in the saddle and bring him to a stop in order to reorganize. I really think I was teaching him to stop. My friend probably asked with more authority.
i don't know where to start my issue is when a horse gets scared i eat the front right shoulder or left front shoulder i will says u are all right it is not going to get you right away the horse relaxes now if i say nothing the horse comes into me a bit harder and starts stress shaking this happens with me on any horse i ride now my lease is a different story i cant let some else rider her and leave the arena with some else on her back 7 people she has taking out of the arena threw the barn and out the barn door she comes to me and stop with her left front shoulder against my back with a nervous look on her face as soon as she make contact with me licking and chewing starts my issue is i cant walk away oh and rosie my lease will go threw a stall door but if she can see me she is fine i have atusium and adhd
My two mares will literally let anyone ride so long as they are nice and one of them gives attitude sometimes but my gelding will literally not let anyone on him that isn’t me and if they get on him he will not move no matter what you do but he’s perfect for me
Yes. My horse was napping with me whenever I tried to go hacking alone with him. His previous owner came up to school him for me and he didn't even try it once with her 😂 made me look like a liar! I got back on and he started napping again. I think it was the difference in emotional state. I get very nervous which transfers to my body and I tighten up, she doesn't.
My horse always "tested" new riders. Lack of argument? Not asking politely enough? Just coming along and asking for something without having introduced himself properly? Ok, he was never mean, but he would not exhaust himself for people he disliked. Iron hands? NO move! at all. using the WHIP? I'll teach you.... and he bucked a bit. Some folks got frustrated, others gave up, a bit pale around the nose. Even folks who technically were FAR better than I ever was, he made them look like idiots or feel uncomfortable. With some, he picked a short row and then did what they asked him for. i. e. jumping, which he loved a lot: While I was too much a coward to guide him the way he would have needed, he jumped like a hero whith a good rider in the saddle. On the other hand, we never were a team when it came to loading up in a trailer. Both afraid of it = BAD team. Others kept calm and loaded him easily. So, 1. build up a relationship & trust; 2. when riding an unknown horse, ask politely, don't be rude, but don't be a softy either: Mean what you say. 3. accept boundaries (like I had to with trailers and my own fears....:/)
One of my horse is a bitch man she is a medium pony and she never wants to go through the gate never lands on the lead rears bucks but I love her for that
Number one reason: Horses aren't stupid. They behave differently with different herd members, why would they not behave differently with different humans? They'll do what works for them.
My horse has serious trust issues. I can do pretty much anything with him but no one else can even hold.His leadrope unless I stay with him. I thought I had trained him so well absolutely anyone could easily handle him. I discovered a couple years ago I was wrong. I've been working on this ever since with help from friends and still haven't been able to resolve this problem. I'm out of ideas at this point but I'll think of something.
Oh yes, my horse gives me the hindquarters while his trainer gets his ears on her. I am green so it will take me a while to get the ears instead of the hindquarters. Sad, but feeling hopeful.
There’s this one lesson pony that my trainer makes me ride once a week to get her “wiggles” out she’s very lazy for everyone except me..when i get on her she’s not crazy she’s just fast and forward and my trainer says i have an electric butt😂 but what’s the real reason?? I thought it was because i put a lot of leg on but then i did an experiment and i put barely any leg on her and she was still the same🤔
Whew good thing my horse likes me better -w- well nobody really rides him but me sometimes my sis but rarely.. bc she has her own horse we haven't seen them lately due to covid and one of the horses at our barn needs to be put down, he was in my horses pasture alot of sadness 2020 giving us....
I know we shouldn’t really anthropomorphise [ascribe human emotions or behaviour to] horses - they’ve only had a shared relationship with people relatively recently in their evolutionary history after all - but I’ve definitely met & worked with some horses who actually appear to have what I can only describe as a sense of humour, & seemed to work better with me if I didn’t act & treat them super seriously, but instead kept _my_ attitude somewhat light & "fun", & allowed them to throw in some rather extrovert behaviour without getting too stressed out, giving them leeway to initially offer a little bit of cheekiness before settling down; they definitely responded better if you were willing to accept a certain amount of playfulness, compared with a different rider who was more "intense" & less forgiving of their quirky, endearingly amusing, intrinsically lighthearted nature!
Whenever I ride my friend's horse, I get the feeling that the horse just does not want to do it for me. When I see her owner or my boyfriend riding her, the horse in question is much more enthousiastic and willing to perform. She is a big mare (178 cm) and I am quite petite (159 cm, 50 kg), so I sometimes think that she just doesn't consider me as someone to be respected. Also, she is a real dressage schoolmaster with all the buttons installed, so she knows how every movement should be requested. If you don't ask the right question for the goal you have in mind, she will not do it. Maybe this is all in my head that I am not good enough for her, and that that affects our riding, but somewhere I also feel that she just does not like me that much.
I have a stallion and he hates it when other people ride him but he only lets me ride him cause I had him at 13 now I’m 15 but o spent all day with him try to ride him ooooo your dead he’s got a strong rear and buck and throw he’s for me like a high level rider
This is very true. My mare is a very sweet girl, a total “in your pocket” horse. An amazing, soft easy, and forgiving horse that saves my butt all the time. She is such a darling, but only for me. As soon as another person gets on her, she sticks her little head in the air and wants to gallop and drag the rider down with her head. Like tug of war with the reins while riding. She was bought as a green project horse, not for me to keep. I don’t know how to fix this problem. Please, anyone, tips? I would love to keep her, but if I want to keep buying projects I have to sell her. She is such a sweetheart, but I don’t know how to make her like other people as much as she behaves for me.
