# That Trust Factor



## hrsrdr (Jul 12, 2008)

I agree that it is great to have a horse that trusts you that much. If you want to earn the trust of your other horses, I HIGHLY reccomend looking into Monty Roberts' training methods. Using pure body language in a round pen, he can completely capture the trust of a horse within ONE TRAINING SESSION of 30 MINUTES! I have tried it with my horses and it WORKS! You can look on his website, www.montyroberts.com, and his book, T_he Man Who Listens to Horses._ You will build a strong bond with any horse you work with.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

The other horses aren't mine, lol. As I don't even hardly mess with them, I can see why they don't trust me as much... it doesn't bother me as long as I have that bond with my two.


I've read that book before and loved it... never tried the technique, though.


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## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

I had always thought that if your horse didn't get up when you came that it meant it trusted you or was very relaxed/secure with you too.

However, I went to check of my friends three horses while she was out of town, and they don't really know me at all.

All three were laying down, and when they saw me, only one got up, the other two stayed laying down. Now, flattered as I was that two stayed laying down, I don't think it had much to do with trust between us.

Probably more security with their surroundings and each other? Just thought I share this for any discussion/thoughts.


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

I had a moment like that one day. We had a herd out that I normally worked with all of them. There were 3 that would flop and didn't care. The other two were like the mare you talked about. One was a two year old stud and the other was a field trial mare we had just bought. They were both sweet and were jsut gaining that trust. People always told me not to walk up to them, and I won't walk up on the side near their legs or straight in front of them. I talk to them and everything else to try to be sure that I don't startle them.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

Yeah...

with my two, when I see them laying dwn, I yell a greeting to them, like 'hey, Gypsie, Dakota!' so they know that I'm nearby... it startles the other horses, but mine don't do a thing.

I've also always heard that a horse won't lay down if they don't feel safe. I believe that, and I was amazed when last year my mare lay down in the yard for the first time ever. Lol... My gelding doesn't seem to have any problems laying in the yard... he's been doing it his whole life.

Some of it may be they feel secure and all, but I still think a large part of it has to do with trust...


Or maybe I'm just sentimental... Lol.


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

Britt said:


> Yeah...
> 
> with my two, when I see them laying dwn, I yell a greeting to them, like 'hey, Gypsie, Dakota!' so they know that I'm nearby... it startles the other horses, but mine don't do a thing.
> 
> ...


It's ok. :lol:Either way it shows that they feel secure with you which to me equals trust.  You can always tell a horse that is really uncomfortable with you if they are eating and you enter they start watching warily and/or move away. To me when a horse continues eating, comes up to you adn then begins grzing, is laying down and allows you to come to the, etc. it shows trust.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

Lol... then my two horses trust me with their life. They don't care if i'm there or if I come up to them or not when they're eating, grazing, or laying down... or anything... lol. They keep right on doing whatever they're doing.

Lol...


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## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

I think another piece of the puzzle of trust is how the horse (s) has been handled. In my friend's horses case, she takes care of them and handles everything concerning them. Since she is a very gentle and kind person, I believe her horses have that positive view of the human animal. They have only known gentle and fair handling.

Certainly that is the case with my Walka. He has known only gentle, fair consistent handling. If it's a rule on Monday, same rule is followed on Wednesday (just like the children). He is very open to meeting and greeting anyone new. 

Now T came to me from North Carolina and I was her 4th owner. Somewhere down the road someone was very heavy handed with her and she learnt to protect her head. It took years of gentle/fair consistent handling, but she now will put her beautiful head on my chest and I can hug her to me. 

So, that sense of security can carry over I think to a friend visiting (like myself and my friends horses) because they have never experienced any reason to not trust. Just a thought.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

That's pretty amazing that your gelding lets you stand over him while he's lying down. That's the most vulnerable position for a horse. You should be proud!

I can walk up to both of my guys when they're lying down and pet them. It's a pretty cool feeling to have a horse that's so comfortable around you.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

> That's pretty amazing that your gelding lets you stand over him while he's lying down. That's the most vulnerable position for a horse. You should be proud!


I know... I love that he has that much trust for me to let me do that.



Anyway, yeah, I also think it's the way they're handled too. My mare, I'm not sure what owner number to her I was, fifth or sixth, I think... When she became mine, she... was nowhere near how she is today, and that's putting it lightly.


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## xXSierrasMyBabyXx (Jan 2, 2010)

This is similiar to my situation.
My gelding is JUST like yours. 
My mare, I can't even get near her while she is laying down or she'll get up and trot off.
My gelding is more the family horse, and my gelding is more our familys gelding. he is older, so he is more of a beginner horse... I have to sell one or the other, and it's killing me to sell. It would probably be easier and slightly less painful to just rip my heart out... but that's off subject.


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## Kashmere (Nov 30, 2009)

It's beautiful that you can do that!
I bet it's an amazing feeling, to lay with your horse!


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