# The Pros and Cons of a One Person Horse?



## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

Honestly and I might be bashed for saying this, I prefer my horses to be one person horses. I buy them to ride, for me to ride to be more clear. I feed and grrom and train and care for them, they are my animals.

When I sell my horses, I make sure to work with the new owner to get both working as a pair and when I see fit let the new owner take them home and they can start their relationship together.

Now, I do not make my horses unridable by other people, quite the contrary, most have been perfectly respectful of anyone placed on their backs, sometimes more so than with me. But I do not often allow anyone else on my horses backs, unless I see they are at a level of my experience, are strictly supervised by me, or a professional. My horses are my partners, I want them loyal to me.


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## Void (Jun 26, 2009)

A one person horse is a Pro in the Equitation ring if they ever ask you to switch horses and perform a test. lol


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

I pretty much agree with Honeysuga. 
Lacey's pretty distinctly a one person horse. I mean, she loves everybody and she'll pay attention to whoever wants to give her attention but that's only if I'm around. If I'm not around, she'll ignore everyone quite completely and if you try to do something with her without me, well, good luck. I find it almost cute but then I can definitely relate to finding it worrisome too. For instance, last July Lacey was in a parade. She was being ridden by a 10 year old and I was going to be leading her along the parade route. She had to hang out at the head of the parade for a few hours and since the kids would get super dirty if we let them dismount, they were basically stuck on their horses. Lacey was doing well, worked up but sane, until I had to go to the restroom. I left her in the capable hands of a friend of mine but I came back (no more than 10 minutes later) to an absolutely freaking out horse. As soon as I got back to her she calmed down immediately and pretty completely. In that situation I would have loved for her to have been a multiple person horse but on the whole I kinda love feeling like I'm her entire world, yknow?


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

I don't have that kind of problem with mine, they are respectful of anyone. What I mean is A) They work with everyone, but I know how to get that extra everything out of them. and B) I don't like anyone else on them. Hehe guess that would have been a better way of explaining it in the first place.


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

I think there are many pros and cons to a one person horse. It's easier to gain their trust, you can work with them, they're loyal eta.. But the cons are you have to make sure another person can atleast lead them around, touch them all over, and the regular ground work things.


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

Void said:


> A one person horse is a Pro in the Equitation ring if they ever ask you to switch horses and perform a test. lol



Hahaha, I second this! :lol:


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## bearsareneat (Mar 4, 2010)

Thanks for the input, you guys! 

Yes, it is a nice knowing that she is my horse and mine alone. Sometimes I feel like she is my "black stallion," if you will. However, it would be nice to find one person who I could teach her little idiosyncrasies to. Just in case anything happened. Because believe me, she has a loooot of them. But that's what makes her Rosie and that's why I love her, haha.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

I'm sure I'll get bashed for this but you are not doing your horse any justice. Some day you may want to take a vacation, get married, go to school, anything that involves someone else to work with your horse. It sounds like that will be a major problem. Someone else may have to do more then feed or lead her and it sounds like that may be a problem.

The same as desensitizing your horse to noise, movement, bikes, etc., a responsible horse owner should have a horse that is trained to be respectful to anyone. Yes, you should have that special bond with her but not to the exclusion of everyone else. As you mentioned, you want to take her to a clinic, you also want someone to be able to take care of a good number of quirks she has. Now you have to deal with her first gaining the trust of someone new before those problems can be dealt with.

A horse should be safe and comfortable with anyone. She can still be very in tune with you and you can be her safety; but not to you to the exclusion of anyone else.


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## Pidge (Sep 5, 2009)

Both of my horses are one person horses. One to the more extreme then the other.

Romeo is a one person horse but others can ride him and handle him with ease. Especially young kids. On occasion he enjoys jacking with other people who are around my age. He acted a fool for my friend when she rode him. I wasn't there and thus he decided to see how far he could get with things, but anyone who knows how to properly handle a horse doesn't have an issue. He is def a one person horse though. He just doesn't respond to others like he does me and he tries to push things when I'm not around.

Bause is a one person horse and i am the only one who will handle her. I have a handful of other trusted people who have been around her for years and know what she is like (Keith, Mike, Laura, and Danie even though Bause isnt fond of Danie) who can handle her in any emergancy where i am not present but for the most part no one likes to deal with her. She is an arab and a total fruit loop for just about anyone but me and for the most part mike. I ride her and handle her with minimal issues even when she is at her worst. We are still in the bonding stage so i dont expect things to be perfect but she is def my horse and i would not trust anyone else to ride her or for her to behave for anyone else. She needs a lot of work and is a one person horse to the extreme but even with that being said i do have people who can do the basics with her.

So one person horses are amazing and i prefer it that way. Much better bonding over all. But you do need some people who can handle things in case of an emergency.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

iridehorses said:


> A horse should be safe and comfortable with anyone. She can still be very in tune with you and you can be her safety; but not to you to the exclusion of anyone else.


Totally agree. 

They don't have to love and adore others. It's the same concept of a child going to daycare or school, they have to respect those around them.


