How Horses Bond with Us

[@countchocula5379]

One of my geldings was in a pasture which backs up to a state park. One morning, early, I was refilling his water and fluffing up his breakfast hay while he was eating his alfalfa mash and all of a sudden he alerted me that there was something or someone weird in the woods behind the paddock. He moved left his tasty meal to stand in between me and the forest. He squared up and stomped several times. He waited in that position for a few minutes and stayed until he relaxed and felt safe enough to continue eating. Another time he refused to go down the trail we almost always went down. Most of the time he would automatically turn (that’s how often we used this particular trail.) This one day he refused so I trusted him. He’s a spectacular horse and I chose to go an alternate route around the woods. On our way around, we came upon a bunch of cops accompanied by a dive team… apparently a rapist had chased a woman into the woods and he was hiding along the trail that my horse and I usually ride on. They will absolutely protect us. I do t expect them to and I feel that we should be the o es to protect them, but God created us all with different strengths and weaknesses and horses have such incredible senses they are willing to share with us. All we have to do is listen to them. Thank you you Lord for horses. ✝️🕊️💝

[@drobinson29]

I just watched the replay. I’m curious, I have a young horse that I’ve had since she was born. I sent her to a trainer for a couple months this past summer. I went every week to visit her and see her progress. Most of the time when I pulled in she was tired to the fence. She always reacted as soon as I pulled in, nickering at me. Would you say that is bonding behavior or just because I’m familiar to her in an unfamiliar place?

[@Eatempathy]

I had a trainer with a degree in animal science come help me with my mare. She grabbed the lead rope and was going to tell my mare what to do and my mare tried to come to me. I said did she just try to come to me? The trainer said no! she was trying to go in the barn because she didn't want to be told what to do. This just lets me know that my gut was right in that moment. I will NEVER be asking a trainer for help with my horse again. I've had a total of 3 trainers help me with her and I am left to fix what they did to her.