# Do you really think horses enjoy being ridden?



## JustDressageIt

Some do, some don't. 
Some humans love working, some loathe it. 
Some dogs love to work, and some hate it. 
Some animals (human, avian, terrestrial, aquatic) love to interact, be busy, have a job, and others simply don't. One horse in my life absolutely loves interacting with humans and loves working - his eyes get dull and you can definitely tell that he almost (being careful to not personify him too much) gets depressed when "his humans" don't come to visit and work with him. other horses I know would rather never see a saddle for the rest of their lives. 
It is totally animal dependent.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JustDressageIt

Just to add to my thought and your post, I don't think they anticipate work. They sont have the thought process of "yay! I can't wait to be ridden/worked today!" But they know when they haven't been worked. Future vs. Past thought processes. Just my opinion.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Speed Racer

Diamond, we hardly 'stole' freedom from horses. It's a partnership. They gave up certain things to get certain things, just like wolves did to become dogs.

Przewalski's Horse is the only _true_ wild horse left in existence, so the animals about which you're waxing poetic are domestic, purpose bred animals. The ones that escaped or were let go to live and breed out in the wild are still domestic animals; they've just gone feral.

Some horses live for the show ring, race track, or working with cattle. Just like humans, all horses are individuals. Sure, they share characteristics since they're the same species, but you can't say _all_ horses would be happy if we left them alone, especially performance bred animals.


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## lilruffian

No, i dont. Would you like someone strapping a saddle to you, putting a bar of metal in your mouth and sitting on you while they make you go in what would be a totally pointless direction to any horse?
Being ridden isn't natural to the horse though people find it enjoyable and it's a good means of exercise for modern day horses who don't have to roam for their food over several miles each day. 

I do, however, believe that there are horses that enjoy getting out & moving/trying something new. And since being ridden is the only way most horses get out of the pasture and explore like they would in the wild, they look forward to it.

It is not cruel to keep them as "lawn ornaments". Most horses probably wouldn't mind that life lol. And there are other ways of exercising a horse that doesn't involve getting on its back.


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## DrumRunner

I think it depends on the job they are doing.. My mare loves her job. She loves to ride and go places. She does really good on trails and shows and is very excited about it. When I go to the pasture or drive by it (she knows my car??) she runs to the gate like "OH MY, Can we go? please?) I can open the gate and she si right there and wants out,. she HATES, LOATHES, and DESPISES to go slow. If we trail ride with another horse and they are walking slow it gets her so mad and she will try me but she knows when I mean business and I'm not going to tolerate it...my gelding however..he will be 21 in May and he still likes to be ridden but if I push him or ask him to do somethin he doesn't really want to do he will sometimes try to chunk me off. That's pretty hard to do because I know that horse better than I know my boyfriend. He is like an old shoe that fits perfect. but he is a S***eater when he doesn't want to do something.. he wants to trot everywhere and wants to lope some but i make him just walk and he turns into a beast..There aren't even words to explain that horse. He is strange, but I love him. I couldn't ever sell him and I'm the only one who will ride him because my sister hates him because he is a brat and doesn't like it when he doesn't get his way. 

I don't think it's cruel to ride your horses. I think it depends on their job and how they handle themselves. Some might get sour with a job if they are doing it too long and pushed to hard. I'm not going to say all horses are but alot of the horses I've worked with were eager to please and lived for the praise they got when doing something right. I wouldn't put something on my horse that would make them uncomfortable and would hurt them. I don't use a bit that would be too much for them. Riding a horse might not have been natural for them but most horse owners put everything they can into making sure their horse is well cared for and as comfortable as possible when they ride.


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## TheLovedOne

I think that horses would prefer if we didn't ride them and that we didn't isolate them. They like to be safe, eat, and play with each other. For some reason, probably because we provide food and care, they decide that we're OK too but I think they always see us as aliens and not quite part of the herd. I've heard people usually trainers/coaches (probably because they need more business every scrap matters) say that it's not right to not ride/exercise your horse. 

Well I have a herd of horses and sometimes I don't ride for months but they keep their condition and are happy. They all are friendly and affectionate towards me and I to them but I don't think that means that they like it when I ride them. Maybe they like the social, play aspect to the interactions but that's why when people use fear, intimidation or violence it just doesn't work or open the lines of communication.