My horse hates children and small animals. She only ever wants hugs from me and my big sister because she looks similar to me. She puts her ears back and go to shoo my little siblings away, because of her hatred.
Any horse is capable of any behavior at any time....after the Kentucky Derby the horse was shown to friends of the owner...the horse spoked over nothing and knocked people to the ground.......Horses have killed & injured more people than any animal.
Horses are essentially large dogs. They are “pack animals”. You need follow through but you need trust. If you are physically a leader and show that, the horse will follow. It seems like she’s still learning imo. You don’t train the horse, you train the people. This seems like a classic case of people trying to correct animals when they don’t understand why the animal needs to be corrected in the first place. Not getting to the root of the problem. Not a fan.
I have to disagree with you. Horses are herd animals- prey instinct. Dogs are predators and pack animals. Also horses are 10x our size and a multitude of physical strength beyond us. They are willing to follow a fair and consistent leader. Trust certaintly is part of the bond.
When I first got my mare, she was an uncontrollable bucker. One day I was riding in the ring by the road. It was a battle, doing everything i could to stay on and get control, when she suddenly stops dead, feet planted. Standing there a few feet away IN THE RING is a woman holding a baby. (Right!?) She says she saw me riding and was hoping her daughter could pet my horse. I could barely nod, shocked at the sudden change and the possible danger. That kid slapped the crap out of my horse's face a couple times while my mare stood with her head lowered calmly nuzzling her little feet. The woman thanked me and walked away. The whole time, my heart was racing and i couldn't even speak. As soon as she was out of the ring, the rodeo resumed. I'll never forget that!
I have heard a few stories like this. Young or/and disabled children handling horses roughly and being treated very gently in return.
Yeah, my barn does therapy for special needs children, I volunteer along with my lessons, and it is truly amazing how in tune the horses are with the kids, and so PATIENT! Even the ones who are usually perma-cranks are sweet with the kids, they are truly the most incredible creatures!
I grew up around Standardbreds that my folks owned; looking back, they were very tolerant of me and my messing around, and I've seen the same behavior in other horses many times since. Most tolerate kids the same way they tolerate foals.
Oh my that's Soo adorable
@@comesahorseman many do, but not all.
I think all of this is true. But I also think that some horses just like some people better, just like some people like some people better. We've all seen horses that would do anything for one person as opposed to being uncooperative or sassy with someone else, or "take special care of" a person that they seem to particularly like, even in the stall or pasture. And many horses immediately become very interested or baby sitters with younger or disabled children. Horses are so sensitive - I think that individual preference does sometimes play a part IMHO. Great topic! Thanks!
Dang :/ this lowkey lowers my confidence. My horse is difficult for me. But not other people. I was telling everyone he doesnt like me. But they all said he was like a kid. He is difficult for his mom. But he wont misbehave with other people working with him. I was so stressed out over him disliking me too. I guess its true:(
@@mscdressage No they don't mean in your situation. In mine the horse I ride is fantastic for me. Terrible for others.
@@mscdressage Horses learn what they can get away with the more they get to know you
Found this often! When the trainer jumps on my horse, I really observe. I want to pick up things that I can learn that are successful.
it takes me 30+ mins to get my pony on an outline my instructor gets on for not even 2 seconds and gets it😭😂😂
I have spent most of my life around horses and I genuinely believe horses will decide in an instant if they like someone or not. This can change over time but you can have an instant connection with a strange horse and the next one not. This is often the horse's choice and nothing to do with anything you do. I have owned quite a few horses over the years and when I buy a horse now I look at it more of an exercise of a horse choosing me rather than the other way around. Color, breed, previous training are all fairly unimportant to me if I feel the horse doesn't "choose" me. Horses have a huge brain in their head but it's not geared towards money, driving a car or anything like that, it's acutely tuned to social relationships, security in the herd, communication by the tiniest body language cues, smells, sounds etc etc. So small are these cues, you can't possibly start holding yourself differently when you walk or change your voice or smell very easily, so it's easier to work with a horse that's naturally in tune and happy with who you are from the get go. Most people choose a horse by how it looks, color, size, type, but it's an emotional and intelligent being, it's not a car. Most things can be overcome with good training and time but this can be a long enough process anyway, no point making it more difficult. Letting a horse choose you rather than the other way around and everything is so much easier.
I like this reply.
My horse will almost certainly outlive me by at least a decade so I'm already looking for his next home. He will be the one to choose his next human. He's the one who has to live with that person, not me, so it's only fair for him to make the choice.
I have one mare who really likes how I ride her but is a lot grumpier for everyone else (she won’t be bad, but she is less relaxed from the get go and you can see her arguing a bit with most other riders). Meanwhile my gelding will love anyone who has the potential of giving him a treat and could honestly care less who is riding him. I find the different personalities that each horse has.
Horses by Hulachowdown anyway I could buy your gelding? I honestly give forever homes to my horses,but,I’ve lost a lot of confidence due to bad crashes and I’m kinda old,now:(
Horses are empathic. My horse taught my daughter to ride. I she didn't think Karen was sitting properly she wouldn't till she was, she did this all the way through her walk. She was good as gold, that horse kept teaching her until she could jump. She was the best horse i ever had, followed by Timmy another schoolmaster. Both of them were gentle and kind to everyone, no kicking or anything, sweetest horses in. The world, i miss both of them so much.
