My horses aren't very vocal

[Poodlepill]

I'd actually like them to whynny and nicker when they see me. I have them come running to me when they see me....so cute. Out of curiosity Is there anything I can do to get them to be more vocal. I have only heard my little guy very quietly 2 times nicker over food and I could barely hear him. I don't "need" it I just think its so sweet to hear them talk to me.

 

[Eagle]

Hi, I know what you mean, it makes you feel a little bit wanted. I think it depends on the character of the horse. I have 3 out of 7 that are very vocal, especially if I have a sugar lump in my hand. When theyy are in the field I whistle and they come charging over and I love it.

 

[Suzie]

Maybe it just takes time. Most of the horses we have here have been here for years. Some days when I go to the barn, I would like it a little LESS vocal. My husband has remarked that he can go in and start feeding hay and they all are "behaved". I go in and it sounds like a stampede. But I spend a lot of time with them and I guess they feel like they can "complain" to me about the service...LOL! I have a habit of greeting the horses when I open the barn door with "Hi Guys!" and I get tons of response back. Maybe they think that is their "clicker" training to whinney.

I tend to chat to the horses all day long when I am with them. I guess I am waiting on them to chat back. That would be something!! It is also a good thing for training them to put their ears up. Most days I talk in a normal voice and they tend to ignore most of it, but when I show, I whisper very softly. They want to know what I am saying, so up go the ears! We practice at the barn with a treat or some other cue.

 

[MindyLee]

Mine do and I love it. They get all excited when they see and hear me.

What I do is...

Anytime I step outside for any reason, I yell out or whistle real quickly to make them look for me.

I also sneek towards their barns/pastures and not say a word or make noises and catch them off gaurd so that was they are surprised which gets them curious at times.

Snack them always helps.

I also play peek a boo with them... yes yes sounds silly but they love it which makes them look for me and nicker too.

I chase them all over and then let them chase me which always is a favorite of theirs. again yes yes silly but they love it.

I now have 7 little faces pearing through the fence wanting me to either feed them or play with them and it is so cute. They nicker at times, follow the fence line when walking beside them and stare and get all excited to see what Im going to do next. I tell you it dose feel great and always makes me smile if not laugh out loud everyday. I cant even go to my truck to go to work without thim doing this which always puts me in a good mood for my drive to work.

Hope some of this helps and good luck as it is very rewarding to have this kind of feed back from your little furry babys!

 

[targetsmom]

I learned a lesson about this at a boarding barn once. I thought it was so great that my horse nickered and seemed SO glad to see me every day when I arrived. He hadn't done that at the other barns where I boarded. And then I found out some of things that this boarding barn was doing or NOT doing.. And then he colicked and I almost lost him, but at least he got out of there. So I don't mind at all if the minis don't sound too excited to see me - I figure that means they are contented without me!

 

[A Little Blessing]

My biggie doesn't talk to me when I walk in the barn, but when my mom walks in he is all about her. I think because she always has treats for him, that's the only thing we do differently. I always groom him when she rides and I rode him for years before she did, yet he only talks to her.

My mini talks ot anyone who will listen and more often sounds more like a goat than a horse.

:RollEyes

 

[ruffian]

The only time my horses whinney to me is feeding time. the rest of the time they look up, say, oh it's you, and continue on with what they are doing, usually grazing.

I always get a kick out of old - and some new - westerns or shows who have horses in them and they are ALWAYS sounding off! I always that was a little weird that whenever a horse comes on the scene it whinneys or nickers, but I guess they complained to the scriptwriters and got a line!

 

[maplegum]

Oh how sad for you.

Bailey, Willow and now Dasher never shut up! They all try to out do each other. They call out ech time they hear the gate 'click', when they see my car pull up after work, when i call out to them. I just LOVE hearing them talk. I can tell each of them apart too, they all sound very different.