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## DrumRunner

TheLovedOne;911314
Well I have a herd of horses and sometimes I don't ride for months but they keep their condition and are happy. They all are friendly and affectionate towards me and I to them but I don't think that means that they like it when I ride them. Maybe they like the social said:


> I think that's kinda crazy. If your horse absolutly did not want to be ridden you wouldn't ride them. Horses can come to trust people like the person is a member of the herd and as a partner. You can gain respect from your horse and trust just like you would a person..
> 
> and a person wouldn't like you either if you were using fear, intimidation, and violence to get them to do what you wanted to do.
> 
> I think if you show your horse love and care then they will love and care for you too. Horses are social animals and don't see humans as this awful thing if the human doesn't mistreat them..A horse will act as bad as you treat it..


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## DiamondsMyLady

JustDressageIt said:


> Just to add to my thought and your post, I don't think they anticipate work. They sont have the thought process of "yay! I can't wait to be ridden/worked today!" But they know when they haven't been worked. Future vs. Past thought processes. Just my opinion.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I realize they don't think that way, if you'll look in my post, you'll see that.


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## DiamondsMyLady

Speed Racer said:


> Diamond, we hardly 'stole' freedom from horses. It's a partnership. They gave up certain things to get certain things, just like wolves did to become dogs.
> 
> Przewalski's Horse is the only _true_ wild horse left in existence, so the animals about which you're waxing poetic are domestic, purpose bred animals. The ones that escaped or were let go to live and breed out in the wild are still domestic animals; they've just gone feral.
> 
> Some horses live for the show ring, race track, or working with cattle. Just like humans, all horses are individuals. Sure, they share characteristics since they're the same species, but you can't say _all_ horses would be happy if we left them alone, especially performance bred animals.


I see where you're coming from with stealing their freedom, but that was really just to emphasize that they used to just run about as they pleased and now they don't. But technically we did steal their freedom. (I'm not trying to argue, and change/discredit your opinion, just throwing my two cents in). They did as they pleased, now that can't. Not to say ALL horses would rather be "free" but before horses were used for our needs, they would have been quite content to be wild.
And I don't believe horses think that way. "Well this seems the better deal so lets go with that." We took them out of their natural habitat.


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## lacyloo

I believe horses would rather sit in a pasture eating all day than being ridden. But now they can enjoy their jobs. My previous mare hated being caught/brushed/ saddled up/ but once she saw the barrel pattern she loved it.


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## TheLovedOne

Well although I do ride my horses and they act like my partner and we do have good communication, I still think that they are happy just running about and playing with each other. I don't think they need us to ride them.

I agree with you Drumrunner that horses become our partners and yes they will love back. But ya gotta know that there are lots of people out there that use fear, intimidation and violence but I shouldn't have mentioned it because that's not the focus of this thread.


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## Speed Racer

OP, what you don't seem to realize is that if humans hadn't taken the horse under their protection, the animals we know today simply wouldn't exist.

Horses have been bred domestically for thousands of years. All of the horses today EXCEPT for Przewalski's are domestic bred. ALL of them, and that includes the feral horses.

The different breeds and characteristics that people love simply wouldn't be around, if humanity hadn't found a use for the horse and bred it to meet their own criteria. Dogs are exactly the same way. Humanity had a use for dogs, so bred them into existence. 

TBs are _specifically_ bred to bond with people and to want to go fast, which is what makes them such superb race horses.

I have no problem with people who want to have horses just to have them. If they never ride them, that's their business. But to say that horses _prefer_ freedom is rather far fetched, since there isn't a horse on the planet (save Przewalski's) that were born free. They were all domestically bred, which makes them_ domestic_ livestock, not wild animals yearning for freedom.

Tell me, do you ride? If so, why? You seem to have disdain for people who 'make' their horses carry them around.


