Sunday, May 15, 2005

horse trouble

My wonderful horse, Blue, is eleven years old today.  He took me for a nice ride alongside my daughter, who rode on Brat.  Toward the end of the day, Natalie took a turn, Anna rode for a half-hour or so, and Tyler hopped on.  What a horse, eh?

But I've discovered there's a terrible flaw in his personality:  he hates our new arrival.  If they are in the same pen he will corner him and kick and bite him, unmercifully.  He accepted Brat gladly when we brought him here.  What's up with this?  There's no possible way we can keep the old guy in the same pen with Blue.  There is one place we'll try as his pen this week.  If it doesn't work out, we'll have to return him to his old home.

How can such a sweet animal as Blue be such a tyrant?  I guess we all have our dark side. 

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Humm, that is not nice of Blue is it? Poor old horse is to old for Blue to do him that way. Hope you soon get him located in another pen.  Maybe he is just jealous of him & you. It's strange he doesn't do the other horse like that.  Helen

Anonymous said...

Hmmm... Just a couple of thoughts here... When you got Brat, Blue was living all by himself and was probably glad of a buddy because most horses like to be in groups.. herd mentality and all of that. BUT, now along comes a second horse and maybe Blue is just trying to make sure he knows who is Boss?? Every time you add a new animal, you change the herd dynamic...

A couple of things to try is to put the other horse and Blue where they can see and hear (possibly sniff) each other but have a barrier in between. After a while, try introducing them with a person holding each animal, and if that seems to work out then short periods of time together with the time getting longer as they accept each other... Hope this helps... Poor Crook :(
http://journals.aol.com/astaryth/AdventuresofanEclecticMind

Anonymous said...

Wonder if Blue is jealous and wants to make sure no one replaces him to go on the daily ride?  
I guess all animals sometimes have difficult times accepting new ones into the group.  
Sonya

Anonymous said...

Hope your leg is beter now.

Wonder why Blue hates the older horse so much? I hope you get him in a place to himself soon...poor old feller doesn't need to have to go through all that.

Have you been back to your cabin lately?
Love ya,
Carlene

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry to hear that Blue is not taking to Crook, I hope it works out in the other pen from your earlier entry it doesn't seem like his previous owner was taking very good care of him....Have a good week!

Diane

http://journals.aol.com/jolie424/LuckyBegonia

Anonymous said...

As someone who has many animals (albeit much smaller ones) in my house, I'm fascinated by how they interract.  Most of them are adopted -- and so I don't really know what happened to them before they became my kids.  Conflicts happen.  I hope it works out.

Anonymous said...

Please don't give up so soon.  The other horse at 22 will not have much of a chance of finding another home especially like yours.  I vote for putting them in a situation where they can see each other touch faces and such.  Please ask some horse experts before giving up.  I believe Blue can get use to Crook it just may take some time.