I board my mare at the barn I also work at, so I see her a lot, almost every day. I have had her for several years.
I like her and she likes me, too. However, she NEVER nickers at me, or whickers, or whatever. AND she does not nicker or whicker to other horses. If a horse neighs at her from across the barn (one of her pasture mates), she will neigh back, but when she goes to see them ... silence. They often nicker to her, but she will not nicker back. She has yet, to my knowledge, to utter a nicker.
Many of the *other* horses at the barn nicker to me, though. Since I feed them most days, I am pretty popular. But my mare won't nicker at me. Not. At. All. And she is very food motivated, and I give her little treats when I bring her up to the barn for grooming. But there's no nicker.
I am reflecting on it because someone at the barn mentioned she knows her horse likes her because she nickers to her. And I started thinking, "Hey ... " To be fair, in all other avenues, she is the perfect horse. Impeccably behaved, brave, smart and willing, not naughty or disrespectful. She is fun to ride and very sensitive, so I barely have to touch her for cues. She's pretty dang awesome and we do a lot of cool stuff together. But still no nicker.
So is anyone else here in the "my horse doesn't nicker at me" club? Why doesn't she nicker at me?
I like her and she likes me, too. However, she NEVER nickers at me, or whickers, or whatever. AND she does not nicker or whicker to other horses. If a horse neighs at her from across the barn (one of her pasture mates), she will neigh back, but when she goes to see them ... silence. They often nicker to her, but she will not nicker back. She has yet, to my knowledge, to utter a nicker.
Many of the *other* horses at the barn nicker to me, though. Since I feed them most days, I am pretty popular. But my mare won't nicker at me. Not. At. All. And she is very food motivated, and I give her little treats when I bring her up to the barn for grooming. But there's no nicker.
I am reflecting on it because someone at the barn mentioned she knows her horse likes her because she nickers to her. And I started thinking, "Hey ... " To be fair, in all other avenues, she is the perfect horse. Impeccably behaved, brave, smart and willing, not naughty or disrespectful. She is fun to ride and very sensitive, so I barely have to touch her for cues. She's pretty dang awesome and we do a lot of cool stuff together. But still no nicker.
So is anyone else here in the "my horse doesn't nicker at me" club? Why doesn't she nicker at me?