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The 5 Horse Breeds That Bond Hardest With Their Humans (and 3 That Stay Aloof)

The Horse’s Language with James

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#HorseBonding #HorsePsychology #EquestrianScience

Some horses choose you within five minutes of meeting you. And then there are horses you can spend years with that always seem to keep a little distance. A lot of people swear it all comes down to breed. There is some truth to that — but when scientists actually started measuring it seriously, using questionnaires from thousands of owners and comparing one breed against another, they discovered that the real story is quite different from the one we keep repeating around the barn.

One breed on this list forms one of the deepest and most loyal bonds in the entire horse world. And at the same time, it is one of the breeds almost everyone describes as cold and distant.

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SOURCES & RESEARCH:
Lloyd et al. — breed differences in nervousness and reactivity across horse breeds, 2008
Sackman & Houpt — temperament comparison across breeds including Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred, 2019
Rankins & Wickens — meta-analysis of horse temperament studies and the role of breed vs. individual experience, 2020
University of Turku / Lansade — relationship stability and trust development regardless of breed, 2022

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TAGS: horse breeds that bond with humans, most affectionate horse breeds, Arabian horse bond, Quarter Horse temperament, Friesian people horse, Mustang bond, Thoroughbred temperament, Akhal-Teke loyalty, horse breed personality, which horse breed is most loyal, horse bonding science, equine temperament research.
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This video is for educational purposes. If you have concerns about your horse's behavior or wellbeing, please consult a licensed equine veterinarian or behaviorist.

#HorseBehavior #EquineScience #HorseWelfare #HorseBonding #HorseOwner #HorseScience #EquestrianLife

20 Comments

@IfItQuacks 1 month ago

My horse is a thoroughbred with 5 French champions in his first three generations. He was an orphan. I pulled him out of his dying mother, and fed him every two hours for the first two weeks of his life. Then four times a day for months. He is now 20 years old. Last summer he and a horse that was staying with us got out. The other horse was closer (he was about 1/4 mile away) so I caught her first. As I was taking the other horse home I heard a commotion behind me. He was galloping toward us, skidded to a stop at my shoulder, and walked quietly (at liberty) with us the rest of the way home. He is an absolute gentleman to ride.
He occasionally gives me the little nicker that baby horses give their dams.

@pedigreeann 1 month ago

On visiting a Thoroughbred farm, we met several stallions. One wanted me to pull his tongue, to pull his upper lip, be buddy, buddy. The next stallion generated a forcefield - "I will let you admire me but don't come near me." He wasn't nervous in any way; he just wanted his space. Same breed, two very different temperaments.

@NFFNSNC1984 1 month ago

I got my Percheron from a kill pen. He is a gentle giant however his past is obvious. He's scared of a lot but when I'm with him he yawns. He even asks for scratches every time I go outside which is something he didn't do until a couple months ago and I've had him for 1 year 10 months. He closes his eyes when whisper to him. It took him a year to figure out that the halter didn't mean he was going somewhere. I didn't mind though, I understood that he didn't realize he was stuck with me for the next 30+ years. So we have time to work it all out 😂

@tarotbypamelasteele 3 weeks ago

You never met my Egyptian Arabian stallion. His extended pedigree ended in the word "Desert" or "Raffles." He was bomb-proof, loyal, great with kids, calm, honest, solid, protective, got along great with other horses, and most of all, my best friend. He passed over 15 years ago, and I miss him deeply.

@juliesilva1234 1 month ago

My mustang is very bonded with me . He follows me everywhere. Loyal and smart like a border collie..Best horse I’ve ever owned .

@karenvero1025 1 month ago

I have Arabian i've imprinted him when he hit the ground, left him with his mother for 6 months, then brought him to my farm. And raised him.
Train him. I've been riding him for the last 20 yrs. I think we have a relationship in a good bond. But I also let him be a horse.

@poll2dock 3 weeks ago

I have a Tennessee Walking horse and a Thoroughbred and both are as cuddly as a kitten.

@erindabney2758 1 month ago

I was essentially raised by an Arabian gelding. He was the bestest most best ever. I don’t own any horses now but I have a very good bond with an Andalusian gelding and a Paint mare who is a better friend than 99.9% of humans.

@anne-grethemichaelsen5789 1 month ago

Recommend everyone to read about the 3 old Norwegian horse breeds: `Dølahest`, `Nordlandshest`, `Fjordhest`. These are horse breeds that were used in the past in forestry work, freight horses, agricultural horses. These are horses that are calm and balanced, they are strongly attached to people as they were completely invaluable in life in the past. They were treated as a family member, lived with their families on the farms. All three of these horse breeds are now unfortunately on the list of endangered horse breeds. Forestry work, agriculture has been taken over by machines. Work is now being done to save these horses from extinction.

@PattyJ-l7m 4 weeks ago

My Arabian mare and I have an intense attachment, and unlike what is said in this video, she is not very reactive but is protective. She and I trail run together as I am also a trail marathon runner. Any loose dog that comes at us is chased off by her. I had another mare that has since passed on, but she was with me the day I was trail running as the sun was setting and a mountain lion cruised out on the trail. She stayed rock solid and waited for the big cat to wander back into the brush. These horses are very intense and need people that understand that as they are very in tune to a person's personality.

@metalkingtohorses 1 month ago

MY TB IS SUPER BONDED TO ME

@vonkunstfreiheitgedeckt 3 weeks ago

I used to own an off track thoroughbred mare who was consodered difficult and even dangerous by the people who got her as a yearling. She was 15 when i got her. After spending time with her daily taking care of her not asking too much but also showing her what i expected in everyday handling she became the sweetest, easiest and puppy-like horse i ever experienced. She was amazing and i still miss her. She taught me so much.

@shaller1731 3 weeks ago

I have had a couple of Morgans with whom I've bonded very well. Their intelligence often leads to mischief, but it is often a safety net. Once you have earned their trust, they will do most anything for you!

@eegarim 3 weeks ago

I had a couple of Tennessee Walkers. They were like big, calm dogs when you were on the ground next to them. When you got in the saddle, they said, “How far? And, how fast?” I also had a few Paso Finos. They had excellent dispositions and were super, smooth-gaited.

@robumf 1 month ago

Keep in mind...
Each horse is an individual.
And male, female and altered also makes a different.

@yahuishih3786 1 month ago

My quartet horse is so possessive. He won't let any other horse to get near by me. Sometimes he even doesn't like men to come near me. 😂

@letabug12 4 weeks ago

Truer words were never spoken than how you must earn a Mustang’s trust and love. I’ve had my 25-year-old Mustang mare for 21 years, and she is totally MY horse and aloof with anyone else. I can recommend Dr. Madalyn Ward’s book, Horse Harmony, to further understand how the individual traits influence each horse’s predominant personality, regardless of the breed. Fascinating read!

@ReformedTryHard 1 month ago

Good point about the true measure being per horse vs per breed. My Quarter Horse isn’t spooky or flighty in most situations, but he has some baggage. The round pen and certain other geldings can make him pretty anxious. The more I learn to help him cope, vs letting him spin me up, the better our relationship gets.

@maureenkeller5406 1 month ago

My Arabian gelding is in my pocket guy, very affectionate but my Paso Fino mare isn't affectionate at all, but, we share an unbreakable bond. Both are high energy and very reactive but that's what I love about those breeds❤

@kristaloliver-u3h 1 month ago

I have a zebra that is bonded to me that she protects me like a gaurd dog. She also needs her kiss and hug every morning
I also have Spain andalusians they are my favorite bred. I have had quarter and paints and TB and Arabians