what makes a horse suddenly turn on a fieldmate?

itsonlyme

itsonlyme

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As the title really. They were perfect friends - live out together 24/7, share hay & feed, happily be lead together, etc.
Then we sent Doll away to a rehab yard for 4 weeks. Got her back on Saturday & Molly promptly tried to murder her!

They're separate now, but any ideas why she turned? Even in the next field, Molly is charging at the fence, trying to intimidate Doll (tis working!) She's never been like this with any other horse.
 
Strange. Did doll act differently when she returned? Maybe doll now smells of something? Did she actually really want to damage her or could it be a case of re-establishing her dominance? And are either in season?
 
No, doll just wants to be everybody's friend. She's only 12.2, whereas Molly is 15.2, so doll knows her place in the pecking order :)
She was very very aggressively going for her. Very stallion-like really. Neither are in season but one of our other mares is. Molly was galloping flat-out around the field trying to get her, teeth bared and everything. She did get her once, clamped onto her neck & wouldn't let go. Doll was screaming (as was i!) :(
 
I feel for you :( .... I have never had this with horses, thank goodness, but I had this happen with 2 female Cats and it broke my heart.

I know it's a different species, but very upsetting for everyone.

I hope they both settle back down and learn to trust each other again ...........
 
I'm stumped. Not sure smelling different could account for it either unless moll has had some bad history that its reminded her of, but that sounds a bit far fetched. Hopefully someone else might have an idea, good luck & hope you get it sorted x
 
Mares are usually in charge of settling the pecking order in wild herds. The one who's been there longest is the most important. Maybe they're both thrown for a loop by her absence and so Molly feels the need to enforce her status? Or as far as she's concerned Doll went missing without her permission? :confused:
 
I had exactly the same thing with my gelding & his field mate... Perfect friends together all the time turned out & brought in together then one day went to get them n & my boy was absolutely petrified of the other one. ..and. I mean really petrified the field is massive & my horse just wouldn't settle even when he was well away from him even on the yard if he saw him he would freak out.. Couldn't make it out then we saw the horse charge at a young horse who looked up when a mare called in the field opposite, put him straight through the fence then he did it to an old horse on the yard when he wanted to come in one day it was raining.. Still don't know what's changed with this horse..
 
Different smell, almost like a traitor. Jealousy?
Doll is not weaker etc since she has come back no?
Horses will push the weaker horse out the pack, due to them protecting there herd, a weaker horse would only make them an easier target for prey.
Then again.. Is your madam in season? X
 
Thanks everyone. susannaf - good point. Molly is definitely the dominant mare, so maybe she's kicked doll out of the gang for 'betrayal'?! Who knows how these guys think!!
Lintel - doll has been away to use an aqua treadmill for a month, so she's definitely come back stronger & fitter (& slimmer thank god! :D ) Might be the different smell but tbh, Molly didn't even give her chance for a sniff - she just launched straight at her. Moll has always looked at ponies like they are alien. But Doll is the only one she's ever been turned out with. When are gelding was away at rehab (2+ months), she made such a fuss of him when he came home. Really really loved him & seemed to have missed him. Total opposite with poor Doll though!
Oh, no sign of Molly being in season either. Im wondering if her testosterone levels are higher than they should be - she can be such a stallion at times! :/
 
My two used to lead together through the narrowest gaps with the others head resting on the next ones back etc, totally relaxed together, then one day I was getting them out of the field and they just went for each other, haven't trusted them since. They're getting better, I still lead them together obviously, actually took them head to tail through a gap the other day and they were good, but I wouldn't trust them tied up next to each other, very strange. I think its just one of those things.
 
I've moved my mare back to a yard we were at 1.5 years ago. She's out with others some who she knows others she doesn't. No problems in her field but her old best friend in the joining field was launching at her over the fence. I am quite certain if she had got in with my mare she would have had her. This was two days ago and I was very worried as the aggressive mare was launching at the fence teeth bared and eats flat back. However today I found them mutual grooming?!

How many days has it been with your mares?
 
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