my herd has changed "bosses" over the past couple years, it used to be my ex endurance horse who is now 23. When I leased a mare and had her bred, things were still in "order", however, once she foaled and came back into heat, my current, younger gelding took over her and the herd, forcing (yes, real force - old man had some missing hair/skin) and was then the boss. I got a free gelding some time later, cute, submissive, but something about him they all hated, maybe he looked like he wanted to be in charge someday. Well, EVERYONE on the place put him in place, by force. Even our most submissive gelding went after him, teeth bared, chasing him through the electric fence. I kept him alone or with the weaned baby after that, but one day, came home to a huge mess. My new herd leader decided it was time to teach the newcomer a
lesson and someone took out the cross fence (girl fence - single hot tape) and he proceeded to beat that young horse so much, they got into the barn, hit a set 4x4 post and turned it, smashed a bucket flat, they were both dried sweat when I got home, it had been brutal. The young horse apparently did not learn his lesson, everyone still would go after him, so I found him a new home. Got another freebie a few months later, told the owner if there was one problem, they'd have to come get him. This one is a young horse, small build and height, he came into the herd, pinned his ears and double-barrel kicked the two alphas and he's been in charge ever since! He rules pretty nicely most of the time, but the original alpha must challenge the most as occasionally he's got nicks from being bitten or kicked. They all rule differently too, the original ruled quietly and obscurely, rarely making contact, when the mare came and my
endurance horse took over, he was not good at it, a bully, didn't know how to ask first, just dealt out punishment, the newest is more like the first alpha, ear pinning and hard eyes do most of the work. But in the beginning, there was force.
. o o o o o_ \ \____ o_ \_\ (*)~(*)\_______/ / \ \______/ / \_______/\ /- o-- /_/ \ / / \ / / o o o-- / / \ o o heidi larson
--- On Thu, 10/23/08, Pam Salem <psalem@xxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Pam Salem <psalem@xxxxxxx> Subject: [RC] A horse worth having To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Date: Thursday, October 23, 2008, 4:53 PM
I once had a fierce herd mare, 1200+ lbs. She ate first and was unchallenged. I got a young quarter horse called Thumper for my son to ride after his first pony. I guarded Thumper at the pasture each day until he finished his grain. He was a quiet horse and observant.
About the sixth day, as I dumped the feed into pans lined up along the fenceline, Thumper strode across and decked and bit the herd mare and proceeded to eat her grain. She calmly moved to the next pan, and things went on peacefully ever after. He had watched, noted that he only had to displace her, and did not mess with moving up the pecking order. I have never forgotten that moment of utter astonishment and humor. Pam
