How do I get my horse to trust and respect me?

Would you say these horses trust and respect me and I have some sort of bond with me?

• I groom and work with 2 AQH geldings anywhere from 2 to 5 days a week. They are Little Man, he's chestnut, and Smokey, he's black. These horses haven't been ridden, groomed, etc. in roughly 2 or 3 months or more. I've went up and petted them a couple times and tonight was my second time grooming them and first time doing anything besides leading them at a walk. I took a couple lessons from the "owner", one on Little Man , and one on a mare she no longer owns. Other then that, I haven't ridden them or groomed them/ worked with them, but yet they seem to really like me and listen to me, trust me. Here is a list of things: - They both watch me and usually come over to me when I call their name and go in the pasture. - They are extremly easy to catch. They stand there and don't move while I put the halter on. They'll sometimes get the halter and bring it to me or look at me with it in their mouth because they want me to put it on them so I'll groom them. - I can groom them and put the lead rope over their neck, not hold on it at all, and they will stand there. - While I'm grooming Smokey, Little Man will come behind me and sometimes his nose is touching and pretty much stay there until I move or are done grooming Smokey. - If I'm grooming Little Man, Somkey will not go far. He'll usually graze within 5 feet roughly of where I'm grooming Little Man or stand there and watch and wait patiently. - Smokey will "talk to me" sometimes. - They both will walk beside me when I lead them. NOT in front of me or way behind me, they walk beside me or if I'm leading them with the lead rope behind me, they'll stay close but not too close or drag way behind. - When I'm leading them I just stop walking and they'll stop walking, and will stop so their feet are beside mine or so their shoulder is a bit behind me, like in a showmanship class. Sometimes I have to sat whoa but it's a really really really soft whoa. - I lunged Smokey at a walk and his head was down and he responded to a click and little movement of my arm really well. He walked in a nice circle, and kept watching me. He wanted to turn into me like a horse does when you've done join-up. This was his first time being lunged in a long time. - Little Man trotted really well with me leading him. He didn't go ahead of me and he didn't lag behind. He stayed pretty much with his feet by mine or his shoulder a bit behind mine like I was leading him. He did awesome. And it was his first time ever doing that with me, and his first time in a long time. - They've never pinned their ears or put their ears back far whenever I've been around them so far. Their ears and eyes are always happy or realxed, calm whenever I'm around them. - They listen really well. You can tell by their body language, and their ears. - When I'm grooming one horse, the other will get a brush and look at me with their ears forward with the "I want you to brush me" expression or get the halter and look at me the same way because they want me to put the halter on them and groom them. - Tonight, Little Man was sniffng my grooming bag, and pawing it, trying to drag it to me and find the brushes because he wanted me to brush him. - When I'm leading them I could zig-zag and they'd follow me. I can do big circles or small circles and they'll just automatically follow me. - I can pick up their feet as if I'm ganna pick their feet. - I can pat their bum and walk behind them and they won't offer to kick, back up, or put their ears back because their angry. - I can get them to turn on their hind quarters by simply turning their head a bit and pointing to their hip, and click a bit. - I can get them to back up by standing in front of them and gently pull a bit on the halter, and sometimes say back up. Or stand beside their shoulder and gently pull on the lead rope, walking backwards and sometimes say back up, and they'll back up with me. - Tonight when I was leading Little Man at a trot, I did some circles and he followed me, barely ever slowing down, and I'd do some halts and he's stop trotting and halt as if I was doing this at a walk leading him. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. I think they trust me and respect me as a friend and leader but I'm no expert or anything when it comes to the more detailed things like that, as I've only been riding for a couple years. Your help and awnsers would be greatly appreiated and help me. If you have any comments or suggestions as to increase this bond, friendship feel free to put them. Thanks.

• Answer:

  your very long winded. If the horses will follow you without beeing on a lead rope or promise of food then chances are they really like you and will follow you and do as you ask willingly. If they nicker at you when you walk up even when you are not carying anything, they like you and enjoy your company.