My horse is very sensitive and picks up stress very easily. I’m always very calm when I’m around him and try to be understanding as to why he reacts instead of punishing him for doing wrong. He has NEVER tried to hurt me (he has thrown me off several times and sometimes I’m not as attentive as I should be so I’m no horse whispering god lol, but I have had him for 3 years and he has never kicked me or been mean to me) but when some people in the stable try to handle him he can get so stressed (because they are so nervous and stressed so he gets really scared cause he thinks something awful is going to happen) and when he then reacts strongly and tries to bolt off of kick his way out of the danger they punish him... so he becomes even crazier and one time he even tried his best to kick one of them in the head when they went into his paddock... I luckily walked by then and went into the paddock to calm him down and tell the woman who was in his paddock to get out immediately. As soon as she got out he happily trotted to me and wanted to cuddle, obviously she was the problem...
He is a nice horse, you just got to be attentive and listen to him and he would never do anything towards anyone (several people in the stable who have had no previous experience with horses has no problem with him, cause they don’t punish him for being scared so he trusts them). But these people that makes him so stressed out doesn’t see that they are the problem (their horses can’t even be caught in the paddock), and I honestly don’t even know how to tell them that they are the problem. I have distanced myself and my horse from them now since it made me sick to my stomach seeing my horse so freaked out every time they are near but I feel for their horses... I don’t want to be a stuck up know-it-all but I can’t keep my mouth shut and see horses going thru such emotional tremors. How do you explain to people that punishing a horse never solves the problem?
Sorry for this really long story I just had to get it off my chest, and sorry for my bad grammar English isn’t my first language
Happened to me. My instructor told me this horse does not want to ride well others and he is even suprised he is listening to me. I was so proud and happy and confident. Even done some jumps! Felt so comfortable in the saddle as well. The best feeling ever! Experienced oposite with other horses ,too...mostly😅. That was my soulmate horse. Total understanding and joy.
What a great video! This is something I'm fascinated by. I used to volunteer at a therapeutic riding program. In exchange, I would have a lesson on the horse before the child arrived. The horse could be completely wooly and messing around for me, but as soon as the little boy with autism arrived, their entire demeanor would change. Many years later, I had myself been recently diagnosed and was having a lot of trouble in my life. This new guy arrived at the barn, and everyone says he treats me completely differently. I don't know if there's something about autism that reads differently to horses or if he was picking up on my emotional state, but he rides noticeably differently for me. He makes different decisions and is so patient with me, and apparently much less so for others! Horses are so sensitive and they can be so healing. He arrived right when I needed him. Likewise, a horse that you find harder to work with and earn respect from can be exactly what you need--and you might not even have known it. I think horses are emotional mirrors--not that they mirror you, but they force you to hold a mirror up to *yourself*.
That was so beautifully said! I have Asperger's myself, and the mare I ride is pretty grumpy for everyone else, but we kind of just click, haha- she doesn't even nip at me when I tighten her girth, and she even does that to the instructor she respects- not likes, haha, but respects. I think she genuinely LIKES me, I have worked really hard on just being kind, being slow and gentle with handling, lots of horse biscuits ( the way to her heart is through her stomach for sure, haha!) letting her graze, and hang out with her mini donkey buddy, stuff like that, I really think we have formed a nice relationship!
She is so special to me, she even shares her name with my late mother, I feel such a connection with her! She has healed me in a lot of ways...
My barn also does therapy for children with special needs, mostly autism and behaviour issues, and I also volunteer- though I have to pay for my lessons, haha- and Rebecca is a gem to the kids as well, horses are truly amazing creatures!
Anyway, sorry to ramble, your comment was lovely and I identify with much of it, best wishes and luck to you in your journey!
@@pariahmouse7794 I'm happy that you've found a peaceful place where you feel accepted. Horses are the best :)
Thanks for the video and great explanation. That's exactly what is happening with me and my horse. My riding seams to be a constant fight while my instructor can perfectly control my horse both from the ground as well as when she is in the saddle. I think my emotional state, especially over-expectations towards myself and the horse, as well as the patterns of behaviours from the past are the reasons of that. No need to say how frustrating it is... Somehow it is a consolation that it's not only my problem. Sometimes I really want to give up because of that. Thanks Callie for the video and all of you for the comments.
I learnt riding in the 90s as a kid and then had to stop due to injury. Even as a kid I felt like something was missing in the instructions, and that we were just supposed to get it. Now, with an animal behaviour degree and all these wonderful resources available, I know what I needed was being taught how to truly read the horse and the concept of breaking the task down. So many things make a lot more sense now. I know it might be difficult to explain it to kids, but I hope trainers nowadays spend a bit more time on these topics, to help all their students have a true chance at connection with the horse instead of just picking out the ones that somehow can. Great, informative video for all publics!
When you really think about this, horses (and animals in general) are really amazing and read us better than we read them. While this is fascinating, it can also be frustrating when you experience this first hand- the horse does well with one individual/experienced trainer, and not so well with their inexperienced owner or the environment changes. I have experienced this with my own horse as well as with school horses and have also observed this with other horses and their riders.
One time at my barn awhile ago i had SO much trouble catching a school horse in the paddock and i was trying to catch her for a long time, and then one of my barn friends came and had no trouble catching her at all. it was very interesting to see how she treated me vs. the other girl
Great job breaking down all those components. My mare and I are currently on track and our trainer has gone out of her way to address all these factors. I think that's primarily why she's had so much success with everyone at our barn. This is a very helpful response to a question that has many possible answers.
I just bought my first horse for myself and my children. He was AMAZING at the sell barn, then we got him home and he was difficult and dangerous. We realized he was not only picking up on my lack of confidence in his care and maintenance, but also he had gone from a very no nonsense work oriented enviornment to being a family pet. Once my trainer reminded him he was here to work as well, and reminded me to be more confident, we got our amazing horse back. 😊
Well-spoken, clearly. I would add that spectrum of trust and partnership. They make us more than what we are and we should return the favor.
