Do horses recognize people?

Question

So I'm taking horseback riding lessons at these stables. The horses I ride get ridden by a lot of other people during the week.

I was wondering, do horses recognize people? Will the horse I ride recognize me next time it or will I be like a complete stranger? I go there about twice a week.

Answer 1

yes horses recognise people.  it happens more when you spend a lot of time with them (1 particular horse or horses i mean) so riding school ponies will take a lot longer to form a bond with but its possible - more especially if you also got to help care for them as well as riding.

Answer 2

The serious answer:  They do recognize people.  It is like any animal in the fact that the more time that you spend with it, the more it will recognize you.

The funny answer:  Only after they have been broken.

Answer 3

I have a horse, and she must be able to recognize different people, because she hates men!

She is terrified of them because before I owned her, There was a man who was really rough with her, so from then on she has always been unsure of them.

So horses must be able to tell people apart

Answer 4

It might take a week or two since you aren't with the horse a lot but if you only ride that horse, it will begin to recognize you

Answer 5

Horses are really good to know people.

Some horses go better for soem people cos they know them more.

Some will neigh for certain people cos they knwo they always give them treats.

Also some horses take alike to some and dont like others.

soo yes-if you ride a certain horse for a while they will start remebering speicaly if you do something good to them ahha

Answer 6

horses have like a memory box and if you come back in any year they will still remember you

Answer 7

OMG!  Absolutely.  I am not sure what triggers their recognition, whether it is the sound of your voice or the smell of your skin, or actually the sight of you, or all of the above.  But, yes, without a doubt, they do recognize you and remember you.  My horses know me as soon as they see me, even from a large distance.  You will notice a difference when the horse actually comes to know you - it takes a while but you will see the difference.

Answer 8

Horses DO recognize people, I'm not sure if they can learn to recognize and remember one person out of dozens they interact with, but they definitely learn to recognize the ones that work with them the most (ie owners, primary riders, caretakers, etc.)

Answer 9

Yes thhey do i dont know why but i have some and every time i walk up to them their ears go straight forward and they come over so i can pet them. and its pretty funny because there is a mean girl at my barn and she thinks horses like her better so she tries to win mine over so they like her better but i will walk past and they will stop paying attention to her and push her out of the way so yeahh they do  

Answer 10

yup, they do remember you.

lol, its quite funny because the horse that i ride now, my mom used to ride. She has a very bad temper on the ground, and was ALWAYS acting up with my mom. Then I started to ride her, and at the beginning, she was just as bad with me (I couldn't even get her out of the stall, i needed help from someone Else)

Then after a couple week, she started to respect me because I wouldn't take any of her c**p. Now, she is SO much better with me. a couple months ago, my mom came up to see her, and she started acting up again. She liked me better than my mom!! :) lol

Horses will recognize you. but you have to be firm, but kind with them. If you let them get away with everything (kind of like what my mom did) then they will realize that they can be bad around you, and not get punished for it.

If, however, you are asertive, and take charge, then the horse will relize when you are around, that he cant get away with as much as he would with, lets say, a less experienced rider.

Answer 11

Yep they do recognize people. It may take a few weeks of constant work, but eventually the horse will know you. The horse you ride at lessons probably knows who you are, especially if you give it extra treats and love.

~2htoohorse~

Answer 12

Horses definitely recognize people. they can remember things, too! the more you ride him the better he will remember you!

Answer 13

yes thay do. my horse winnys at my car and will run away from certain people when they try to catch her

Answer 14

They do remember, good or bad. Be helpful, scratch her special itchy place, she'll remember.

Answer 15

Yes - they are very good at recognizing and remembering people

Answer 16

yup, my horse walks right up to me in the morning:)

Answer 17

I definately believe so even if you are one of many people who ride the same horse. Make yourself memorable. Find that itchy spot the horse loves to have scratched. People laugh at me cause it looks so weird but my horse loves to be scratched on her stomach where her back legs meet her belly. She stretches her neck out and curls her lip all funny like. Also don't forget the treats. You CAN become one of your horses favorites. Be loving and gentle.

Answer 18

They sure do! Since your horse is a lesson horse it may take awhile because it is so used to ther people doing stuff with it.  My horses know the sound of my car so they come over to the gate when they hear me pull in the drive!

Answer 19

Horses are really good at knowing the difference between people by their sent, riding ability and also their voice. After going to this stables for a few weeks the horse you are riding should know you. You shouldn't be a complete stranger so don't worry. :D

Answer 20

yes i believe they do