Your mood and your horse

eml

eml

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Apr 29, 2002
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Leicestershire
www.ivanhoeequestrian.net
I was in a generally harrassed/grumpy mood today, no other reason than too much to do and feeling pressured.

Even my nicest horses were uncooperative, wouldn't be caught as easily as usual, bargy when lead, wouldn't walk politely into stables. Customers (riders) however rode much better than usual, (perhaps my 'just get on with it' attitude was refreshing:eek:)

Final straw was SFS was leading her project horse back from school, she had gone really well until she saw me and 'freaked'

I have always believed in the influence of mood over horses and a degree of thought commumication but never had such a stark reminder.

How does your horse react to your moods?
 
If I'm overlly happy or cocky then Forest brings me back down to earth (with a bump!)
If I'm a bit down hes either really loving or cheeky and bites my shoes etc.
If I'm grumpy then he sulks as he doesn't get as much fuss as usual so the brat in him comes out! :p
If I'm tired and can't be asked then hes more spooky as i'm not 'riding' him so he can't cope without my 'back-up' as it were.

Generally I do notice a difference in him depending on my moods but he usually same old same old, don't think he really picks up on my moods that much.

I think it depends on the horse, some horses pick up on things more, usualy youngsters and nervous horses.
I know that when my ex YO would walk in Forest stable he would jump back as she would try and dominate every horses even if they weren't being bargy so Forest was scared of her and learnt to keep away.

Even though Forest is quite a nervous horse he tends to pick up and act on other peoples moods rather then mine. I think Forest sees me in whatever mood and is like:

'Yay, happy mum, more treats!' :D
'Oh, sad mum, might take the P today then!' :p
'Oh, mums tired, don't know if I can cope....':eek:

Whereas with other people hes more like:

'Oh no they're happy, what are they going to do?!'
'Oh no, they're grumpy, run away......'

Bit of a long and rambling post. Sorry :eek::D
 
Scooby certainly reacts to my moods, and I suppose the others do too, to a lesser extent.
I have learned the hard way, that if I am feeling in a sh***y mood, then I simply don't ride. Scooby (TBx) gets his knickers in a twist, which makes my mood worse - vicious circle!
When I am mellow, like today (being Friday!!) he will come up and have a cuddle for ages!
 
They certainly pick up on your mood, if im in a bad mood sometimes its a good thing to ride as i wont put up with any sh** and i get a good ride, but sometimes when im in a bad upsetty mood then theres no point in riding because I feel like I cant do anything right and everything goes wrong, but when were both in a good mood like yesterday things go great. but i think sometimes it can go both ways because when im nervous he (Puzzle) decides there and then whether hes going to be really good and look after me or totally take the p lol. xx
 
I find the Shetlands and the Icelandics are sympathetic if you are genuinely upset or worried, they do make allowances for you and generally make you feel better.

If I am in a bad mood of someone else's making then they do react by being stroppy back.
 
Frits is very in tune with my moods and behaves accordingly. One of the main reasons why I don't show him is because I get very stressed (make myself physically sick:eek::eek:) and this definitely rubs off on him and he himself gets stressed. Never a good combination out in public - stressed human and stressed stallion.

When I am having a bad down in the dumps day (or a fight with my OH:p) Frits is always gentle and sweet and lets me put my arms round his neck for a cuddle:)

Yesterday I was in a good even playful mood and Frits was too:) I know not always wise to 'play' with a stallion but sometimes I can't resist his invitation:) It is these moments that the liberty we dabble in comes to play:D

I have also noticed and it is very noticable, how my mood affects working with the foal. If I am paient and calm she is a model student but if I get impaient or in a rush to get things done then she is a troll:eek:
 
If I'm in a bad mood or in a rush Skye is a right little shi**. She shies at everything. I think it is because she can, and knows that it annoys me.

But if I'm in a good mood then she is too.
 
I'm with Wally it depends why my mood is off, when I split from my ex Bramble was a model student she did everything and as best she could and gave great cuddles, if I come and works really hacked me off she generally becomes very uncooperative.

Kira is very hyper sensitive for moods and I have tried to leave any bad moods at the gate tbh as she panics if someone is generally angry around her
 
Me and candy both get PMT and we put up with eachother,
when were both on together its murders!
 
On the ground if I'm upset/down/worried then Nasa will usually me really sweet & cheer me up :D If I try to ride him when I'm less than 100% though, he is really quick to pick up on it and will either assume something is going to eat us or refuse to move! I try to ride him only when I'm feeling positive & confident now, otherwise he just gets negative too because of me.
xx
 
Frankies's a bit of an insensitive teenager - it's all about his moods and feelings not mine.

If I'm happy - Mum I want food, can we play?
If I'm sad - Mum I want food, can we play?
If I'm stressed - Mum I want food, can we play?
If I'm angry - Mum I want food, can we play?

If something scares or upsets him he is straight over for cuddles and sympathy but me, he just doesn't believe I'm allowed to have moods.
 
Bryony is really sensative to my moods. Last August I was having a rough time my mum in law died and hubby went to stay with her for a week leaving me with a full time job, 3 upset kids to look after all on school holiday and having to travel to see hubby every evening a 4 hour round trip. Then to top it all we had problems with other members of the family. I still went to the yard most days to check on Bry and poo pick but didn't have time to do anything else. For two weeks I couldn't get anywhere near her she just floowed me round the field at a safe distance just outside my reach. Another livery went straight up to her and caught her straight away. It was definately my mood at the time.
 
My mood definitely affects Storm - if I set off for a hack full of woe and stress from either work or my neighbours (they annoy me on a daily basis) she can always feel it, and either plays up or is extremely jittery. I try not to ride her when I'm feeling like this. On the ground being handled she can be a right madam when I'm "not in the mood" so to speak. Yet weirdly enough when we were dealing with OH's health issues earlier this year she seemed to sense I had enough on my plate and was an angel to handle - really gentle with me and with him.
 
Mine behave the same regardless of what mood im in, they know how they are expected to behave and will do so regardless.
 
Very surprisingly i found that when it's my time of the month and i'm feeling grouchy and in general a bit pathetic and whingey, the mare i ride can be a right stroppy wotsit, barging about, telling me she's boss today and generally doing her 'alpha mare' business :rolleyes:, whereas all of the geldings were seemingly extra gentle with me :eek::D! Horses are so sensitive to people's feelings it's spooky! The way they react to those feelings, of course is entirely individual :rolleyes:;)!
 
I don't think my mare cares nearly as much about my moods as she does about her own :rolleyes:

Often just being out at the barn and with her will lift my mood, but if I'm really really distracted and upset about something (work, family etc.) I just don't ride. I realize not everyone has that option, but that's proven the best option for me. I'll get out, maybe handwalk, groom, feed...does make me feel better and she doesn't have to put up with me being a tense wreak :eek:

At other times, she knows very well when *she's* the one who's peed me off, and boy does she shape up fast ;)
 
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