Please like me!

Meet Jesse.  He belongs to the Desert Rose.  He's been her main guy for years and while he suffers from some Asthma, he is one of the strongest horses I've met.  He's Quarter horse and spends his winters climbing some of the steepest trails around, then during the spring/summer can be found riding the PNW trails.  He's a REAL steady Eddie, never spooks and is really well behaved.  He really only gets cranky if his "snacks" aren't ready fast enough after a ride.  But, he makes it VERY clear what he's expecting, and shame on me if I don't follow his routine!

So, Desert Rose also now has another horse named Lady.  Lady and Jesse are quite bonded as brother and sister.  But, DR has taken to riding Lady and trusting Jesse to care for her guest riders, which he does a fantastic job at!   Now most of you know I have no horse of my own.  Well,  DR has been SOOO generous allowing me to ride Jesse and  I've become quite fond of riding him.  THE PROBLEM?  He really doesn't like me.... Seriously!  When we were at Cle Elum, every morning,  we would all approach the horses (who were all lined up, waiting for their breakfast) they all looked earnestly at their approaching owners.  But, as soon as I spoke to Jesse and he realized I was the one who would be feeding him....he turned around and faced his big round butt at me!  He did this EACH MORNING!  He might as well have said...."Oh no, not her again."   And, occasionally,  he begins to get cranky around me....That's when we have to have DR go to him, give him some one on one time and you should SEE how he loves on her!  Puts his head right into her neck and just stays there!  It's really heart wrenching....  And then, he feels better.

DR knows it's been bugging me....So she and I talked about this, and figured out that I've been more "on his mouth" than she is.   So for two days of riding I WORKED REALLY HARD to watch what I was doing, and NOT keep such tight reins, give them lots of loop and when I needed to ask something of him, I did it with more leg and much less touch on the reins.  Well, I did notice a big difference on how he reacted to me....but, I STILL know he's not crazy about me.  This is my goal for this winter!  To make Jesse WANT to see me, To go to the stables and have him nicker at me and be glad to see me.

My husband thinks he remembers that it was ME riding him on the awful overnight mountain experience we had.  My DH said "He remembers you almost rode him to death." 
Do you think he could?  I'm not sure....but it wouldn't surprise me.  Does anyone know if horses remember that stuff and could be relating ME to THAT?