I rode a horse for a year that would be picky with who rode her. She was amazing with me and my instructor/friend. I absolutely love her. But she was reactive when another kid rode her. And they would act like she was such a difficult horse to ride. I never thought that. She is a very free spirited horse. She took direction very well and very light reins. Part of the issue was a lot of people were too heavy on the reins and jerking her head. She was a retired barrel racing horse. Absolutely love her
I absolutely get your point and yes, i can tell you are really really true and i can imagine it in my experiences. I appreciate this video.
I used to have group lessons before lockdown, I’ve noticed with certain horses I really struggle to get them to canter, while others can apply pressure once with leg and immediately transition. I once rode one of these horses alone in the paddock and he was amazing... Should be getting back in the saddle hopefully next week!
Your tutorials are excellent. Thankyou
Wonderful! Thanks for the information.
Very informative for a nonrider like me. I want to start riding soon so I'm craving for these informative videos. Thank you!
Yep, had this happen with a horse I was tasked to train for someone at their house. I was told this horse was wild and crazy and would act up on the trails and the owner wanted someone to train it to not do that. So, I started with the horse, started with lots of groundwork, slowly starting towards riding it, as if it knew nothing, asking for a little more and a little more each time to see what it knew and where the "holes" in its training were. The horse RARELY acted up for me, and when it did, I made sure to let it know I wasn't accepting it and I'd slow down and back off to do something else easier instead. When the owner's grandchildren rode it, the horse was pretty good, too and took care of them, for the most part. There were a few moments when the grandchildren wanted to push their luck and the horse would get a little bent out of sorts, but I'd say nope, not doing that anymore, let's slow down. Then, the owner would take the horse out on the trails after I rode it and have a lovely time. One week, it rained ALL WEEK and I was unable to get out there because the rain was just too unpredictable and he didn't have any indoor/covered work area. So, he TOLD me don't worry about coming out, we'll try again next week, even though I told him I don't mind working in light rain. Needless to say, he took that horse out on the trails that weekend, pouring down rain and everything (I presume, since there was a big system that came through and drenched most of the surrounding areas), and the horse apparently was HORRIBLE for him and "EXTRA dangerous" that weekend. So basically after that incident, that I didn't see, the owner "fired" me because he wanted someone who could put more time and effort into the horse and train it to work on the trails better than I allegedly was (even though he always sang my praises after every weekend when I came out). I decided it was best to just cut my losses (sad to say, because the horse was so sweet), but I definitely felt like saying "well, what did you expect? It was pouring rain, I didn't get a chance to work with him this week since YOU said don't bother coming, even though I told you I could find a day, and you're FAR too rough with him and have NO CLUE what you're doing, even your wife is too afraid to tell you that...." But.... alas.... I hope that horse is doing okay.... :-(
Oh my gosh I am so sorry, I had very similar situation😪
@@leonarda7875 Yeah, it is sad... And dangerous for that man. He was the kind that would tell you to your face "let me know what I can do to help you" and then not take ANY of your advice or suggestions when you suggest maybe HE ride the horse and we can work together, or that he start doing this or that when he's riding it, or that the reason the horse does this or that is because of behavior, NOT medical issues (he swore up and down his horse was either blind or deaf or some other thing because it was overly sensitive to sound).... yet the poor horses probably hadn't seen a farrier and certainly hadn't been brushed in months before I got there..... They weren't abused, by any stretch, in terms of having food or water so it would be useless to have animal control out.... but still.... Not good!
Really enjoyed this, definitely food for thought
Very helpful as usual thanks
Been there, when my trainer rides my horse, it is as if it was another horse. After watching the video, I’ll go with different physical skills as the main cause for different behavior. I have to work so much more on getting better, I enrolled on Wendy Murdoch’s training and has done wonders for me, but I’m so grateful for all your videos an teachings that keep helping me to build up on my skills.
I’ve had this experience before, but not as the receiving end! I’ve ridden quite a few horses that have responded better to me riding them than others and I found this topic really interesting. Its really thought provoking!
Tobs & Equine I’ve also had horses that ride better for me. I call it coming to an understanding cuz at first they try & take advantage.
This was so helpful. I love how you break it down. This channel is perfect for blind people like me. This is the best horse channel on CZcams.
