Last modified on November 3rd, 2020 at 12:59 am

Tips For Bonding With A New Horse

Getting along with a horse is a magical process, although you need to make a solid effort. Horsemen don’t want to merely own and ride an equine, they want to make friends with them. Thus, here’s a bunch of tricks that may help you to patch things up between the two of you.

The very first thing you should know is which sense organs of the equine are most receptive and how to influence them. Horses, like humans, “sense” the world through taste, smell, hearing, sight, and touch.

The Power of Sight

Don’t come close to the hooved pal behind or in front of it. A person who approaches from behind is likely to experience how a horse kicks. It’s believed that the feeling is not a pleasant one. Therefore, it’s recommended even the most courageous and desperate people not to carry out such experiments with a hooved animal.

The professional equestrian and blogger David Garcia recommends wearing safety gear from the first day of visiting a horse. He states you should look for the best horse riding helmet to protect your head and riding gloves to keep your hands safe. This apparel may protect you from unpredictable behavior if something goes wrong.

If you approach this wonderful creature from the front, not too close, you can get a batch of positive emotions. Otherwise, the horse will simply bite you or balk, which may eventually end up badly.

The Power of Hearing

Additionally, these animals are able to feel your state of mind, even if you don’t say a word. But still, the voice has a significant influence on the relationship between people and horses. All equines have excellent hearing. The most attentive horsemen may have noticed that horses always move their ears. And because of this, they understand how a person is tuned. The mood of the person who stands nearby is a crucial aspect while bonding with a four-legged buddy.

In fact, horses react strongly to anger and ill will. So if you want to be friends, never yell at your companion or kick him if he did something wrong. Just say in a calm but confident voice “No” or something like that.

It’s not recommended to wave or make any sudden hand movements in front of the equine. Waving your hands is perceived by them as an invitation to play or a hostile attitude. Horses grasp human hands as the front limbs of another horse. The same goes for a photoshoot with a horse, if you want to take a picture with a new pal, stay calm and move slowly.

For instance, while children are playing with a foal, they are swinging with a hand. The foal understands this as a call to play and starts running around the mare, bucking and neighing. If you copy the same movements of the foal and try to reproduce its sounds, then the mare can also join the game.

Girl feeding 2 horses
Image by Redcharlie on Unsplash

The Power of Touch

You can communicate with tailed pals through a touch. When horses are friendly to each other, they seem to bite into each other’s withers. Such actions are perceived as courtship. If you stroke his neck, the companion will know that you are praising and encouraging him. If you scratch his neck with little pressure, the horse will decide that you want to please her. “Why to push?”, you ask. Because otherwise, your touch will seem like a light tickle to the equine.

You should be careful when communicating with your horse. In response to your tenderness, the animal may want to respond respectively and you risk being bitten. But nevertheless, you have to understand that in this case, the horse doesn’t want to hurt you on purpose. The reason is that the horse’s skin is thicker than the human’s and the nerves are less sensitive.

The Power of Smell

All horses are into yummies. Thus, if they notice something edible in your hands, it’s better to be generous and treat the equine. In fact, horses are extremely intelligent and cunning animals. They start gradually remembering where children and adults usually keep the goodies. And as soon as you come closer, they will immediately snoop for the treat.

You can win the horse’s trust by feeding it with a range of treats. Hooved friends enjoy carrots, apples, honey, bread, watermelon wedges, and of course, sugar cubes.

Image by Elektro-Plan on Pixabay

The Power of Taste

Speaking of serving the yummies, carrots need to be cut into pieces after peeling and washing it in boiled water. A solid apple fruit can be given to the equine. But hold the uncut apple tightly. The horse or pony will bite him. If you cut the apple into four pieces, make sure you get rid of the seeds before giving the fruit to the companion. Horses are keen on bread but don’t overfeed them. And it’s better to dry it first.

The Bottom Line

To sum up, horses are graceful creatures that every horseman wants to bond with. You should know how to get on with a hooved buddy properly to avoid misunderstandings between the two of you. Once you are friends, you’ll be experiencing startling emotions by communicating with your loved companion.