I’ve seen this many times as well. I always wonder how many times he would have jumped if there was room to go around to the outside. Lots of horses like a good gallop and he might have preferred to just rip around the arena a few times if he could have avoided the jumps.
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Sure, we don’t know what he may have done with less jumps in the way.
If we watch carefully, at first, horse shakes it’s head and body happy to see a chance to run around and is jumping without hesitating or looking for a way out.
He is sure not saying wish those jumps were not in my way, but going over them without a second thought.
I think one answer if a horse likes to be ridden is that some do, some don’t mind or care either way, some don’t like but is part of their lives that happen, some dislike it enough to show displeasure to being ridden, not one umbrella answer there.
I participated in two endurance rides, both 200 km in two days.
Our riding center had a maybe 16+ hand beautiful, elegant standardbred trotter mare.
She loved to trot down the road, would go for miles and never think of stopping if you didn’t regulate her trot and asked for some walking breaks.
We have seen many steeplechases where riders fall off and horses keep on jumping, when they could veer to the side and just keep on running or stop and meander around, which some also do.
Those running and jumping there are not asked to, they just do.
That is the way that mare was, a bit OCD about just starting to trot, hit her huge stride and just keep on trotting to the end of time and when stopped, still keep looking for more.
I wonder if, without a rider, she would have trotted along the whole endurance ride also.
We never found the bottom of her, she never weakened and said, enough, so we had to watch for that and ask her to ease up a bit.
Each horse is an individual and I expect, plenty act like they do like to be ridden.
Maybe we need a more specific question to have a more clear answer to give?
Well, because his only alternative is to just stop. Of course he can jump them, because he is fit enough to do so. But not sure he wants to jump them versus they are just in the way of his gallop.
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I think my current mare enjoys our interactions because she always comes to me when I go get her outside. She is is turned out with 2 other buddies, so it’s not like she wants company. She always walks up to me and puts her head in her halter.
(I have seen so many horses giving their riders a hard time when they go catch them outside)
She never gave me a hard time when tacking up, I can do it with her free in her stall.
She loves being groomed and fussed over.
She seems to enjoy doing things right and getting praised under saddle (relaxed, floppy ears, etc) or on the longe line.
Years ago my sister and I had a mare who was very opinionated. She hated men. With a guy on board, she would act all fussy under saddle - ears pinned, kicking out, all balled up and ready to explode - so that even very good riders felt they were always “forcibly extracting” correct moves from her but she was willing and pliable for us - it was kind of embarrassing, actually 
She loved jumping. She would free jump on her own, literally seeking jumps to go over many times and then would rush to us to get her treat, then go back to jumping. She was more like a dog than a horse.
She could have been a circus horse, that one.
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My poor mare is on lockdown right now and going a bit nuts. She can’t wait to do something…anything…
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Depends what kind of conditioning you do. My last horse was clicker trained and he would go find a jump to jump, then run back to me for his treat. Did he “like” it? Well he liked getting a treat and he know what to do to get it so the experience was positive based on his reactions and expression.
Would he have done it before I trained him? Probably not, but I’ve known plenty horse who jumped the fence to get better grass (incentive: grass), and we’ve all seen videos of horses who kept jumping a course after the rider fell off (incentive: joy?)
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When an Arabian gelding at the barn was younger, there was a fallen log on a wide flat trail he loved to jump over. (At 25, the old man still enjoys trail rides but has no interest in the log or anything other than plodding along, maybe a little trot if its a cool day and he’s feeling frisky). Many times I’ve taken him out- and I’ve seen others in the same boat- we avoid the trail witj the log and he’d throw a snit fit, tossing his head, trying to break contact or pull the reins out of your hands, prance in a circle, sometimes rearing. All because he wanted to go down that trail and pop over the little log. I’d give him his head and he’d settle right down, take off down the trail over the log we go and he’d puff up, head arched tail flared and prance along awfully pleased and proud of his tiny 14 hand self. Now given the choice he’d rather be out in tje pasture picking on some of the lower ranked horses who are all much bigger than him. I think it’s a Napoleon complex. (he’s an ornery, opinionated Arabian). But he always perked up for trail rides, was a willing partner who freely and loudly expressed his opinions. Like the log. (Though I think that is a very generalized Arabian trait.)