Good topic!!! I find it hard to find good horse friendly people. The easier folks to get along with are those that don't know much about horses because they don't have that fear per say ☺ this is an interesting and can be a difficult topic if your not continously educating yourself on horses 🥰🥰🥰
Great video, so true with other animals and kids😉
I actually promote horse “equine”therapy to doctors who have never heard of it and are clueless to all of the capabilities a horse has to help people with a variety of disabilities or extensive problems affecting their lives. Equine therapy is the best for anyone (who loves horses) who suffer from OCD, ADHD, PTSD BTD’s to other disabilities from a lack of confidence to living your life in a wheelchair for medical physical disabilities. I love how you stress that a horse will pick up on your frame of mind. I personally free myself from every worldly issue we deal with on a day to day basis to be one with the horse. I love that horses do have that ability to let you know their ok with. If your horse is fine around someone else but rambunctious or a little skittish with you, you need to walk away and check yourself...take ten deep breaths, shake it out and re-enter in a different frame of mind. I love how horses are so intelligent they do remember faces and photographs. Thank you for saying this because sometimes doctors need a little education to prescribe this and be able to justify the affects on how much it can actually help someone wanting equine therapy vs going to a gym. I would love it if you could make a video somewhat more specific on how a horse does pick up on individuals personalities and are the best form of treatment of person to animal telepathy and the great forms of exercise a horse is from grooming, feeding, haltering, walking them to riding them. They have always been my #1 go to. Insurace companies will authorize horse time if a doctor simply justifies how it’s actually helping you individually. We need some simple short videos to refer them to (if necessary) to educate them. I love your calming and understandable explanations. With so many problems in the world today...if you reach 100 people for example, that’s 100 less stressed out people in the world. We are our brothers (and horses) keepers...for or future generations to come. Thank you especially for this video...🥰💞🐎
I was learning to trot on a school mare and after 3 lessons and she absolutely refused to go beyond a walk and I gave up and switched to the geldings and no problem. I am learning to canter now and back on the same mare. Well the same issues and on the second lesson she was bucking me and shaking her head. The trainor got on and she was perfect for her. Even the Trainor said this isn't going to work at the end of the lesson and it wasn't me. I was devastated as now I have to go back on a Connemara Pony(I am a bit tall for him) to get experience as there are no other suitable horses at the stable. I have tried another mare at the same stables for a few months before she was sold and she barely tolerated me. Your confidence takes a big hit!
My Appaloosa acted crazy with my friend who is an experienced horse person and began bucking and bolting while being saddled, he is now back to normal after returning home.
A horse at my lesson barn< his name is Daisa and apparently he's really stubborn with everyone. Yet when I get on or lunge him he"s really well behaved and it's been the same since I met him. Granted he's gotten alot better with others. But mostly everyone at that barn thinks he still prefers me. And we all don't know why
Yes - thank you !
I used to ride my horse very well. I tried 4 other riders on him. None of them could really ride him. Then he had some pain & he wouldn't let me ride him. We also had a communication problem. His pain was fixed. I started all over with him. So far everything is going very well. I completely care about how he thinks & feels. I have no idea if he will take another rider. I doubt it. Nobody knows that horse as well as I do. Thanks for the vid....very good info.
Because I’m a calm rider the more difficult/sensitive horses at the stable are relaxed when I ride them, with other people they run away. Because off that I have my ‘own’ select of horses I ride, it’s really nice because that way I form a really good bond with them. That’s a really big help when I help training these horses.
I have experienced what you are talking about though from the other side. I have had horses come in for training and I get told "they have problem X" and I take them out and don't find the horse has problem X at all. E.g. had a dressage mare that the owner said constantly challenged her, would try and go back home, would try to go to the gate, would wring her tail, pin her ears and generally make the ride miserable. I took her out in the mountains and rode her by herself and she was an absolute sweat heart, super brave would go over or through anything, absolute joy to ride. When stuff like that happens it is hard because then you have to try to nicely phrase it to the person that the problem isn't the horse, it's them, and most people don't react well to being told that.
Can you make a part 2 providing examples on what one rider does vs another in different scenarios?
Yes! I had a very hot, stressy ottb and I had a really difficult time learning how to ride him. I felt like my instructor at the time didn't suit us, even though I'd been having lessons with this person for years. I didn't feel like I was having my concerns heard as a pupil and my instructor had a "one size fits all" style of training with escalating pressure regardless of stress levels. I made the decision to move to another property, where we changed everything. My horse moved from a small individual yard (20m x 20m) at a busy property to large open pasture with other horses on a quiet, private property. I noticed a big difference in his behaviour and well-being. He became less stressed, didn't need to be worked 5 days a week, and was more manageable on the ground. I found a new instructor and went back to the basics. While I did eventually sell this horse because I felt that we didn't suit each other, I learned a lot from him and have changed the way that I keep horses. Now I'm a huge advocate for forage, friendship, freedom and realise that horses are individuals and need to have training that suits them. Looking back, it's no wonder that my horse had issues with stress and I'm sad that I let him down for such a long time. So many people don't understand the importance of group turnout and how much of a difference it can make to your horse's well-being. It's an easy thing to fix and will often produce positive results! As riders, it's so important for riders to speak up when things aren't right, and not be afraid of changing things. There are so many wonderful, knowledgeable people out there who can help you and your horse!
Kids do this too! They will totally terrorize you but when they go to another family members or friends house they are totally sweet, loving, well-behaved, and adorable !
Yes. The horse I ride at my barn knows the difference between me, my trainer, her young niece and very young daughter. He behaves differently for all of us and he loves to pop off the rail when I ride him. He stays on the rail for my trainer. We're working on fixing that problem.
Well the lesson horse I ride can be a bit stubborn and requires you to do the signals correctly or no response. Of the students I’m just about the only one that doesn’t have much issue getting him to do what I ask. Like I was riding without a lead line last week around the arena and doing some turns that were a bit wider than I was used to and my trainer informed me he tends to stop during those with other students but, I was more in-tune with him.
My trainer also has a mare that hates other horses and isn’t particularly affectionate outside massages but, she loves me for some reason. I went in and kept her busy while cleaning water buckets and ever since she doesn’t forget me and just acts like the sweetest thing with me.