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

Honeysuga said:


> I don't have that kind of problem with mine, they are respectful of anyone. What I mean is A) They work with everyone, but I know how to get that extra everything out of them. and B) I don't like anyone else on them. Hehe guess that would have been a better way of explaining it in the first place.


What she said.  While my guy is fine for anyone to handle I am jealous of anyone but me riding him. He is personal, like my tooth brush, my wife, my car. Only I get to ride it.
He has enough confidence in himself to work for anyone.


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## whitetrashwarmblood (Aug 24, 2008)

RiosDad said:


> What she said.  While my guy is fine for anyone to handle I am jealous of anyone but me riding him. He is personal, like my tooth brush, my wife, my car. Only I get to ride it.
> He has enough confidence in himself to work for anyone.


Ditto.
Athena has manners. I don't have to be there if the vet comes out to do shots, or if the farrier comes out to trim her feet, anyone can lead her around and handle her. Other people can ride her to but... I don't like it. lol


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## ptvintage (Feb 12, 2010)

RiosDad said:


> What she said.  While my guy is fine for anyone to handle I am jealous of anyone but me riding him. He is personal, like my tooth brush, my wife, my car. Only I get to ride it.
> He has enough confidence in himself to work for anyone.


I agree! My mare was my personal horse, I was the only one that rode her, and we were perfectly in sync. The few occasions I let others ride her, I cringed the whole time.

"NOOOoooo!! She doesn't like that! You're doing it all wrong!"

Everytime she was ridden by someone else, it was generally because we were on a trail ride, and I was riding my other horse who was a trail master. After riding for about 10 minutes though, the jealousy would rise and I would force the friend to switch with me. 

I don't think I'd want a horse that would only respond to me, but it was wonderful to have a horse that I was so in tune with and we both knew each other so well.

I currently have a dog that's afraid of everyone except me, and it's a pain in the butt. She's creepily obsessed with me, has to be near me all the time or she cries. I love her, but I wish she was more like my other dog who's very outgoing. 

So yeah... it may be flattering to have a horse that is only loyal to one person, but I would imagine it would get old, since you'd have to be catering to the horse all the time.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

I agree with everyone else, they need to have manners, what if something happened and you were all of a sudden in the hospital and someone else had to take care of her? at least if you were going on a trip or something you could make her familiar with someone before you left. 
Rena is a one person horse, and it takes her a while to get used to strangers... when my trainer tryed teach her how to clip her ears she lunged back and then lunged forward and stuck her head in my chest, haha shes sorta a baby sometimes. but the vet and any stranger can come and lead her, do groundwork, and she will be ok with that. She doesnt like peopleriding her that dont ride like me or my mom, haha but she puts up with it when she needs to. because she wouldnt want to hurt anyone, haha and when i get on her after i let someone else ride her (which KILLS me to watch, haha i dont do it anymore) she was not happy with me at all. 
but they need to be 'handler friendly' to anyone that comes near them.


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## bearsareneat (Mar 4, 2010)

In response to IRideHorses: 

While I do understand what you are saying, excluding others from working with her was not a conscious thought. The fact of the matter is, there was no one else to work her. I come from a family where I am the sole charge of my horses. My parents keep them on our pasture and they buy the hay. Everything else falls on my shoulders physically, financially, what have you. Which is how i think it should be. I don't come from money, so the prospect of buying a horse trailer to take her places and gain experience is not feasible. Nor have I had any friends (up until I joined the equestrian team last month) that have had experience with horses whatsoever. The thought of asking these people, who have all proclaimed to be frightened of horses, to handle her never seemed like the greatest idea. But, Earlier this week I bit the bullet and enlisted the help of several of these close friends to come to my barn and interact with/stand near her. Maybe its short notice, maybe it won't work, but some effort is better than none.


The fact that I have done her this "injustice" does not fall on deaf ears. I think about it everyday, which is why I came here for answers. In regard to being a "responsible" horse owner...I'm not going to toot my own horn, but will merely say I've tried to do the best I can with what I've been given. 



Hopefully this reply won't be the catalyst that sends this topic spinning off into a heated debate.


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

Arabs are known to be very possessive of their owners - indeed I am told that it is a desired trait that owners around the Mediterranean look for in a horse.

I personally do let certain individuals come near my mare 
namely my wife and a young lady is who teaching my girlie "how to do show jumping". But the rules are the same for all of us, no shouting, no whips, no kicking - only gentle positive handling. The vet is allowed in close, as is the farrier or any other therapist but only in my presence.

My policy came about because I have watched my mare show distinct signs of distress when certain humans are near her. And why should I even consider letting a fight /or/ flight creature come near vexatious people. 
If I am doing my best to keep my horse in a quiet and calm environment, the last thing I want is one of those heavy handed, loud voiced, ignorant people to come near her. Just what good could it do?

My male dog (a very gentle Rottweiler) is the best judge of human character I know, but my horse comes a close second. If she shows by her eyes, ears, mouth, neck
or posture she is nervous around someone, then I know to take care. However if she will stand close by an individual without moving then I know she is content with that person. I then feel easy.

