horse behaviour

[lcw]

hi, im wondering if someone could help on recent incident at our yard, my mare(age 7) is in a field with a few other mares, the other day a mare in her twenities was put out for the first time with all the other mares, what happened i dont know, but i was told, my mare who is a dominent mare chased the older mare around the field so much, the owner pulled her mare out, and my mare charged at them, which is out of character if she did, they are now saying she is a liability and the older mare was breathless, and she dont want any older horses or horses that are what she said are gentle, with my mare, ive been at other yards with mares and geldings and my loan pony who was in her twenties too, and my mare was fine, dominent but not possessed like they are telling me she is.
they are saying no other mares stuck up for her older mare, and a new horse is coming in a few days, and the owner said that if my mare does anything to the new mare, my mare may have to be moved. dont know what to say or do, only the fact that i cant tell my mare off, she is who she is,

 

[LaurenBay]

It could be the older mare was slightly more dominent then the others in your mares field. Thus your mare making her claim as herd leader! I would suggest to put some leccy fencing up and introduce new Horses slowly. Let them touch over the fence etc and then take the leccy tape down when you feel the Horses are relaxed. May take a day or may take a week. Depends on the Horse.

We used to have to do this. My YO owned a lovely TBX gelding. The sweetest thing but very very dominent. For every new Horse we had come to the yard, we sectioned a bit for them. They could meet him over the fence but he couldn't chase them etc. My mare was seperated for 2 weeks before she could go in with them. Never had any problems when she did go in with them as the herd had established itself already, just from over the fence.

Good luck

 

[flying solo]

My pony can be annoying he'll chase new horses away from "his" heard/friends. I found the best thing to do is put him out alone with the new horse then put his friends back in and he's fine this way. If I throw him out with strange horses he just doesn't know how to behave.

 

[lcw]

Thx, my mare has been at the yard now 6 mths, there is another dominent mare there too, who will challenge my mare then backdown, so my mare is now what the others are saying is she is nasty, but how can i get it across to them its pecking order, thats why they do it, she showing her place,

 

[shortstuff99]

Sometimes sadly you can't convince people. My mare is very dominant and will challenge all newcommers with chasing, biting squeeling and kicking if the horse wont back down. Once pecking order is sorted though she then leaves them alone. I have had many people tell me how evil my horse is but that is just alpha mare behaviour! Sadly there are many owners out there who do not understand horse/herd behaviour. She might be better off if she is kept with horses that are not as dominant as her and to introduce them slowly.