Isn't it fascinating how horses mirror us?

[papershoes]

I have recently made a big life change which has alleviated me of a lot of stress and is slowly helping to improve a few health conditions I have. Recently, despite the cold weather and less turnout hours my horse has become a lot more chilled, far less spooky and a pleasure to ride and deal with (despite now being fed on oats ). I am also around a lot more to see him (previously I would have to be in a different county a lot)

The only thing that has changed is how I am emotionally and I think he is responding to this somehow in a positive way

Anyone else experienced anything similar?

[Andrew Moy]

Yes. I think my emotional state determines how I interpret the world around me - including horse behaviour. Part of it is probably as simple as when I am in a low/negative emotional state I am looking out for things to go wrong so they do and when in a postive state I am looking for things going right so they do. So from the horses point of view when I am positive I find a lot more to praise them for and am probably a lot clearer in my communication.

[sandy]

Horses are incredibly perceptive creatures and your horse will have picked up on the changes in your stress levels and emotions. I think it's one of the wonderful gifts that horses have.

[mc]

One of mine becomes a total plod if I am worried as if he 'has gone through the dark corner without me'- the other gets jumpy and uncomfortable with me! I try hard to chill before inflicting myself either of them but they always know! The more time you can spend with them the better it gets and the smaller other things seem to me.

[papershoes]

It's very interesting isn't it. I swear he has a different look in his eye too now. Much softer

[2 bays & a grey:D]

Yes I can definitely agree with that ;D.

[chavhorse]

100% agree with you it is amazing.

When I had a nervous breakdown last year I had to hand over all care of Vardi to my YO for a couple of months however my OH used to take me down to visit him a couple of times a week.

Whenever I used to appear at the top of the fields Vardi would break away from the other horses and walk the fence line until he reached me then he would walk alongside me until I got to the gate and entered the field.

At first he would simply wrap his neck around me and just stand still (he was at the time in a field of youngsters who were normally nosy little so and so's but during this period they never came up to us) sometimes we would just stand like that for 30 minutes or so and after about 5 minutes Vardi would start to yawn continually.

When I was ready to leave he would walk the fence line with me up to the top of the fields and then just stand and watch until I had exited the gate into the yard at which point he would gallop off and re-join his friends.

After a while as I got a bit stronger he started to pull off my hat and gloves and used to spend a lot of time nuzzling and licking my hands and head again yawning continually the meeting me at the fence line and walking me back continued.

I knew I was recovering the day he stayed with the herd and went back to "oh hi but I am playing with my mates".

Now he is living in the UK and I only see him every 8 weeks or so he carries out this meeting and neck hug on the day I arrive and the day I leave the other days it is "you want to catch me oh ok sigh"

The Strange thing is when he was injured and I basically moved into the field with him he used to rest his head on my shoulder for hours and I would start to yawn uncontrollably my dear friend who is a healer and a Homeopath put it simply as "you helped him and he helped you simpatico"

Can you tell I love my horse

[lawyerbunny]

Chavhorse, that's truly beautiful. No wonder you love him! Glad you're better now, too.

I agree that's one of the most wonderful things about horses, and dogs too (no experience of cats!).

[papershoes]

Apologies to bump this but something else happened which I thought was very perceptive of my boy

One of my animals died when I was at work, my brother was at the stables with me and was struggling to tell me about it as I did not know. My gelding went over to my brother and started being very soppy towards him, almost to say cmon mate, you can do it normally he'll just look at him then continue eating (typical man)

[shan]

Oh yes - they are truly perceptive animals (and some people think them stupid?!!), they are absolutely amazing aren't they?
There's quite a few places now which do psychotherapy/counselling using horses to mirror people's psychological and emotional states and help them heal, I'd love to work in that area but the courses I found are well beyonf my budget. I do think a large part of IH is linked in with it anyway though, and it's one of the many many reasons to love our horses - there's no bull, they tell it like it is and make us better people when we listen to them and look at ourselves

[Daz]

I used to think Bracken was the horse version of me - a grumpy old git who generally couldn't be bothered doing much on a Saturday!