 

[Poodlepill]

Fun reading all your replies,

To me its just really cute sound, I do clicer training and if I could get them to do it in the first place I could possibly cue them. They have only been here about 5 months so we are all new to eachother anyway. But I always have treats in my pocket as to why they come running (most of the time) or at least a steady walk right to me especially my little guy, he is soooooo stinking cute. My larger mini who I am beginning to thinks is maybe a smaller Shetland 36" is a bit more reserved but he cant stand that the little guy, his best buddy leaves him to come to me.

So I guess I will have to get use to the silence, I know they are content and happy but it would thrill me to no end to hear them nicker to me.

 

[Taylor Richelle]

To me it's one of my favorite sounds. I love opening the barn door in the morning and hearing them great me! No matter what mood I'm in it can always make me smile!

My little stud has the sweetest sound ever...he always makes me giggle!

Love reading everyone's reply's!!

 

[Bunnylady]

All three of my girls "talk" to me, but the most vocal, hands down, is the mini mule. Even though she can't see the driveway from the drylot, she knows the sound of my car, and welcomes me home with a loud bray when I drive up. (Heavens, what a sound! Somewhere between a steam whistle and the squeal of a very large pig!) Up close, she has a wide variety of softer sounds, from whimpers, grunts and soft whinnies to long, drawn out squeaks that sound like a person slowly letting the air out of a balloon. I'm thinking about teaching her to "sing" on cue, I think it would be funny (the smaller sounds, of course!).

If either of the minis see me on the back porch, they will let me know that I've been spotted. The funny thing is, the little one is a baritone, and the oversized one has the high-pitched voice.

 

[susanne]

Our four run the gamut.

Our stallion, Flash, speaks up as soon as either of his humans open the door. He's so squeally we've nicknamed him McScreamy (all who watch Grey's Anatomy know where that comes from). He also mutters and mumbles and whimpers (he's also known as the Horse Whimperer).

Scarlet, our mare, mumbles and gives her throaty nicker when she sees me -- I'm her BFF, so I think she's hoping for gossip.

Mingus is pretty quiet at homes, other than at feeding time, but whenever we travel to a show or event, he whinnies when he sees or hears us coming. Keith and I always try to sneak up so that we can see as well as hear his reaction. He tries to act tough, but he's a regular marshmallow and loves his mom and dad.

Thelonius never speaks unless we've taken Mingus away. We always roll down the van windows when we pull in the driveway, since that's the only time we get to hear him.

We have utilized the theory of Pavlov and his dogs to make them more talkative...we bought a bell, so whenever we take buckets out, we first ring the bell. Now whenever we ring the bell, we have a veritable "horse of course chorus."

You might try this or something similar to get your kids talking.

 

[REO]

All three of my girls "talk" to me, but the most vocal, hands down, is the mini mule. Even though she can't see the driveway from the drylot, she knows the sound of my car, and welcomes me home with a loud bray when I drive up. (Heavens, what a sound! Somewhere between a steam whistle and the squeal of a very large pig!) Up close, she has a wide variety of softer sounds, from whimpers, grunts and soft whinnies to long, drawn out squeaks that sound like a person slowly letting the air out of a balloon. I'm thinking about teaching her to "sing" on cue, I think it would be funny (the smaller sounds, of course!).

That made me laugh, it's so cute! Wish I could hear her!

 

[RockRiverTiff]

If you want to hear your horses, I suggest you grab the feed bucket, walk right up to their stall or gate, and then answer a call on your cell phone. They've always got something to say about that; apparently even in the horse world it's poor etiquette to take a call at dinner.

 

[Helicopter]

Oh I've had some good laughs reading these posts.

:rofl One of my guys has a very deep sexy voice

while the biggest fellow 'sounds like a girl'..

..that's what I tell him anyway.

The donkeys are the truly vocal ones here. Once they start up honking and wheezing you can't hear yourself think. Very satisfactory.

:HappyBounce

Love 'em to bits.