Doing a little research

[devinej]

Hey All,

I want stories.

Stories about how your horse reacted to you in such a way that made you think it could read your mind and be your psychotherapist.

Such as the horse that is usually happy to come to the front of the stall and slip his face in the halter - but one day when i was particularly angry about something that had nothing to do with this horse, the horse would not come to the front of the stall, in fact turned away from me as if saying, "you are far too angry to turn me out right now."

Tell me about times when your horse picked up on emotions you were trying to cover up, or times when you uncovered those emotions and the horse got along with you only after you did so. Whatcha got?

 

[finickyfilly]

Hey All,

I want stories.

Stories about how your horse reacted to you in such a way that made you think it could read your mind and be your psychotherapist.

Such as the horse that is usually happy to come to the front of the stall and slip his face in the halter - but one day when i was particularly angry about something that had nothing to do with this horse, the horse would not come to the front of the stall, in fact turned away from me as if saying, "you are far too angry to turn me out right now."

Tell me about times when your horse picked up on emotions you were trying to cover up, or times when you uncovered those emotions and the horse got along with you only after you did so. Whatcha got?

you mean something like when the vet is coming and the horses, dont want you to catch them in the field?

or you are running late, you are taking you horse to lessons, or a friends house and.....can't get the damn horse on the trailer but it will load every other time with no problem? rushing and it wants to make you miss your appointment.

crossed the bridge dozens of times, but this tme it wont cross?

 

[IntegritysDream]

One time i was really anxious and was having a panic attack while riding indy and then indy was just going along very easy and calm and not fighting me about anything and being very good becasue it was like he knew i was upset and "scared" and then my old trainer told me to come in the middle of the ring so she could pep talk me out of it and as i went to the middle of the ring i just started crying and indy turned his head around and just rested his nose on my boot like "its okay!"

And then another time, i came in the barn upset cause it was a rough day, and it was like indy knew because he was doing the most goofyest things to make me laugh...


haha those are the GOOD things... i wont go into others

 

[Four*Leaf*Farm]

I took my horse to college with me in '96. I found a boarding stable close by campus that I could afford. After about a week being there, one day after riding, I turned her back out in the paddock with all the other horses. She didn't wander off to them. She just stood at the gate looking at me anxiously. I didn't think much of it until I walked away. She began nervously pacing and nickering at the gate and it only got worse as I walked farther away. So I came back to her and she calmed down. She hung her head over my shoulder and immediatly sighed and relaxed. I don't know how better to explain it but there was a communication there that I've never experienced to that level since. I didn't understand at the time exactly what was going on....only that moment she didn't want me to leave her there. After that day, I began showing up at feeding and turnout times.. I was surprises at the way the barn owner packed her horses in like sardines at night. My horse was not in the stall she was originally assigned.. she was in the aisleway with another horse, separated by a field gate. And about 15 horses were turned out in a small, dirt paddock. None were in the big field. My horse was alienated so bad she didn't even attempt to be a part of that herd. It was sad. So I found a really nice place within a week.. I had to drive an hour farther.. but it was worth it. She was so happy at the new place, I felt bad when school was out and we had to return home to find another place to board. I always hated moving my horse from boarding barn to boarding barn then. But she's happy now.. she'll be 25 soon.

 

[Sadielady]

When I am sad for any reason it seems I can go out to my horse and he/she (at the time) will cheer me up. I can remember when I was younger and tears were running down my face, my pony came up and took her muzzle and wiggled her top lip all over my cheek as to say "what are these tears?" she then shoved me with her face on my shoulder, as if to say "be tough, stop crying". She then rested her head and next on me as if to give me a hug. This was all out in the pasture and she didn't have a halter on. SHe was just coming to see how I was it seemed. There are so many times when it seems the horses know exactly how you are feeling. I can thing of countles times. I would disagree with anyone who says that horses don't have feelings or personalities.

 

[Sadielady]

One of my geldings thought I was his girlfriend. We won't get into that! I had to remind him that he was a GELDING and I am DEFINITELY NOT his girlfriend.

 

[Sadielady]

devine????? Are you really on-line now or did you leave your computer on-line again? If you are on what time are you going to the barn. I need peeps to ride with.

 

[devinej]

thanks this is very touching and helpful. anyone else?

I'm studying to work in the field of equine assisted psychotherapy and as you can imagine there is very little research on this topic available.

So here's another question for you, a little bit of controversy to add into the mix:
How much of this topic - of horses picking up on emotions - do you think could come from the person involved just Thinking that the horse is picking up on emotions (projection? transference?) when actually the horse is just doing what it would even if we were feeling the opposite emotion. perhaps those tears were salty and tasted good? (i'm playing the devil's advocate here for research's sake, so don't blast me away).

