Wendy has been in touch with her story – horse grooming really does strengthen your bond:
“I just had to tell my experiences with my horse Sassy.
Sassy is 7 years old and her nickname fits her to a T. I am handicapped. And in constant pain everyday. (just to catch you up)
I started out brushing and talking to Sassy since she was about 8 months old. She is my best friend.
I can not see her everyday. But, she knows me very well. I believe she loves me too.
The people at the barn, take good care of her. I can tell.
Anyway, each time I get to the barn, she spots me. I swear she knows the sound of my car. Well, she starts to whinny real loud, as soon as she sees me come around the corner of the building.
And then she starts to talk to me (you know that soft rumbled whinny) right after I say ok Sas mommies here. She runs around in her pen, and shakes her head, every time. And of course I always have a carrot or two for her, and I do my horse grooming, I brush her and clean her. I talk to her the whole time we are together.
Horse grooming – it’s bonding too
On a good day i get to take her for a ride.(with the help of a couple of really nice women.)
The last ride I got to have with her this season was proof to me that grooming IS the most important time you can spend with your horse. They definitely bond with you.
Anyway on this ride, I tried to run with her, and she got scared from a falling branch, from a tree. And yes, she threw me off. And she took off running.
Luckily I had my cell phone with me. (I don’t usually) Everyone helped to find her. Calling her name and walking the trails. I could not, I had to stay put. I was in horrible pain now. So, I could only call for her.
Well, she followed my voice. She came back to ME.
And Donna said, she ran right past her. My girl knows me, and she loves me. I don’t usually get to see her in the cold months because my pain is too much. But no worries, she WILL start to whinny as soon as I come around that corner in the spring.
She is my life line. And I am hers. (I rescued her from people that beat her.)
Hope you enjoyed this.
Wendy”
A big thanks to Wendy for sharing her throughts on horse grooming – I know it’s a topic lots of you mail in about, when it comes to bonding.
That’s all for this time. Don’t forget there are hundreds of posts just like this on the blog, but the only way you can see them all is to jump on the newsletter.
Best
Sassy sounds like my Buddy. I purchased him in December, 2011 – he was 2.5 and I was 52. He was sort of a rescue. Sell him to me and know he will be loved, and cared for, and even spoiled a bit; sell him to someone the owner didn’t know, or send him to a horse auction. I wasn’t about to let either of the last two options happen (that’s another story for another time).
Lately where we live we have had quite a bit of rain, and of course the paddock gets muddy.
On a recent visit, I went to get Buddy. Instead of letting me put his rope halter on, he looked at me and walked away. At first it was annoying Then, he just stopped dead. I realized he lead me to an area in his paddock that wasn’t muddy. He looked at me and his eyes said “Okay you can put the halter on now.” I thanked him for being a gentleman, gave him a hug and then put his halter on and lead him to the barn for some grooming and quiet conversation about anything except politics! Once the grooming is over, he paws the floor, looks at me and says “Hurry up mom! Lets go, I wanna play!” The walk to the round pen is quick, but he knows if he goes too fast, mom will make him stop and settle down and then proceed
When it was time to return Buddy to his paddock, he went gently through the gate and stopped. He was letting me know “Mom take the halter off here so you don’t have to walk through the mud.” He is such a gentleman. I know some men who could take lessons from him!
I only get to see him once a week since I moved him to a safer and better maintained location. You can see the difference in him. He is happy, and content, and definitely at peace. The stable owner and Buddy’s trainer mentioned that she had seen him take a nap on the ground the first night back after being gone for almost 2 years. I saw him only do this one other time – the night I camped out with him at his previous location. He got as close to the fence as he could and laid down, and we took a nap together.
Just like Sassy, all I have to is call his name, he looks up and waits to see where I go. If I head to the house, then he goes back to grazing. If I head to the barn, he meets me at the paddock gate.
He’s my best friend and confident… and he doesn’t gossip except to other horses 😛 .
