This is a very vague rambly post so I apologise in advance....I am basically thinking aloud.
I have 3 horses (big 16.2 - 17.2 geldings)and a 12.1 welshX pony. Now they all live out together and rub along really well. There is an obvious dominant gelding who very rarely gets a bee in his bonnet about who can and cant eat a certain patch of grass etc. He decides who can and cant stand around the hayrack, and in general it is a hormonious little herd. On very rare ocassions he will kick off and put the others back in their places.
Now, the pony is the most recent addition, and has been there about a year.
I have never had ponies, only horses and I have to admit I do not have a clue what is going on in its head. I get why the horses act as they do and normally can anticipate what will happen next, but the pony breaks all the rules.
It is out and out demonic to the horses and gets away with it?
It jumps on them when they lay down or roll.
It hangs round their necks. It barges into them until they literally fall over or move...and still it gets away with it.
None of them reprimand it. It even will walk up to dominant ones dinner and tuck in, and the most that happens is a flick of the ears?
Why why why?
I just dont get it.
Please dont misunderstand, I am not asking for advice on ponies behaviour as it is perfectly manageable around people, but I just do not know how it hasnt been seriously hurt before now.
Another thing to note is that the pony is fearless, and I think that also impacts on how they act around it.
when the pony was first introduced to the horse I separated the calmest one to befriend him first off. Now this horse has a funny mentality where it backs itself into a corner if concerned and guards its location. The fearless pony got behind it and wedged itself between the wall and the horses bum
DO horses normally not feel threatened by ponies? I dont know if I'm way off base, but do you think they think he's a baby? (he's not, he's 8)
Its so very strange
Has anyone experienced similar or can shed light on their tolerance of him, because believe me another horse acting like that would get both barrells straight away.
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general ramble - horses/ponies
2 replies
lubblyjubblies · 04/02/2009 13:58
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