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## DiamondsMyLady

Speed Racer said:


> OP, what you don't seem to realize is that if humans hadn't taken the horse under their protection, the animals we know today simply wouldn't exist.
> 
> Horses have been bred domestically for thousands of years. All of the horses today EXCEPT for Przewalski's are domestic bred. ALL of them, and that includes the feral horses.
> 
> The different breeds and characteristics that people love simply wouldn't be around, if humanity hadn't found a use for the horse and bred it to meet their own criteria. Dogs are exactly the same way. Humanity had a use for dogs, so bred them into existence.
> 
> TBs are _specifically_ bred to bond with people and to want to go fast, which is what makes them such superb race horses.
> 
> I have no problem with people who want to have horses just to have them. If they never ride them, that's their business. But to say that horses _prefer_ freedom is rather far fetched, since there isn't a horse on the planet (save Przewalski's) that were born free. They were all domestically bred, which makes them_ domestic_ livestock, not wild animals yearning for freedom.
> 
> Tell me, do you ride? If so, why? You seem to have disdain for people who 'make' their horses carry them around.


Oh I do ride, I don't feel that way at all. I just found this an interesting topic, and wanted to know what everyone else thought bout it. I wanted it to lean more to the side of people who think it's cruel to keep a horse as a "pasture ornament" I suppose I over-emphasized a bit too much.


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## Speed Racer

DiamondsMyLady said:


> Oh I do ride, I don't feel that way at all. I just found this an interesting topic, and wanted to know what everyone else thought bout it. I wanted it to lean more to the side of people who think it's cruel to keep a horse as a "pasture ornament" I suppose I over-emphasized a bit too much.


Please remember that some people have horses because they need them for their livelihood. If an animal isn't working, it's useless. 

Beef cattle need to be able to continue to supply calves for either breeding (heifers) or beef (steers). Once a cow stops producing calves, she's turned into meat herself. A crippled cow horse is as useless to a rancher as a barren beef cow.

I don't think I've ever heard someone say it was cruel to let a horse just hang out and eat grass, but I've heard plenty of folks say the animal needs to earn its keep, which means working.


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## TheLovedOne

I think the topic is whether it's cruel to let horses run and play in the pasture and not ride them or "use" them. Am I right? 

I'm sure the freedom argument could also be interesting but maybe not the intention of this thread.


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## TheLovedOne

Oh no I've heard people say it's cruel to not ride them. Maybe it's a city thing.


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## bsms

Tale of 3 horses:

1 - A horse I rode a few times on an Idaho ranch 30 years ago. He HATED being ridden...for pleasure. Put some cows in front of him, and he was all work. I was put on his back because he didn't need anyone there to move cattle. Think of a 1200 lb Border Collie. Doubt he liked being ridden, but he loved working cattle.

2 - My gelding. Likes exercise, but doesn't care how it comes. Doesn't mind being ridden, but doesn't act like it is a thrill.

3 - My mare. Likes to be ridden. Starts calling when she sees me carrying a saddle. She seems happy when a person she knows is on her back. Doesn't feel a need to socialize with me apart from riding.

All as best I can figure out. I do know that many Border Collies LOVE herding sheep and cattle. My first wouldn't breed while in heat if cattle were nearby. They aren't wolves, they are dogs. The same is true of horses. At least some horses enjoy people and doing things with them. They aren't the fanatics that a Border Collie would be, but they enjoy doing what they were bred to do.

Riding isn't abuse. It isn't robbing them of squat. I've never met a horse who wanted to run free...and find his own food, shelter, protection, etc. They may exist, but most want to be cared for.


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## JustDressageIt

DiamondsMyLady said:


> I see where you're coming from with stealing their freedom, but that was really just to emphasize that they used to just run about as they pleased and now they don't. But technically we did steal their freedom. (I'm not trying to argue, and change/discredit your opinion, just throwing my two cents in). They did as they pleased, now that can't. Not to say ALL horses would rather be "free" but before horses were used for our needs, they would have been quite content to be wild.
> And I don't believe horses think that way. "Well this seems the better deal so lets go with that." We took them out of their natural habitat.


