--- In [email protected], Robyn Hood <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > It doesn't mean that they won't teach the filly about > being a horse but they usually do it in a pretty non-violent >way.
Here is the reason I have to be careful, she has been in a herd for most of her two years, but when she was put out with a bunch of mares she got scared and went and got herself stuck behind a tractor at her farm of origin and they had to cut the fence to get her out. Eventually her father, who was gelded, took her on and protected her. Now she doesn't have that. She has been fine with another two year old, a small colt and a mini. She is out with an elderly mare right now, and the colt is out in the daytime. It is fine, but I know they would be happier if I incorporate her into my herd. One day she will have to be with them anyway, I will be buying my own property, so I might as well start working on it. She did meet my herd, she gave the mollys a kick and they left her alone, I think Dari likes her, he was grooming her, but Snorri chased her and she panicked. That is why I am going to take it slow and maybe introduce them in the round pen separately, over the fence, etc. I think it's most important that Dari and Snorri get used to her, the mules are usually afraid of horses and defer to them. Dari also once chased a horse filly around until she was trying to go through the electric fence. I think in the pasture the Icelandics can be a little dominating (and Dari was usually on the bottom of the ranking with other Icelandics). The only reason I haven't done it yet is the weather has been horrid, either freezing cold with ice, or gusting winds with cold rain, tons of mud. It has finally dried and has been nice, but it's supposed to snow on Friday again, blah. > The more that I study interspecies communication - when they are one-on-one, > or look at horses in large group situation, I see that animals have some > great ways of de-escalating aggression. I love watching them too. Kim
