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Why Don't Some Horses Play?

2K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  horseluver2435 
#1 ·
My horse, Rainy, is turning five (March 15th) and I've never see her play. She doesn't run around in her pasture with the other mares, and if other horses try to bite/nibble at her halter or play fight, she just ignores them. She's completely unresponsive to the other mares- with me she'll follow me around, and nudge me and such, but with the mares in her pasture she just ignores them. Or just annoyed and pins her ears, kicks out at them, etc. She was put in our indoor arena with the gelding she's lived with for the majority of her life, and played just fine, running around and getting to know him again. So is it just her not liking mares? Or the two mares she's in with? Do your horses play or are they as unresponsive to play as Rainy?
 
#3 ·
My gelding used to be in a paddock with two other geldings and he would never play with them. I always saw the other two playing and he would just stand there and watch.
Now he's in with two different geldings and they play all the time. So I'm guessing he just gets along better with these two geldings. Also when he was in with the other two, he was 5 yrs and the other two were in their late teens. Now he is 8 yrs and he is in with a 9yr and a 2yr old. So he is a lot close in age, but I have no idea if that has anything to do with it
 
#4 ·
I have a two year old son that would rather play by himself most of the time than play with other kids. He's perfectly normal but doesn't need the company of ohters to be happy. I was the same way. Some horses are more serious than others. I wouldn't let it bother you.
 
#5 ·
My gelding does not play with others--usually. It has to be cold, and he has to be in a good mood! In my eight months of owning him, I've seen him roll once (I put him in the round pen so we could do some work, and he dropped right at the gate where it gets muddy) and I've only seen him tear around the pasture once--and that was on video. He's just a serious boy, and would much rather work (or eat) than play tag.
 
#6 ·
I was once told that my horse has an "old soul." xD It's so true. She never runs around in the pasture or plays with the other horses. My BO lets the horses run into the barn for breakfast and she waits until all the horses have gone through so as not to cause a ruckus. She just chills out and eats grass. I've never thought that anything was wrong with her, it's just how she is and she happy that way. On rare occasions she has actually taken off to find the herd at a trot (once she even bucked! -gasp-) and I simply enjoy those few and far between times.
 
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