People say horses tell each other what to do with their owners, and I believe that. Where he was, the horses there taught him some bad behavior. Now, the horses around him have taught him far better behavior.
it’s amazing what a horse can do for a human. Whether you ride your mare or not the time spent with her is therapeutic for you both. I feel that just because you have a horse doesn’t mean you have to ride her. If talking and grooming you horse is therapeutic for you don’t let others push you into riding her especially if it puts you at risk. That horse is so lucky to have you.
Karen
Love hearing good feel stories, I have just lost my gorgeous boy ,he knew my car and came to me as soon as saw me , he was like a big faithful dog , hope you are ok after your fall
Last spring, my horse Twilight taught me how to groom my TB 24 yr old named Emily. The mare was stomping and biting her self a lot and I thought it was flies. I was spraying and putting out fly predators and still the mare was bothered.
Twilight was watching me rub Emily with bounce – keeps flies away from me too. Then Twilight stepped forward and ran her teeth hard over Emily’s back several times and pulled out a huge patch of fluff. Twilight stood back and motioned toward Emily’s back. The stomping was an itch from the winter coat. I had been brushing Emily, but not taking a harder grooming tool to remove the undercoat. I had been too timid. Now I make certain to remove all that winter undercoat in the spring and the flies seem to bother Emily less. ??
Horses are so much smarter than I am. Twilight knew that I was new to the game, and figured I needed a lesson or two.
Carolyn
Wonderful stories!
I am a bit selfish in I have a wonderful mare Splash I rescued when 18mths old. She is quiet as (I trained her)with children, but moves up a few gears when I ride her! She is 6yrs old now, and keeping her for the rest of my life – but will donate to Riding For Disabled if I go before her, as she has a real empathy which is special.
Another – Solly, a Arab /QTRH X, another rescue horse abused that could not get near…until spending a lot of time with him, now my favourite horse!!
I had Postnatal late after my son was born. I got the shits! Shoved my son in his Grandmothers arms and took off to the furthest paddock/field.
I’m sitting bunched up in a foetal position screaming, yelling, then down to sobbing.
I hear hoof steps behind me, and a great big nose nuzzling me.
“Go Away Solli!”I yelled.
He took no notice.
He just kept nuzzling me, and gently tapping me with his front hoof. And he tapped harder with that front hoof until I got up.
Then, this once wild, abused horse, stood there while I bawled my eyes into his neck, and did not move until I was in control.
Whoever says animals have no empathy – has not met this horse, or any other animal – that has helped a person in distress!
Kathy
i have been around horses my whole life and rode everyone i could i used a piece of soft rope tied around their nose and one rein i had many a fall but i still rode. now i am 64 and just bought a beautiful paint mare which i ride i don’t even think about being too old to ride as long as i can sit in the saddle i well be riding i do all the work to keep her happy stall cleaning etc. she well do anything i ask her and i do use a bitless bridle or a halter she is a spunky girl but she loves me as i do her she waits by the gate for me and yes she do talk to me even when i am on her she is always asking me where do we go now. and she knows where it is safe to go and where it is not.
Eliane
I had an Appy mare for many years, Misty, I got very sick and was put on very strong treatment that made it hard to even get out of bed – much less walk into the other room. But each day after my husband left for work I would slide out of bed and half crawl half walk out side, there I would have to stop and just lay there until I got enough energy to move on. I would do this until I made it out to Misty in her pasture. She would come over to me and lean down for me to love on her. She was very careful not to step on me and on a few times out she would lay down on the ground beside me. On these days I would lean against her side and pet her all over as far as I could reach. When it was time for me to return to the house she would slowly stand letting me use her to get to my feet. We exchanged hugs before I left. She never turned from me, watching to make sure I was safe as I crawled and laid down on my trip back into the house. I know it was her that pulled me thru that treatment. Without her I often feel I would have given up.