I'm probably being vain lol but at the riding stables I rode at age 8-11 there was a gelding named jigsaw who was always so sweet and compliant when I rode him but not with other people. When I rode him he always listened to my leg and vocal cues but other riders had alot of trouble getting him to do as asked
Oh My, yes. It’s happening now. The horse I ride in lessons is an x Jumper and very strong & forward. She’s run away w me & still does but much less frequently now. I was spooked & I’m sure there is fear there & she knows it. I’ve always said horses need confidence from their riders because ‘if ur I’m afraid’. Now we’re doing courses where I bring her down to the trot between fences after she canters off. We’re fine on the flat. This has been very frustrating because another rider shows & jumps her like a dream. No problems. She’s been riding her longer & since I’m older & coming back, she’s young & at the top of her game. They are a dream team. The horse & I have a wonderful relationship on the ground, nuzzling, loving & trusting. I believe I need to conquer my fear & learn how to ‘hide’ it from her in the mean time. We’ve made so much progress & she listens to me much more but still takes off. I’m sure this is because one I’m nervous expecting her to do it even when all is well & that the young Lady who rides her does so completely differently than me. Cues, style & attitude. Any ideas on how to relax. Build confidence? As I said the coming back to the trot is helping bunches. She’s listening to me more. However it still feels like once she starts jumping she’s all Let’s Go For it w me but not the other young lady. Help!
Hi There, do you have a citation for the research you mentioned where horses reacted to emotions in people including in photos? Thank you!
Hi just had a situation where I’m loaning a school horse while the school is in lockdown for coronavirus. I alternate riding him between indoor school and ménage. At the beginning, the 3rd or 4th time In the ménage, he suddenly took a dislike to going in through the gate, and once in, the mounting block was in the wrong place from where he expected it to be, and shied away from it. Being a nervous rider, I reacted with fear, and from then on when I go to the menage, even if the mb isn’t there, he puts his head down as if there is something he is frightened of in front of him then starts reversing at high speed. Needless to say, this has freaked me out really badly, and despite trying to eliminate causes by leading him around in hand, and going in with other horses he knows, nothing has worked to stop him doing it. He is rock solid in the indoor school, and will take the lead in a class with others quite happily, or on his own in a private lesson, but doesn’t like being in the lead out hacking. He is also very particular about only going in one way to his stable, only accepting g being tied up outside in one location, so really doesn’t feel confident when his routine is even slightly different. In the end I asked the school owner, who is very very experienced, to see what she thought. She rode him into the ménage - experienced his dislike of going through the gate, but helped him through it, where he then proceeded to try and reverse at speed. I have to say I was quite pleased that she was able to experience his behaviour at first hand, even though it wasn’t as bad as I had experienced, and it was a bit of a battle of wills to resolve even for her. But she did, and after working him for 10 mins, the repeating taking him in and out of the gate a few more times, I took over. To say he was a different horse is actually a real understatement. I rode him into the ménage with no problem, and he didn’t show any of the previous problems. That was 3 days ago, and I have only been able to ride him since indoors, and can now feel the fear rebuilding in me that he will start again. Talking to another experienced person at the school who knows tHe horse extremely well, she felt that the problem for the horse was mixed signals - one moment I may be saying through my emotional state that it’s all ok, e next that it’s not, so he is confused. I know it’s me, but really struggling to sort my Rhadamanthus out over it
I came across this in a kinda different way. I'm not really sure why, but the horses at the barn where I lease tend to do better with me than the other folks who work with them. I'm not a trainer, and I have been out of the saddle for about 10 years, but especially the more nervous horses stand better for the farrier or go better under saddle when I'm with them. 🤷♀️
This one time I rode a horse who would buck every other rider off. I would see riders go flying through the arena and cringe from seeing them land. It was my time to ride him, and when I did, there was nothing that happened. He response perfectly and everything went smooth. I’ve gone on to event and show him, and I now have my very own bay gelding 🖤
His name is Benni 🖤💕 and he’s the love of my life 💞💞💞💞
Do u know what it means when I canter and I tend to put 1 leg forward to keep me in rhythm?
Hey, I was wondering if you could make a video of how to sit the landing of a jump. It is just a little problem I have that has been bothering me. When I land is it just all the momentum pushing me forwards? And is this normal? I love your channel and its really helped me! I know you like dressage so you don’t have to make it if you don’t want to. But sometimes I’m worried about landing on the horses neck.
Few common tips! : try to keep your lower leg at the girth, its your centerpoint. Keep your upperbody up,straight and sit deep until you feel the front come up. You have 3 fases of the jump, the takeoff, midair and the landing. With takeoff you ofcourse lean forward from you hips. As soon as you feel the horse push off for midair you start already bringing you upperbody back up. (Ofcourse depending on how high the horse jumps the further back you lean) with the landing you want to slightly lean forward for one stride to not bother the horse. Hope this can help you a bit 🤗👍🏼
My horse treats me very differently than he does my trainer. She works him hard and he’s very sensitive and responds to cues quickly. For me he does as well, but if I accidentally ‘ask’ for something I can’t do, he will hesitate, like ‘are you sure?’ I’m an absolute beginner and he is so careful and kind with me, but once I learn something new and ask, he doesn’t hesitate after we do it once or twice. We have a great bond and he takes care of me as I learn dressage. My vet calls him ‘a horse with a brain’.
Inexperienced riders expect the horse to just do his job with no direction. I find people get too emotional when the horse does not know what to do because the rider is not being clear. Then the horse shuts down. The rider has to put the time in four to six days a week for a long time and learn how to ride. There is no way around that. Horses are willing partners if you train them the right way.
13 yr old mustang that me and my 10yr old daughter share....she is a puppy with my daughter but the mariest mare for me. 🤷♀️ shes fun tho🤣🤣. She walks up to my girl n lowers her head for the halter every time. I go in there and have to bushwhack my way around to get her. She is a comedian
In general, your horse is a reflection of you, both on the ground and ridden. Analyze yourself first.