Right now I’m leasing an older Arabian mare. She is very sweet, excellent ground manners. Loves people, always comes up to her stall door to greet everyone. Does that in pasture too. People by the fence? She comes up to say hi. (And check for treats). She likes to stick her nose in everything, she’s very curious. I can tack her up in stall easily. Only thing she doesn’t like is her back hooves picked. That’s always a struggle complete with Mean Mare Glare O Doom. She’s a peach about the front hooves. I’ve alternated the order in which I pick but it’s always the same. Front hooves okay. Back hooves= mare face. I’ve even switched up and mixed up the order I pick- one front, one back, one front one back etc) and it’s the same. She tacks up easy- even eager sometimes.
But she’d rather not be ridden. Mounting up she likes to walk or trot off or swing her butt away from you while pinning her ears. I spent an hour and a half trying toount her the first time. Couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong, (it was one of those brain fart kind of days where you know you know better but your brain is all deeerrppp). A Warwick Schiller video straightened that out quick. Now she still does not enjoy being mounted- but she will stand still once she realizes her tricks aren’t working. Then she just kinda deflates and settles into resignation and will mope around the arena. She’ll do what you ask her, very sweet once you’re up in the saddle. But she doesn’t enjoy it, you can feel it in her energy and body language. This is in both outdoor and indoor arenas. She perks up once you hit the trail, especially when she’s given her head and can pick the trails we go down.
Does my horse like to be ridden? Yes I think so. Maybe he’s just in it for the treats though.
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I guess I see it differently, but I also don’t work in the standard “pressure and release” methods that many do. There are plenty of options, and if you can set it up with a horse to allow him to try as many options as many times as he needs to before he reaches (of his own accord!) the “correct” answer, then he will come to understand that there IS choice in it for him, and he will make that choice willingly. In my experience is also translates to a big different in the horse’s work ethic and exuberance in his work.
It’s a subtle difference to the human but it makes a huge difference to the horse.
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Given the conditions that our domestic horses live in, I think they can enjoy the interaction and exercise that comes with being ridden. We do our best, but many of our horses don’t have acres of grassy fields with compatible herdmates to provide rich social interactions.
So as our horses learn to work with humans, they can appreciate the mental and physical stimulation of being ridden. And they can “learn how to learn”. My horse gets gets more forward and agreeable as we ride and he often offers whatever movements he learned last. I think it can be a combination of physically feeling better due to correct work, and the mental engagement and reward that he enjoys.
So I guess I would say that he kinda likes being ridden (or worked with) but like me and the gym, more likes having done it! And the barn reports that he is cranky and obnoxious if I dont ride for a few days
BTW, he will jump small jumps in the middle of the arena if turned out - often followed by a buck/fart! Maybe a cheat as I suspect somebody rewarded him for that since he then comes to me looking for a treat.
I’m glad I came across this thread. It’s such an interesting topic to me, especially now that I have more time to observe and be curious about the psychology of the horses living here with us.
We evented them for years and that was our primary drive; to keep them safe, healthy, fit, mentally content and hopefully as prepared as they could be for each competition. Currently they are mostly retired and I find myself delving deeper into studying how they prefer to conduct their ‘day in the life’ so to speak. To the point where I’ve moved away from feeling a sense of ownership and liken it more to a coexistence, where the sphere of their needs is met in such a manner that they can lead their best quality of life without the proprietorial factor. I’m not sure if this mindset makes a difference but the question of ‘would they desire to be ridden if given a choice’ becomes all the more intriguing.
