You've raised horses and would say they're like dogs? Riding horses? Any disciplines? I know the bond that can form with a horse when time and training is put in on them. But to me they're not like dogs. They are a much more sensitive and subtle creature.
What I had meant in my previous post that lots of people mistake a horse checking them out, getting in their space, seeing if they've got anything to eat, seeing if they can make the person move and as such owning them in horse language as affection. Which it is not unless invited by the recipient.
To raise a horse from a young age I imagine could form quite an affectionate bond. I don't mean that horses aren't affectionate or that you shouldn't receive their affection. It just needs to be on the leaders terms.
If you are or have been around horses you get what I mean.
In order to safely own and use a horse, you have to be seen as the leader at all times similar to dogs. The difference is that that leadership and the challenges that come to it are much more subtle than with dogs.
IMO.