I have a friend my horse would have nothing to do with from the start. In two years of seeing her daily he never warmed up to her at all. I've had to hang a sign on my stallion gate saying please do not enter in two languages. I can always tell when someone else has been in trying to catch him and who. He becomes very reactive around that person or people and snorts a warning at them every time they even walk past. Like many arabians he is a one person horse although he is okay with some few people going in and even grooming him as long as they don't try to halter or catch him. It depends on the person.
SAME with dogs!!
Thank-you for this video! I am experiencing this behaviour currently although it is reverse of the example you gave. I recently purchased a horse for my daughter. When we purchased this mare (Levi) we rode her and all was well. The horse was calm for the 2 hours we were with her and responded well to my ques, my daughter's ques and my friend's ques. My young son even handled the horse like he would a pet dog and the horse didn't even lift her head up from the grass she was standing on. Feeling confident, we bought her. We had her delivered to where we do lessons for boarding. Our trainer rode her and said she could use some work (maybe 2 weeks) just to clean her up as the previous owner did everything on the horses terms instead of his own. After the first week I spoke with the trainer again and she said that our horse was "hateful" and definitely not safe for my daughter, possibly not even for me. Naturally I am shocked to hear this! I'll be heading up there on my own in a couple days to asses the horse. This trainer has an excellent reputation for horse knowledge but also a reputation of being very tough.
This has been my experience and so far has cost my daughter many tears despite our own very positive encounter with Levi. I will try asking Levi for some things in a manner much more gently than our trainer does in hopes that I can repeat our first experience.
Question: Our trainer says that if a horse is mean with her then she will be with everyone. It has been my experience that, like you mentioned, a horse can behave differently with different people. Can that be the case here even though the behaviour is so drastically different or is there something else going on that I haven't considered? Thank-you for your time and consideration.
I think you have to look for a completely different minded trainer.
Trust yourself and eventually your horse.
I totally agree a
This is so true. My trainer can just walk by and horses come to attention. I've seen her just walk up when an owner is trying to load a resistant horse and once the trainer walks up the horse just jumps in the trailer. I think timing is key. My horse performs sooooo much better for my trainer. On the flip side when someone who is inexperienced gets on him, like my husband or grandkids, he walks around like he's caring precious, breakable cargo. With me he expects me to ride correctly and when I don't I don't get the results the trainer gets. It's almost like he is saying "C'mon Janise, you can do better than this!"
one horse i ride all the time sometimes when on a trail ride just starts sprinting and i can't get her to stop without turning her around. i was riding with a friend of her owner and she did this the girl i was riding with was shocked because apperently she has never done this with her owner. the strangge thing is that there where 4 girls before me that tried working with her with them she was so uncontrolable they got of within a couple of minutes and with me she is the calmest you will ever see her, her owner was shocked when i first rode her because he had never seen her that calm. why does she do the sprinting i don't understand?
I had a terrible problem getting my horse to pick up the correct lead going to the right. It was a constant struggle. Of course my instructor would get on and get it almost immediately. I assume this was the difference in our ability. One day I told a friend she could ride my horse. She got on and got the right lead on the first try. Needless to say,this was incredibly frustrating. Your video has helped me to understand why this happened. When I asked, he would just do a faster trot and I would get all undone in the saddle and bring him to a stop in order to reorganize. I really think I was teaching him to stop. My friend probably asked with more authority.
No one is permitted on my horse. He rides beautifully for me. I trained him from start to finish.
I'm like that with my motorbike.
I had the opposite..horse that never bucked or reared..bucked and reared..within 2 steps
If my friend rides my horse, he really behaves diffrent, sometimes lazy but sometimes insane. Then I get on and he's so obedient♥️
When I get on a horse at my barn she jumps amazing. But when other people ride her she refuses jumps.
i don't know where to start my issue is when a horse gets scared i eat the front right shoulder or left front shoulder i will says u are all right it is not going to get you right away the horse relaxes now if i say nothing the horse comes into me a bit harder and starts stress shaking this happens with me on any horse i ride now my lease is a different story i cant let some else rider her and leave the arena with some else on her back 7 people she has taking out of the arena threw the barn and out the barn door she comes to me and stop with her left front shoulder against my back with a nervous look on her face as soon as she make contact with me licking and chewing starts my issue is i cant walk away oh and rosie my lease will go threw a stall door but if she can see me she is fine i have atusium and adhd
My two mares will literally let anyone ride so long as they are nice and one of them gives attitude sometimes but my gelding will literally not let anyone on him that isn’t me and if they get on him he will not move no matter what you do but he’s perfect for me
They experienced misbehavior that I never did. He would scared them...
They wouldn't make him do things out of fear. I did my own training...
I've had my horse take the pee out of a few riders. She is v crafty & intelligent & she doesn't miss a trick xx
It’s because a horse is a reflection of you!!!!!!
Definitely my horse changes into a grand prix dressage horse when my trainer gets on, so I suspect it is skill in my area that is lacking!
Yes. My horse was napping with me whenever I tried to go hacking alone with him. His previous owner came up to school him for me and he didn't even try it once with her 😂 made me look like a liar! I got back on and he started napping again. I think it was the difference in emotional state. I get very nervous which transfers to my body and I tighten up, she doesn't.
My horse always "tested" new riders. Lack of argument? Not asking politely enough? Just coming along and asking for something without having introduced himself properly? Ok, he was never mean, but he would not exhaust himself for people he disliked. Iron hands? NO move! at all. using the WHIP? I'll teach you.... and he bucked a bit. Some folks got frustrated, others gave up, a bit pale around the nose. Even folks who technically were FAR better than I ever was, he made them look like idiots or feel uncomfortable. With some, he picked a short row and then did what they asked him for. i. e. jumping, which he loved a lot: While I was too much a coward to guide him the way he would have needed, he jumped like a hero whith a good rider in the saddle.
