# When to know your horse respects you. Signs to look for??



## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

So i was just reading another thread on here about joining up and horses that dont respect there owners and it got me thinking. _HOW_ do you _REALLY_ know your horse respects you? I just got my guy 2 weeks ago and I'm sure to him, I'm known as "the treat lady." But the other day I went out to his pasture and was just feeding him treats and he lowered his head to me and started chewing/grinding his teeth. (he didnt have any food in his mouth) I know I have seen around that that is a sign that a horse is comfortable with you and respects you. Now my question is what are the signs to look for? ex. chewing, lowering head, inner ear toward you. My horse was never abused but was never given much attention so when I first got him home he would walk away from me alot in the pasture when i went out to get him but now he follows me like a puppy. So, what are signs to look for when a horse respects you or "gives in" to you?
Sorry if im a tad off topic! I thought this would be a good thread for people to take note from!


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

It means different things to different people - as I am not into natural horsemanship, I don't join up or anything like that. 
To me my horse respects me when he does what I ask and when he respects my space and doesn't crowd me. 
Also it's when they look to me as being their leader, so they could be about to react to something or spook, until I correct them.


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## highlonesome (Nov 3, 2011)

*respect is mutual*

There's respect,and there's trust.You won't get the respect you want if you don't have his trust.He might lick his lips and chew a little,stand to be caught.Lead behind with his head at ease instead of pushing you ahead of him.When you approach or are just in the same pen together he'll stand and face you instead of away from you showing his backside.Stands or comes near you when you are in a pen instead of moving to the other end.kinda what I look for in a colt or a new one after a while.And foremost...if you don't respect him, he's not likely to give it back.


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## RedTree (Jan 20, 2010)

I'm gonna subscribe interested to hear what people think 

I'm not to sure myself, like I'm pretty sure my horse respects me, looks to me as his leader but I don't think I could pin point signs... will have to really pay attention next time I see him lol


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## Mike Zimmerman (Oct 30, 2011)

That's a hard question to answer, I think the best way horses show respect is by yeilding. By that I mean if you can move your horse's feet where ever you want with out resistance then he respects you. In horse herd heirarchy all horses yield to the top horse and on down the "pecking order". The low man doesn't move anybody and everybody moves him. That heirarchy isn't something set in stone and horses are always trying to move up or maintain position. That can be the same for you and your horse, most horses are happy to have you be the leader, some will test you as leader, and some try to take over the leadership role. It's easier to tell when he doesn't respect you, and that's a good majority of the problems you'll read that people are having on here.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ARTEMISBLOSSOM (Apr 3, 2011)

highlonesome said:


> There's respect,and there's trust.You won't get the respect you want if you don't have his trust.He might lick his lips and chew a little,stand to be caught.Lead behind with his head at ease instead of pushing you ahead of him.When you approach or are just in the same pen together he'll stand and face you instead of away from you showing his backside.Stands or comes near you when you are in a pen instead of moving to the other end.kinda what I look for in a colt or a new one after a while.And foremost...if you don't respect him, he's not likely to give it back.


 
I am very interested in seeing the answers to this post. Highlonesome are you saying all those signs such as licking lips, facing you etc are signs of respect or trust?


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## highlonesome (Nov 3, 2011)

In my opinion those things are mostly signs that he' relaxing a bit,which says to me he doesn't feel threatened anyway.(subject to change quickly)That's a small measure of trust gained.I think the respect shown bymoving to pressure,facing up,changing course,and then good ground manners with you shows that he accepts your direction and is trying to do what you want,BECAUSE he trusts you first.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

You mentioned that he lowered his head and chewed as if there was something in his mouth. There's different kinds of chewing. One of them is more of a licking and swallowing action that horses will do when releaseing tension that has built up in them, usually after being asked to do something that maybe they didn't want to do or didnt understand, and the handler had to raise the pressure enought to make the horse yield that tension resulted. The horse releases this by licking and chewing and swallowing. Some folks say that the horse is "thinking on" what just happened. Or soaking it up or whatever. Could be that he is and next time he'll do that action better and with less pressure. Pysically, I think he is just releasing pent up tension. We do it too; we may move our jaw and swallow after we realize that we've been holding it tensely.

The other jaw movement is not so much a sign of respect or yielding. That is clacking the teeth and crossingt the jaws. The horse moves the lower jaw way off to one side and back and forth and will make almost air biting motions and may clack his teeth together. That, to me, is a sign of resistance and tension, not relaxation, yielding or respect.

As for you and your gelding, when you start really asking for things from him you will be able to see how deep his respect for you runs. It's not like it's a light switch that is either on or off. If he has some respect for you at leisure, that might not be so evident when you start asking him to do things he doesn't want to. 

For example, moving him off his feed. making him leave the barn or his buddies. canter if he's lazy, slow down if he's not. stand quietly for mounting.
things like that. Then you will see how strong is his level of respect. It really is based on trust, and trust is based on consistency in training.

