Unusual behavior.

[Gloi]

Our yard has electric taped summer paddocks next to each other. The horses mostly go out in pairs or solo. Last week mine was out with another gelding, this week in his own paddock with horses either side. Next to him was a mare he's hacked with but never been out near before. My lad is friendly and sociable but pestily playful.
He and the mare were scratching each other over the tape, quite nicely I thought. However when I got nearer I noticed he was occasionally trying a bit of bitey face game and she wasn't moving away or playing back but she was clacking at him. She had her ears forward and didn't look upset but she was constantly clacking like a foal. She's a teenager and he's 10. I thought it very odd. I've never seen that behaviour in a horse that age before. They both seemed quite happy and I don't think she was in season.
Just thought I'd mention it because it seemed so odd.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Interesting, I have never seen clacking in a horse of that age. I wonder is she finding him a bit too full on and unsure if it is a bitey game or if he means it. Could it be she is enjoying the interaction but may be trying to placate him in someway if she is unsure of her standing with him?

Weird random thoughts not in the least scientifically likely just more mad ramblings.

 

[Lois Lame]

Is this mare very low in the pecking order?

 

[Gloi]

I'm not sure, I never saw any aggression from him to her. He wasn't doing a serious bitey face, just nibbling. Mostly the horses are separated by sex so she might not have been next to a gelding for a long time and it was throwing her.

 

[Gloi]

Is this mare very low in the pecking order?

I'm not sure , but she could be. There are some crabby mares on the farm and I've never seen her be aggressive.

 

[stangs]

Clacking is a stress signal.

We used to have an older mare at our yard who clacked. She might not have looked stressed and she definitely wasn’t ‘submissive’ - always ears pricked and she could easily move any horse in her herd (she had a serious kick on her) - but the clacking often appeared when another mare who she often resource guarded would try interacting with next door’s geldings. That mare wouldn’t be moved away from the fence line, so the older mare just stayed by her and clacked.

 

[Gloi]

Hopefully she'll soon realise he doesn't mean any harm but they were both standing together by the fence when I left so I hope she relaxes with him.