Youngster Playing = Very rough

charliesarmy

charliesarmy

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Having spent a weekend around the yard I have become very aware of my youngster (19 month old) playing with the pony!! and its getting increasingly more worrying they are constantly at each other nipping,lunging,rearing...I'm wondering if its playing or the youngster trying to get some authority he has always been bullied by the pony (11.2) youngster (15'3) anyhow I wondering is this normal behaviour or should they be split up...they only play/fight with each other never my mare.
 
My shets go through phases of this - they will rear, boxing, bite and kick.....I think it is mainly play fighting but could also be a dominance issue too.

I am more concerned with the affect they are having on their paddock, as can completely trash it with their antics, so have resorted to putting an electric dividing fence in between them.

Funnily enough they can be in together all summer without displaying any aggression and only resume this behaviour in the winter, so have wondered if it is to do with competition for feed in the winter?

Good luck!
 
Are they actually damaging each other? My two youngsters play very roughly, they literally wrestle each other to the ground! But there is never a mark on either of them, they just love playing and are regularly seen in the field like this:

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It is completely normal - particularly with Geldings or Colts. If they were in a wild herd they would be running in bands of colts that have been kicked out of the family herd by the stallion and spend their days playing and sorting out their hierachy by doing so...

I think the fact that they do it more over winter, simply comes down to boredom. There's not as much food out in the field, its too wet to lie down for a long snooze and life is generally a bit grim so they brighten it up being naughty! lol!
 
starsky what a great photo! Yes I agree don't worry they are only playing. You wouldn't tell your kid off for being boisterous in the playground whould you?
 
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As the others have said, it sounds totally normal behaviour to me.

My mini will play with any of the youngsters he has in with him. The babies, who are always bigger than him, will practically carry him around by the neck sometimes, one minute they are 'fighting' the next they will be lying down together.

I wouldn't worry about it unless one or other of them actually appears genuinely frightened or damaged, or 'fisticuffs' becomes a case of backing one into a corner and kicking seven kinds of stuffing out of it, then that's bullying.
 
Great excuse for gratuitous shot of lovely youngsters playing - & this lot of boys play very rough!!! This pair are 3 & 4 years old.

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Love the photos of horses 'playing'!

Yes, it's normal! Very much a boy thing. Usually the mares stay out of it but I have a naughty little mule mare who loves to join in and often starts it! :D

The extra activity does however trash the fields, as already stated, but I wouldn't separate them just because they enjoy playing. Behaving in a natural herd manner is important for their mental health.
 
Sounds perfectly normal to me - my boys spend hours wrestling and chewing on each other - it's how they learn, develop muscles and sort out their hierarchy, plus great for burning off the flab and any excess energy they have, it always looks rougher than it is but they are pretty tough animals!!
Here are a couple of pics of 2 of my young stallions playing, although one of them is now nutless!:D-
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Thank you for your responses and amazing pictures, its very reassuring to know my youngster isn't turning into some power crazy pony beater :) I think I have just been shocked at how rough they are, but as somebody said both arn't getting injured, but seeing the pony get Rio in a lip hold made me cringe!!
I just worry about it escalating as the youngster seems to throw himself about a fair bit,and him sniping/biting ponies fetlocks means he's practically on his knees...but anyhow they seem to enjoy it!! even if I don't :rolleyes::D
 
Snoozinsusan said:
The extra activity does however trash the fields, as already stated, but I wouldn't separate them just because they enjoy playing. Behaving in a natural herd manner is important for their mental health.
Click to expand...

Yep the field is a mess, and my lecci fence has been down too youngster went up on one side and landed on the other "think he wondered how he got there!"!!!...that was my worry though "were they playing" :D and I wish they would worry about my mental health watching them is :eek::eek: Thanks for your reply:)
 
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