by Jacqueline Sanders

Created on: September 17, 2008   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

Most people seem to think horses just stand in pastures and eat all day long, but I've noticed that horses find ways to amuse themselves. I had a horse once who when he thought no one was looking he would knock the feed bucket off the fence post and toss it around the pasture. I thought for a long time that the wind was knocking that bucket off and blowing it away. One afternoon I happen to look out the window and notice the horse doing his "bucket tricks". No one in my family believed me until I called them all out to see it for them selves. Horses get bored like humans or other pets, like when your dog is alone he might tear up a paper or a shoe from boredom.

Once this same horse decided he was still hungry after his evening feeding and broke into the barn and ate a whole fifty pounds of feed. No that wasn't boredom, he was just greedy. My mother and I ended up staying up all night walking a colic horse. At the time it wasn't too funny because I was scared to death, but looking back it is now. For sixteen hours we walked that horse in circles around the pasture, giving him enemas, and rubbing turpentine on his stomach so he wouldn't lie down and die. When finally he'd passed all the food he'd eaten, he runs around the pasture bucking and tossing his head like nothing was ever wrong with him.
I talked to a lady not to long ago who said that she had a horse who chewed his hooves, just like a person who chews their nails. I couldn't believe it! That couldn't be true but she showed me the pictures to prove it and invited me to come see him do it. I hadn't ever seen anything like it in my life. Even funnier the horses offspring did the same thing. The lady had two horses walking around chewing their hooves.
Another funny thing I've seen is when a mare is in heat; don't ride her around a young stud. The stud will act up. In the instance I witnessed, the stud following the mare took a spilt turn and left the rider lying on the ground following her back to the barn. Then when we tried to separate them he would bite or kick at us.
On another occasion I noticed that some horse just cared for one person and wouldn't have anything to do with anyone else. The mare I had was not exactly like that just she didn't want anyone with a hat on close to her, so if I wanted to ride I had to leave my cowgirl hat inside. The paint I had when I was growing up was a one person horse; he wouldn't let anyone ride him except me from day one. When my dad would try to ride him he'd put him on the ground every time. It is so funny to see the person who taught you to ride being taught by a horse you're not my owner.
My mother had a horse once that was as gentle as a puppy. He would let anyone ride him, crawl under or on him, and would follow my mom around like he was a huge dog. He was called at the local riding ring "The blue eyed pup", which was not his real name. They gave him the name because he was so gentle with the kids and would let them do anything to him.
So in conclusion each horse personality makes them funny. One might be a one person horse, one may love anyone, one might be unpredictable in some instances, and some may have preferences to what their rider wears. This all makes horses funny if you watch them close enough.

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