Perissa
Well-Known Member
A friend of mine has just taken a mare on a months trial. She has had her 6 days today. The mare has been very well behaved and my friend is delighted with her. Her other mare is very jealous and pulls faces at her through the bars of the stable. She is turned out during the day with 3 horses including my friends other mare. They seem to have separated off into 2 pairs, the new mare has teamed up with the gelding. She was turned out 24/7 with the owner but at this yard must come in at night.
Yesterday my friend brought them in as usual and rode her other mare in the school which is in full sight of the stables. The new mare started double barrelling the stable. She had not done this before. From the sounds of it she was really going at it too.
Later on my friend was in her stable brushing her tail when this 7 year old mare starting mouthing at my friends 9 year old mare. The other mare ignored her and carried on eating. This mare then started weaving in a slightly anxious way. She kept this up for a few minutes then resumed eating. My friend just stood watching.
My friend is now worried she is a weaver. The owner never mentioned weaving, she is the sort of person (I know her well) who will tell you all the bad points before telling you the good points. It is my belief that the mare isn't really a weaver as she has shown no signs until now but that she had some sort of stress reaction. She must be unsettled in a new environment and wants the other mare to be friends with her. The other mare is a very dominant sort. By the way this was inside the stable, not over the door as is more usual for a weaver.
Has anyone come across anything similar?
I have suggested that she gives the mare time to settle in properly and keep an eye on her for more 'episodes'. I have also suggested that she phones the owner for a chat.
This post really isn't a post about the rights and wrongs with horses that weave but a question if anyone has heard of or had experience with a horse that may exhibit weaving type behaviour without really being a weaver - if that makes sense!
Yesterday my friend brought them in as usual and rode her other mare in the school which is in full sight of the stables. The new mare started double barrelling the stable. She had not done this before. From the sounds of it she was really going at it too.
Later on my friend was in her stable brushing her tail when this 7 year old mare starting mouthing at my friends 9 year old mare. The other mare ignored her and carried on eating. This mare then started weaving in a slightly anxious way. She kept this up for a few minutes then resumed eating. My friend just stood watching.
My friend is now worried she is a weaver. The owner never mentioned weaving, she is the sort of person (I know her well) who will tell you all the bad points before telling you the good points. It is my belief that the mare isn't really a weaver as she has shown no signs until now but that she had some sort of stress reaction. She must be unsettled in a new environment and wants the other mare to be friends with her. The other mare is a very dominant sort. By the way this was inside the stable, not over the door as is more usual for a weaver.
Has anyone come across anything similar?
I have suggested that she gives the mare time to settle in properly and keep an eye on her for more 'episodes'. I have also suggested that she phones the owner for a chat.
This post really isn't a post about the rights and wrongs with horses that weave but a question if anyone has heard of or had experience with a horse that may exhibit weaving type behaviour without really being a weaver - if that makes sense!
