Horses: The Truth About Trust (Episode 199) - Herm Gailey: A Lifetime with Horses

Science has not clearly proven or disproven whether horses trust us. I have my own thoughts on the subjects of whether horses trust us and what it takes to generate that trust. Here they are. Look forward to lots of comments.
About Herm Gailey:
Herm Gailey has spent a lifetime with horses. He is a nonprofessional rider who starts and trains his own horses to successful careers in multiple disciplines. Away from the show ring Herm retains a deep respect and appreciation for good reliable trail riding horses and believes that all horses benefit from this type of riding.
There is nothing for sale here. If these videos allow one person to avoid fear, frustration, or injury or help one horse get a better deal, then that is payment in full.
Filming and production by Kim Gailey-Fitting
Video Camera Company: Canon
Microphone Company: RODE
Song Credit: "Devil's Son" by Enter the Haggis
(www.enterthehaggis.com)

[@russellrose9558]

Back in the late 70"s or early 80s when at a high School rodeo, my sister and i had parked our trailer near some native American Indians who had their grandfather with them. I had never heard him speak English until one day I was laying on the grass letting my horse graze. Well I went to sleep. When I woke up he had a front leg on either side of me and his munching grass by my ear is what woke me up. That grandfather who I would guess to be in his late 80's said "horse protect you". I have learned that's exactly what my horse was doing. I also had a horse come and get me when another horse got seriously injured. I do like the way you can put into words the knowledge you have.

[@christiegarrett2578]

I got a 6 year old wild Arab stallion. He was so afraid of people it took me 4 hours to touch his shoulder with 1 finger. 2 years later, he loves me. I can touch him everywhere. Last week I go check on him standing in a freezing cold rain shivering. I calmly walked to him & put a blanket on him. He stood quietly without even having to halter him while I slowly put it on, clipped all the clips. No problem. He trusts me now. When he hears a scary noise he freezes, looks at me straight into my eyes, and when I don't respond to the scary thing. He goes back to doing his thing. I guess he figures if I'm not afraid. He's ok.

[@hermgaileyalifetimewithhorses]

Comment from Melinda Sito via Facebook: "What an amazing story about you and Annie❤"

[@hermgaileyalifetimewithhorses]

Comment from Jo-Anne Fletcher via Facebook: "You really nailed this one Herm. So many things you said ring true. My good old horse trusted me completely and one day I asked him to take a shortcut across the corner of a boggy field. He didn't think it was a good idea but I insisted and of course we shortly sank in the muck up to his belly. I swear he grumbled 'I told you so' as I turned us around and he got us back onto solid ground. I tried to never betray his trust and instincts again." Response to Jo-Anne from Ann Pettigrew via Facebook: "I did that with one of Herm’s dad’s horses back in the 70’s. She got stuck in mud in their pond so I bailed off since she was panicking. I sunk into the mud up to my knees and she knocked into me and I tore my ACL. Uncle Herm was an orthopedic surgeon so he was able to fix me up! Fond memories…🤪😂" Response back to Ann Pettigrew from Jo-Anne Fletcher via Facebook: "Always helpful to have a surgeon in the family lol" Response back to Jo-Anne from Ann Pettigrew via Facebook: "That was back in the day when all my parents’ friends were aunts and uncles. Uncle Herm and my Mother grew up in York together then my Dad and he became best friends. Had a great childhood as he was so generous about letting me ride their horses!"

[@kenmorris2290]

To me this might be the most profound and important episode you've ever done. I found myself getting choked up...why? I guess it was remembering the times when a horse showed me absolute trust...and when I trusted him or her absolutely in return. Because trust is a two-way street. I agree 100% with the four elements you describe (from the human's side). Thinking of it this way allows one to self-evaluate what they need to work on to gain a horse's trust.

[@JohnHoffman-p9w]

I'm presently learning and living much of what you are discussing with us. I have adopted a wild mustang and i'm trying to learn the differences wild versus domestic horses. trust is everything with them. I wish this video could go viral with horse people everywhere, thank you!

[@TroyReinholdt-fz2ds]

Good job cowboy! Like you im old and have spent most of my childhood and all my adult life with horses although my experiences are different from yours I learned too that the depth of horses understanding and emotions go beyond most handlers and riders beliefs. I often think how my relationships with the horses in my past might have been different knowing what i know now?. Thanks for your video.

[@gail2283]

Thank you for this video - wise words.

[@bonniesears5286]

Last summer I was in the pasture with my 2 mares and a dog was violently barking at me from over the fence. My 2 mares snorted and ran around me pushing me away from the danger. My personal opinion is that the horses saw me as their herd mate and were protecting me. The dominant mare stayed with me until I got about 100 yards away from the danger insisting that I should run as fast as she could . I felt like I was a colt being protected by its mother. It was an amazing experience!

[@t.fidler5895]

Or a mare just run in to you while ascaping. If horse did that for you, then it doeasnt respect you. Horse should not respond at all, if they would trust you

[@bonniesears5286]

@@t.fidler5895 I was about 50 yards away. They were trying to herd me away.

[@Safe_and_Easy_Horsemanship]

Science cannot replace the connection between two living beings.

[@hermgaileyalifetimewithhorses]

Agreed. Cannot replace and perhaps cannot understand…

[@timandersonhorsetraining]

Most universities have instructors that are people teachers not horse trainers, instructing students that are not yet horsemen, doing studies about horses. Any information that comes from that situation is of no use to me.

[@rhondab9792]

Sounds a lot like raising kids, supervising a crew ... uh oh am I anthropomorhosizing?