Man is the key predator of horses - and horses know it. 
B G


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## jiblethead (Dec 14, 2009)

Havana is a one person horse. Probably because her past owners were *horrible* I don't ride her, but if anyone else wants to lead, groom, take pictures of, TOUCH her she'll start kicking. Or biting. I don't find it a problem because I'm the only one that takes care of her...but I can see where it would be a problem with other horses. I like one person horses, not as severe as Havana, but I still like them.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

bearsareneat said:


> The fact that I have done her this "injustice" does not fall on deaf ears. I think about it everyday, which is why I came here for answers. In regard to being a "responsible" horse owner...I'm not going to toot my own horn, but will merely say *I've tried to do the best I can with what I've been given.*


That is an excellent attitude. Not having the means to have others handle your horse is different then not allowing them to. 

I've only had Hollywood for about 4 or 5 months and he is slowly forming a bond with me. Since no one in my family rides but me, no one else handles or feeds him. He is so push button that I can't put a beginner on him without the risk of them giving him a cue without realizing what they did and him doing what he thought they wanted. I am very very selective about who I allow to ride him but I want as many people as possible to be able to handle him. 

As several others have said, I am very jealous of anyone else riding him but I know it is for the best. I want him to feel safety, and a reliance with me but still comfortable with others.

Does that make sense?


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## heyycutter (Sep 26, 2009)

my horse is a one person horse. hes very lovey and sweet to me, and does anything i ask of him. he comes when hes called, follows me around, neighs when i come near him and is very gentle.

when someone else tries working with him, hes a complete brute. he bears his teeth,flattens his ears back, lounges at other people, bites and kicks, if they try handling him in a asle way, he smashes them against the walls, and so on.

i trust him as much as on can trust a horse, but i know he can never be a good multiple person horse.

the only con is, i dont think i could ever sell him even if i had to


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## heyycutter (Sep 26, 2009)

(he had a hard past- bought at auction as a unbroke 8 year old stallion, mulitple people tried breaking him but most of the people failed, he was passed around, finally broke to ride at age 11, and now hes 13-16 years old and still tries to take advantage of other people)


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## FoxyRoxy1507 (Jul 15, 2008)

Swoop is a one person horse mainly-mine. i got him as an abuse case so the trust took a long time and he doesnt trust easy at all. he'll let anyone lead him around but you can tell hes being good bc he knows he has to. there have only been a few people that have ridden him, one being my 15yr old niece that my horse and her grew up together for the last 5yrs so he trusts her and my best friend but he is only good and listens bc i am there. no one has been able to ride him as well as i have and we've been to clinics and ive had multiple trainers on him and they all say the same thing- he is a one person horse and he loves me, he gives his heart and soul to me 100%. it took my fiance 5yrs to win him over and that was only bc he fed him and scratched him a lot, i know it would b a different story if he tried to get on him... which my fiance knows will never happen lol he wont even ask to get on him! but it seems he will do whatever i ask him and let whoever i ask him to ride him as long as im there and the person listens to me as to what to do. Swoop will listen to you as well, as long as you ask him to do something instead of playing im the boss now you do what i say! to him our relationship is a partnership and he respects me bc i respect him. he seems to show compassion if he knows i care about the person, just like my nephew who is 6 and has been around Swoop since my nephew was 1yr and Swoop was 4, they love each other to death and i know i dont have to worry about my nephew on him bc Swoop knows i love him so he takes care of him. ill even let my nephew ride around Swoop by himself and he makes sure to take smaller steps so that he will not fall off.

so sorry that is so long but there are pros and cons but i think there are more pros to having one person horses bc to me it shows that they love you more than anything and trust you and i believe you need that in a partnership esp when the animal outweighs you as much as they do.


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## Piaffe (Jan 11, 2010)

my peruvian is a one person horse...and i can't honestly say that i am totally against it,but there should be a line. he started kicking at the walls when even the stall mucker went to clean his stall and that is definitely not okay....he HATES it when he sees me working other horses, he will pin his ears,pace,and nip. which is ridiculous. On the other hand i know that he would protect me if we were trail riding and a cougar attacked....but...i do agree 100% if he is going to be a one person horse persay..he should still be able to be handled by other people. we are still working on getting him to let the farrier get near him  he isn't mean....he just really doesnt trust anyone else..and with me he acts like a lost puppy...


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I'm with Iride 100% - have said it before and will say it again - If you purposefully foister a one person horse, you are doing a huge disservice.

no one can guarantee that they will always own a horse or always be the one to handle it. Sickness, family illness/death, your own death, travel, relationships, etc. - There are a million reasons why someone eventually will need to be able to safely handle your horse.

All my horses can be handled by up to about 5 different people within a few weeks of me having them. In a few months, just about anyone could go catch them, groom them, pick up feet, check them over, etc. 

Yet I still have a good bond with them. 

I am also big on letting other people ride them - As long as it is done right, it fosters a tolerant horse - Which is one of the best traits you can give a horse. My little Arab, Wildey, has been ridden by probably 50+ people in the 9+ years I have had him. Begginers, experienced riders, in between, at competitions, at home, on the trail, at PC. We did squad for four years where he was ridden by 15 riders a day for two days a month. And yet he still gave that bit extra for me - There was things he did OK for others but excellent for me. It doesn't get in the way of a 'bond'.

