Horses calling to each other

[Mary Poppins]

Ben is a very vocal horse. When he first came to the yard the was always calling out, but I put this down to him being in isolation at a new yard and him wondering what an earth is going on.

He has a best friend in the herd and whenever he sees his friend he likes to neigh to him which I understand.

However, sometimes for no reason I can think of, he is in a very vocal mood and he likes to speak to every horse that he catches view of – both those very near him and those in distant fields. When I ask him to really work, he concentrates on his work and forgets the others, but when we are hacking he is very nosy and anything that catches his attention he calls at.

Why does he do this and is it a sign of insecurity? He is happy to go anywhere on his own, we normally ride on our own either late at night in the school or wondering round the fields and this has never been a problem. His behaviour and manners cannot be faulted.

Is he trying to tell me something or is he just a very social horse?

 

[popularfurball]

Sometimes I think its reassurance that there are other horses nearby, other times I find its more of a flirty thing - with Silver anyway :giggle:

 

[Trewsers]

I don't necessarily think its a sign of insecurity, as Chloe our new girl is quite shy, but very quiet!lol. She only ever does a little low-growl of greeting to OH or myself, but does not seem noisy at all. JOe on the other hand.....Mr Confident himself lol, used to talk to the trees if he could! He called to anything and anybody - even cows and sheep!

 

[Melrose]

I think in the field, if he sees another horse in the distance he is just calling out as he just may be the type of horse who really enjoys company. When they call out I think it's just them saying "Hello, i'm here - what are you doing?" type thing. I don't think it's insecurity as you say, he works well when you are riding him - and out riding, if he calls, I think it's just because he's like "Wow, I see another new horse, hello!" :biggrin:

 

[newforest]

Some horses are just social. The neigh just lets the other horse know he is there.
I think gelding do so more. My cob had a friend who would greet her, she didn't even look!
Some people talk to everyone they meet.
My other pony used to talk to his own reflection.

 

[Ginger Thing]

Our two used to be terrible when we went to dressage comps - we'd warm up together, then one of us would have to go in to do our test and they'd be constantly neighing to each other! Thomas also neighs to horses (and sometimes cows, think he needs his eyes testing!) from inside the lorry when he's travelling alone :biggrin:

If they can't see each other they do call to each other a lot, even when they have another horse with them.

New boy Archi is extremely vocal in all ways, he nickers when he sees us appear on the yard, for his food, when we go to fetch him in, and calls to other horses that he's either going away from or coming back in to!

I love it, except when they do it right next to my ear :redcarded:

 

[MightyQuin]

Quincey is very vocal too - he will 'shout' to almost anything and everything when we are out hacking (horses, cows, sheep :giggle and is very nosey. He is the same when he is in the school too, whether his 'friends' are out in the paddocks or still inside in their stables.

I think it may be a bit of insecurity with him tho as when hacking with someone else, if they happen to disappear from his view (even for a short spell) he gets very agitated :frown: TBH i dread the scenario of hacking out alone and meeting someone else out on a hack going the other way - not sure how we will deal with that :frown:

 

[carthorse]

Little Un is very vocal & seems to have a different noise for everything. Sometimes it's like he's carrying on his own private conversation as he'll stand chuntering away to himself for no apparent reason, & the squeaks he sometimes lets out make me wonder if I should be oiling him!

I find it interesting that in the years before I had Little Un Jim wasn't a very vocal horse, he'd occassionally call to others but that was it, but over the years they've been together he's gradually become much more talkative (though still nothing like the chatterbox & his noises are limited to more normal horsey ones).

 

[Joyscarer]

Joy is very shouty. I can hear her the moment I get out the car and they're a brisk 2.5 min walk away. she'll shout when we are out riding too if she thinks the horses we pass haven't noticed her. Ear plugs required when that happens and she feels huge under you when she bellows!

 

[CMP]

Caymen is not very vocal at all. In saying that, last year, Caymen and his pal Clem became a bit of a problem when we seperated them. I went out riding and they were still calling for each other miles away!
Nice to know that he concentrates on the job in hand :biggrin: