by Isabella Ritchie

Created on: July 19, 2009

Horses have emotions, that is obvious to anyone who has been around numerous equines. Some of these majestic animals are grouchy, some are excited, some skiddish, calm, and some are simply reluctant to work. Like people, horses have personalities, which are basically emotions and actions put into one category.

The little bay Arabian school mare whom I have grown fond of was a kicker and a biter, and she liked to run out when jumping with a beginner. Now, I am the only student who is riding her consistantly, and people who have previously ridden her or watched her being ridden say we are a match. Some people say horses can't love, because they say they are not complex creatures. But equines can love, and I think that the Arabian's ground manners show this. She kicked if you even thought of touching her belly, nipped at the girth being tightened or if you were leading her while someone trotted. After a few weeks you could brush the mare's belly and would only get laid back ears (which wasn't uncommon with her, as she was described as "grouchy"), and she stood for the girth tightening. The trotting was harder, but after I have lead the little bay in camp every day for several weeks of this summer (not many people like to get bitten, so I am the one who leads her), she has gotten better and doesn't nip often.

Molly was her name, and when I rode her more often, she ran out less and less. Now we are jumping two feet, our personal high, and while she used to run out the first two times, Molly now jumps without hesitation, as she is a fabulous jumper. Some faithful mothers who brave the Tennessee heat every Saturday to watch our lesson have said we work well as a team, and I can tell she at least tries to return some of the affection I pour upon her by lessening the severity of her kicks and the multitude of her bites. In fact, this January I had been riding her for a month when I missed two Saturdays due to snow and ice. The next Saturday I came to the stable, and I tried brushing her belly, so Molly nearly kicked me in the stomach. She got better, but I have always thought she might have done this because she had missed me, but maybe I was just making it romantic.

Molly was often grumpy and kicked at horses and people who got too close, and she was smart. She would get angry, and some days she'd be happy, which was evident because her ears didn't stay glued to her neck as they usually did. I feel Molly has emotions, as do the people at the barn who see her.

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