At a show a week or two ago I had a younger friend there whos horse was put down not long ago. So I chucked her up on bundy to do some classes - And lo and behold she won a champion ribbon. I want all my horses to be like that - He was highly tuned, responsive and quick for me, and then just crusied around with the new rider without losing a beat.

It means that if I ever need to sell, I can guarantee that they will find a great home. I have always had people interested in my horses, for that exact reason. While they perform their best for me, they will get out and try for anyone.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Another time - I was on Bundy (In my avatar - Actually I think it was that exact weekend) at a MG comp - going pretty quick. A friends horse had gone lame so I offered Bundy - She was a 40+ mum - She hopped on and trotted through. She had a ball.

I don't understand why you wouldn't want to be able to do that.


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## bearsareneat (Mar 4, 2010)

"I don't understand why you wouldn't want to be able to do that." 

Hm. that's funny. I think I specified already that i would LOVE to be able to do that. Its not as if I'm deliberately trying to make her so closed off from others that she will reject every single person except for myself. I'm just not that self interested nor naive to feed into that paradigm. I'm glad that your horse has had 50+ riders on him, he's been able to win ribbons with all riders no matter their skill level, and you have had the ability to socialize your horse in such a way. 

Don't get me wrong, I've worked with such horses and they are a pleasure to be around. After being a trail guide for over seven years, I get that joke. My other mare is just such a horse. She will allow anyone to work for her, but she gives that so called "little extra" to me. But this isn't about that. it is merely about how I can go about acclimating Rosie to people and a world she has scarcely seen.

I find it extremely ironic that this disservice I am subjecting her to is in fact the complete polar opposite of what I am attempting to accomplish. That being, providing her with a happy and safe environment where she can live out her years and flourish. God forbid!

As I have stated previously, I DO worry about this. I understand that having a horse that is so one-person-oriented is an extreme drawback. and again, this is why I came here. I did not come here for criticism on my relationship with my horse. I did not think this question would be met with a barrage of "you are treating your horse poorly because you......" 

I know this is rather harsh. But I really don't care.....I came here for advice, and a number of you have helped immensely, thank you so much. your insights, stories, and tips have given me a better perspective on the matter.

Thanks-- T


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> If you *purposefully* foister a one person horse, you are doing a huge disservice.


Please, read that again.

I was in NO way directing that at you - if you do a search you can see that I have posted the same thing in almost every thread on this topic. It is something I feel very strongly about. I was speaking in general, and also toward some other people in this thread who have mentioned they like having a one person horse.

I applaud your attitude and think it's great that you are trying to fix this - So many people don't! Please don't think I was attacking you or accusing you of treating your horses horribly. I'm sorry it came off that way


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## friafreedom756 (Jul 13, 2009)

My boyfriends mom's horse is definately a one person horse. I really worked with her over the summer and we became quite attatched. I went off to college this fall and have learned no one else has has success on her, she was a devil with his mom and took off with my boyfriend, then jumped a pasture fence with a western wintec under her belly(part of that was due to tack error, my bf insisted she could be ridden both ways no problem (shes my english baby.))
When I went home after christmas break, the first thing i did was groom her, jump on her bareback, and start trotting over poles. We had a ball. She will let me do anything with her.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I have a seven year old gelding that I got when he was a weanling. At that time I didn't shoe my own horses so I took great pains to prepare my horse to get his feet done. I was the only one in my family to handle him because my wife isn't into horses and my sons were too young at the time. When the farrier came out to trim him my horse wanted nothing to do with him. It took fifteen minutes before he could pet him and reach down and pick up a foot. After that he stood wonderfully for trimming. I have never had a horse that was like that before or since. Now my horses are handled by me or my kids and they get used enough that they are used to other people around.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I have one horse that is probably what would be considered a "one man horse". It's not that he can not be handled by others or that they could not ride him. It's that he gives others little or no respect and does not behave when they attempt to ride him. He's definitely MY HORSE. 

I have a mare that chooses who will ride her. She can be handled by most anyone, she's not what I consider enjoyable as far as her ground manners go, she doesn't stand real still and she doesn't really give you any respect. She allows children to walk trot her and have really enjoyable rides on her. The moment an adult gets on her, she's crow-hoppy and just plain sneaky. She's cold back so I need to have her back checked and I am going to get her teeth floated but for the most part, she's just a picky little witch.

I actually prefer a horse that anyone can get on and ride safely.


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## Horse Poor (Aug 20, 2008)

I have a horse like that. He will never be safe for anyone but the most experienced rider and they had better be experienced because he knows the difference. He has a bag FULL of antics and he is not above trying them on anyone new to see just how far he can get with THAT person. That said, he is trained to the 9s and is an absolute dream to ride, but he will try anyone who he is unfamiliar with on for size…almost like he's testing their ability to see if they are as good at what they do as he is at what he does. He is a very serious, all business no nonsense horse. He knows his job and attacks his work pouring everything he has into it, but he could really care less about people.


