What's Wrong with a Friendly Horse?

[lil'turkeymama]

Quote:
Staying close is OK.Heading butting or pushing a person in not allowed on my farm.A horse must understand your space and when they learn that won't run over you.Its just plain respect.Nothing special.I love my horses and I often hug their necks.I think we all enjoy that.I give them hugs.They cannot demand a hug.I have freaked folks out several times in the past when I call my horses up.I have 7 at this time but have had up to 12 at once.I whistle,they come running to me.Imagine 7 grown horses charging straight at you from 40 acres away.LOL.They will either all circle around me to one side or spilt around each way.They always keep at least a couple arms lenght from me when they first come up.I have never used a whip.I have poked most of them with a stick.

My horses are friendly.But they don't push me around.They push each other around sometimes trying to get closer to me.Thats OK as long as they stay out of my space doing it.I think you're maybe thinking you can't have that horse you can love all over.Thats not what a "pocket pony" is.From what I know that would be a horse/pony that will push/shove you with its head.It will walk so close that it steps on you.If it spooks it will run over you because it doesn't think your space is yours.Its just so dangerous.Think about a 1000 lb horse leaning down to smell your neice and then just knocking her flying with its head.I've seen that and worse.Some people don't realize they are letting a horse take the lead.They think well he only does that with me.You have to remember,someone might have to care for your horse.You can get sick or whatever and can't care for your horse and someone else could get hurt.

I hope you find the horse you want.But take your time and look at lots of horses.Get to know them alittle.There are tons of great horses out there that need good caring homes right now.I'll be lucky if I get though the winter without taking in that special horse that catches my eye.I just know there's one probably close that would enjoy a nice warm barn and plenty of feed.

 

[welsummerchicks]

'Pocket' horse or 'In your pocket type' means different things to different people. To some it means the horse reacts very, very handily and quickly to signals/aids the handler/rider gives - 'he's right in her pocket' is said of a very obedient, responsive horse. To others it means normally friendly, and likes to please. To some it means spoiled, obnoxious.

 

[dreamcatcherarabians]

WOW! I never knew 'pocket pony' was a bad term until I read it here. Arabian horses are known for their 'in your tent' personality because the Bedouin lived with them in their tents and expected the horses to have a care for their children and infants. Most of the Arabian horse owners that I know consider 'In your tent' or 'in your pocket' or 'pocket pony' to be synonymous. I won't have a horse that won't come up to me, let me touch it all over and doesn't enjoy being with humans. They all know that kicking, biting, pushing, shoving and all that is a major NO NO, but to come up and stand or snuffle the back of my neck is totally expected and OK. I have several that I go out and find laying down in the pasture and I lay down with them and use them as a back rest, we both enjoy it.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Generally the term pocket pony to me means a horse that comes up just for treats, and is pushy and may even bite when nuzzling to get the treat. To me this is a bad thing although I respect that some people like to be nuzzled all over by their horses.

I want my horses to come up when I call them because they want to be with me, and I expect to be able to walk around in the herd without pushing or fighting between them and love on every one of them, touch them everywhere and have no incident of them pushing disrespectfully into my space, but being there because I asked them to be. I also require all my horses wait their turn and not push others out away from me while I'm there.

I generally don't hand feed. I don't make hard rules, if I have reason I do, and occasionally just because I have carrots going soft in the fridge I will go out with hand treats, but I think the daily habit of hand feeding will not bring about good habits between you and your horse. As I have 10 of them now if one needs extra feed or is getting extra attention for some reason I take them out for it. Lots of things I do right in the field with them, like their hoof trimming I do mostly in the pasture and with them loose. Training sessions or riding is a special time between us that is often ended with a treat, and that is generally given in a bucket.

 

[IcarusSomnio]

I have a pocket pony and he's the best horse in the pasture

I have four horses. Two pocket ponies, one that doesn't understand the concept of personal space, and one 'regular'.
Divo is a pocket pony, he comes at the first whistle, he follows willingly and without lead. He focuses in on me and is happy to work and learn. One of his favorite things to do is to match my pace up and down the fenceline-without a lead. At the moment, I'm working on perfecting leadless leading, I want him up beside me instead of lagging behind. He's getting it, but I haven't been able to work with him as much as I would like.
I can lay all over him, groom him, braid his mane, do his feet, etc. without the need for halter or lead. I refer to him as a pocket pony because he's so tuned in, he might as well literally, be right there in my pocket.

