Can horses associate bad experiences with names?

[mom2sunbun]

Ok.. sooo I know horses can associate OBJECTS with bad experiences.. because I read this book "Horses in Translation" and the author worked with a horse that every time it saw a red hat it'd freak out..they tried a blue hat.. it was fine.. but a red hat.. he'd flip out.. so thats an object.. but do they know a name

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[kayasbluetaco]

I would understand it more if she SAW BJ, but that IS weird. I wonder how BJ felt when she saw you riding Tessa?

Glad to hear she was so good. I won't be able to ride her until Thursday, (unless my plans tomorrow fall through, which I sort of hope they do! I don't want to drive to Jersey City!) then may try again on Saturday. I like ridng her in the western saddle, and she seems to have had some good training. I was doing haunches over with her last week (from the ground, I was messing around with her and trying to stretch her out after our ride. She was doing really well with giving to the bit as well. (I was doing it to each side... more stretching. She is a little stiff, but then again, the poor girl is so out of shape!)

Sorry to hear about your crazy schedule...

[mom2sunbun]

Yeah.. it was really weird.. I don't know what happened.. I mean her rear/buck was like nothing.. I was like.. "oh.. is this what she always did with BJ?" cuz it felt like nothing.. when sunbun bucks he feels a lot more powerful then her.. and so did Jake when I first started riding him he'd buck.. but I got him over that.. then BJ rode him once and was jerking on his mouth and kicking him forward and he was bucking with her.. I got mad haha.

She didn't see me riding her.. after Tessa threw her hissy fit I took her inside and did some walk/trot circles, turn on the haunches and then when BJ left we went back around the trails again.. but she knows I ride her cuz C had to tell her.. for whatever reason is beyond me.

[kayasbluetaco]

Apparently he tells her everything, so watch what you say around him unless you want her to know.

I am heading over there now to ride her a little, then going to ride Taco when kelly gets there... or visa verse. I would like to ge her on a little trail ride down to the creek... Thinking it might be better to do with a buddy around. Around the pasture would be one thing, going off the property, rather have a buddy...

[mom2sunbun]

yeah, i've never been down to the creek I want to go down sometime with her cuz I'm sure shes fine, BJ took her all over.

I clipped her muzzle, fetlock, ears and gave her a bridle path, she stood perfectly and I gave her a long bath,so hopefully shes still clean! haha

[mymissxtc]

I completely understand about the objects freaking out a horse. At one of the other boarding places I had XC, we rode passed this red barn and as we did a woman came out of the barn with her horse and scared XC. After that, everytime we went by any red barn, it was the same nervous reaction. It was funny.

I don't know about hearing name but that was weird. It sounds like you handle her well. Did BJ say anything to you?

But the few times I have been around Tessa, she is good for a while and then suddenly she can react like that. Other wise she is a good, fun to be around and she is so pretty too. I think both you guys working her is great and she will be fun on the trail rides as well.

It seems like everyone had a great holiday weekend.

[mom2sunbun]

I didn't see BJ, we went to the indoor after the rearing and bucking so I could work her and like immediately after we went into the indoor BJ pulled up by the tackroom (The one across the street) I was like.. that was kinda close.. haha but like I said C felt the need to tell her I ride Tessa.. so she knows I ride her.

It was just weird.. I think she just didn't want to stand, which is no excuse.. so thats why the second time we stopped a lot more and just stood a while and made her wait.. she was fine though.

[mom2sunbun]

you know how cats can sense when you're coming home and end up in the window waiting for you?

Maybe shes like a cat :P haha she could tell she was coming.

[blauereiterin]

ohhh that's so weird! but you say she squealed and struck out before L said the name, right, and then bucked/reared after she said the name? not so sound weird or rude but if she were reacting to anything, it sounds like it was L...maybe it was just playfulness? she associates L with playing?

[mom2sunbun]

I have no idea.. when I asked L if Tessa had ever been mean to her before shes like "No shes always being lovey dovey when I go see her at night and she always good for me coming in" but then she said "But whenever BJ would be riding her I'd always be in the general area yelling at her telling her to quit being bad" so I don't know.. her coming up maybe Tessa thought she was going to be reprimanded?

[blauereiterin]

oh and what was liberty doing that made him nervous?

[mom2sunbun]

I think it was a combination of being in the corner with the barrels.. and then when she'd pass him he'd fling his head in the air and start walking.. and every once in a while when Christina had a "disagreement" with Liberty adn fought with her and her going sideways it made him looky and anxious and instead of having a bad start I just moved the mouting block.. I don't like mounting when people are cantering.. I personally either go to the other end to continue working or just not do cantering when someone is getting on, that's why I tried to sneak in when she was walking LIberty but then she started her up again as soon as I got over to the mounting block. But liberty looked really damn good! lol

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[anonymous]

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