Horse Behavior

[Knighthawke]

Hey I was just given a mini mare because the owner said the mare was very dominate and kicks all the other horse and is destroying her fence.

Well I got her home and found out that the lady had her completely read wrong. The mare was not dominate but was afraid. She wants to stay off by herself. She had her in a small area and when we allowed her room she is competely different.

Has anyone else been given horses because they are dominate and people cannot stand seeing the alpha fights. I have had a few given to me this way. Just people not understanding equine dominance. I explained to them if you remove the dominate horse another will become the dominate but so many people I know dont understand.

Barb

 

[Bunnylady]

Well, there are dominants, and there are dominants!

Some animals can be "top dog" and hold that position with a little toss of the head and a dirty look. And then you get animals like a mare I know, that charges like a guided missile at any horse that comes within 50 feet of the gate at feeding time! Some people might not even notice the subtle displays of the first sort, but I can see where the second kind could be a bit much to put up with. Especially in a boarding situation, some people might get annoyed if their horse was constantly getting marks on it from the alpha enforcing its position.

But yes, it does seem that some people will put an animal in an uncomfortable situation, and then blame the animal for expressing its discomfort! :arg!

 

[alphahorses]

Well, there are dominants, and there are dominants!

Yes, I've seen people give horses away because they just did not understand how horses socially interact. But I agree with the statement above - there is dominant, and then there is agressive. I do not want to breed agressive animals, so I don't keep them around. A mare especially is likely to pass an agressive attitude to her offspring.

I had a mare once who ruled - and I mean RULED - the pasture with only a look or a switch of her ear. She kept order in the herd, was very "fair" with all the other horses - everyone got to eat, everyone got to come into shelter, etc etc. Even the one horse that I had who could be border line agressive listened to her and behaved herself when this mare was around. Yet I never once saw her bite or kick another horse. She just gave them a look and that was the end of it. Horses like that are worth their weight in gold and I often wish I had kept her.

But is sounds like your mare was either trying to defend herself or is the type of horse that does best with just one buddy.

 

[Ellen]

I can't agree more with alpha and agressive. I have 3 mares that follow my alpha mare, they are learning how to rule like her. She is not mean, the herd eats, has shelter and she protects, thru the fence mind you newbies or foals. I will say the only time I have seen her completely out of sorts was when Barbie came. I had Barbie and Lady seperated because Barbie was new and she and Lady were both raised by Ronaele. Chyenne was beside herself. She ran the fence line looking for Lady. Now before Cheyenne had a heart attack I put Chyenne in with Barbie and Lady we had a sniff and a squeal, but now they are joined at the hip.

Chyenne is 22. I always worry about her passing. But Chyenne is preparing the younger girls to take care of me, and the herd when she is gone. All these mares are my keepers.

 

[My2Minis]

I agree that there's dominant and then there's Dominant. I have one who is dominant with a capital D and I can see some people would get tired of it. I like her a lot and have learned to work with her. Some people don't want to deal with a moody, highly alpha mare and that is OK. A horse should fit the owner's comfort level or everyone is miserable. Some people prefer a calm gelding and others can deal with a spunky mare. It's OK for people to admit they are out of their league. That way no one gets hurt and the horse doesn't suffer neglect.

 

[Knighthawke]

I have one of those mares too that can look and put someone in there place and her daughters have the same talent.

But I really think this mare was not trying to be dominate. I think it was a flight of fight situation. Knowing how small the ladys pastures are and when feeding her if someone comes up to her in our place it is large and she leaves. But I think with the small area she was having to fight to get away from someone getting her cornered. Because the ladys paddock and stalls are small and if she is feeding in that small area, there could have been fights because of that.

In our situations she stays away from everyone and when eating my least dominiate never aggressive mare looks at her and she runs. So I really feel it was not a dominate thing but a trying to get away from getting cornered and hurt.