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

I have had a one person thoroughbred mare. She would behave for others though, and would let other people ride her, though she would give a bit of trouble if they were feeling insecure and giving her mixed signals. I never had to worry about her being handleable in an emergency situation, but she definately didn't get that extra spark with others that she got with me. And yes I agree with being a nervous wreck when someone else would ride her lol. My Arab is another story entirely. She also came from a neglectful home where one of the mexican workers decided that it was a good idea to send 3 or 4 people into her stall to corner her, and then rope her down to get her feet done. She and I have definately bonded, and she is doing really well for me, but I feel for anyone else who has to go in and try to catch her or mess with her. She has only let one other person go in and catch her with any sort of confidence, but with all others she's a nervous wreck. At this current point, since I live on the property, I am just working on getting her to the point where others can come up and say hi while I'm holding her, and she's getting better. It is worrisome though if I ever can't get there or am not there in a reasonable amount of time, in case of an emergency, cause she can't be caught.

Take for instance Wednesday morning. She decided to be brilliant and jump over the rusty metal bucket cart, and caught her hind leg. Fortunately I was right there, but even for me it took a bit to catch her, as she's never actually hurt herself before, and was terrified and unsure of what to do. I could tell that she didn't want to leave mom, but at the same time, she hurt and didn't want someone approaching her either. Once I caught her, and ended up getting the vet there, we found out that she severed a vein, and had a nice laceration that needed to be stiched up. I cringe to think of what would have happened if I hadn't been there, and no one was able to catch her. 
It is nice that she does what I want, and I am nervous once she's trained undersaddle to let someone ride her, as I have very specific ideas of what and how I want things done with her. But I do want her to get to a place where others can handle her easily, and that she respects them. I commend you for wanting to help your horse and yourself, and I do believe that you have done the best that you can with what you have. Because my horse is so terrified of others, especially if there are more than just a couple people around, it makes it hard to get her calm enough that someone else can approach her, and I don't want to endanger her, myself, or anyone else just in the name of trying to make her accept others in a leadership role. Definately have people over, just to hang around, and be a presence. They don't even have to try and work with her, just be around her where she feels the most comfortable, until she is okay with others being in the same area, then work from there.


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

Sorry for the long novel lol. Its kind of hard sometimes to condense everything you want to say into a few sentences.


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## bearsareneat (Mar 4, 2010)

Wow I suck. Sorry about that. Note to self: never get on horseforum.com after writing term papers all night and drinking three budweisers. That combo just makes me grumpy :/. 

Today she did really well! My friend came out and was my guinea pig. Rosie and I went about our daily routine and I've never seen her so relaxed. We've been working a lot more consistently and varying what we do, so I guess she's falling back into that groove. She didn't seem to mind the extra company, even though when it came to touching she would move away after a few seconds. Near the end (before the dreaded vet came to run a coggins, god that was an experience) she was sniffing my friend's feet and nibbling at her pants. Inquisitive, more relaxed, but still as vigilant as always.


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

I can see no pro to a one person horse. If a horse can not be ridden by anyone they are not very well trained. Now that dose not mean any tom >>>> or Harry can jump on and get them to go win. However you can ride them and with a bit of work (learning the cues) they will go and win for that person or anyone who can ride correctly.

ALL my horses can be ridden by anyone. Some of my horses have earnings under 3-4 different rider from Green/rookie reiners all the way to the Open. Would have it no other way. It makes the horse more valuable and marketable if you ever wanted or needed to sell that horse.

I see no pros to having a one person horse.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I agree!


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

I think there are 2 different things being discussed here the *true one person horse and is trained to be that way, who can only be handled by that one person* and the *horse that one is possessive of and is partners with and gets jealous when someone else rides him but the horse is still trained to accept and work well for anyone who comes near him....*

The first I do not agree with, the second I see no problem with.


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

Honeysuga said:


> the *true one person horse and is trained to be that way, who can only be handled by that one person*
> .


I don't think they are trained that way. I feel they are just insecure horses that don't trust anyone but that person. They have anxiety problems. Their confidence level is very low, they have a problem.

I am the jealous type and don't want others riding my horse but a total stranger could come to the barn and take him from his stall, cross tie him and work on him with absolutely no problems. He is confident in himself. 
I wouldn't waste my time on a horse that is insecure. It will show up in everything he does. I want a bold confident outgoing horse and then will let no one but me handle him.:lol:


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## RadHenry09 (Mar 22, 2009)

RiosDad said:


> I don't think they are trained that way. I feel they are just insecure horses that don't trust anyone but that person. They have anxiety problems. Their confidence level is very low, they have a problem.
> 
> I am the jealous type and don't want others riding my horse but a total stranger could come to the barn and take him from his stall, cross tie him and work on him with absolutely no problems. He is confident in himself.
> I wouldn't waste my time on a horse that is insecure. It will show up in everything he does. I want a bold confident outgoing horse and then will let no one but me handle him.:lol:


 
So , if you had a horse that was unconfident in himself , what steps would you take to get him more confident or would you just give up on him and send him packing? Just curious .


