A why question from me

[highlanderpony2002]

Reading Kelly's thread I was going to respond there but I have owned a pony from 4 months of age she is now 7 years old. Over the years I have noticed she is never accepted by the other ponies and lives on the fringe. She is the biggest one I own and quite fiesty on her own but other horses really dislike her.
I keep her on her own patch next to the others as she would be chased off any food and not allowed near. I have since I have had her tried everything and in the summer she does share their field from April to November but she is pushed to the fringes. The youngest pony will approach her and groom if there is no one else about or they are fed up with her but otherwise the others really dont like her. Other horses from other places dont either so it is very strange. Mind you she is happy enough as she loves people and is of course happy to leave the herd to hack solo or go to shows etc without any trouble so it has advantages
Any ideas why

[cbc]

Interesting.
Do you think she wants to be part of the group? Or does she keep herself on the fringes of things?
As you have had her from a 7 month foal, do you know how much social interaction she had with other horses?
What sort of body language do you see from her?

[highlanderpony2002]

She would love to belong and when she was a baby would approach mouthing and coming in sideways head averted but she always got pushed away the others ran her through the fence a few times before I separated her for a few weeks until they went in a bigger field where she could get away. Having been shoved through the fence she encountered another herd of horses and was chased by them too we had to catch them all to get her out of there. She is a very sweet and loving little horse so I dont understand it she didnt have much interaction with other horses apart from her mum as she came wild from a stud that had a virus that had killed some of their other foals so she was in isolation with just her mum for her first 4 months She is seven years old now though and has always lived with others so you have expected her to have been accepted by now

[curlytobiano]

I think I remember reading on here that there are some conditions in horses that make others reject them. I think one of them was to do with hormones not being quite right - does that sound like it might fit your mare? Bless her, poor little thing!

[cbc]

Poor soul!
Maybe as curlytobiano says, or do you think she may be too submissive?
Very sad for her though. The isolation in those first few months may be the key to the answer? No one but her mum to socialise with to learn the"rules" with?
Perhaps she did not develop the ability to communicate with other herd members. (thinking aloud)

[wills]

No idea, but that made me feel quite sad

[penny70]

Me too Wills, poor little mite. Like the child at school who is never allowed to join in, try as they might. She must be so lonely.
Can you not put her in a paddock with the youngster who will groom her when no others are around, then they may buddy up, then once they are a pair bond, they could go back in with the main herd?

[highlanderpony2002]

I do in spring when the grass is through but she wouldnt be allowed to eat if they stayed together the youngster would drive her off her food and as she is in fairly hard work I cant risk her not getting all her grub. She is a darling I hope if I have to sell her she will find a friend or two in a different herd

[Kelly Marks]

It's tempting to suggest overhandling as a foal but there is the nature or nuture debate and I suppose she might have been born that way - or indeed some hormanal abnormality.

I know there are 'experts' who profess to be completely confident in their diagnosis of situations such as these but I don't think any of us can be absolutely sure (!)

I have a different issue with Corky who is SO bossy with other horses and especially at food times. I honestly think he might be happier living on his own with regular human company giving him attention.

Corky went through the 'Fairs' in Ireland and when I saw him in a big field of horses as a 3 year old he looked a bit poor (not welfare case be clear) but I got the impression he might be bullied by other horses. Coming to Lambourn and having a human bringing him food several times a day I should think he couldn't believe his luck - if I'm allowed to anthropomorphise I think he must have thought 'if I could just get rid of these other horses and have the human all to myself life would be perfect!'

He's lovely with people.

[Amanda Seater]

I know there are 'experts' who profess to be completely confident in their diagnosis of situations such as these but I don't think any of us can be absolutely sure (!)

^^^^^^ this
and for so many other things too if we are honest.

[mandal]

Jan 20, 2013 10:30:51 GMT 1 Kelly Marks said:

- if I'm allowed to anthropomorphise I think he must have thought 'if I could just get rid of these other horses and have the human all to myself life would be perfect!'

He's lovely with people.

I wonder if he is 'thinking'- I want this food all to myself?

Dommi was like this and lovely with people. I seem to have found one/the key to her bossyness in the herd but I'm sure that's as individual as horses are.

I don't have any ideas highlanderpony2202 but that is her well established life in the herd.

[highlanderpony2002]

I dont think she could be described as over handled she was abandoned in a paddock with her mum until she was 4 months old I brought her home and turned her out after a couple of weeks She was in at night during her first winter. The next spring I turned her out with the others in a 7 acre field and she refused therafter to be caught for two years for jabs and farrier I had to pen her with metal panels. She was too scared to come near as the others drove her away