Oh, I am sorry I am rambling. the usual , for me.


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## Courtney (May 20, 2011)

- Yields to pressure. When I walk toward my horse's hind end, she moves it away from me and always keeps her muzzle near my shoulder. If I want her to back, I point at her chest and she steps back.
- She doesn't lean on me when I pick her hooves.
- She leads and stands quietly. When we're walking, her muzzle is hovering just above my shoulder.
- She doesn't crowd me. Without fail, she maintains a safe distance between us and watches where she puts her feet. 
- If she's eating and I enter her pen, she stops eating and comes to me. If I have a halter in hand, she lowers her head so I can put it on.

This is how I can tell she respects me. As a result, I trust her completely.


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

highlonesome said:


> In my opinion those things are mostly signs that he' relaxing a bit,which says to me he doesn't feel threatened anyway.(subject to change quickly)That's a small measure of trust gained.I think the respect shown bymoving to pressure,facing up,changing course,and then good ground manners with you shows that he accepts your direction and is trying to do what you want,BECAUSE he trusts you first.


I don't think they trust us first. I think they will respect us first. When they respect us, that builds their trust in us. Take a green horse. They will respect us by moving from our pressure. By showing them we are not there to hurt or "eat" them, we earn their trust.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

A horse that licks their lips, chews, cocks the back leg, and sighs is showing that they are relaxed, not necessarily that they are respecting. A respecting horse does not crowd, or show signs of aggression, such as ear pinning, kicking or trying to bite. They will do what you ask if they understand what you are asking.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Kiviknon (Jul 26, 2010)

They follow you around, they nicker when they see you, the majority of the time they do what you ask of them.


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## AbigailxMac (Dec 21, 2013)

*Advice needed*

The other week I had a really bad accident on my horse, I can't quite remember what happened as I was knocked unconscious... but my friend said something made him spook (he said he saw a heavy speeding truck wiz by) and so he galloped off and bucked and that's when I came off.... But I'm just unsure that that's why he did that? I don't know if I did something to upset him? I know what he's like, and I've never really fallen off him or had something like this happen before. I need some help figuring this out, what signs would he have given if I was doing something to irritate him? Does he not respect me? If he cared would he have done that? It's like he didn't care what would have happened to me. I was very close to being paralyzed. 

I'm sorry it's so long, I really want to make sense of this whole thing... I'm getting all paranoid about it and I'm losing my confidence with him  

Thanks guys


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

better to answer to your question will be on the thread you started regarding this incident:

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding/advice-had-nasty-accident-my-horse-332074/


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

You have his trust and respect BUT you need to work the entire time you own him to KEEP it. Horses are always vying for the spot in the herd that they don't have and if you are the boss, then the top horse wants YOUR spot.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

> A horse that licks their lips, chews, cocks the back leg, and sighs is showing that they are relaxed, not necessarily that they are respecting.


Absolutely true. This shows a lack of anxiety or fear but not necessarily respect. It mainly shows that they are 'thinking' and 'receptive' to training. They are 'responsive' as opposed to 'reactive' and definitely NOT thinking or learning. This is why trainers 'look' for this sign. The horse is not going to learn anything positive before they are in a responsive and receptive mode. It does not mean they have actually learned anything but to think and listen. A person's ability to communicate and teach must kick in now.

Respect is shown when a horse willingly yields to pressure without showing fear or anxiety. It means if you indicate to a horse that you want him to back up quickly, he does so immediately and willingly without the handler using force or without him showing fear or resistance. 

The same is true under saddle. Anything a horse has been conditioned and trained to do should be done quickly, quietly and willingly. Again, it should be yielding to pressure (or aids) willingly without showing fear, anxiety or resistance.

One does not always relate to the other. A horse can be very willing and obedient on the ground and be a total pig or even dangerous under saddle.

Cherie


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## spirit88 (Jan 12, 2011)

A horse who respects you doesnt crowd your space moves away from pressure when asked. Stands for grooming,saddling and to have feet cleaned. 

Should do whats asked no matter what, my horses do whats asked they also know i wont take no for an awnser.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I consider it respect when the horse is paying attention to me when I'm on the ground and never crowding me or walking over me when something else catches its' attention. Even if other horses or animals approach us. 

I consider it respect when a horse I am riding waits for my cues, and will go forward even if it is unused to a certain terrain or obstacle (river, bridge, cutbank). Or I'm asking something new.

Some of the horses I ride are pretty uptight (have been used for only gymkhanas, or recently raced). They are not going to be licking and chewing or cocking legs. Some actually tremble waiting for the signal to go (high energy not fear), but they won't without my cue. They respect me.

Also, figure when I can move a group on foot to another pasture or call them in, they respect me.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Gives you space
Listens to your cues
Likes to be around you/follows your body language


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## wtwg (Oct 20, 2013)

If you have to ask, your horse doesn't respect you.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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