Re: Blowing and snorting endurance horses!

["Tracey" <tracey@tbt.co.za>]

Hi,


>Once again the hunting season in Utah is underway and our ranch is a
>Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU).  Once again, the endurance
horses have been "bannished" from the mountain for behavior inconsistant
with hunting, namely, blowing and snorting! >


And the other hunters shooting is not going to scare off any beasties,
right?



>There appears to be vastly different opinions on the purpose and value of
this "blowing".  My dressage teacher loves to see Silver blow and stretch
her neck down--says it is a relaxing gesture.>


I agree with her.  I like my horses to "clear the cobwebs" and won't ask for
contact until they have started "blowing".


>Several of the articles on cooling of blood in the horse's head suggest
some purpose to the blowing.  BUT, the cowboys at the ranch see this
behavior as rude and illmannered and prefer not to have blowing horses
around their horses at all.  Their horses are quiet and don't blow--unless
mine start it!  >


Why do they say it's rude and illmannered?



>I understand that my horses can and do scare away wildlife but I sure miss
taking my own horses to ranch this time of year.>


I'm not sure I agree with you.  I take my horse to the local lion park
(along the fence, not inside the park) and I can get really close to the
wildebeest, zebra, hartebeest, etc, despite him snorting.  In fact, it is so
much a part of the wild animal's herd behaviour and noise, that they seem to
regard us as another grazing animal.  One thing I have notice, however, is
that Springbok, Rooibok, Wildebeest and hartebeest have a particular snort
which is an alarm code - it is a very short, sharp snort, usually by
whichever buck is on "sentry duty" - and if given, the whole herd takes off
at a flat-out gallop (it's a lot of fun trying to convince Toc that he
shouldn't follow).  One time, Toc had some grass up his nose, and snorted to
get it out, and the wild animals reacted as above.  The normal blowing and
snorting for some reason does not elicit this response.


Just my observations, nothing scientific in it.


Tracey