Do horses remember their owners?

[Carly Rae]

Hi,

I am just wondering what all of your thoughts on horses remembering owners? For example, some dogs create a huge bond with their owners, they get separated for a period of time, when reunited the dog goes wild with excitement, some even pass out with excitement. Obviously horses wont go to that extent but you get what I mean? I always wonder, do my horses love me as much as I do them? If I left, would they notice? My dad thinks they 'Love me' but I think he is over exaggerating. Or they just love the food in my hands lol.

I have seen videos of the bond some people have with their horses, its amazing. A reason that made me think of this, I started watching the TV series "Heartland" and a horses owner passes away and the horse kind of goes 'depressed' like wont eat or anything. Is that just to create emotion in the show or do some horses actually become like that?

What do you all think?

I think that I would have to have a very strong bond with my horses for them to recognize I was gone. Or I think maybe the horse remembers you, your voice and they KNOW its you, their owner, but just don't show emotion to it. I don't know though haha.

 

[Jill]

I'm friends with the lady I bought my big horse from nearly 20 years ago now. That horse, Rocket, is very VERY smart. He loves me, my husband, and his old owner. She came to visit us several years after I bought him and she hadn't seen him since I bought him. Here was NO doubt he remembered her and was thrilled to see her. I was actually jealous, as immature as that must sound

Additionally, I've seen horses reunited after many years apart and they are obviously happy to see each other again and pick right back up with their friendship and bond.

A lot of people don't give enough credit to the relationships and emotions animals have. Many of them have a huge range of emotions, just like we do... Love, envy, pride, compassion and everything else.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I was boarding a horse for a lady. I had him about 2 months and she came to visit him. I had him tied next to my horse. When she came up to greet her horse, he reacted strongly and drove my horse away from her! MY girlfriend!

 

[BSharpRanch]

Horses do form strong attachments to humans and other animals in their "herd". I have personal experience with it and it is amazing. They form bonds not only with their owners but trainers, farriers, anyone that in normally in their lives.

 

[Cayuse]

I think they do. I had a little Morgan mare that I sold to someone and did not see for years. I bought her back sight unseen. When I went to pick her up she saw me and hollered,and came running. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that she knew who I was. She was ordinarily not that vocal, or friendly.

My mini likes my husband, but if we are all out in the paddock together he will "herd" him away from me and join up with me. My welsh recognizes his former barn mates at the shows, too. So I think they remember former owners and barn mates.

When my older pony passed away last spring the welsh definitely felt it. I do not know if he "missed" the old guy, or just sensed a difference in the barn hierarchy. But he was mopey for quite a while. Whatever the reason, he felt it.

 

[BSharpRanch]

I think that they also understand death too. Our old pony passed away a few years ago. He was the boss hoss and everyone respected him. When we took him to his grave the entire ranch said goodbye, the horses, the cow, the chickens, the roosters, the dogs and even the cats. I couldn't hold back the tears. I had never seen anything like it.

 

[Carly Rae]

Wow, thanks for all your stories and opinions

It would be so nice for one of your old friends to come greet you in that way. Id love to experience it one day

My dad works 2 weeks away then comes home for 2 weeks, my dog Lacey goes crazy when dad comes home, she nearly turns herself inside-out, I get jealous of him cause she is my dog haha

 

[AngC]

I am just wondering what all of your thoughts on horses remembering owners? ... do my horses love me as much as I do them? If I left, would they notice?

I think humans project their feelings on horses; that's probably why some humans dress up their horses, dogs, etc. in outfits (like my neighbor with her dog in a pink hoodie-footie.) I don't think horses "love" in the same way that humans do. Ours certainly seem aware of us and are constantly aware of what we are doing. I think much of their loyalty can be attributed to our role as a food source. But I have noticed, slowly over time, that frequently they call to me (whinny/neigh) without the food motivation.

BSharpRanch mentioned death... when we got Nicky, we bought another mini who had to be put down within the first 3 months. Nicky freaked. And I freaked because he was lying down and wouldn't get up (that's why we have Coco, quick replacement companion.) I'd like to attribute his reaction to the odor (we had put the carcass as far away as we could, but when the heat hit she smelled bad.) I don't know what he knew or thought; but, I think he knew the scent of death. And he just wasn't his usual happy self.

 

[BSharpRanch]

I had a client that had purchased a pair of little donkeys. She had them gelded. Life was good. Then one got colic and died. The other little guy was so distressed and depressed. He laid down and didn't want to get up. The found another donkey and when it stepped off the trailer the first one was happier. He knew it wasn't his friend.

