Horse Question...?

Question

I am very close to the horse that I ride for my lessons every week. After my lessons, and after I have taken care of her and put her back in her stall, I hang out with her in her stall for a while before I leave. During this time, she will use me as a rubbing post, which I am fine with, but sometimes she will push against me and almost knock me over. I know that she is just playing with me, but do you think that I should be assertive and not let her do that? I don't want her to think she can push me around, but I also want her to be able to play with me.
Any thoughts are appreciated... Thanks!

She is a really sweet horse, and does everything I ask. All I think she is doing is trying to show affection, yet I do understand that it could get to be a bit dangerous, especially if she did it with small children.

Answer 1

She is just playing with you but with such a big animal manners are very important, especially if they are around small children. On the other hand being assertive does'nt mean you have to abuse her. Reassurance is key. Just push her away and tell her know. PLay with her ain other ways, such as doing things with treats, and reward her for doing what you ask. Since you have never enforced this before you should not hit her nose or anything , at least the first few times, because she does not know what she is doing wrong. when she has learned this and still acts up then a small tap or yank of a halter might be in order. Many people have different opinions on this type of dicipline but dshe is much larger than you and if when you hit yourself does'nt hurt you it won't hurt her, but i'm not saying to be agressive but just to show she can't push people around.
good luck!

Answer 2

Wow, everyone seems to think this is some huge deal, but really it's not. If she's pushing you down then you can let her know that she needs to back off, but if she's just rubbing against you it's just because the bridle or halter is making her head itchy. My Arabian gelding does the same thing, he'll rub against my jeans (the denim has more friction than shirts do) to make his head feel better. It's hardly a sign of disrespect. If I tell him to do something, whether I'm on his back or on the ground, he has a very prompt "Yes, Ma'am!" response. I am the only person he obeys because he is a very one-person horse.

If she's throwing you down then push her off, but try scratching her face around her poll or down the sides of her face where the halter are and she'll probably start rubbing against you. Just make sure to discourage her (push her away) when she gets too rough. If you want you could just scratch her head and teach her not to rub against you, it doesn't really matter.

As long as she's obedient in everything else, I don't see this being a big deal. If she was pushy in other things then I wouldn't let her do it because I would be keeping her at more of a distance because it's the disrespectful horses that are most apt to hurt you. But if she is respectful and she listens to you, then let her do it as long as it doesn't bother you.

Answer 3

I know you think she is just showing affection, but horses are herd animals that are led by a more dominant horse. In the wild she would not DARE rub against the herd leader. Herd animals follow the leader and play around with individuals that are lower in the pecking order such as themselves. If you allow her to continuously invade your personal space then you are asking for trouble that would be no body's fault, but your own. Her next show of affection maybe running you around the stall or grazing her teeth across you. These all are signs of affection in the herd, but remember you are not 1,000 pounds and could easily get hurt. The next time she leans against you in the stall or anywhere else try standing with your hand on your hip and proding her with your elbow. As soon as she steps away remove the pressure. Do this every time she attempts her affection and it should solve the problem. Remember their is nothing more dangerous than a 1,000 pound animal that thinks she is the same size as you. I also wonder if maybe she is not trying to crowd you while being led? These two usually go hand-in-hand. The hand on hip technique works well for this two. You have personal space just as well as she does.

Answer 4

Don't let her rub you with her head. This is her entering your personal space and you not doing anything about it. That is her showing dominance, believe it or not, even if she isn't pushing you around.

Although it seems cute to us humans, it means something totally different in horse language. Her rubbing you is the equivilant to a kid showing total disrespect with an adult. And you being the adult, you're letting her get away with it. You're right - you will have to be assertive and show her how to mind her manners.

Next time she rubs you, even if it's the slightest nudge with her nose, push her head away. Don't ever slap her, bringing pain to a horse in any way damages your relationship. Instead, deal with the problem by speaking their language so they can understand. So when she rubs you, push her nose away and back her up, with a firm voice. Most horses catch on quickly, so she'll soon quit trying to rub her head on you.

If you want to play with her in her stall (which is fine I do it with my horse all the time) try getting her to do a few things at liberty. See if you can get her to back up or side pass by moving away from pressure. Also, a great way to strengthen your bond as friends is to find a place where she loves to be scratched. Usually horses like it on their withers or hip. You'll know she likes it when her lip starts quivering and her body relaxes.

I hope this helps. Have fun with your horse!

Answer 5

You are correct, you need to assert yourself and let you know that this is unacceptable behavior. They would never do that to the matriarch mare, or the stallion of a herd, and likewise they shouldn't do it to you. An easy way to get her to stop is to make it uncomfortable. This technique involves some finesse, so it may take a little practice to get right, but whenever she goes to rub on you, stick your elbow, your fist, knee, whatever is hard and near where she's going to rub, in her way. Do NOT hit her with it, let her come to it, but don't give. She needs to start to think of you as a nice person, but a painful, hard rubbing post. There are other ways she can show her affection and attention to you without having to push you (or small children as you mentioned) over. Good luck with her! Sounds like you both enjoy each others company, that's the best part about horses, isn't it?

Answer 6

What your horse is doing is actually loving on you. In horse language rubbing their head on you is a sign of friendship. I know you don't want to be pushed over though, so show some disapproval when your horse rubs too hard. You don;t want to use a smack, simply a disapproving sound. Enjoy the fact though that your horse really likes you, and don't believe people who say this is a sign of disrespect, this is a good thing. You should even reciprocate by turning around and rubbing the horse between the eyes.

Answer 7

We have owned horses for years. Its wonderful to love them and give them tons of affection, but never encourage your horse to "play" with you. Remember, a good size horse weighs 1200 pounds. They can cause a severe injury in you with little or no effort. You must have a very firm attitude about what is ok and not ok behavior. you should not let a horse lean up against you. A hard lean against a stall door by a good size horse could break two of your ribs. That is not good behavior. Here's a tip...horses are sometimes into pressure animals. If he tends to lean harder when you push back, then try reaching around and patting him on the other side. Many animals will immediately push back toward that direction....but it really depends on the horse.

Answer 8

She is definately playing with you or has an itch and you are convenient. Obviously, because she is much bigger than you she can shove you around and knock you over, but if she's getting to rough, just give her a shove yourself (or a light bap on the nose) and a sharp "No!". Then when she stops, give her a pat. You just want her to get the idea not to push you so hard, but horses will shove you around a bit. So long as you're not getting hurt it's nothing to worry about.

Answer 9

This is a definite no-no, as this horse will one day hurt you or someone else without meaning to. You should be assertive but not mean. She should learn to respect you and your personal space. When she trys to pull that on you just move away and show your discomfort at being pushed around by her. Hope this helps!

Answer 10

No don't let her push you. Next she will be pushing a small child around & someone is going to get hurt. Horses require disipline to keep them from becoming dangerous. It can start with something as small as you are describing, & before you know it their actions have become dangerous. It is for the horses own good as much as anyone elses.