Quick question for other horse people...

[guardianoftheherd]

So, last year, I had the opportunity to meet a very handsome quarter horse gelding named 'Rooster'. I noticed he would go up to the 4 foot wooden fence and scratch his backside on it so one day I just went out there and scratched him all over the place. He turned to where his head was facing the fence to I leaned over and started scratching his whithers(did I spell that right? Lol!). Anyway, so, in turn, he started muzzling my back and I thought, dang! That is super cool. I did the same thing with my neighbors cows last night and they started licking me. Has anyone else had that experience or am I like a weirdo. Lol!

 

[thistlebloom]

Horses, (and apparently cows) do mutual grooming. They will stand facing each other shoulder to shoulder and use their teeth to rub their buddies withers. You just have to be a bit cautious when they mutually groom you. Some can get a little nippy.

 

[guardianoftheherd]

Horses, (and apparently cows) do mutual grooming. They will stand facing each other shoulder to shoulder and use their teeth to rub their buddies withers. You just have to be a bit cautious when they mutually groom you. Some can get a little nippy.

Well I have definitely seen them do that. I was just in love with the fact that they treated me like one of them. Lol! And yeah. Rooster tried to take a bite out of my back if I remember correctly. He went from muzzling to nipping in a split second and that was all over. Lol!

 

[secuono]

Normal.
Sheep do it, too.

 

[Bunnylady]

Animals have a very limited language and frame of reference, so yes, once they decide you aren't a predator, they interact with you in much the same way they would with one of their own species. That's all well and good, if you can "speak horse" reasonably well, but it can become a problem and even get dangerous if you don't. You see, horses always have a "pecking order" within their group, and even with the best of buddies, there is always a leader. In a million little ways, they constantly check to see if the leader is still the leader, or whether they might have a chance to move up and become the leader. And yes, they do that with people, too. Experienced horse people know how to maintain safe boundaries, and experienced people horses respect them well enough to keep everybody safe.

 

[guardianoftheherd]

Animals have a very limited language and frame of reference, so yes, once they decide you aren't a predator, they interact with you in much the same way they would with one of their own species. That's all well and good, if you can "speak horse" reasonably well, but it can become a problem and even get dangerous if you don't. You see, horses always have a "pecking order" within their group, and even with the best of buddies, there is always a leader. In a million little ways, they constantly check to see if the leader is still the leader, or whether they might have a chance to move up and become the leader. And yes, they do that with people, too. Experienced horse people know how to maintain safe boundaries, and experienced people horses respect them well enough to keep everybody safe.

Words of wisdom right there. I have been around horses for 10+ years and they never cease to surprise me. Somehow I always end up with the lead horse and they can be stinkers. I have had to establish my own little pecking order with a few geldings that thought they were the boss. And they are, in my humble opinion, less bossy than mares. As far as , "speaking horse" goes, that has been my main focus for the past few years. Anticipating their next move can be tricky especially if they are around a bunch of other horses for sure. I have come to really appreciate trainers like Monty Roberts who explain everything from angle of the ears to the angle of the body. Has anyone on here heard of his method called join-up? Anybody tried it?

 

[Ridgetop]

My first mare, Dazzle, used to back up to the corral fence so I could stroke the inside of her thighs. She loved being stroked there. Very erotic! Only one of my horses (or mule) that liked that particular area so specifically that they would stick their butts in your face for caressing there! LOL

 

[secuono]

A couple examples, horse & lamb.

Lol, will need to skip ahead past the finger munching....

 

[Beekissed]

Words of wisdom right there. I have been around horses for 10+ years and they never cease to surprise me. Somehow I always end up with the lead horse and they can be stinkers. I have had to establish my own little pecking order with a few geldings that thought they were the boss. And they are, in my humble opinion, less bossy than mares. As far as , "speaking horse" goes, that has been my main focus for the past few years. Anticipating their next move can be tricky especially if they are around a bunch of other horses for sure. I have come to really appreciate trainers like Monty Roberts who explain everything from angle of the ears to the angle of the body. Has anyone on here heard of his method called join-up? Anybody tried it?

Have read his book and watched many of his videos and have been wanting to try this so badly. Was hoping to get a chance to try it on the donkey but had to sell her today.