She passed away last year at the age of 35. I miss her every day. But have the Mini we got her for a foal, which I promised her I would care for and love like her, and also now I have a young Arabian filly I am bonding with. I know Misty would be happy with how things are with her Mini and now the Filly. But I can’t help but think of her each day with love.
Tamara
This is so true. Besides, I loved grooming my horse. It was funny when I groomed my gelding, Midnight. He would turn his head and watch me sometimes, and would almost go to sleep. I also hugged him alot. As big as he was, I wrapped my arms around his big belly, hugged him and told him that I loved him. I did the same thing with my granddaughter’s horse and my son’s horse. Unfortunately, neither one of them could understand the importance of touching their horse and talking to them. They skipped this and the ground work, and couldn’t understand why they had problems with them while in the saddle. The horses did not respect them. And, yes, I tried to reason with them, they didn’t want to hear it. I watched an old man who has many years in breaking horses. His technique was barbaric. When he broke a new two year old, he made sure the bit was tight in their mouth that it cut the horse’s mouth on the sides. I saw this and wanted to treat the sores, but he didn’t want them treated. I had once respected this man, but after seeing how he worked with the young horses, I couldn’t stand to be around him and when he was doing this to the young horses
Diana
I enjoy all the comments. I have just started taking riding lessons after loving horses all my life. I am 64. I rode some as a teen but never took lessons. I just got on and rode on my sister’s just broke horse and did fine. I love brushing the horses I ride and just being around them. It is what I enjoy most and look forward to it so much. I had back surgery 16 months ago and have been having pain recently and hope it is not from riding because I would be so sad to have to give it up. I love being around the horses and would some day love to have my own horse. I so enjoy reading everyone’s comments and am learning a lot.
Chris in NH
My husband and I have rescued two horses, a quarter horse that I named Castiel,Cass for short and a pony that we named Ruby. They were both starved so bad that Castiel looked deformed in the back in and you could see all their bones in their bodies. We know nothing about horses, but could not let them go back to those awful people. Ruby has been broke and is very gentle, Cass on the other hand has never been riden and we could catch him until he started to get stronger and got away from my husband and then we started having problems catching him. he now comes when he sees us, sometimes takes a few minutes and we just bought some brushes to groom them. After reading all that you experienced horse people have to say, I can’t wait to get home from work in the morning and start grooming him. Ruby loves it, also is it bad to look them in the eyes. Cass has so much expression in his eyes, I love to look in them. He is a wonderful horse and he does love us, I can tell, just not quite there on the total trust factor as of yet, we are also taking him to be broke.If we can not ride him we at least want to be able to groom, bath and spray him for flies, which he is not letting us do.
Renie
I just appreciate reading all your stories about experiences with your horses and neighbor’s horses too. I agree with grooming it’s a great way to communicate with your horse that you care. My horse always comes running to greet me and follows me everywhere. However I have trained her not to squeeze on me so she keeps her body off of me by about 6 inches unless I call her to me. I was using too soft of a brush and my trainer said to get a small palm size brush with stiffer bristles so I can really get down and remove the dirt and loose hair. Bonding with your horse builds trust and confidence in and out of the saddle. TRUST is always the biggest issue. We must depend on each other and trust each other.
Kara
Wonderfull to read your story and that you have got your first horse. I have just recently returned to riding again after some 33 years!!! My brother and sister-in-law think I’m mad but horses are so very special – I know they will rejuvenate and reward me more than I reward them.
Thanks everyone for reminding me about the importance of grooming – its something I had forgotten.
Margot
I really enjoyed your story, I have a filly name Lilly she is at the race track and I go to see her twice a week and all I have to do is say Lilly and she comes running.
Michelle
What a truly amazing story and it definately uplifted my morning.
Liz
I know absolutely that Missy recognizes the sound of my car. As soon as she hears me pull up at the stables, she starts to whinny and runs to the gate to wait for me. I tell her “Mommy’s here” also, and she responds, Aren’t they amazing?
Eleanor