 

[paintponylvr]

"Herd Bound" is a term for a reason. BUT I've seen it go much further w/i pairs - both between horses and horse/owner.

In 2013, after losing her foal and getting sick, I was worried over what would happen to the sister of the mare if she passed then. She was pastured several pastures away - but often after the sick mare was moved to a small paddock right behind our house, the two would stand in such a way that they could see each other and "converse" (LOUDLY, I might add). Then after seeming to assure each other of being OK, they'd go on about their business. Now that the older mare (1 who lost her foal) has lost her sight completely in her left eye, she seems even more tightly bonded to her sister... They holler and call out to each other when I separate them to drive (now drive the younger sister w/ her daughter and the older sister with another mare that she is better matched with). IF/When Bit loses sight in her right eye as well, I will either put a neck bell on her sister or the other mare she drives with to bring her back and forth in the pasture/paddock... It will be interesting to see what happens when 1 or the other actually pass. I'm not looking forward to it - because I honestly believe that 2nd will follow soon after. Bell is 24 yrs old this year and Bit is 25.

When our 1st stallion was pastured with a mare, we found that as he had problems that included severe weight loss - she would match him. They would often encourage each other to eat, but if one didn't eat and moved away (didn't matter which one first), the other was soon at the side of the one who moved off. When he developed quality of life issues w/ spine (bone chip shifted and put pressure on spine, SX removal not an option), he would go down and not be able to get up on his own. She'd stand guard over him and would make a ruckus anytime anyone came to the house or came out of the house. We'd then go get him off the ground and usually into shade w/ water at that point. When we made decision to euthanize him, and took him to a shady, well grassed spot - she went beserk - ramming the corral fence, kicking and striking at the gate, throwing herself to the ground and getting up again and running the fence lines almost non-stop. She quit when/while the deed was done, then started again when his body was moved to the burial sight. We decided (they were the same age and she was having some health issues too, though not nearly as severe or life threatening) to take her to the grave sight and also euthanized her rather than risking severe depression OR painful injury from her actions. She was calm once she saw his body and they were literally buried together. I've never regretted that decision. They were both 20 yrs old at the time. O, and they'd been partners originally after we purchased her. Then we sold her and years later, purchased her back. They went right back to being partners - always hanging out together when ever they were pastured together (even when she never did produce another foal or come into heat regularly) and in the last two years they were inseparable.

I experienced the same thing with a pair of spayed female dogs we owned except the the 2nd girl refused to eat and quietly died on her buddy's grave less than 2 weeks after the 1st had been buried. Physically, there was nothing wrong with the 2nd girl - we took her to the vet 2x during that time & once she was given IVs for both fluid and nourishment. It was hard to bury our first dog, it was harder to deal with the 2nd girl when she was found "sleeping" (again) on the grave. We buried Nikki next to Blaze. Blaze was 10 yrs old and Nikki was only about 5 yrs old.

I've seen experiences between owner and horse/pony (as shown in Heart Land - the books are AWESOME, btw & written above) but have not experienced that myself. The longer an owner has a horse that is "theirs", the more likely I've heard/seen this to happen. Also, I've seen it work the other way - when an old horse passes and the owner, also older & usually single, doesn't last long either.

This is both happy & BEAUTIFUL and very, very sad!

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

I don't know if all horses do just as all dogs don't but my mini Ellie, a foal born to one of my mares 8 yeas ago and I have a very close bond. I went away to schill and didn't see her for nearly two months, bt as soon á she heard my voice when I stepped out of the car she started whinnying for me...so yes I believe if you have the right bond they definitely do. She's my baby and I'll be dead and broke before she is ever sold, but I have no doubt she would never forget me if I ever did sell her.

 

[lkblazin]

my girls are very protective over me. If someone wants to stand by me or get pet, they usually have to fight off my littlest mare. She will spin in tight circles around me to keep me away from the other girls. Then expects me to pet her lol.

Also several years ago one of my mares got westnile. She was not supposed to make it, so we drove her up to Madison Wisconsin. They worked with her for weeks. After some physical therapy she was able to come home. When we unloaded her from the trailer she was still not really strong with her muscles. But definitely new were she was, and tried dragging me to the barn. I told my mom that she needed to go get whispers mom before we brought her back to the barn. Of course she did not believe me that they were going to go nuts. So she brought Penelope (aka mom) up to the front and what happened next made me cry. Whisper screamed so loud that i swear china could hear it! Then her whole body tensed and she toppled over like a fainting goat. Even though she could not get up she tried crawling over to her mom. For the next 15mins or so they kept on talking. Penelope is not in the best condition now, and i dont know how whisper will take it when the time comes.

