Can someone please help me with this behavior?

Ok so this afternoon I went to see Freddie with just a brush and a lead rope, because I wanted to see if he would still respond to me with just the lead as I have been working with him and bonding with him a lot recently (he is very green after a loooong spell).

He was a complete angel, he moved his hind legs for me both left and right with just a gesture and he back up 10 paces with just me walking towards him with squared up body language. He followed me with just the rope around his neck and he stood to be brushed. He even followed me over ground poles!

The behavior that I need help with came when he saw someone riding a quad in the paddock behind us. He got really excited and took off towards the quad and was calling out to the people on it (I think the reason why he did it is because my boyfriend has a similar quad that he usually rides around there, and Freddie loves my boyfriend... Only because he shares his beer and he smells like molasses from work LOL!). I take no rubbish from Freddie. If I'm with im I expect his whole attention until I say that it's quitting time. I expect to be respected and I see myself a the leader. He disrespected me my running away while I was still with him, so I went after him with the lead rope and chased him down (a tad tiring when you're in a 3 acre paddock too :/).

I managed to get his attention and he started trotting in circles around me. While he was doing this he lengthened his stride, raised his head, perked his ears up (on towards me) and had his tail straight up in the air. He looks really beautiful might I add. And then he proceeded to make these weird snorting sounds while he trotted around me. I have seen him do this a few times, but only ever with other horses, and I know it may sound silly, but I have no idea what it means

I managed to "join up" with him with only 2 minutes of trotting with his tail up and snorting, and then he followed me around the paddock with no more fuss and no more rubbish. He didn't even acknowledge the quad.

I would like to know if anyone could explain this behavior to me? Please don't throw any stones at me! Thank you

This post is adorable.

Do I sound like a complete idiot?

Not at all an idiot...very interesting question and I am "BUMPING" for the answer! (I can't answer for you, though, I apologize!) --I know that is the sort of answer the mods hate, but I can't help it!

Thank you! I was like "Oh no, I will never be able to post on here again!". I honestly have no idea what the behavior meant. Im really really curious as to why he did this

Just my opinion but the horse may only respect you to a point. Why don't you use a halter? Just because a horse has a halter on doesn't mean that it doesn't respect you or has to be used. It's there for when you need it.

I think the horse kind of just tolerates what you ask of him. However, he knows that with just the rope, you don't have complete control of him.

How old is the horse? It couldbe if he's young, he's giving some attitude or testing you. Again, just my opinions
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Snorting and prancing is typically a response to something that a horse sees as a potential threat.

My gelding does that while lunging sometimes, head up, tail up and high stepping while snorting up a storm. He does this if the mares leave his sight. I just do a snap on the lead/halter and get him changing direction etc until I get his head off the ladies and back to me ;) For me personally, I never free lunge but always use a halter in the round pen. I never end a lunging session until my sometimes hard headed boy has his head lowered, is intently listening to my instructions and is licking those lips :) This is just what works best for he and I. Then I know his wandering mind is where it needs to be.

Honestly it sounds like he was just feeling good. My friend has a part arab, ironically named Freddie as well, and he does this when he is ready to go! It's like he's trying to get us to notice him.


"Look at me!! See my tail, I can even hold it STRAIGHT up! I'm so cute and I know it! *snort*"

You did the right thing getting his attention back so quickly, it is exactly what I would have done in that situation. So don't sweat it, he was just showing you how cool he thinks he is.

Not at all. It's just the way you explain it and I can imagine your accent.