Aggression in the field

[MissP]

Today we introduced a third horse to a pair of geldings who had been getting on fine for 6 weeks. The original geldings got on ok with the new one - sniff and a squeal was all, then heads down to graze. But after a couple of hours, one of the original geldings chased around his buddy at a gallop, teeth bared, and bit him repeatedly, ripping apart his rug. He wasnt stopping when staff tried to intervene but the bullied one legged it out the gate luckily.

Has anyone else had this? I'd expect some light fighting to establish a pecking order, or for one of the original geldings to guard his friend and not let the newbie near. The newbie might be chased or attacked, but I don't get why this gelding attacked his buddy, and also didn't stop when his mate was already hot footing it away. He was already being submissive

Any ideas? I'd this a riggy thing? Jealousy?

 

[alexomahony]

I'm sorry I can't help as to why, but one of mine also does this very randomly. I'd be interested in others opinions on this - my Connie Sky can also be like this if a new horse joins him and my Welsh D... or they turn a gelding out in the next field. Sky turns from being completely angelic, to a killing machine. It's happened twice while I've known him - once when he had a Welsh A gelding with a very stallion-like neck in the next field, and once when the yard turned an 18 month old colt out with them.

I'm yet to figure out why he does it. He only seems to do it with horses that probably have a high amount of testosterone so I believe it is riggy behaviour. Although, he doesn't show it in any other sense and in no other environment (zero interest in mares, easy at competitions with geldings, mares and stallions, no real interest in other horses). Maldwyn (my Welsh D) was gelded late and is quite stally like, and Sky has never shown aggression towards him. He has also shared his field with Maldwyn and other geldings quite happily as a three for long periods of time without any fallings out.

It makes no difference to Sky if they're being submissive of not, he will continue to chase them and try to kill them.

It could be jealousy... My Welsh D is very friendly and tends to become buddies with every horse he meets, so maybe Sky is fiercely protective of his 'safe' friend.

All I know is that it is terrifying when he goes into this mode... it's the only time his sense of self-preservation goes totally out the window so we no longer allow any new introductions to the two of them. My Welsh D goes into a paddock with another horse when I take the Connie out riding so that satisfies his needs to have lots of friends!

 

[MissP]

I can understand a new one getting attacked, as an established herd will protect their own until a pecking order is established, although not sure why in the case of your Sky he goes OTT.

What I found odd with the scenario above was it wasn't the newly introduced gelding that was getting attacked....it was one of the established geldings attacking another he had been perfectly friendly with for 6 weeks. I guess maybe he just got rattled or was provoked. Who knows. They are now either side of electric fencing (both with a friend) and the 2 that had the fall out are both pooing in piles along the fence line so clearly some riggy/testosterone fuelled behaviour.

We may try them together again at some point but not yet.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I can understand a new one getting attacked, as an established herd will protect their own until a pecking order is established, although not sure why in the case of your Sky he goes OTT.

What I found odd with the scenario above was it wasn't the newly introduced gelding that was getting attacked....it was one of the established geldings attacking another he had been perfectly friendly with for 6 weeks. I guess maybe he just got rattled or was provoked. Who knows. They are now either side of electric fencing (both with a friend) and the 2 that had the fall out are both pooing in piles along the fence line so clearly some riggy/testosterone fuelled behaviour.

We may try them together again at some point but not yet.

I've got an Arab gelding that was cut late he lives at home with my other gelding, when next door put there geldings in the field next to mine the one that was cut late will chase my other horse away from the other horses and be quite horrible.

When I kept him on livery he was always the boss in the field and sometimes he just never tolerated some of the other geldings, his still an absolute pain to introduce any new horse chases and is pretty evil for days.

 

[alexomahony]

I can understand a new one getting attacked, as an established herd will protect their own until a pecking order is established, although not sure why in the case of your Sky he goes OTT.

What I found odd with the scenario above was it wasn't the newly introduced gelding that was getting attacked....it was one of the established geldings attacking another he had been perfectly friendly with for 6 weeks. I guess maybe he just got rattled or was provoked. Who knows. They are now either side of electric fencing (both with a friend) and the 2 that had the fall out are both pooing in piles along the fence line so clearly some riggy/testosterone fuelled behaviour.

We may try them together again at some point but not yet.

Yeah yours is an odd case that he turned on his current fieldmate... i think you're right, that the introduction of the new horse cause a spike in testosterone and he's not sure how to handle it. Who knows. I'd give anything for them to talk for a day.

I think what I find odd with Sky is that it just seems so random... he's even shared a field with two geldings and a mare and shown zero interest or aggression towards the other horses.

I'd bee a little while since our last reply - how's the behaviour going? Have they settled at all?