Does your horse avoid contact with others?

[Mongoose11]

My mare is quite aloof in general she doesn't really do kisses and cuddles very much apart from when she is poorly. She will take a fuss but will nudge you away when she has had enough etc.

In the field she usually grazes well away from the others. Very very occasionally you will find her within a couple of meters of another horse but it is usually well away or even the other side of the paddock.

I have never seen her groom another horse or be groomed although I think another livery said that they did see this happen once.

If the others are around the fence line when I go to get her in she acts in my opinion quite nervously. She won't just come and get close to them to get to me but instead she circles away and trots off to the rear until I can create a pathway for her. I obviously don't just let her run through the gate at this point and sometimes it can get quite hairy as while I am trying to get her head collar on she is worrying about where the others are - if they have come in too close she may need to go off to the rear again.

This has been less of a problem over the summer as they are out a lot more and don't tend to wait at the gate but at the winter it can be difficult. Other poeple on the yard see it in a different light and think that she is bargy and impatient but if that was the case she would be barging the others out of the way and coming through the gate rather than retreating (they aren't being mean about her, just saying as they see).

Because I feel I know her I see it differently? Why would she circle back until she has a clear pathway?

She isn't bottom of the herd of 5 but she is second from bottom. Does she like other horses? She doesn't fuss when everyone else is put on the lush front paddock - she just grazes on her own - even through out the night.

 

[FfionWinnie]

What breed is she and what is her previous history.

 

[Mongoose11]

Sorry should have said - she is the big HW piebald cob in my Avatar thingy. Nothing else known other than she was alone in an 8 acre field for a good few years of her early life (now 12) which would explain some of the behaviour. Then she was with just one other gelding.

I guess I am trying to work out if she 'likes' other horses, being in with them, what I can do other than accept this circling back routine. It's just that in the Winter it can get a bit hairy as I can see her panicking. Sometimes she stands at the very edge of the fence while I am putting her head coller on and she is very close to just coming through if the others are moving around her. I wondered whether I just have to accept that that is the way she works.

 

[9tails]

Sounds like she isn't too good at herd dynamics and has a lot of self preservation. Mine is second in command but will pull faces and shoo others off if they come too close. Same when sharing the school, ears flat back and head snaking to move others away. I have occasionally seen a "mutual" grooming session, but that usually consists of the other going for it and her doing a half hearted nuzzle.

 

[Shay]

My cob gelding is like this. Bless him he is an utter wimp. He does like being alone - horses are individuals too! He is part of a herd, kept in a group of about 10 other geldings, but does not engage in herd dynamics at all. He keeps to one side - not looking in or whistful, but perfectly happy. He won't jostle for a position at the gate he waits for me to clear space for him and then bolts through it. If I've had to come into the feild to catch him he will follow me back without a headcollar and almost hides behind me if someone else comes near.

Its just him. He's happy and I'm happy.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Maybe she just prefers her own company. Could you put her in a field next to them or electric tape off the gate so they can't congregate round it.

I have a cow like this. She isn't the bottom of the herd but almost and while she isn't scared of me she is scared of the other higher ranking cows and getting her in a pen or even close contact with them is impossible. On her own she is fine.

Some animals just seem to be like that. Sounds like her early life will have played a part as well.

 

[mandwhy]

I think you get quite a few mares like that, they just like their own space although I assume they like to be in sight of others. Maybe she would be better off in her own paddock next door if you have that option? People seem to assume being turned out in a herd on acres and acres of land is best, but I don't think that's always the case romantic though it sounds...

 

[zaminda]

My pony is a bit of a loner. He used to be at the bottom of the pecking order, then lived on his own, with others each side of him, (yard policy), then out with my herd where he avoided all contact. He can be a bit of a bully when he wants to be, a habit which appeared when he was out on loan a few years ago, but mine won't tolerate him trying it on. Apparently his loner instincts have kicked in a gain on his current loan home!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Nothing else known other than she was alone in an 8 acre field for a good few years of her early life (now 12) which would explain some of the behaviour.

I think that you are correct here, in fact I think that it would explain most, if not all of her behaviour that you describe.

 

[oscarwild]

My mare was top dog until she went into this new field as she is second in the pecking order. She always pulls faces at the others to back them off getting too close. And if she goes to the gate she wont walk over to me if they are in front. She just waits for me to get her. She is always seen grazing by herself and hardly ever with the herd. She just likes to know there are horses in the field with her. I think she is a bit of a loner. haha

 

[Littlelegs]

Mine has been lead/top mare in every situation for a long time so she decides which horse & when can invade her body space. Although always friendly & loves company with a handful of exceptions I always get the impression she couldn't care less which horses she was with. And with people anyone can do anything, or pat her etc but she's only ever been 'cuddly' with me.
With yours it could be partly because she is respecting the higher ranking horses. But spending time alone does effect their herd behavior. Daughters pony spent from 3mnths to one alone & even though now 5 has slightly skewed herd behavior. She's the opposite though, she has little respect for other horses body space. She loves every horse she meets, & will be happily grooming another seconds after meeting it. If a higher ranking horse pushes her off, she will retreat & then continuously return, running to my mare for protection so there's no comeback. As my mare adopted her she is natural with her, but the herd instincts have subtle differences to one raised in normal herd dynamics. Like yours, she can read the signals, but isn't always correct in her own reaction to them.

 

[DayleAshley]

My boy is completly unsocial, will do the odd grooming for a minute or two but apart from that he grazes on his own happily and doesn't even notice other horses. Although my boy just walks through the gate huggers seemingly without noticing them. On the other hand he loves people.