Gosh Teev has been so laid back and we have got so used to his grumpy ear displays which are actually just basically amusing, that we forgot he had issues. then yesterday we wormed everyone. This is his second worming since he got here. The first one was no problem. Then this time, right before worming him we did the donkey. The donkey has an issue where clever little rascal that he is, he clams up his mouth and waits for you to walk away, patiently not swallowing, then opens his mouth and lets it fall out. So we have to put it in, then sorta hold his mouth shut laughing and sweet talking while he stands there trying to wait you out and then finally when he realizes you arent ever gonna leave, he'll swallow. Like worming a dog.
So we had just done him, then got Teev up, I held him on a loose lead and my husband puts the wormer in, no problem, then without thinking clamps his hands around his nose like he had just done the donkey. Tivar just went berserk! My gosh you cant tell me someone didnt do something HORRIBLE to that horse with a noseband, chain, something. he showed the whites of his eyes and reared and my husband immediately let go and when he did Teev was immediately contrite. he actually dropped his head low, licked and chewed and acted like he was so SORRY. We felt terrible about it! It brought tears to my eyes really. My husband just hugged on him a long time saying "thats ok Teev, I forgot..." and he just stood there hanging his head. But gosh, what would make an absolutely dead calm happy horse almost flip himself over just being clamped snugly around the muzzle... and then go back to being instantly a sane, sad and hangdog apologetic nice horse as soon as he is released... he had panicked! thats all it was, pure panic. that is just SO sad to me!! It had to be from a chain or tight noseband. My horse Jaspar went berserk like this the first and only time I ever put a chain over his nose. It was in fact so bad I almost never got it off. Somehow I managed to unhook it and he ran around like a nut til it worked loose and fell. I have been researching an article I am writing and one study I found says that horses have large brains but most of it is used to run their feet. they don't do well when put through a maze, for instance. because they are not animals who run into burrows to catch something. Horses dont have to be good problem solvers to find and catch grass. they are however, expert at anticipating a handlers intentions. Like mind reading. they do have fabulous memory also. In tests they performed better than even donkeys or zebras. And when tested 12 months later they still remembered. This probably to remember when migrating in herds where the best grasslands were. They can also probably 12 months later spot the a**hole that hurt them a mile away and any behavior that reminds them of it. By Tivar's response I would say so, wouldnt you? janice -- yipie tie yie yo