Using one of our (not at all elderly - sound as a bell) retired eventers as an example, I’ll speculate that he feels the same towards being ridden as I do about exercise. Expressly that I’m a big walk in the woods or hike through the hills kind of person and not so keen on anything repetitious such as scheduled running or gym work. At this point I’d have to be paid a lot of money to participate in the last two but eagerly and enthusiastically engage in the former.
This gelding has always been a business in the front and party in the back type of character and willingly and with an absolute no nonsense attitude participated in years of event training, conditioning and competing. He consistently tried his hardest and did well at events. Not to mention over a decade of Pony Club. And yet … now that he has the run of acres of mixed terrain to amuse himself in and can make his own choices as to how to spend his day and who to spend it with, I’ll venture that he doesn’t miss the extensive under saddle work, the racing pulse, and the extreme focus required to get himself and his young rider safely around x-country.
All his competitive life he performed like a professional because he was trained to and it was requested of him and I’m sure there were moments of heady exhilaration while under saddle, such as those countdown moments in the start box when he’s aquiver at the prospect of addressing the challenges ahead. But overall, given space to decide, I believe he would say no thank you to the countless lessons in dressage and jumps and the methodical fitness training.
On the other hand, he now gives every indication that he very much enjoys an occasional light hack or trail ride and seems to (as someone else described) look for small logs and such to hop over. All I really have to go on is his enthusiastic body language when he senses this style of outing, as opposed to his ‘all business’ demeanor of old when worked regularly.
Conclusions? Well perhaps horses that are more confined might choose to be ridden (assuming soundness, comfort etc.) as opposed to not if it means an adventure of sorts outside of their living area. But in my opinion less likely if their life consists of engaging in their chosen activities with their own mates in interesting environs. And I’ll theorize that the style of ride would be imperative to their decision, much like me and repetitive exercise vs me and a nice hike.
Sorry for all the words. I love thinking about this stuff lol!
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Very well written, thanks for taking the time to spell all that out.
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Another place to look for input is from horses who aren’t getting ridden. Many horses are happier and more settled if they have a job. Some horses get pretty angry if they aren’t ridden!
And school horses live longer if kept in work and seem to die quicker when retired.
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I live in fear that the same will be true of me.
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Worse may happen, like living too long, past acceptable quality of life.
I would not worry, if that was not meant in jest, just keep on trucking. 
I think this is more about the “if you don’t use it you lose it” principle.
I’ve tried to retire my Old Man twice, and he fell apart both times. He’s in light work 3-4 days a week now, and seems to be holding up better because of it.
But by the look on his face as I’m tacking up to do arena work, he’s not thrilled with the concept anymore, haha. He’s been with me for 19 years now though, so I’d guess he’s sick of my $h!t. He’s still “excited” to go on trail rides (doesn’t pull his nostrils in absolute disgust), and he doesn’t run from me when going to catch him in the pasture.
He is and always will be “not sound” though, so a 30 minute workout where he doesn’t even sweat 3-4x a week is all he gets. He will never again be sound for more.
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I think that absolutely depends on what kind of options they are given. Horses that are stalled 12+ hours a day may need to be ridden for their own comfort. Most horses that are out 24/7 on sizeable acreage do not. Those that are out in a comfortable herd with ample food…may never mind not being ridden.
My retired horses are out 24/7. They get angry if they are stalled for an hour or more. LOL.
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Both of the horses that I’ve owned as an adult seem to like to be ridden. I’m sure that part of the “liking” is that it breaks up the day, is interesting to do stuff and just to exercise (like going to the gym). Trail rides seem to be inherently rewarding, especially if done with other horses.
But an additional issue that I haven’t seen anyone address yet is that horses seem to like routine. If riding is part of the routine, then being ridden just lets the horse know that the earth is still spinning, their expectations of what’s going to happen are on track with what’s actually happening, and they can be secure in their belief that they will get fed come evening.
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