Herd Dynamics

12/13/2009

It’s really interesting to watch a group of horses regardless of the size of the herd. Doc and Spice have been stabled/pastured close together for the past seven years or so. Periodically we would move them into the same pasture but ended up separating them because Doc was always nipping her on the behind – she would have bald spots all over her back end. That is until the day Spice, inadvertently I believe, delivered both shod hind feet at full force to his left haunch. Poor Doc. I think Spice was kicking at one of the yearlings on the other side of the fence and he got in the way. He hobbled along with this befuddled look on his face. It was all we could do not to laugh hysterically at the little dictator. And from that day he has given her back end a wide berth. Nary a nip since then. Anyway, the point is that they are very used to each other and very comfortable in their environment. Doc is still dominant but pays the proper respect. They have their own side of the feeder and their own pile of hay.

Enter Whisper. I think he has had aspirations since he first met Spice. Doc initially worked very hard to keep him away from Spice first and the hay second. He gave up on the hay first. There were too many piles and he was running himself ragged. Before too long there was peaceful munching in the pasture. Then I took Spice out to ride and the boys were left to fend for themselves. Good grief. You would have thought they were weanlings and I took their mother. Whisper stood in the corner and yelled for her. Doc buzzed back and forth sometimes adding to the cacophony. When I rode her by the pasture the boys trotted along the fence line then raced (and I mean ran) up the hill so they could keep her in sight. Occasionally they would pass and remember that they weren’t best buds and turn and kick at each other. It was strictly for show as they weren't close enough to actually make contact. This was the first time I’d seen Whisper kick at Doc – before he had just moved away.

Spice made her choice crystal clear when I brought her back into the pasture. She made a beeline for Doc and they rubbed noses. Whisper just kind of hung back (I think he may have noticed that she kicks) and followed at a distance when they moved off. It was actually kind of sad. Poor Whisper had been spurned by his new lady love. I told him not to set his cap on that redhead.