I'd rather be "free to do what I pleased," but then I'd have to fight with others to be fed, warm, and safe. The horses could "roam free" but they would not have protection from predators, food through the harsh winter, or protection from sickness. 
You sacrifice some things to benefit from others; such as "freedom" (that comes with uncertainties such as famine, disease, predators etc) for safety, food, and protection. I'M not in my natural habitat... And I'm quite happy with that! I've got a full tummy, nice bed... Sure I have to work for it... But that's ok to me. 
I could go live in the jungle or mountains and "live free" as my monkey ancestors did way back when, but I would probably, most certainly not live my normal life expectancy, and likely die a less-than-desirable death. 
Horses... Well, they're far removed from their wild ancestors. If they have to work a little (*ahem* an hour or two a few times a week for most horses) for security and food, so be it. 
More to my point, if horses weren't owned or ridden, they would be dead. If they were of no use to us (entertainment or otherwise) the majority simply wouldn't be here, they would be hunted out. We have too many "wild horses" right now as is... If the other few million were not owned by people now, they simply wouldn't exist.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Tennessee

I firmly believe both of my horses enjoy work. I can't leave them in the pasture for days without them getting a little "sad" (I put quotation marks because I do not know if horses can actually be sad). High Five, while under saddle, usually has his ears perked and they are constantly moving, he licks his lips often, and besides the occasional head throw (that's his way of saying "no"), he hardly ever acts up. Gracie is just the same. She's still learning, but she is very eager to please and tries for me.


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## Ray MacDonald

I also think riding and making them think keeps them entertained and mentally healthy. My boy Ducky, likes to find entertainment his way if not ridden... In the form of bad habits.

I also heard of one gelding that one time his owner thought he was getting to old to show, so stopped showing him (he did pole bending) The first show that they left him home all he did was run back and forth in his pasture. When they got home he had broken out in hives and was sweating like crazy. So they keep showing because he loved it so much.


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## justjump

Oh lord. From my experiences with the horses I've ridden, they love their job. Mines a born show horse, and loves it. And it shows in his performance. If he doesn't want to do something, or isn't feeling well, he let's us know in his actions and we respect that. I let him out from time to time to let him run, and just be a horse. After about 15 minutes of walking about, eating some grass, and rolling, he's at the gate wanting to come back in. This is just my experience. And we do it with all of our old horses who we have tried to retire. We have older horses who just needed a new job, teaching little kids. They love it. When they don't feel well, or are tired, we give them their time. 

Like some of the posters said, they're like people with jobs. Some are meant to be "workers" and some just aren't. It all just depends on the horse.

Just my little opinion it's not the gospel, so no need to attack or go against. Everyone has a right to their own opinion.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## AQHA13

I know that my horse hates winter time when she is basically a lawn ornament. She gets so bored. She loves to go riding though. We do trail riding, so maybe that's the difference, because I know that she doesn't like arena work. She'll come running across the pasture to be caught, jump into the trailer and trot down the trail with her ears perked forward. It makes me happy to know that she enjoys her work.


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## A knack for horses

_In General_, horses are curious, active creatures. They like running around and "exploring" (as they don't explore the way we do.) While riding is not a natural activity to a horse, it provides mental and physical stimulation that otherwise might not be possible in the 2 acre pastures. 

Sure it isn't the same stimulation that a feral horse would get within a herd roaming several hundred acres, but riding is set for our purpose as well as theirs. Its the same concept with dogs. Do you really think there are tennis balls in the wild that dogs play with? No. Humans gave dogs tennis balls to stimulate their natural prey drive and exersize their otherwise cooped-up pets.


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## lilruffian

In my opinion horses and any animal for that matter don't have the ability to think "hey, id much rather allow myself to be ridden in exchange for food & a home". They don't understand the term "earn my keep", all they know is that there is generally a good supply of food & water where they are and they learn to accept people and what is asked of them.

If (hypothetically) all humans were to disapear, horses would be perfectly capable of going back to their natural ways. They might anticipate people to bring them food, but they wouldnt worry about it when the oats didn't come around, they wouldn't fret because they aren't getting ridden and would learn to fend for themselves again.
Same goes for dogs. What certain breeds might see as a fun job herding sheep would eventually revert back to hunting the animals they once protected. 

It's because we offer these animals a good supply of food & water so they don't have to find it for themselves, as well as shelter & protection that they are able to relax (so to speak) and focus their minds on other things.


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## JustDressageIt

Oh, I never meant to imply that they would understand that work=food and shelter, but I think (as a human) it's a preferable fate being a saddle horse than one out on the range.