 

[Miniv]

I have several examples of how horses remember, but the two at the top of the list are a mare who was born to us and shown both by us AND by trainers, Jessie......and my riding horse, Julie.

Jessie had been at a trainers and after some time had passed we went to visit. She was in a small field with other fillies and when she saw us she left the group and came to us.

Julie, my Morgan/Quarterhorse mare.....I sold her to my niece for a dollar. It had been 2 or 3 months since I'd seen her, but I stopped by. She was out grazing and I just said, "Hi Julie"....Her head came up and she came to the fence nickering at me.

Anyone ever had a "horse hug"? It's the best feeling......

 

[jeanniecogan]

in Dec i had major surgery. my husband would not let out of the house while i healed. he took relly took good care of me, but was so afraid i would hurt myself. he also took very good care o my two minis. after SEVEN WEEKS he finally let me out on the patio. i could see my minis in their pasture. i called to Rosco and his head shot up and he hwinnied at me. and came running to the fence, i then called to Charlie and got the same response. i was thrilled... imglad others have experienced this afffection.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

My loan mare is bottom of the herd here. At her owner she was considered one of the top mares (I would say second in command) and when a mare from her owners came to me for a day to get a bath and groom for a fun day, she immediately turned evil and I had to put them in two seperate blocks with space between! I was so shocked she's such a quiet mare with me lol

 

[lucky seven]

Thanks for this topic, I have found a new home for Seven when we say goodby to our other horse. He will have Nubian goats to play with and I've been told that I can visit anytime I want. He won't be moving for a few more months but I've been wondering how he will adjust to new owners (my age) and goats for friends. I know he will be well taken care of because they live next door to a local equine rescue and they gave me the best recommendation possible. When he moves I will go with him and be there when he meets everyone for the first time. It won't be easy but at least I'll be able to sleep knowing he will have a good home. I just don't know if I should stop by and interfere with his adjustment to new surroundings.

 

[AngC]

Our two girls know the sound of the diesel engine on my husband's truck. (I think Nicky does too, but he chooses to ignore it.) I think they learned this, because he used to hang out the window and yell at them when he drove in. There are a couple other Ford diesel trucks in the neighborhood, but the girls only whinny at my husband's truck. (...even when he's not yelling.) They can hear him driving up long before I can.

 

[Ellesan]

My gelding and my mini mare whinny and nicker when I drive up to the barn--just seeing my car they get all excited. Last summer I had endometrial cancer and didn't see them for a few weeks after having a total hysterectomy. It killed me. My (regular size horse) gelding isn't one who loves to be hugged and touched a lot. With hugs he usually moves away in a few seconds, like "I'm good, that's enough!"

When I went to see him for the first time after surgery, I went up to him and put my arms around him and he didn't move a muscle for 5 minutes. Just stayed right there with me. He knew I needed it and I know he missed me too.

There is a local "animal communicator" here and my friends have had some great experiences with her in the past. She does the reading over the phone after seeing a photo of your animal and knowing their name only. I don't really believe in this type of thing but decided to give it a try just to see what she would say. (one of my friends horses was doing terribly with losing weight and poor health issues. She told my friend to change x, y, z supplements, etc. and in ONE WEEK looked like a different horse. It was amazing!!)

Anyway she asked which of my animals I wanted to start with (2 horses and 4 dogs), and I said Koda, my gelding. The first thing she said is "what happened to your stomach a while ago?? Koda is very upset that something terrible happened to your stomach, like a big injury." WOW. This lady knows nothing about me at all. He knew I had been hurt and injured (my surgery). That was amazing to me.

Animals, I think especially dogs and horses, know people, know energy, intention and love/kindness. We don't give them enough credit.....

 

[Miniv]

Great story about Animal Communication, Ellesan. Believe it or not, YOU practiced "animal communication" without realizing it. Your gelding picked up

your thoughts about your hysterectomy and processed it the only way he knew how. You also picked up his message of "I'm good, that's enough"......

When your mind is totally relaxed and open (imagine a blank TV screen), it's amazing what your animals and you can communicate/share.

We all do it at some level without realizing it.