On the other hand, we never were a team when it came to loading up in a trailer. Both afraid of it = BAD team. Others kept calm and loaded him easily.
So, 1. build up a relationship & trust;
2. when riding an unknown horse, ask politely, don't be rude, but don't be a softy either: Mean what you say.
3. accept boundaries (like I had to with trailers and my own fears....:/)
One of my horse is a bitch man she is a medium pony and she never wants to go through the gate never lands on the lead rears bucks but I love her for that
Number one reason: Horses aren't stupid. They behave differently with different herd members, why would they not behave differently with different humans? They'll do what works for them.
Everyone is like oh yeah my trainer rides my horse so we’ll
Me: trainer gets on, my horse murders anyone who’s not me. I love pony mares😬😂❤️
My horse has serious trust issues. I can do pretty much anything with him but no one else can even hold.His leadrope unless I stay with him. I thought I had trained him so well absolutely anyone could easily handle him. I discovered a couple years ago I was wrong. I've been working on this ever since with help from friends and still haven't been able to resolve this problem. I'm out of ideas at this point but I'll think of something.
Just like children. The more experienced are in control and respected. There has to be consequences and reward.
Oh yes, my horse gives me the hindquarters while his trainer gets his ears on her. I am green so it will take me a while to get the ears instead of the hindquarters. Sad, but feeling hopeful.
There’s this one lesson pony that my trainer makes me ride once a week to get her “wiggles” out she’s very lazy for everyone except me..when i get on her she’s not crazy she’s just fast and forward and my trainer says i have an electric butt😂 but what’s the real reason?? I thought it was because i put a lot of leg on but then i did an experiment and i put barely any leg on her and she was still the same🤔
Same mine took of with me round the field. It was surprising because my usual horse is so lazy
Whew good thing my horse likes me better -w- well nobody really rides him but me sometimes my sis but rarely.. bc she has her own horse we haven't seen them lately due to covid and one of the horses at our barn needs to be put down, he was in my horses pasture alot of sadness 2020 giving us....
I know we shouldn’t really anthropomorphise [ascribe human emotions or behaviour to] horses - they’ve only had a shared relationship with people relatively recently in their evolutionary history after all - but I’ve definitely met & worked with some horses who actually appear to have what I can only describe as a sense of humour, & seemed to work better with me if I didn’t act & treat them super seriously, but instead kept _my_ attitude somewhat light & "fun", & allowed them to throw in some rather extrovert behaviour without getting too stressed out, giving them leeway to initially offer a little bit of cheekiness before settling down; they definitely responded better if you were willing to accept a certain amount of playfulness, compared with a different rider who was more "intense" & less forgiving of their quirky, endearingly amusing, intrinsically lighthearted nature!
Whenever I ride my friend's horse, I get the feeling that the horse just does not want to do it for me. When I see her owner or my boyfriend riding her, the horse in question is much more enthousiastic and willing to perform. She is a big mare (178 cm) and I am quite petite (159 cm, 50 kg), so I sometimes think that she just doesn't consider me as someone to be respected. Also, she is a real dressage schoolmaster with all the buttons installed, so she knows how every movement should be requested. If you don't ask the right question for the goal you have in mind, she will not do it. Maybe this is all in my head that I am not good enough for her, and that that affects our riding, but somewhere I also feel that she just does not like me that much.
My horse loves my daughter but I deal
I have a stallion and he hates it when other people ride him but he only lets me ride him cause I had him at 13 now I’m 15 but o spent all day with him try to ride him ooooo your dead he’s got a strong rear and buck and throw he’s for me like a high level rider
.......because they are evil and like to make out we are lying lol🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣💜💜💜💜
This is very true. My mare is a very sweet girl, a total “in your pocket” horse. An amazing, soft easy, and forgiving horse that saves my butt all the time. She is such a darling, but only for me. As soon as another person gets on her, she sticks her little head in the air and wants to gallop and drag the rider down with her head. Like tug of war with the reins while riding. She was bought as a green project horse, not for me to keep. I don’t know how to fix this problem. Please, anyone, tips?
I would love to keep her, but if I want to keep buying projects I have to sell her. She is such a sweetheart, but I don’t know how to make her like other people as much as she behaves for me.
My horse hates children and small animals. She only ever wants hugs from me and my big sister because she looks similar to me. She puts her ears back and go to shoo my little siblings away, because of her hatred.
Maybe don’t whip your horse? I’ve never whipped any I’ve trained.
Spiritual Empress yea why in the world would one EVER whip their horses, their children, their pets or any living thing for that matter.
Any horse is capable of any behavior at any time....after the Kentucky Derby the horse was shown to friends of the owner...the horse spoked over nothing and knocked people to the ground.......Horses have killed & injured more people than any animal.
Horses are essentially large dogs. They are “pack animals”. You need follow through but you need trust. If you are physically a leader and show that, the horse will follow. It seems like she’s still learning imo. You don’t train the horse, you train the people. This seems like a classic case of people trying to correct animals when they don’t understand why the animal needs to be corrected in the first place. Not getting to the root of the problem. Not a fan.
I had this problem when the horse doesn't listen to me
I have to disagree with you. Horses are herd animals- prey instinct. Dogs are predators and pack animals.
Also horses are 10x our size and a multitude of physical strength beyond us. They are willing to follow a
fair and consistent leader. Trust certaintly is part of the bond.