[Little Red Dun]

This is sort of an odd question, but someone mentioned it to me today and got me thinking.

I've heard some people say you should always rub, never pat a horse because patting makes horses nervous and they never pat each other in the wild so they sometimes don't understand that a pat means praise.

Other people I know pat all the time, and they say the horses know it means they did a good job and that they like it just fine.

So, do you pat or rub mostly? Or both in equal amounts?

[faroutfax]

I mostly rub them unless I'm really happy after a class then I can help but pat

[KiereeAngel86]

I always rub the face,never pat but will pat them on the chest or shoulder

[HorseBliss]

if i wanna be discrete about something (like im at a show and my horse did something good durrin a flat class), ill give em a lil scratch on their shoulder. but if ive finished a jump round, ill give em a pat. i pat (more of a tap) my horse's face, but he really doesnt care haha

[aBreeze]

my opinion > horses arent stupid. They can tell if your doing something in a positive manner. Iv had one trainer give me a lecture on not to pat... so I didnt pat his horses. But my own, are just as happy to get a pat as they are a rub.

[Oh'When]

I was taught only to rub and scratch... never pat.. because it seems to them when you at them that you are "kicking them" and like you said LRD they don't pat each other in the wild....

[Buckshot]

I always rub or scratch them. Unless I'm really, really pleased.....then I can't help but pat them.

[doublebarr]

Mine get pats, rubs and scratches. On their own, a horse will stand next to another and "pat" eachother with their tails in the summer time. A horse learns quickly if the pat is accompained by a "good boy" or something else. The recogonize the tone of your voice and associate the pat with it. I don't "pat" on the face though, only the body. I don't do much rubbing on the face either as I do not want them to try and rub back against me.

[PaintedPNH]

How is the horse able to tell if you are just lightly hitting them for doing something wrong??
I alwaaayyyys rub.
I "put my heart in my hand and rub it into my horse"

Thats straight up Pat Parelli for you.

[Little Red Dun]

I'm not knocking anyone that pats of course, just (once again) curious as to who does what.

Me personally, I usually rub, but honestly that's as much for me as for them. I love the feel of horses (in a non-weird way ), and I think I get as much pleasure out of running my hand down their neck or gently rubbing their face and ears as much as they do.

If I'm mounted and "busy" I might give a brief pat on the shoulder, but I also like to give them a light scratch on the withers. I also pat lightly on the hindquarters if I'm moving around behind them so they always know where I am.