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

RadHenry09 said:


> So , if you had a horse that was unconfident in himself , what steps would you take to get him more confident or would you just give up on him and send him packing? Just curious .


I would never have bought him in the first place. I would have eliminated him as a potential purchase right off the bat. When I first look at a horse I have to feel something. I have to feel he is better then the average horse, he must stand out. Then I hobble him, I ask permission to hobble and then with someone holding him I hobble him and watch how he reacts. If he self distructs I walk away. If he passes the hobble test I then take my coat and blind fold him. Again I look for the self distruct button and if I can't find it I am interested. Price doesn't matter but temperment does as does looks, He must stand out, he must be bolt, confident and I certainly don't mind a jerk.
I would not buy a problem horse, I wouldn't buy a broke horse, he must be raw, a gelding, prefer a stallion which I will cut the next day but he must be cocky, self assured and eye catching.

I don't have to sell a problem horse because I wouldn't have bought him in the first place. A lame horse is sold off quickly. I wouldn't waste money on a inferer horse. I spend about $5000 a year on a horse. He has to be good.


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## RadHenry09 (Mar 22, 2009)

Thanks for the reply , I was just interested.


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## bearsareneat (Mar 4, 2010)

Wow this topic sure has grown! 

Again, thanks for all the stories and input! Keep it coming. 

My main question is with Riosdad. You say you would never buy a horse that is not fully confident in themselves. Why do you want to write off the countless others that never had a chance? Those are the horses I empathize with the most. It is all well and good to take one of those confident, well rounded horses and make even more out of him. Those horses are a precious commodity...but it breaks my heart to see a horse that COULD have a chance, but is not given that chance to show who they truly are. Every horse, in my opinion, has the ability to be a great companion, if nothing else. Every horse has a niche that they can fit into. 

What gets me is this "anxiety" issue. I know that my mare is extremely wary of strangers. I like to think she is more complex than the "average" horse. But the skinny of it is......she isn't. Her flight reaction is just more acute. When someone refers to "anxieties," in a horse, it just makes a simple problem that much more complex than it needs to be. Humans as a whole think that if we can't understand something (in this case a horse) then it HAS to be more complex than ourselves. But maybe that's the paradox.....these horses that seem to be riddled with anxieties are really just fearful and looking for guidance. 

that's the greatest part about rescuing a horse. You get witness this fearful creature transform into something completely different. Some people may bash me because my horse "has anxiety issues" or "is not well trained because she can't fully accept others." But the fact of the matter is....she's a lot better than where she started...and that alone is enough of a reward. 

These problem horses that are sorely overlooked are everywhere around us. The horses that won't stand to hobble or have a coat thrown over their heads are, again in my opinion, the ones that need to be considered with the most depth. Those traits, the hobbling and blindfolding (if we're going to use those as an example), CAN be bred in ....but it's also related to experience. 

sometimes those unconfident horses that most overlook can turn out to be the greatest mounts one can possess.


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

My horse is not a "One person horse", but for other people he is rideable my instructors can ride him. But I disagree with friends and such riding him, partly because he is my horse he's been worked a special way and taught a special way. Everything he knows, I have put at least 40% of the work into, I'm proud of that. Sure I am teaching a friend on him at the time, but that is because shes taught "My way". That is not an un-advanced way. Its a combination of training and riding methods taught from two very well educated and advanced instructors. Overall I think part of my horse being a "One Person Horse" is by choice, I enjoy him being my special boy and would like to keep it that way.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

bearsareneat said:


> Wow this topic sure has grown!
> 
> Again, thanks for all the stories and input! Keep it coming.
> 
> My main question is with Riosdad. You say you would never buy a horse that is not fully confident in themselves.


Not to answer for Rio, and I don't always agree with him, but I can understand and agree with what he means. An owner - not simply a trainer in this case - needs to work with horses of their personality type. They should own horses that work well with who they are. It is no different then picking a spouse - someone whose personality gels with yours.

There are plenty of people who will buy a horse based of pity or the need to rescue the horse, just as there are buyers of any other type of personality. I have the ideal horse in my barn which is far different then Rio's but he works well with my personality. Ideally an owner should buy a horse with their head not their heart. 

As you progress through years of ownership and horse training, you will develop a "type" of horse that attracts you. Instead of "falling in love" as we hear so many times in the younger members, you will pass over horses that just don't fit the personality of your ideal. 

Why waist time, space, energy, feed, vet care, etc on a horse that you simply don't like? Harsh, but experienced horseman come to think in those terms.


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

I totally agree with the above. Buy the horse that suits you. I would generally only buy confident horses, as I figure things work better when only one neurotic mess is allowed in the relationship, and it gets to be me.  

As romantic as the one person horse sounds, I'd never want one. My horse is such a schoolmaster now that I will put anyone on her. No one is going to screw her up at this point. If I had a youngster, I'd be more careful who I let on her, but Gypsum pretty much goes the way she goes now. This makes life easy, when I leave town or my car breaks or whatever. One less thing to worry about.


