Youngsters reaction to a kick

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KidnapMoss

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Settling down to watch Glastonbury on the tv last night, we got a panicked phone call from neighbour who was in her fields and had just witnessed my youngster being kicked by my husbands big horse. Apparantly the baby had been goading the big horse for ages, darting in to bite him before skipping away and the normally very placid horse had just swung round but caught him and neighbour heard a great big crack. Baby hobbled away and then lay down?? Then got up again as neighbour climbed over the fence to get to him, whilst calling us. We rushed out, getting up vets number, hearts in our mouth, to find a very sullen looking youngster resting the leg that was kicked. Taking off his fly rug I checked every millimetre of him from back to hoof but couldn't find any mark, swelling or heat, and he then trotted up perfectly sound.

This morning again, (after seperating the horses) sound as a pound, happy as larry and not a mark on him. Neighbour was very worried about the fact he went and lay down. It seemed a very strange reaction? He's 100% fine this morning, but I'm not sure if I should be worried -is that a normal reaction?? He had had a long day at a show so maybe coincidence?

Any thoughts??
 
My Shetland got kicked by my friends Shetland he ran and hide behind me and laid down he was fine too but feeling very sorry for himself maybe your lad just did what we humans do and had to calm down a bit. Hope he continues to be ok
 
It's always a worry that the youngsters might get hurt when being disciplined by the older horses but your hubbies big horse sounds a good temperament generally and youngster had obviously pushed his look a bit to far. He's learned a good lesson and is unlikely to ignore warnings from the adults again. It was lucky no injury occurred but it sounds like your big fella delivered a warning blow rather than with serious intent. A whack can sound much worse than it is to a human.
If these were my horses, I would be relieved no damage done but i would leave youngster in with the
the older horses, he will learn manners from them, so much better than he would from us, and as I said unlikely to provoke your generally lovely big boy again, and will take heed of the warning body language from any other horse. Good result all round.
 
Sorry, posted by accident before finished.

The going off and lying down is typical behaviour having just received the shock of a big reprimand. He will be feeling a bit worried and upset, but has clearly got over it.
Your big horse sounds like a perfect childminder. :)
 
I've found that the first time a youngster gets an injury or a physical reprimand like this where it "hurts", is often followed by a bit of an extreme overreaction. I think it's more the shock to them rather than actual physical pain which has them react in this manner.
 
I guess they need to learn some time although that is an odd reaction! My little welsh youngster is reminded over and over and over by my haffy mare to keep her distance, and yet I still find her standing directly behind her at feed time, or trying to sneak her head in her feed bucket! Always testing I suppose!
 
thank you very much all for your replies - i have found them very interesting! Ribbons - the big horse is a lovely character - and generally ignores the three small ponies, but baby really pushes his luck - I wasn't convinced he would learn and was terrified of him being hurt so put him in a another field - but OH thinks horses do learn from their mistakes? So glad you have said that - the baby came from a herd on exmoor so i think maybe is trying to act the teenager now rather than the baby - his expression was exactly like a naughty boy who had been told not to show off by a teacher - a mixture of outrage, sulleness and sulking - he went and stood in the corner and thought about what he had done - me being paranoid went back out at 11pm to check but he was back to his normal self and this morning tried to tip the wheelbarrow over. They have five acres to spread them selves around in - so I think im going to be brave and put them back together. They have been in together for a few days with no problems (they have lived right next door and groom over the fence etc until now) so i think they are all finding their place.

until then, they had mostly been doing this!! (baby is the one in the fly rug, and big horse is well, the big one!! :o )



thanks again - im thinking maybe it was just an extreme overreaction as you say springfeather.
 
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