Pony social behaviour... a new one for me.

[scruffyponies]

Turned out 5 ponies in a temporary enclosure on Sunday, alongside 2 in their usual paddock. Among the 5 was my little Dartmoor stallion who had never met one of the 2.
Of course there was much showing off as they spotted each other, but in less than a minute they were reaching over the fence and grooming each-other's wither. Not surprised by this; they're both friendly boys.

Then the little stallion grabbed a mouthful of the far-too-long grass he'd just been turned out on and did something I would have never expected... he reached over the fence and held it out to his new friend to eat from his mouth.

Just when you think you've seen it all!

 

[Annagain]

How sweet! Archie and Monty would eat food out of each other's mouths but they'd been besties for 20 years. If they were out hacking and the one in front got something particularly tasty he'd stop and wait for the other to get level to share it.

 

[littleshetland]

Ive witnessed this behaviour once before, it really made me think, there's more to horses sometimes than meets the eye. It's a lovely thing to see.

 

[FitzyFitz]

I sent one of my mares away to stud years ago, she'd been pretty uninterested in the stallion despite being in season (odd as generally she'd fling herself at anything with a pulse, was not an issue I'd anticipated!) so the stud turned her out alongside him for the afternoon to see if he could charm her. Apparently after a couple of hours without much luck he went over to his hayfeeder, pulled a mouthful out and brought it back to feed her over the fence. Bless. She did let him at her after that, seems she just wanted to be treated right first

 

[smolmaus]

Oh this is very sweet!!!

My mare will snatch hay out of other horses mouths on her way past their stable doors, but I've never seen any of them actually offer it to her I don't know how she has any friends.

 

[paddy555]

I've also had this happen before occasionally but with horses.

I also have 2, father and son, who seem to go in for licking tongues.
Never had that before but they stretch out their necks and can just reach each others mouths over the stable walls. Then they start licking each others tongues. Seems to give them enormous pleasure.

 

[Love]

How lovely! Kenny's best friend will let him eat hay out of his mouth (I'm not 100% sure if it is actively being offered or if his friend just passively lets it happen ).On the flip side however, if anyone comes within a 20 mile radius of Ken whilst he is eating hay he would happily launch himself at them....

Talk about double standards

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

My 2 will eat hay from each other and always eat from the same net.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Hmmmm BB will never share food he would shoo the horse away lol.
But Will, he used to make sure my mare had a wee share

 

[Dave's Mam]

Dave's a feeder. He always gives some hay to his neighbours through the stable bars.

 

[PurBee]

Horses are fascinating with some of their behaviours, showing a lot of personality aspects we assume are exclusively human.

There was a video on youtube of 2 horses stabled, 1 of them had a ‘nil by mouth’ sign on its door, the next door neighbour horse somehow knew the other horse was hungry, so passed hay through the dividing grill between their stables!

 

[Time for Tea]

These anecdotes are fascinating, though I’m afraid I have nothing to contribute!

 

[Dave's Mam]

Horses are fascinating with some of their behaviours, showing a lot of personality aspects we assume are exclusively human.

There was a video on youtube of 2 horses stabled, 1 of them had a ‘nil by mouth’ sign on its door, the next door neighbour horse somehow knew the other horse was hungry, so passed hay through the dividing grill between their stables!

I saw that one!