How long did it take you to really get to know your horse?

[1Lucie]

Ive had my horse 8months now and i still dont feel we quite know each other.

[Madam Min]

Originally Posted by Billie1007

Think I am a little bit obsessed!!

That sounds like me! Ha ha. I've had my mare 2 years and I do think we have a bond, I trust her and feel as though I really do know her, I hope she trusts me. I love how she always whinnies when she spots me coming onto the yard or when I come out the tack room, OH says its just cupboard love

[Toffee44]

Samba has taken me 2 years of blood, sweat, money and several attempts of selling her to get to know her or perhaps I should say understand her.

[wyrdsister]

It took me a little over a year (18 months, if you count the time I was riding her before) to really gel with my loan mare. We got on very well from the beginning, but I'd been forced to retire my life partner mare during that time and it had really affected me. In December, loan mare wrenched her back hoolying around the field twice in two weeks. I kept her in on controlled exercise for a few weeks (at the advice of the professionals) to stop her doing it again and it was in that time that I suddenly realised, good days or challenging ones, I still miss my life partner but that my loan girl isn't just a nice project any more, she's become "my" horse too. I must have let some sort of mental wall down then or something and I guess she sensed it, because we really seem to have synced since then and are getting on better than ever.

My baby mare (if you can call a 17hh 3 year old "baby"!), I clicked with when I first met her over a year before I bought her. She was in with a hoof abcess, bored, and wanted attention. Though she was technically for sale, I walked away then. 14 months later, she was brought in to be sold and yelled for my attention across the barn, despite being indifferent to everyone else. It was a real she picked me moment. We seem to have been able to read each other ridiculously well from day one!

[Toffee44]

I think shortly after breaking through her tie up issues, mounting issues and hacking alone.issues we bonded but stopping riding and going back to ground work with big problems let everything fall into place now. we are currently playing cross the stream and within 15min she was being ridden up it, this pony won't go over puddles on hacks. So pleased with her.

[PolarSkye]

It probably took me a good year to 18 months to really get to know him, but I still keep getting lightbulb moments that remind me how strong our bond now is.

I think one of the turning points was when he was on box rest with his leg fracture . . . all that extra time together really helped.

I did have a lightbulb moment yesterday though . . . I had had a particularly awful hack with him - he just bounced the whole time, cantered on the spot, jogged, bucked and just generally threw himself around (hasn't done that for ages) . . . so b/c I don't particularly want to die, I got off. When we got back to the yard, I was heading to the mounting block to get back on and go in the school and wear his little springy socks out when a fellow livery said "I'll bet he's really nice to ride" (having seen me ride him in the school already) . . . so I offered for her to sit on him. She is an excellent rider . . . competes her own horse every weekend - SJ and eventing. She really struggled to get a tune out of him . . . he pulled out every trick in the book to evade her . . . stargazed, nosied at what else was going on around him, went both above and behind the bridle. He did give her a few nice strides . . . but was otherwise a monkey. It wasn't her riding at all - it was because he didn't know or trust her. I got on and instantly he was soft, relaxed and gave me some beautiful work. It did feel good (although I have a feeling she won't be asking to ride him again - I think she thought he was an awkward so-and-so).

P

[Spotsrock]

Both mine I clicked with immediately.

[Echo Bravo]

There is an old saying that it takes 12 months for horse and rider to bond as ,if the horse has been ridden by someone else, they have gotten use to been ridden that one way and a new rider comes along and they have to relearn all over again.

[Spotsrock]

Maybe that's it. I backed one of mine and fell in love at first sight, 1st proper home she had. The other being very young straight out of racing has never had one to one and I ride different than experienced work riders so he seemed to like it.

[Digger123]

I've had mine since he was two and we just don't see eye to eye.I think we are both to stressy at times and we are never ever going to get on.He doesn't trust me and I don't trust him. So a vicious circle ensues
Just to say he is 6 now so we have been trying to get on for a long time

He whinnies when he see's me etc but riding ? not an enjoyable experience for me and now a chore. Bless him he is a sweet horse but not for me so he is now up for sale