Sometimes, life presents a situation where you have to sell your horse. It may be a sad event for you, but does your horse feel the same? They may have developed a close bond with you and the other horses at your barn. Saying goodbye can be hard.

Selling your horse... Will they be sad?

Researchers have concluded that horses begin to recognize their owners by associating their voice to their physical body. If you've had your horse for long enough, they will begin to remember you. They can even associate you to positive and negative memories. When sold, a horse will usually remember their owner based on their voice. This can even be years afterward. It really depends on how close you were and how much time was spent together.

In the unfortunate event you have to sell a horse you are close with, you may be wondering if they'll be sad or even depressed. It really depends. They may show signs of sadness, much like when they leave a favorite herd mate. On the other hand, if you weren't that close they will likely have no emotional response to being sold.

If they do appear sad, it's only time before they get comfortable in their new home and let go of those feelings.

Ultimately, selling your horse isn't going to be as emotionally traumatic for them as it may be for you. The hardest part for them is probably getting used to their new surroundings, rather than saying goodbye. The good news is that time heals all wounds. Your sadness and even theirs will disappear as life continues. You can hope that they'll remember you and your good memories together though!