That dramatic scene in movies where the owner reunites with their animal must have always put you on edge and on the verge of chills, haven’t they? The possibility of an animal staying loyal to you even after so long is something that brings great joy to the owners. In fact, there are many animals that stay loyal over great spans of time, and the best examples are dogs, whose loyalty is incomparable. But did you know that horses too belong to this category? Yes, horses also recognize their owners and people who treat them kindly even after a long time.
Horses, like donkeys, are intelligent beings who have good memories. If they are treated well and properly taken care of, they will never forget you and be a trusted companion of yours for a lifetime. And this answers the question as to whether horses recognize their owners or not. This memory also extends to the limits where the horse will remember its owners and people who were good to them even after prolonged periods of separation. They can also understand and remember words more than what was expected from them, says recent studies.
How Do Horses Recognize Their Owners?
The fact that horses remember people does not mean that they recognize every single human being they have encountered. This rare opportunity for a horse to remember you arises from the good relations and positive interactions that have taken place between you and your horse. And it is a complex process of how your horse comes to recognize you. Auditory cues are the things horses rely on when it comes to identifying people. They associate your voice with your appearance, which will aid the horses in differentiating you from others. They also associate your sound with the certain postures that you may be taking when near them.
With years of training and experience with you, the horse will start to anticipate your actions and movements as if predicting each move at specific times. Hence, if you are a good owner who put up good behaviors with your horse, the bond is likely to be there forever, even if you get separated for a long time. You could expect that fulfilling scene when you meet your horse after a long time. Likewise, negative interactions with the horse will lead to bad relations with them, which is not a really good path to choose.
Will Your Absence Affect Your Horse?
Once you create a strong bond with your horse, it is going to be difficult at times if you need to stay separated from them. The horse will get accustomed to your routines and presence at different times of the day, the interruption to which will definitely affect your horse.
The horse might seem unhappy, moody, or unwilling to eat when they miss their owners. A similar situation arises if you will have to sell your horse. The bond created will keep them attached to you even though they are to be sent to another home. Even when they are sent to other places, the good bonds created will stay intact, as horses tend to remember these bonds for a very long time.
How to Know if Your Horse Likes You
Having a good bond with your horse is an amazing achievement. But to recognize it is even more beautiful. Once you have formed a strong attachment with your horse, the horse will not back off from displaying its affection towards you. This will include small and noticeable gestures that they put forward.
One obvious sign that you can see is the way your horse walks up to you when on the fields. They will start following and approaching in your direction, with their heads and ears turned to your side. Making them understand and follow instructions will get easier once your horse has bonded with you properly. It will be easier to dominate them and give out orders. You can also find the horse looking up to you when they are stuck in any scary or bad situation. When your horse starts to seem relaxed around you, which cannot be seen so easily, you can be sure that the horse considers you harmless and as its friend.
Do Horses Recognize Other Horses?
The fact that horses remember their human owners is truly amazing. But their memory just doesn’t stop at recognizing their owners and other human beings, but also other horses. Horses create strong bonds with other horses as well, and mutual grooming stands as the most obvious sign of affection between them. This display of affection is often similar to that they show towards their owners and is indeed a beautiful sight to watch. The stories where we saw two long-lost horses finally reuniting were indeed true.
Why Is It Important to Maintain Good Relations with Your Horse?
Since you have read this far, you must already know that horses have a pretty good memory. This means that they will remember if you have been good to them and even if you have been bad to them. They could hold on to a grudge or a negative memory and act accordingly, which will not be the best option for you. Hence, it is important that you cultivate good relations with your horse and always put forward the best foot. On the good side, isn’t it good to know that your horse loves spending time with you and seeing you? The bonds these creatures create last for a lifetime, which is very much rewarding.
Conclusion
Now you can be stress-free, knowing that your horse is going to recognize you, no matter what, but only based on how you treat them in the first place. So, always be careful to behave with your horse in the best ways possible and not to form any negative ideas in the mind of the horse. Even if you have to stay apart from your horse for a long time, be assured that these lovely beings are not going to forget you once you have made a strong bond with them.