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

bearsareneat said:


> My main question is with Riosdad. You say you would never buy a horse that is not fully confident in themselves. Why do you want to write off the countless others that never had a chance? Those are the horses I empathize with the most. It is all well and good to take one of those confident, well rounded horses and make even more out of him.


My preferred purchase is a neglected puke of a 4 year old basically unhandled stallion. ONe that has been tucked away in some back 40 and let alone. These guys have a horrible life, poor foot care, unhandled, unloved. To me they respond the best to affection, to handling. These are not your pampered house pets, none of the last 3 even knew what a apple was.. One had never been out of his stall in 4 years, he didn't know what a brush was but all ALL had fire, all when turned into an arena exploded with life and floated around the area.
My last guy charged me in a hard run and at the last moment swerved and let out a big kick that missed by close. I loved him from the moment I saw him.
The one before that you couldn't get near and when I tricked him onto a stock trailer I didn't know how to get out past him. He was a vicious kicker. Two of the guys I bought the owner used the work KILL if you don't watch them.

NO I don't take the pampered pets, the ones everyone else wants, I want the rog stallion, I cut him immediately but the bases for a great horse lies under the rogness???

You can have your nervous wrecks, your personality problems,the ones spoiled by love. Me I will take this stallion, this puke and turn him into a loving dog following at my heals in nothing flat.

Hope you girls pick a husband with more care then you pick you horses.
Girls look into the family history, any problems back there?? do you want to deal with them down the line??? Pick wisely, keep the good ones and dump the bad. Same with horses, dump the bad, the lame.

Flame away at me girls.. this is 51 years of making horses speaking. Notice I didn't say break. I make horses.


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

iridehorses said:


> Not to answer for Rio, and I don't always agree with him, Why waist time, space, energy, feed, vet care, etc on a horse that you simply don't like? Harsh, but experienced horseman come to think in those terms.


we agree on this. I won't let my heart dictate if I buy or keep a horse. It is based on the horses ability, his soundness, his temperment. 
That said I have takend someone elses problem for a morning an rode that nerotic horse to places the owner would never beleive, I feel alot/most of the problems people experience stem from them, not the horse.. Horses follow their leader and if this leader is strong, confident so will be the horse.


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

"Hope you girls pick a husband with more care then you pick you horses."

Haha. I wish my judgment of men was HALF as good as my judgment of horses.  I can spot a good horse a mile away and every horse I have ever bought has been awesome. I can't say the same about guys I've dated.


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

thesilverspear said:


> "Hope you girls pick a husband with more care then you pick you horses."
> 
> Haha. I wish my judgment of men was HALF as good as my judgment of horses.


My wife walked into my grade 11 class mid season and the minute I saw her I said to myself "I am going to marry that girl". 45 years later we are still together, 42 year married and she is still the same girl I dated back then. Guys look at the mother and decide if you want your wife to look like her down the road:lol::lol: Then run like hell or stick.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

HEY THAT^^ ISN'T FAIR lol. No offense to my mommy dearest, but I would not want to be judged based on her looks or temperament, If I were I fear I would forever be single!


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## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

LOL! This thread has gone from the pros/cons of a one person horse to how to chose a husband/wife! .....And yet there is a lot of truth in both being somewhat connected.

Me, well I'm the loyal / faithful type. And both my horses are of the same temperament, with me that is. Both will do what ever I ask, even if they may have a few misgivings, they know I will not risk their well being. Same thing with my husband. I may question a few decisions (as he will with me) but we know neither of us will risk each others well being or relationship.

Here's a question. Do you think a horse's personality can be "changed" by the personality (granted that includes handling ect) of the owner/handler so that for example a very reactive horse can change into a calm thinking horse if the owner/handler is very calm, confident ect.? Much like a calm thinking horse can become a nervous hyper horse from being owned/handled by a hyper/nervous person?


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## RadHenry09 (Mar 22, 2009)

While I agree that you have words of wisdom from a very experienced horseman, some of us while not so wise may have picked horses that weren't suited for us maybe at first. 
I was once told ...you need to make a choice to either decide if this horse isn't the best choice for you or learn, do all you can to be the right person for the horse. While I do not believe my horse is just a one person horse, he does behave better for me at certain times ...i.e farrier , vet etc...but others have handled him and have ridden him successfully. He is boarded so many other people do handle him on a daily basis. I wouldn't say 100 percent of the time he is respectful and minds his manners(so to speak) If the person doing the handling isn't very comfortable he will def. pick up on it.


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

To get back on topic....

I don't mean to sound harsh, but the only "pros," from what I have read on this thread, of having a one-person horse benefit the ego of the horse's handler rather than the horse. It appears that owners feel good about themselves (and I don't mean everyone on this thread, as some people mentioned that they are working on it, but the title of the thread asks for pros and cons, which assumes there must be a pro) when their horse only listens to them. You feel special, empowered, loved when you have this horse that appears to only "love" you and is a nightmare for anyone else handle. 

While it's fantastic that they have a great bond with their horses, there are plenty of other people who have great bonds with horses that can be easily handled and ridden by others. Having good manners and behaving in a reasonable way with whoever is on its back or at the end of a lead rope doesn't preclude a horse from having a "special" bond with its owner. 