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## lilruffian

JustDressageIt said:


> Oh, I never meant to imply that they would understand that work=food and shelter, but I think (as a human) it's a preferable fate being a saddle horse than one out on the range.


 :lol: Oh i wasn't responding to what you said, just what other's have stated throughout the thread.


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## Ladytrails

^^Agree, Knack, well said. I have a 30 year old arthritic AQHA mare who used to come running when she saw me at the gate. We quit using her when we got the gaited horses, about 3 years ago, so eventually when she came to the gate she learned that she got some loving but not work, and at one point I realized that she didn't bother coming all the way to the gate, as if to say "it's not for me so why bother..." 

One day I had my girlfriend to visit and harnessed the mare to hitch her to the cart, and my friend and I both commented on how she perked up, ears forward, head up, energy in her step and so forth... it was like she was transformed when she realized she was going off property with us, and obvious that she was very happy to be out and about again. She hadn't been driven for at least a couple of years, and was a perfect lady.... 

(And -yes, we took it slow because of her age and condition...)


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## Northern

Ladytrails, I'm glad that the old mare got to go out! Sweet story, & an edifying one!


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## Ladytrails

Northern said:


> Ladytrails, I'm glad that the old mare got to go out! Sweet story, & an edifying one!


Thanks! Since then, we've tried to 'use' her a bit more bso that she stays mentally happy as well as physically fit, but we have to be careful. She needs bute for her old knees and that's not good for oldies on a regular basis...and at her last vet check he said she has a heart murmur. He also said she's in such good shape generally that she'll live to be 35....time to train her son to be the next best babysitter horse for little kids who come visit us. She is a treasure and we've been so lucky to have her. She has made a lot of kids very happy!


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## equiniphile

Haven't read the whole thread, just the first few posts.

I think a lot of it has to do with background. Some horses are trained in a way that riding is play to them, some in a way that riding is work and to be avoided at all costs. Some come running up to the pasture gate when they see the saddle, some take off with their tail in the air.


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## Wallaby

I've been around horses that obviously dislike being ridden and the only reason they put up with it is because they seem to understand that the only other option is not one they want to take (these are the horses my camp rents for the summer, so yknow...). But, at the same time, those same horses that act like they hate being ridden (ears pinned, head turned away, head way down/up, hard to stop, etc) suddenly turn into happily working friends when someone who actually know how to ride gets on. I can get on the rankest, angriest horse at the camp (which isn't very rank, but pretty darn angry) and have it happily working in thirty minutes, just by knowing how to ride and not jerking on the horse every second like some of the kids do.

My horse, Lacey, loves being worked with. She's always perky and thrilled to go out. She actually starts seeming depressed if I don't ride her at least once a week. And, on top of that, she's better off for being worked because her arthritis starts getting much worse when she's not worked regularly.

Also, when you think about it, if they REALLY hated being ridden with such a burning passion, I think we would have found that out by now. :lol:


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## fatboy05

this is one of the best thread reads i have seen!


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## xxBarry Godden

Do horses like to be ridden? 
I believe that if treated and handled with respect that most horses will come to tolerate being ridden and will see it as part of the routine which controls their lives. In return they seek food, water, security and a refuge from the elements. If a horse did not, then we riders would soon be ejected from its back. This is all part of the deal which humans have made over the centuries with equines. Most of us have ceased to see horses as meat and horses are now either partners in work or partners in sport. 
They have been domesticated partly by selective breeding - but they aren't allowed into the house.

For example: Sonny, a 15H2 cob 8yo gelding, lives on our small private yard. Sadly he is neglected by his owner. When the other horses come in for their sessions, he stands by the gate of his field and he gets more and more distressed as the day goes by. The other horses are each brought into the stable area for grooming and tacking up. Sonny is invariably left behind. He feels left out of it. He has grass to graze but nothing else to do with his day. His owner doesn't come to play with him.