My second pocket pony is my new colt. He doesn't understand much, but he has a solid head and likes to be around people, gets the whole "I'm the leader" concept. His first haltering involved walking up to him and putting it on his nose. Leading was a different story though

I'll be picking him up soon!

Red Man my four year old doesn't understand the concept of personal space. He was a wild colt and tamed down with the concept of food. He takes a strong mind to keep out of your space-I don't mean beating him, but you have to show that your the head honcho! He's slowly getting better, he gets cookies still, but never any in relation to work or as a reward.

Loki's more of a 'regular'. He's not a true pocket pony but he tunes in quite well, understands the concept of space, but prefers to wander off and do his own thing versus sticking around to work!

 

[Sumatra503]

A friendly horse that enjoys human interaction and comes when called, but is respectful when they are around you is fine. An overly friendly horse that is pushy, nips, steps on you, etc., is not fine. There is nothing wrong with a friendly horse, just and overly friendly horse.

To me 'pocket horse' always meant they follow you around everywhere as though they were 'in your back pocket' and by everywhere, I mean even the places and times when you don't really want them to follow you and be in your space. They are always in your space and aren't respectful of you when they are there.

I think the difference between 'in your pocket' and 'pocket horse' is the respect issue and the ammount of time they spend in your pocket or 'bubble'. An 'in your pocket horse' comes to you when you are in the pasture or stall and wants attention. They may nuzzle you, but that's as far as it goes. They will be respectful of you when in your space, but they are just attention hogs. They know when and when not to be close to you, they just love affection. I think this is the selling term for a friendly horse. I don't think it means the horse is disrespectful, just friendly.

By disrespectful I mean stepping on you, nipping, stomping, jerking the lead, pinning ears, etc. All those annoying and dangerous things that disrectful horses tend to do.

 

[Bunnylady]

For some reason, I am reminded of a bit I saw on some program or other. This guy was standing next to a fence, resting his arm on it, and there were two horses on the other side of the fence. The guy was being interviewed about something totally non-horse-related. As he was talking, one of the horses was "pushing the envelope." First, he put his nose close to the guy's arm. Next, he touched it. Then, he touched it again. Then, he nuzzled it. The next time, he lightly lipped at the guy's sleeve. The guy raised his hand, not particularly fast, and the horse jerked his head back. He'd gone too far, been repremanded, and knew it. If the fella hadn't reacted, the next move might have been a full-fledged nip, because that horse wasn't being just friendly, he was being pushy. It was teetering on the point of the horse demanding attention rather than requesting it. Sometimes the difference is subtle.

 

[andbab]

My sister has a pocket horse. I told her he is an idiot he should give more space. She liked that he was so friendly and would come right up for anything. This summer she and her fiancee were leading horses out to pasture she had a few he had a few, the pocket horse got spooked and ran to my sister and then right over her. She lucked out she only had to have her face rebuilt. She survived but it was scarey as hell to get that phone call. Horses need to resect your space just like they respect each others space if they don't give you space they have no respect.

Oh my lord she had a few HORSES he had a few Horses not drinks. Good grief!

 

[Sumatra503]

One bad apple spoils the bunch I suppose. Alchohol and horses don't mix well and bad things often happen when they are mixed. I'm not entirely surprised to hear something happened in that situation.

All of you have been talking about the horse 'respecting the handler', but what about the 'handler respecting the horse'? It's a two way street. Horses are large animals and can do a lot of damage if you don't handle them right. Most accidents around horses occur when the handler isn't handling the situation correctly or showing the horse proper respect.

It is very rarely, if ever, the horse's fault.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

lil'turkeymama :

I hope you find the horse you want.But take your time and look at lots of horses.Get to know them alittle.There are tons of great horses out there that need good caring homes right now.I'll be lucky if I get though the winter without taking in that special horse that catches my eye.I just know there's one probably close that would enjoy a nice warm barn and plenty of feed.

Thanks lil'turkeymama but I've already got my horse. He's one of those that I had originally termed "pocket horse" because he will follow you anywhere but realizes what is acceptable and what is not. He never butts in, but loves to get attention. I just couldn't see what was bad about that, but now I see that it is a difference in terminology that my definition is needing.​