Can anyone suggest any advantage a horse might have in being a one person horse and leave human psychology aside?


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## Seahorseys (Nov 14, 2009)

I have the opposite problem, My horse is possessive of me! She hates when I pet other horses, if she's standing by she reaches her neck out at the other horse and her upper lip flares. She's not too keen on me talking on the phone, especially when I take a call while I groom her. If I stop to talk to another person with her, she acts as if she wants to be in on the conversation. I feel like she's saying "mommy, mommy, look at me, me, me!" She seems to be so used to having all my attention that she doesn;t know what to do with herself when I'm diverted. lol.

I guess I don't truly know if I have a one person horse. I do know that I am the only person that has truly owned her and I pretty much exclusively have worked with her. she started the handling process late, at 4 years old. Before then she was desensitized to people, yes, they would feed her carrots and throw her food, occasionally pet her, but it was just her and her sister wandering in a huge field. She had no prior vet, farrier, or dental care, AT FOUR! She's pretty acclimated to anyone handling her now, I mean she's young, so she has her moments, but ask joe schmoe to take it to the ring and she will test you out. I guess if anyone is up to that test and passes she'd be a multiple person horse, which case in point, has happened with all the trainers I have worked with. They worked through her hiccup and everything was fine after that. 

Maybe this has a tendency to happen to horses that have only ever had one owner, or horses that have been abused and then finally find relief in one owner? I don't know, perhaps I am romanticizing things.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Sometimes when you have a difficult horse you learn how to handle the horse better than someone that hasn't been around that horse. I had a QH mare off the race track and she was great about everything but shoeing. The farrier would come out and if I held her I could handle her just right and she wouldn't fight too much. When I moved to go to college and the farrier came he brought his wife to help him. The wife did something that the mare took offense to and she reared up and the woman was struck on the hand and it broke her thumb. I don't know if she didn't get after the horse enough or if she got after her too much but in the two years that I had been handling her during shoeing she had never reacted strongly enough to create an injury like that.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

I have a "one-person" horse and I detest it. She's getting better now, because I don't find anything cute or fun about an animal like that. Zierra is well trained enough that she serves as a good mount if some friends come out to ride, and I really don't need to worry about her acting like an idiot with a city slicker because she figures I should be on her back.

I don't even know how it surfaced. Maybe not ENOUGH other riders? She broke out as such a quiet 4 year old, my novice boyfriend actually rode her for about a year because her dam was too bat**** crazy for anyone else to handle. She'd mosey at the back of the trail group, happy as a clam to be on a loose rein and enjoying the scenery.

When she moved to Elaines at 5 years old, I became her sole rider, but I let Elaine use her for lessons. That didn't go over well. After one 20 minute session of a rider 20x better then me not being able to even make her move more then a foot at a time, Elaine politely thanked me and told me to have my head examined. :lol: (not really) During this time, I got into a fight with a couple girls who began to abuse Zierra for it, and sic their dog on her.

Unfortunately, she moved back to my grandpa's when she was 6 years old, and I really became her sole rider for about 2 years (nobody to ride with). The one time I let my idiot boyfriend ride her, he tried to show off, so she bolted and piled him hard (the same animal I can jump on without any headgear in a pasture and fart around with, or control easily with just a halter). Different boyfriend then when she was 4, haha.

I met Shay-la about three years ago, and for whatever reason, she took to Shay-la. I don't know what I was thinking, but Shay-las first ride on her was with a broken leg in a cast :lol: Zierra was an angel. 

Since then, me and Shay-la can ride her fine, but she's still touchy with strangers. She spends about 15 minutes, dancing and blowing and acting like an idiot, and if you don't get scared and do something silly, then you've "passed her test" and can ride. Just don't dare catch her mouth or bounce her back, only me and Shay-la can do those things!

It's a pain. I honestly hate that she's like this. You have to be this perfect combination (like kevinshorses was saying) of a good rider but NOT aggressive or pushy or she'll shut down. So she spooks novice riders and challanges advanced riders. 

I've already got Shay-la AND Ashley doing little stints on Jynx :lol: I never want a "one-person" horse again!!!


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## PechosGoldenChance (Aug 23, 2009)

I don't like the idea of a one person horse. Yea, it seems like it would be a really nice thing to have, just between you and your horse, but I would hate to tell someone they can't ride my horse because she only likes me. I really enjoy letting people ride that don't get to do it because they don't have horses, so the one person horse probably wouldn't work for me. 

Although, I have to say, in the same respect, in a way I hate when other people ride lol. I know that sounds confusing, but I just hate they way they ride my horse because if they don't know what they are doing they make her sour. I don't know, honestly lol. I guess I just like to make people feel good by letting them ride, I just hate how they do it...I think thats what I'm trying to get at haha.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

thesilverspear said:


> Haha. I wish my judgment of men was HALF as good as my judgment of horses.  I can spot a good horse a mile away and every horse I have ever bought has been awesome. I can't say the same about guys I've dated.


The flip side: I've often wished women's judgement of men (and me in particular ) was one tenth as good as the judgement of their horses (and dogs &c).


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