Personally I can't watch him without taking pity on him and usually I'll go and get him. He doesn't ask for much. He likes to be groomed. He likes being handled. He likes a treat. Sometimes I just lunge him, or sometimes we do a little work in the arena. He has the trot of a pony and is uncomfortable for me to trot on for too long. But whatever we do, it doesn't really matter to him. 
Actually he lacks for little. He is safe, he is kept healthy and in perfect condition ready for a mistress who never comes. What he does lack is a purpose in life and I think he misses that reason for being alive. 

But who am I to judge. He can't tell me. All he can do is to respond to me in the way he does. Whenever my car turns up at the yard, he looks up at the sound of the engine when even my own mare does not bother. 
What can I say?

Whether one believes that horses are content to be ridden goes to the very basis of how we approach the business of training a horse. Few of us are skilled enough to teach a horse to do much beyond what the horse can already do naturally. The aim of our schooling is to get the horse to respond and to do willingly as requested in response to an aid/cue. The big problem in training is usually one of communication -how does the horse understand what we are asking for? In effect all we are seeking is compliance, namely that the horse willingly agrees to do, what we know it can do, when we have asked it to do it. 

Such a relationship between man and horse takes time to develop. In the old days too much time - so they used force, which is quicker but which doesn't always bring compliance merely sufferance. As a result some horses, trained by force and pain, come to dislike being ridden.

Baucher, a famous French horsemaster devised in the 19th century a system for training horses which eventually the British cavalry adopted. It produced horses fit for the cavalry trooper in a short space of time but his methods were seen to be harsh. We've been using his methods ever since. 
Much of what we now take as Natural horsemanship was known to Baucher's predecessors as the Comte d'Aure wrote at the time.

Essentially I believe that the horse will carry me if I treat it with respect and understanding. Not all horses have been treated that way. 

Sadly whilst we can show a horse how to remember, we can't teach it to forget.


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## MaggiStar

My darling tells me in no uncertain terms when she diesnt want to be ridden your not going to get near her and thats that.

However it rarely happens so i mjust be doing something right.
I just listen to her she is a worker enjoys it and seems quite content however she is also quite content to spend her holidays doing nothing


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## bsms

Some people are content to be couch potatoes. Others love the feel of using their bodies. I don't know if I exactly ENJOY digging post holes for corrals in caliche, but I don't mind it nearly as much as you would think, given what hard work it is. And I've been jogging for 40 years, because I enjoy the feel of getting out and using my body.

Many people prefer team sports, since they like working with other people.

Is it wrong to think some horses are the same? My 2 live in an L-shaped corral, with each wing running about 70 feet. When I get them out and let them run loose in a larger area, the mare bolts around in Arabian fashion, tail erect. Gallop, spin, gallop, spin, etc. The gelding likes to kick his heels as high as he can, a half dozen here, move, a half dozen there.

My mare seems happy to see me carrying a saddle. If I have empty hands, she notices but mostly ignores me. She prances a bit as we walk to the saddling area. Riding varies. I'm not a good rider, have a stiff back and often hinder her. Sometimes she is spastic too, in my defense. When we get it right, it feels great to me and she sure SEEMS happy. You can almost hear her say, "Look at me! I'm big, I'm strong, and I can MOVE!" At times like that, my main challenge is in moving roughly the same direction and speed as she is, and holding her back enough to prevent an explosion of action beyond my ability.

Our gelding was badly treated on a ranch in Colorado. We finally stopped riding him for 8 months, and then sent him to a local trainer for 5 weeks of 'breaking'. She knew him and knew he had been ridden a lot, but we wanted to reset him...so she pretended he was an unbroke horse. I went over 4 times each week to watch. Most of the work was from the ground. Once he was more confident, the mounted stuff went fast. He's been back for a month, and my daughter takes lessons on him (from the same trainer):










Does he ENJOY being ridden? Not entirely. But as he gains in trust, he seems happier. At the end, he'll join us as I ask how the ride went, and listens sociably while we discuss what happened. Maybe his more subordinate nature explains why he doesn't have the "Look at me! I can MOVE!" attitude of the mare, but his more sociable nature seems to take pleasure in being with humans, and if they want a ride...he's willing enough. I think he does understand a trade-off, with him giving a ride and receiving lots of positive attention.

He also seems to like work, so they may start learning some basic reining together. Right now, he's having a Sally Field moment ("...you like me, right now, you like me!").


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