What does your horse like? Affection-wise I mean.

[Indy]

In the summers, belly rubs are where it’s at for my mare. As I start currying her body, she will crane her neck around and sort of point her nose towards her butt like she’s hinting at what I should be doing. Then when I get by her back right leg - and only the right, never the left - she picks it up and will hold it out to the side as far as she can so I can scritch her belly, udder, and inner back leg (if I’m not enough paying attention and she’s super itchy, I wind up getting cow kicked because she jerks her leg up and out so fast that she gets me in the leg). I’m pretty sure if she could roll over like a dog, she would. She will stand there forever while I scratch as hard as I can - she particularly likes if I use the hard pointy end of the back of my brushes. I build in extra time in our pre-ride routine so that she can get a proper belly rub…it’s all about making the queen happy. She will sometimes do it while I’m riding, if we’re standing around waiting and someone is standing back by her right hind leg. She will just lift her leg up and look around for someone to notice and get to work. It’s pretty adorable.

However in the winter, you DO NOT rub the belly or touch the udder - that’s just asking to get yourself kicked. This is purely a summer time thing. Winter is for post-ride face rubs only.

[the_other_mother]

One of my boys is a real loverboy, he loves anything and even pushes his nose in my face until I give him a kiss. He especially likes having his chin scratched and ears too. My other guy is pretty aloof and is all about food but even he appreciates a good ear scratch. He usually likes his face brushed too and will hold my shirt or sleeve in his mouth when I do it.

[wateryglen]

My PMU’s were very “no touchy” when I got them as weanlings and had to be tamed to tolerate ANY touching to begin with. Amazing how each individually grew to “like” or be handled, petted etc. My most “no touchy” weanling (now 9) has always preferred tail rubs. ALWAYS turns big half draft butt around to you for scratching/rubbing. And she’s SERIOUS about it! Another lowers her head and buries it in your chest for ear/head rubs. They’ve always competed for attention whether being touched or not. And sometimes they don’t like the attention. Wonder if your horse is just SICK of all the attention! Kind of like he just wants to be left alone and be a horse.
Put a dressing on him and turn him out and let him be a horse for awhile. See if that doesn’t improve his mood & behavior. Soaking has limited effect and only for a short term anyway. IMHO. After a coupla days; the holes/wounds are closed so there’s no "drawing"effect going on. I’m a big believer that exercise improves circulation and that improves healing faster than immobility.
And give him a kiss for me; I’m hoping for a quick return to health for ya!! Best wishes!

[Cabaret_SK]

Mine loves having his face brushed, and especially loves it if you stick your fingers in his ear and scratch the inside of his ears. He stretches his neck out and closes his eyes when you do that.

And yet he hates having his ears clipped, even with scissors. Go figure. You can grab them, fold them, pet them, scratch inside them…but come near them with scissors or clippers?

[Canaqua]

Food. And, she really likes to have her face washed with a damp wash cloth or paper towel.

[bits619]

The TB I usually ride loves belly rubs in the summer, like the mare mentioned above (looking around and wiggling his face, lifting a leg, almost collapsing). Wintertime means his belly is not to be touched! Instead he does the begging for wither and shoulder rubs rift where the blankets rest. He always loves a face massage and twirling his ears around.

The hanoverian I’ve ridden a few times is ear shy, but sheet a few minutes of massaging his forehead he was falling asleep with his chin on the stall wall, slipping every moment or so. Then I was able to do circles with his ears at the base. That was pretty cool that he let me do that.