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Bonding with your horse

15K views 84 replies 51 participants last post by  Cheyennes mom 
#1 ·
i was just wondering.......whats the best way to strengthen a bond between you and your horse?
 
#8 ·
Yes it does...be one of the herd. Stand with them, look at what they look at, and be curious at times, too...if you see something, walk over to it, and you'll find that they'll follow you to see what you're looking at.
 
#4 ·
It helps if you are the sole care giver. Spend quality time with them in the paddock; grooming; round pen and ground work; non stressful time; hand walking; basically any time you can give them one on one. The thing to be careful of is becoming overbearing. Let them come to you when possible - give them a scratch on the forehead and walk a few steps away with your back to them, they will most likely follow - that's a good thing to have happen.
 
#6 ·
Yep, all that was mentioned are great ideas. LOTS of grazing time. That's a big one. Spend a lot of time asking your horse to do nothing....a lot of times people ALWAYS ask their horse for something and horses get annoyed with it...they feel like there's nothing in it for them. Also find your horse's favorite itchy spots, and remember to scratch HARD.
 
#9 ·
Quality time! Lots of it! Sitting in the pasture, in his stall, hand grazing, grooming, ground work, all of this helps strengthen your bond with your horse. Just remember, and this is something I had to learn because I'm just one of those impatient people at times, that building trust and a bond takes time. =)
 
#13 ·
Siting is pasture/stalls, walking around the farm/trails on a halter. Feeding grain by hand is a good one. REWARD them, with 'yummies' - they love that, Grooming and more. Savannah (my lil pony girl) and I bond by walking side-by-side on the trails, then we go back, and I feed her her daily grain while petting her. Justa suggestion =].
 
#33 ·
I also ask myself this question. What I learned with my horses,"and they are all different" was to watch and see how there disposition changed in a positive or negative way with treats. The trainer I follow says that treats can be positive depending on your horses horsenality,"personality".
 
#19 ·
I agree with all the above posts. I'll walk into the pasture and just scratch the horses and enjoy the sun. That's their treat and they love it. They see me coming and meet me for their scratches! :lol:

And it's so true that if you look hard at "something" one or all will come over to "see" what is there! Too funny.
 
#20 ·
Well my guy and I pretty much bonded the first day and our relationship is really strong.

But it has increased over the years with just long throrughy brushing taking naps together. This also gives you time to read his body language and him yours.
We also over come obstacles that come our way. Mind you nothing fazes him. but you get my point. Just think of the black stallion and the movies spirit. that was pretty much our beginning. He is pretty much a one owner horse.

But we still play a form of tag in the arena. he has enjoyed this from day one. i would not recommend letting most horses chase you, especailly a stallion. it is not generally for the faint of heart. he does like to gallop and stop a couple feet in front of me, then do a three sixty move in the air. that is he cue for me to go after him. But I trust him.

But in the end we have bonded so much that I can do anything. Even crack a whip around him and he will not move ( the whip dosen't touch him). This is the kind of stuff no one can teach you. All you have to do is spend the time and see what you and your horse like.:)

Hope this helps you with your bonding with your horse
 
#23 ·
But we still play a form of tag in the arena. he has enjoyed this from day one. i would not recommend letting most horses chase you, especailly a stallion. it is not generally for the faint of heart. he does like to gallop and stop a couple feet in front of me, then do a three sixty move in the air. that is he cue for me to go after him. But I trust him.
My gelding & I do the same thing out in the pasture. :) He loves to play tag, or try to race. We'll stare at each other, then I'll take off running and he go galloping by. He always passes me, turns around doing this big, showy, floating trot and comes back to me to bump his head against my chest or arm as if to say "You silly human, no one can beat ME!" :D He's arrogant like that. LOL
 
#22 ·
I have often wondered the same thing about the treats lol. My horse isnt nippy or anything, but I have wondered how much is healthy. My horses favorite treat is apples, which are healthy.....but 5 a day may not be :lol:. What I have started doing is cut the apples in quarters and then cut the quarters in half....that way its just a little small treat.
 
#28 · (Edited)
Grooming, groundwork, and grazing.
Definately, I agree. I've only had a horse for about 1-2 months. But I realised these were the best things to do. The whole ordeal of my horse being shoed for the first time, which left him with a sore nose, gut, bleeding gums and he was drugged.

The next day, he was too scared to come near myself or anyone else. Normally, he gallops over as soon as we go to the gate near the paddock.

It only took a day or two of grooming him for a while, leading him around and then standing in the pasture with him for about an hour. After that he returned to his normal ways.

Obviously there are other techniques you can try too, but initially, I think those 'three G's' are probably the best to start with.

And yes, manhirwen, Join Up is Monty Roberts.
 
#29 ·
Stupid as this sounds, the more I tried to love and cuddle my horse the more he hated me. He was like "You stupid human... I don't want your gushy gushy sounds" lol I had to actually be a bit firm with him. I had to show him I was the leader, (sometimes by even being aggresive) so he trusts me now. It took a year though. >.< His reason, though, was he was a pasture horse for about 3-5 years and he didn't want to work.

For normal horses... act like a horse. :) That is all I'm going to say. :)
 
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