 

[devinej]

i'm online at the leonardtown library cuz my darn computer is stupid. i'm going to loper's first though...maybe after that?

 

[Sadielady]

i'm online at the leonardtown library cuz my darn computer is stupid. i'm going to loper's first though...maybe after that?

What is your projected arrival time? Maybe we could work the new horse. I will call them.

As far as transference.....I think reading into their thoughts we put our "human thoughts" into what is probably partly just curiousity. I think they can definitely feel basic emotions though.

 

[IntegritysDream]

sadie ill come out and ride someone ne time haha im always looking for things to do and horses to ride just call me anytime

BUT some people dont understand horses, like my dad, he tries (lord he askes me 1000000000 ?s when he comes to my shows) but he has the same conclusion to that other person i was talking about "a horse is just a horse" and they cant all have different personalities or feelings or expressions, and im like do dogs have different personalities and you can tell whne a dog is sad or happy or so on, and hes like yeah, and im like well durr its the same thing with a horse... only horses have more needs and demand more things. But i guess thats why not everyone can be a horse person because only real horse people understand and connect with horses.

 

[Sadielady]

sadie ill come out and ride someone ne time haha im always looking for things to do and horses to ride just call me anytime

BUT some people dont understand horses, like my dad, he tries (lord he askes me 1000000000 ?s when he comes to my shows) but he has the same conclusion to that other person i was talking about "a horse is just a horse" and they cant all have different personalities or feelings or expressions, and im like do dogs have different personalities and you can tell whne a dog is sad or happy or so on, and hes like yeah, and im like well durr its the same thing with a horse... only horses have more needs and demand more things. But i guess thats why not everyone can be a horse person because only real horse people understand and connect with horses.

dogs are much more difficult to ride...

 

[chevylover]

The one major event that comes to mind is when, after feeding my horse and his two pasture buddies, my friend tossed me up on him. We were just sitting there (it was pretty stupid actually...no helmet, no saddle, no bridle, not even a halter) when his buddies took off out into the field over the ditch that ran in the middle of his pasture, out to a spot they thought was a good spot to graze. Well, of course when my horse saw this, he took off after them, and I was so scared he was going to jump that ditch, like I saw him do many times. So, I just grabbed two hands full of mane and tried to prepare myself. We got all the way out to the ditch, and he just stopped. Not a hard screeching stop, but nice and easy. I quickly jumped off, and he then proceeded to jump the ditch and join his buddies to graze. I don't know if it was a coincidence, or if he really could tell I was scared out of my mind, but thankfully he stopped that day.

 

[IntegritysDream]

dogs are much more difficult to ride...

you r funny!

 

[FrmGrl]

Devine?? Are you or have you ridden Eve this week. I am in NC and just wanted to know?? I will be riding her on Friday, in the cold, with Sadie. Anyway I know my horse is very reflective. If you are nervous, so is she. If you are confident she does much better. She is also very testing and smart. I dont think people give horses enough credit for how smart they are. We are also more alike than I thought. I get very bad headaches when we have bad weather. I noticed everytime a low pressure system comes in, Eve pins her ears, lowers her head and acts like she does not feel well. Dont know if its because I dont feel well or she really does not either. See you all soon, I miss home already!! (ok not really but I miss my pets and hubby too)

 

[devinej]

hey frmgrl, i rode Eve on saturday, she was a little on the annoying side so i was very blunt with her, and she was much better at the end. let me know if you want her ridden before you ride her, i'll be around.

chevylover i love your story, thanks for sharing!!

So you sharers of stories, if the opportunity arises, would you mind if i used your words in a research paper? (names etc would be left out)

 

[Phyxius]

So you sharers of stories, if the opportunity arises, would you mind if i used your words in a research paper? (names etc would be left out)

You mean you wouldn't want to say in a research paper that FrmGrl's horse does such and such and ChevyLover's horse does this and that? But, c'mon that would sounds so scientific.

 

[devinej]

hahahaha we'll see said the chinese farmer, we'll see

 

[Robin]

hey frmgrl, i rode Eve on saturday, she was a little on the annoying side so i was very blunt with her, and she was much better at the end. let me know if you want her ridden before you ride her, i'll be around.

chevylover i love your story, thanks for sharing!!

So you sharers of stories, if the opportunity arises, would you mind if i used your words in a research paper? (names etc would be left out)

sure ...

 

[chevylover]

hey frmgrl, i rode Eve on saturday, she was a little on the annoying side so i was very blunt with her, and she was much better at the end. let me know if you want her ridden before you ride her, i'll be around.

chevylover i love your story, thanks for sharing!!

So you sharers of stories, if the opportunity arises, would you mind if i used your words in a research paper? (names etc would be left out)

You're welcome.

You can use it in your paper, I don't mind. Good Luck with it!