All horses have them. It is not one big thing but rather a thousand little things that make these magnificent creatures what they are. And the best part is: Their all different! One of my favorite things about working with horses is learning all their quirks and personalities. All three of mine have a few things that make them alike but over all they are very, very different horses.
Riley is my best friend, partner, 'child', and deepest heart. His personality and mine go together great. In some ways we are a contrast but in many we are so alike from riding together so many years that some times all I have to do is think something and he responds. Some of our best times together were the most subtle and silent. Riley has a few funny quirks. He yawns whenever you brush or scratch his chin, he always licks and chews when I put his protective leg boots on for racing, he pees after every ride before he eats and if you accidentally pull one of his whisker hairs he squeals.
Moose is my goofball and his quirks are totally different from Riley or May's. I think his are partially developed from having been stalled and for so long and they were a boredom reliever. Some of his most notable are he stretches on his own EVERY morning after I ask him to bow, he drools worse than a Saint Bernard almost all the time(though he has been vetted it's just him! haha) if he gets anxious or bored he will start flipping his lips around and making funny faces or even "dancing" by rocking his head up and down exactly like a parrot does. He is very sensitive and I have to brush him very carefully, especially around his flanks, he loves the insides of his ears to be scratched and he nickers almost constantly.
May is my ball of fire. Most of her quirks I think are just product of being a hormonal, attitude filled mare. She never offers to kick or bite but when I push her over while she is eating she sometimes squeals. She loves to lick stuff: your hand, the fence, her bucket, another horse...haha and with the constant licking she likes to stick her tongue out. When she gets through eating or drinking she always lolls her tongue for a few seconds and it makes for some cute pictures. Everyday when I go to pick her feet she always intentionally picks up the OPPOSITE foot first and when I horse her she always tries to step on the hose. At first I thought is was coincidental but now I see her shift around and step on it than sometimes she tries to refuse to move. Some days she comes trotting up to me nickering and others she walks away with her ears pinned. Awww for the love of a mare :)
Knowing your horses quirks and personalities is also very important. It helps you to know if you horse isn't feeling so well one day or just acting plain out different. The next post I write will be on personalities so stay tuned!
Riley is my best friend, partner, 'child', and deepest heart. His personality and mine go together great. In some ways we are a contrast but in many we are so alike from riding together so many years that some times all I have to do is think something and he responds. Some of our best times together were the most subtle and silent. Riley has a few funny quirks. He yawns whenever you brush or scratch his chin, he always licks and chews when I put his protective leg boots on for racing, he pees after every ride before he eats and if you accidentally pull one of his whisker hairs he squeals.
Moose is my goofball and his quirks are totally different from Riley or May's. I think his are partially developed from having been stalled and for so long and they were a boredom reliever. Some of his most notable are he stretches on his own EVERY morning after I ask him to bow, he drools worse than a Saint Bernard almost all the time(though he has been vetted it's just him! haha) if he gets anxious or bored he will start flipping his lips around and making funny faces or even "dancing" by rocking his head up and down exactly like a parrot does. He is very sensitive and I have to brush him very carefully, especially around his flanks, he loves the insides of his ears to be scratched and he nickers almost constantly.
May is my ball of fire. Most of her quirks I think are just product of being a hormonal, attitude filled mare. She never offers to kick or bite but when I push her over while she is eating she sometimes squeals. She loves to lick stuff: your hand, the fence, her bucket, another horse...haha and with the constant licking she likes to stick her tongue out. When she gets through eating or drinking she always lolls her tongue for a few seconds and it makes for some cute pictures. Everyday when I go to pick her feet she always intentionally picks up the OPPOSITE foot first and when I horse her she always tries to step on the hose. At first I thought is was coincidental but now I see her shift around and step on it than sometimes she tries to refuse to move. Some days she comes trotting up to me nickering and others she walks away with her ears pinned. Awww for the love of a mare :)
Knowing your horses quirks and personalities is also very important. It helps you to know if you horse isn't feeling so well one day or just acting plain out different. The next post I write will be on personalities so stay tuned!
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