Just being affectionate?

Prince is a pocket pony, with me atleast, he's a bit more wary of strangers. I've had him since he was 3 months and I'd like to think we've bonded quite well. Lately he's being super cuddly with me and I'm wondering if he's just being friendly or it's some other type of behaviour - like does he see me as his property or his mate (he was gelded at 7 months old so I hope to God he's not thinking I'm his mate ). When I go out with the horses he comes right to me, will lick me all over and if I stand still he will get right in my face and blow on me. He also makes a really low nickering sound, not the typical "hey I'm glad to see you do you have food" nicker, even lower and softer than that. He will leave his food to stand with me and won't go back to it until I leave and he sees me go in the house. I'm thinking my pony just loves me but it's really weird and sometimes I feel like I really have to watch my back. I get the feeling he would knock me down and lay on me if I let him

Sound normal?

Is it normal behaviour for him or something new ?? has anything changed with your routine, training, pasture mates ??? sounds lovely to me..but you don't want to feel threatened by him or feel uncomfortable with him............

That is so funny, because Diaz is doing the similiar thing. It just started. He sniffs my clothing and has a low nicker as if he wants something from me or
telling me something. I haven't quite figured it out. He leaves his hay outside and follows me around when I clean the paddock out. He's done the low
nickering thing twice now. Let me know if anything else develops.

Sounds cute of course! But hard to say if he 'loves' you or if it a behavioral issue. He might just be twitterpated with the approach of spring lol!

My pony is an attention hog, and acts sometimes like he wants to sit on my lap and chew on my zippers in quiet contentment, and I don't allow it at all. In a herd situation it may be ok for him to rub and nibble on another horse to show affection, but I am not another horse. His nibbles and snuggles hurt and if he gets into the habit with me he may do it to my daughter, bad scene there.

My big guy will blow into my face and put his nose on my head and snuffle into my hair and make those short low huffy nickering noses (though he has to be in one helluva mood for that!) and I allow that because he only does it if I have invited the touch and he is not being forceful or unintentionally hurting me. He's just showing affection and probably likes the scratches that follow.

Both pony and horse will lick my hands if they want treats, sort of a 'I am tasting for treats, there are no treats, I'm going to keep tasting until I get treats to eat' kind of thing. And I know horses who love freshly washed hair and will lick and snuggle your head until they can't smell the shampoo through their own slobber.

That being said, when food is involved, I don't exist. I think it's really strange Prince is leaving his food for you. Horses don't 'love' in the sense that we see it. They can get very attached to their owners and very sooky, usually this happens when they've been spoiled and treated more like puppies than horses, which we all do at some point or another (guilty! ). I know of a few horses who required bottle feeding or weanlings that were raised like little dogs and they have no spacial respect and will stop at seemingly nothing but to get the attention they want, now that they are grown and not getting the puppy attention they are used to. Not saying that is what is going on here, but it also could be, foals are cute and it is hard to not sook them, and as humans we tend to think more like humans than horses, and IMO treat most animals like we treat dogs. Dogs have a relatively similar pack make up to humans, so it is easy to 'relate' to them, where as horses have one completely different, though we tend to treat them as if they do. It's just our nature to do this. If a horse was raised like that they tend to think they are supposed to act accordingly to us.

What I would do is maybe take a look at how he has always been treated, if he has been sooked a lot as a foal and is now a horse and being treated as such, he might just be craving the attention he is used to. Which he is exhibiting by trying to sook you in attempt to have you reciprocate. For all I know, he just could be a sooky horse who is really attached to you and is sooking you in attempt to be sooked back. It's an odd situation, and it boils down to you allowing to to happen or not. Which depends on if you mind it or not. But it *could* turn into him being pushy and disrespectful tward you, as well, so something to keep in mind.

I hope he doesn't think you his mate either, having a horse jump on you in a fit of.. passion... is not all it's cracked up to be!!!

This just started about a month ago. Nothing new in his routine either. Like I said he's always been a pocket pony but this is on a whole other level. We have gone through the youngster antics of nipping and pushing and never have I let him get away with crap. I am very straight forward and swift in my actions too (which is the reason why George and I do not have a bond - I got tough with him a few times for some pretty nasty thistle he was doing and he has held a grudge so to speak). The only animals I don't treat like animals are my cats. They are my babies and they are not accountable for anything . Don't get me wrong, the dogs and horses are loved but they are treated like dogs and horses.

I don't feed a lot of treats either, maybe some carrots a couple times a month. Nothing on a schedule that he would be anticipating. He just wants to be right next to me blowing in my ear It's actually quite nice when it's so cold out. I'm not afraid of him or anything, just more aware around him. That is a good thing to be in general around horses though. I've got knocked on my buttercup a few times for not paying attention.

I guess I'll just take it as he thinks I'm his bestest buddy. If he trys to mount me though he getting a bucket to the head

He's just a big sook then, lol. Hopefully he will be so eager to please under saddle :roughrider.gif

That's what I'm hoping too :cowgirlride.gi

hahah I wanna see how you are going to crack him with a bucket when your flat on your back with a thousand lbs horse is looking down at you with looooooooooooooooooooooovvve in his eyes.... rotflmao.. :doglaugh.gif:


Diaz is doing the same thing to Nancy and she's not owned him a full year yet.. weird thistle going on here!!!!!!!!!

My boarder's horse acts like this when there is something wrong with him. It's like he'd crawl into my lap if he could. It's hard to describe but it's a marked difference in his behaviour. He's done it when his feet were sore, if he's gotten a cut in the paddock, etc. Once he's feeling better I can see a change in his behaviour.

Stretch is an attention hog. If you want to pet Thunder, Stretch will come over and try to get between you. He'll do the same with the wheelbarrow, or anything else that I am around. I always give him a good jab to move him but it seems we have to go through this drill each and every time. I attribute it to the fact that he lived the "celebrity life" for so long that he's used to getting all the attention. Almost like an only child. And when he doesn't, he thinks "what the F?!".

And I'm with Wissy - I'd love to see the bucket trick during a moment of intended passion. Been there, done that - only it wasn't a horse! HA HA!

Hahaha Wissy and Tammy - don't worry I've had lots of practice fending off big beasts (aka my ex husband) TMI?

This morning Prince started hugging me, quite forceful actually. When I try to move away he pulls me towards him and squeezes. Silly pony.

My husband starts a lot of horses and his biggest warning to me about pocket ponies is beware in case they get scared. Often times horses that are very affectionate see their human as "safety". If something scares them the first thing they're going to do is come barreling towards you. That isn't always the case but something to keep in mind.

Hey SD - how's the romance going?

if she comes on here and neighs... we know it's going well.. lol... :doglaugh.gif:

Ha Ha, you guys are a hoot

I had to put the kibosh to Prince's lovin. He's getting a little too bold and way to pushy. He was met with a crack with the whip the other morning when he tried to bull over me. Back to the roundpen for him soon.

He still nickers at me, just at a bit of a distance.

As much as I like horses to be friendly and affectionate, they are big animals and must learn to respect "MY space" I keep a bubble around me that they are not allowed into unless I invite them in. Kid being friendly started sticking his nose out to bump me for attention every time I went by his stall, A few bumps from my elbow as I passed and he now waits till I stop and call him forward for rubs/pets rather than nudging me for attention.

he's saying 'cmon ma! i wanna go for a riiiiidddddeeeee'

soon he is going to take it upon himself and just ride you...