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Don't most horse owners dream of a horse that whinnies a welcome as they step into the stable or onto the paddock to fetch it? Perhaps you're already lucky enough to have a horse that recognises you - or maybe you're patiently waiting for how many years it will take before that happens. Some horses quickly learn to associate a person with something good, while others are slower. However, it's not just about the horse's own abilities, but also has to do with us humans. With a foundation in various research, you can learn a bit about how long it takes before your horse can really recognise you.
There's a lot of research concluding that horses can remember people they associate with something positive. Once this positive bond is there, it's almost impossible to break
Equine Helper.
In the process where your horse quietly gets to know you, there are particularly three things it remembers. Your voice, your movements, and your actions. All three elements contribute to form the horse's overall impression of you, just as they form its positive - or negative - impression and perception of you.
It's particularly when your horse learns all three elements and can connect your voice and movements that it really begins to recognise you. And when it furthermore learns to decode your actions and know the order of them through positive reinforcement, it will feel strongly attached to you. This is reported by Equine Helper based on several research studies.
"Your horse learns to associate your voice with your physical appearance. Horses also recognise the work postures and movements you typically display while in their presence."
Equine Helper.
This means that when the horse suddenly starts to come to you in the paddock or maybe even whinnies at you when you come out to fetch it, it's because it associates what will subsequently happen with something good. It remembers that when it's brought in from the paddock by you, it's time for work, food, or perhaps a bit of fuss. Therefore, a horse that has formed a strong bond with its owner will, in all likelihood, recognise them again even after several years of separation.
Read also: What is the difference between pony riders and horse riders?
When your horse associates you with something good, it will display a positive feeling - love - when it realises that you are in its vicinity. There are especially three things that horses are often believed to do as proof that they can recognise a person they care for.
You can be quite certain that your horse knows you, and that it links you with something positive if it outright whinnies at you or comes to meet you when you fetch it from the stable or paddock. However, horses can easily pick up on human emotions, so if you come across as angry, stressed, or frustrated one day, it could influence your horse's desire to approach you.
When your horse cares for you, it also respects you. And when it respects you, it has the will to comply with your wishes. Therefore, it is a clear sign that your horse can recognise you when it chooses to do as you say and follow your instructions.
A horse that manages to find peace and relax in the company of its owner - even when it is away from its herd - feels safe. Therefore, take it as a huge compliment and as a sign that your horse knows exactly who you are when it relaxes when you are together. Especially if it's just the two of you.
Read also: 9 tips: Keep your escape artist within the paddock
Equine Helper: Do horses remember their owners? Complete guide
