Help with a herd dynamics situation needed :)

[sophiebailey]

Hi everyone! Need some insight into herd dynamics if anyone can help. To briefly explain - my horse (bailey) has lived with his field mate (ambrose) for 8 months. Both geldings of 22.

Sadly ambrose is going to be put down in a few weeks so last week a new field mate arrived (Lola) to make sure bailey isn't alone. Lola is a 2.5 yo mare.

They were over the fence for the first week and all wa quiet. Last night the electric failed and Lola got into the boys field. All has been quiet all day until now.

Lola is constantly chasing bailey, and biting at his bum and tummy. Even when he's know where near her she will make a beeline for him with her ears flat back. Bailey is a wimp and runs away, yet she will still chase him.

Bailey was always the more submissive horse out of him and ambrose, and I think Lola knows this as she is not chasing ambrose but trying to groom with him instead.

What does this nipping and chasing behaviour mean? Should I be concerned or will it fizzle out as she adapts to her knew friends?

I'm going to leave them in together tonight as aside from the nipping there's no kicking or bronking or 'real' fighting, and in between the chasing they are all three grazing side by side for a while quite happily.

Any insights welcomed, I've only err kept geldings so bit unsure as to mares habits!!

 

[AdorableAlice]

I am sorry to hear you have to let Ambrose go.

I think Lola is being a typical 2 year old, full of fun, energy and naughtiness. She should settle given time but your 22 year old might find nannying a 2 year a bit tiresome. If you put another 2 year old with Lola they would play and run around a lot. No different to kids really !

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Like this?...

She (the grey) was making sure that she wasn't the bottom of the herd. There was no kicking, so I left them to it. They settled quite quickly and soon became best buddies.

 

[Auslander]

I suspect the situation will improve when the other old boy has gone-she'll only have him as a friend, so will probably settle. She could also be trying to get him to play - needs a friend her own age really

I'd be a bit concerned about having a two year old as a companion to a horse that is in work, and presumably goes out of the field to do so. I don't think she's going to be thrilled about being left alone

 

[AdorableAlice]

I suspect the situation will improve when the other old boy has gone-she'll only have him as a friend, so will probably settle. She could also be trying to get him to play - needs a friend her own age really

I'd be a bit concerned about having a two year old as a companion to a horse that is in work, and presumably goes out of the field to do so. I don't think she's going to be thrilled about being left alone

Or you could look at it as an opportunity to teach the young horse to cope with being left alone for short periods of time. My 2 year filly has a 23 year old mare for company and when the old girl is ridden the youngster comes into the stables, is given some hay and expected to accept the situation, which she does without any hysterics. I would not leave her alone in the paddock though.

 

[sophiebailey]

Thank you everyone for your insights. Yes it looks very much like the photo!! That gives me hope that they will settle.

We will have to manage the being left alone situation carefully as she is a rescue horse and has never been stabled, so could be tricky!! We will work something out for her though.

Thanks everyone

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Start making the stable a nice place by feeding her in there and then build up the time spent in it slowly.

 

[sophiebailey]

The stable has a very wide door (1.5m!!) so once she's settled in the field we are going to take the door off the hinges and allow her to wander in and out as she pleases, with a hay net inside for encouragement!

 

[Megibo]

I don't understand horse herd dynamics all that much!

I've now had my new loan mare for about a week.. She is a 16 hand tb mare, 16 years old, and she goes out with our 18 month filly and my 13.3 14 year old welsh D. Being taller than my pony I thought she would assume leadership but she has not, infact all my mare has to do is pull a face at her and she runs off and proceeds to have a tantrum rearing and bucking but doing nothing about... Also interestingly, if she chases the yearling or bites her for any reason, my mare is straight in there chasing/telling her off!
Horses eh...

 

[ladyt25]

I guess it depends if your horse is getting stressed about it or not. If not and she's not chasing him incessantly then maybe best to leave them to it if they have room to get out of each others way. However, you say the other horse is due to be PTS - presumably he's not in good health so I wouldn't be keen on having this mare in with a horse that's not well.

Personally I'd have probably kept her separated until the other horse has actually gone as it sounds like she's protecting him from your horse at the moment. I would mix her with yours once the other one's no longer there.

 

[Auslander]

Or you could look at it as an opportunity to teach the young horse to cope with being left alone for short periods of time. My 2 year filly has a 23 year old mare for company and when the old girl is ridden the youngster comes into the stables, is given some hay and expected to accept the situation, which she does without any hysterics. I would not leave her alone in the paddock though.

Fair point! I have a 19 year old and a 23 year old who will not be left alone - makes it a real pain in the neck to swap fields/get one in for the farrier - and they create merry hell when I take Alf (herd leader) out hacking, even though they have each other! Its very dull!