Post by hoovesofsteel on Jan 1, 2011 13:06:31 GMT 1
Poor pony, and poor you and yours, aggression in the field is such a nightmare. Usually due to poor social skils - I've known some horses struggle to really develop them well when they've only had one or two companions that aggression has been effective on without having to use other, more polite strategies. Environmental change can be a big shock too, to a sensitive soul and those Exmoors can be terribly emotional. Fear, especially of loss is a very strong motivator for aggression, especially at this time of year when resources are more limited or concentrated in to few spots - down to pony perception of course.
I studied hill pony behaviour when I was an undergraduate. The hill pony stallion I studied on Gower had poor social skills with the mares, he caused them to look for comfort, grooming each other more often when he was there compared to when he was not. He was covered in bruises from getting it wrong and being kicked by the mares. In his case he had been either kept in a small, dark stable with the full door shut or had been out on the hill, something that probably hadn't happened since he was weaned. His social skills were in arrested development.
If I had a horse like this I'd reintroduce him to others gradually, let him understand that he is in a place with lots of resources, especially hay (spread out) and dry standing at this time of year. There would be a fence and partial visual barrier between him and others at first - so he could hide if he wanted. Then once he was relaxed, he'd have the others or one other depending on availible equines and their personalities, and lots of space and resources, including hiding places that weren't blind alleys - for him or the others. Ideally I'd like to use a companion that is calm and deals with conflict by walking away and keeping its head down. My mare is like this, I've seen her charged by an aggressive horse, she looked at him homing in, I swear she raised her eyeborws! ANd then she turned broadside to him and continued to graze, he stopped short, looked perplexed, and kept his distance. Later he asked politely if he may groom with her.
I hope your YO comes to her senses and sorts something out before there's a horrid accident.
I studied hill pony behaviour when I was an undergraduate. The hill pony stallion I studied on Gower had poor social skills with the mares, he caused them to look for comfort, grooming each other more often when he was there compared to when he was not. He was covered in bruises from getting it wrong and being kicked by the mares. In his case he had been either kept in a small, dark stable with the full door shut or had been out on the hill, something that probably hadn't happened since he was weaned. His social skills were in arrested development.
If I had a horse like this I'd reintroduce him to others gradually, let him understand that he is in a place with lots of resources, especially hay (spread out) and dry standing at this time of year. There would be a fence and partial visual barrier between him and others at first - so he could hide if he wanted. Then once he was relaxed, he'd have the others or one other depending on availible equines and their personalities, and lots of space and resources, including hiding places that weren't blind alleys - for him or the others. Ideally I'd like to use a companion that is calm and deals with conflict by walking away and keeping its head down. My mare is like this, I've seen her charged by an aggressive horse, she looked at him homing in, I swear she raised her eyeborws! ANd then she turned broadside to him and continued to graze, he stopped short, looked perplexed, and kept his distance. Later he asked politely if he may groom with her.
I hope your YO comes to her senses and sorts something out before there's a horrid accident.