Did that really happen moment

Teej · #1 01/16/13, 11:34 PM

A little description of the barn set-up so you can picture it. A closed in lean-to runs down the side of the barn with the opening at the back. Two pipe gates are hung so that they can be closed to make stalls at feeding time or whenever and the rest of the time they swing back against the wall for the horses to have the freedom to come and go as they wish.

Every evening at feeding time I unhook the rear gate and lift it off the board it rests on then proceed to the front gate and shut Gamble in the front stall. Teej gets behind the rear gate and then pushes it closed making the second stall when I tell him to shut the gate. His brother, Flash shares this middle stall with him at feeding time (it's very large) and Teej got to the point he was shutting the gate before I told him to and before Flash was in there with him so we've been working on him waiting until I give him the go ahead.

Today for whatever reason Gamble turned around and walked back out before getting shut in his stall and Teej had jumped the gun again and had his gate about halfway shut. I told Teej to hang on because everyone wasn't in position (yes, I talk to my horses) and then the HUH? moment happened. He looked at me and huffed out his breath like he was exasperated that I wasn't with the (his) program, walked around the end of the gate and pushed it back against the wall.

Now I know it was all a coincidence but I do think I stared at him in stunned silence for a moment before I started laughing and told him he was a good boy. He did wait for me to tell him to shut it again the second time around.

Anyone else ever have a I THINK MY HORSE JUST UNDERSTOOD ENGLISH moment?

beccachow · #2 01/16/13, 11:45 PM

Yup. Mine always know when I am talking about them in front of them to someone, and will glare accordingly if I am describing bad behavior or pose like a champ when I am describing good behavior.

Teej · #3 01/17/13, 12:08 AM

I scrounged around and found a picture of the barn from the outside.

http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/sl...NAME=snapfish/

SilverFlame819 · #4 01/17/13, 01:04 AM

You have trained your horses to do the work in your barn for you? *lol* I'm sure people out there would pay you good money to train their horses to do the same!

tinknal · #5 01/17/13, 08:43 AM

I knew an old Austrian Dr. He was drafted into the NAZI Navy at 17. Put on a U-Boat and ended up being captured by the British. As a POW his job was stable hand caring for the horses of British officers. There were plenty of POWs so they ran 3 full shifts in the stable. If so much as one horse apple would be discovered they would get the crap beat out of them. Him and the other guys on his shift trained the horses to hold it until the next shift!

levi1739 · #6 01/17/13, 09:17 AM

I don't believe horses have either a need or an ability to understand any language. Seems to me they are able to "read thoughts" and will often react to a humans "intent". It's a big part of why I love them so much. These critters never fail to amaze me.

Have fun, be safe

Jack

jennigrey · #7 01/17/13, 09:56 AM

Whether they are reading body language, smells, tone of voice or specific words, our horses know more about us than many people are willing to admit. Work closely enough with a particular horse and you'll develop a good library of stories that you might be uncomfortable about sharing, for fear of coming across as a loon.

2horses · #8 01/17/13, 10:48 AM

One day after a trail ride I had Becca tied to the trailer, eating hay out of her net, relaxing and chatting with my riding buddy. I said something about starting up dressage lessons again, and when I did Becca whipped her head around with a mouthful of hay (she quit chewing) and looked at me with an expression that very clearly said, "WHAT!! Are you crazy??" I thought my friend was going to literally roll on the ground laughing. There have been other times when I've said something to Becca, and she has responded exactly as though she understood. She's very in tune to me.

Teej · #9 01/17/13, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverFlame819

You have trained your horses to do the work in your barn for you? *lol* I'm sure people out there would pay you good money to train their horses to do the same!

I wish I could take credit for training him to shut the gate but he trained himself and I've just encouraged him to do a better job of it. Unfortunately he doesn't transfer his willingness to be the gate boy to other gates we encounter while riding. It's all about supper time for him.

Maybe it's in the bloodlines, his daddy will open gates but not shut them.

Teej · #10 01/17/13, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennigrey

Whether they are reading body language, smells, tone of voice or specific words, our horses know more about us than many people are willing to admit. Work closely enough with a particular horse and you'll develop a good library of stories that you might be uncomfortable about sharing, for fear of coming across as a loon.

I completely understand this Jennigrey. I don't tell about half the things I've seen some horses do for this very reason.

CJBegins · #11 01/18/13, 12:05 AM

I have a mare that will assist with opening gates when out riding. She waits for me to undo the chain and then she will give it a nudge. She can be impatient if I am too slow.....lol. They are amazing creatures.

ShadowfaxFarm · #12 01/18/13, 10:15 AM

ROFL...I had one of those moments when my farrier was here a couple weeks ago. She was trimming my 10 month old filly, Crescendo, while I held the lead. My almost 3 yr old filly, Lyte, (half-sister and playmate to the 10 month old) was making a pest of herself begging for attention. My dexter bull came up about 10 ft away to investigate what was happening. He is not mean but can seem a bit intimidating for a bent over farrier. Lyte was starting to get a bit annoying lipping at my coat & sniffing the farrier. Joking I said "why don't you quit being a pest and go chase Max away?!?" SHE DID!! My little Fancy Arabian filly went into full cow-horse mode and chased the bull away. My farrier and I about died laughing. of course then she came back and made a pest of herself again. right as we were finishing up she chased Max again and then was just prancing around soooo proud of herself. I probably just voiced a thought based on my subconscious picking up subtle cues that she was going to chase the bull anyway but I still had a hard time believing she did EXACTLY what I told her to do.

Teej · #13 01/18/13, 10:33 PM

Great story Shadowfax.

DamnearaFarm · #14 01/19/13, 08:09 AM

Pfft. Stupid person....does the horse hafta do EVERYTHING around here? lol. Great stories, y'all!

My mare does assist a bit at feedtime. We feed roundbales in a feeder and have no tractor (thank God the field is downhill a bit!!) so we get the hay dropped in the backyard and push it through the backyard, through two gates and into the horses' field.
Of course that means it takes off and does it's thing when it hits the field. When it finally stops rolling (most of the time the feeder is set to stop the bale at a certain spot. Sometimes that doesn't work, lol) we have to get the feeder and roll it into position (think human hamster wheel here) and drop it over the bale, AFTER we flip it over. Should my mare be quicker (and she usually is....) she goes to the bale, moves those stoopid boys out of the way (they ONLY think of eating, not helping with the serving!) and uses her chest to flip the bale. THEN she starts eating.

L.A. · #15 01/19/13, 02:19 PM

My horses may not understand English language,,,,,but,, they out smart me all the time....

Just a given these days....