Popeye: The Bond Between Horse and ....................?

Alone in a herd of 22 Horses

Everyone knows that horses are herd animals; it’s one of the first things we learn about them. When I first met Popeye, he stood alone in a herd of 22, at the time it never occurred to me that he had never learned to bond with his herd mates. But after living with him for about a week I realized that he wasn’t just aggressive towards me, he hated the horses too. In all of his 8 years, he had never made a connection with any living being. Sad, but true.
Once I had a halter one him, I tried working with him at the end of a very long 22 foot line. Even this proved dangerous for me as Pops is very smart and learned that even on his blind side he learned he just had to find the line and strike where ever it was and he might get me, he certainly got me to back off that way! Pops needed to learn to bond with someone and I was not eager to bond with him at all. I have always thought that the trust between horse and rider should begin with the rider. Horses, while 1000 pound unpredictable animals, are actually more predictable than some may think. Being herd animals, they always run to the herd to safety, 99.9% of horses will run away before they attack, Pops was the .01% that would stand and fight, every time. So while those words are easy to say, they are not so easy to live. I didn’t trust Pops as far as I could throw him.

Pops, Doc and the Chair I Sat In

To start my attempt to bond with Pops, I would sit in a chair outside his gate, place his feed tray inside next to me and read to him though the reading was mostly to alleviate my boredom while waiting for him to feel comfortable enough to approach. . It took him several days to come up and eat, and when he did, he would try and chase me off first. Safely behind a metal panel, I was able to hold my ground and he eventually, and tentatively came up for the candy. That gate led to a pasture where I kept Doc, my two year old stallion, who is easily the friendliest and most curious horse I have. He could not resist coming and bugging me while I was there and he became obsessed with the new horse. There were several days of snorting, blowing, stomping, gate slamming and squealing before one day, Pops seemed settled. He ate quietly while Doc and I watched him from the other side of the fence. I decided that it might be a good idea that Pops bond with Doc before I did, after all, Doc can run away faster and kick harder than I can, so why not?

Doc and Pops Hanging!

I’ll admit being a bit nervous about putting an aggressive stallion with my young prospect, but at the time I was still not aware of how old Pops was, I had been told he was two. With the 22 foot line still attached to his halter, I turned him loose with Doc, wondering if I would have to dip into my emergency vet fund. But the expected never happened. They never stalked one another, nor challenged each other for leadership. Apparently there is a quiet communication amongst horses that we as humans will never understand. Pops and Doc were fast friends. They behaved as if they had been raised together and were Playing like Colts! Watching two studs play is still a bit nerve wracking, they rear, they buck and they kick at each other. But the attitude is relaxed, and for the first time since Pops had arrived, I saw a playful comfort in him.

A Little Play Fighting

Since that day, Pops, as the older horse, remains the leader. He does however, check with Doc when strange things concerning people present them selves to him. Doc even explained to Pops how the stick and string were perfectly safe and not to be worried when touched by them. Doc allowed him to investigate his blanket to know that they were safe too, though Doc’s blanket didn’t survive that! A year later, when Pops still was uncatchable, Pops got loose on 30 acres, Doc brought him in. Doc has been amazing for Pops and was his very first Friend. Pops still has issues with other horses, but because of Doc, he lost his fear of them. He’s made other friend since then, he was partnered with another gray Arab that looked just like him, and he currently loves to hang with my big Belgian, Jack. Being able to bond with another soul allowed him to be receptive to me. It wasn’t all roses right away, but you gotta start somewhere!