miskettie
Well-Known Member
Last year we lost my seven year old, Ettie, although the youngest of the herd (by quite a bit!) she was the apha and she was a pretty good apha and kept the peace.
A few months after she passed away, Ella, my mum's mare (who's 12) established herself as the alpha mare - she seemed ok and then my new horse, only a five year old, came along. He is a star in the field, doesn't challenge any of them and is very much the baby of the herd. Ella feels she has to look after him all the time and keeps him on a very tight leash - she doesn't let him talk to the others for very long and is quite protective. In fact she now mothers the whole herd (she's the second youngest after my new boy!). She isn't violent, but she is like a schoolmistress, very bossy!
So to the point - since this change her behaviour has become a bit erratic, as she's a very sensitve mare. She used to be the calmest horse, completley bombproof but now she seems to get stressed out easily and can be really silly when ridden - which isn't good for my mum.
Has anyone else had a horse that has responded like this? Or does anyone have any suggestions? Will she just settle down eventually (new horse has been with us four months now)?
This photo just about sums it up
(the bay is Ella, the grey is my new boy):
A few months after she passed away, Ella, my mum's mare (who's 12) established herself as the alpha mare - she seemed ok and then my new horse, only a five year old, came along. He is a star in the field, doesn't challenge any of them and is very much the baby of the herd. Ella feels she has to look after him all the time and keeps him on a very tight leash - she doesn't let him talk to the others for very long and is quite protective. In fact she now mothers the whole herd (she's the second youngest after my new boy!). She isn't violent, but she is like a schoolmistress, very bossy!
So to the point - since this change her behaviour has become a bit erratic, as she's a very sensitve mare. She used to be the calmest horse, completley bombproof but now she seems to get stressed out easily and can be really silly when ridden - which isn't good for my mum.
Has anyone else had a horse that has responded like this? Or does anyone have any suggestions? Will she just settle down eventually (new horse has been with us four months now)?
This photo just about sums it up
