This message is from: "vz/bossmare" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> This is from my experience upon the arrival of a 12 year old mare who had had several homes previous to mine.
The first week she was perfect. She was willing to be led anywhere, was fine being turned out alone and she was very responsive to my husband and myself and very kind with visitors. She had excellent manners. The second week that all went downhill. She started to lug ahead on the leadrope and was a bear to lead anywhere away from the barn. She developed this far away look in her eye which meant she was no longer paying enough attention to us. About this time I turned her out with my other mare and this made things MUCH worse. She became almost uncontrollable away from either the presence or sight of the other mare including in the barn in crossties if she couldn't see the other mare's stall. If we rode her we had to make sure the other mare was in an adjacent paddock, otherwise she was completely out of touch with our requests. It took about 3 months for her to finally feel secure in her new home. The clinginess to the other mare was still there but had lessened and she could be trained to respond correctly. A little bit of clicker training helped. Then the other mare had to be put down and I purchased a second Fjord. I do think the breed is magnetized to each other. They formed an instant bond and both became hysterical. The new mare was more complacent but also a bit more stubborn in her ways. After owning the first mare for two years and the second for one year I donated both to a handicapped riding program not because of problems with them (I adore both of them) but because we are selling the farm and I wanted to assure them a good home. The same scenario played itself out. Initially the mares were in stalls across the aisle from each other in a barn with 12 other horses including 3 Fjords but the staff had to move one of my mares to the far end of the barn or there was no peace when one or the other was removed from her stall. Now four months later both mares are working out well in the program and the first mare who was the most problematic at first is now considered one of their most steady mounts. They have not put both mares in the same class yet so we don't know how that will work out. If I knew then what I know now I would have delayed turning the mare out with the other mare until she had bonded and was totally obedient to us. I'm not sure this would have prevented the problems or just delayed them but her bond to the other mare completely eclipsed her interest and responsiveness to us. From various posts I've read on this list I do not think this Fjord clannishness was unique to just my horses and I wonder if others on the list have found that keeping their Fjords separate from other horses helps or makes things worse. In 30 years of owning, breeding and boarding horses I had never run into such an obstinate and hysterical tendency toward being herdbound in any other horse. It's as if it's a natural tendency that goes haywire. Upon reflection I realized that horses I'd had that never displayed the trait were homebreds that were raised from birth to adult so it could be a security issue in change of home, barn, environment. Lois in NJ with killer windchill winds...don't miss the barn work today! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tamara Rousso" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <fjordhorse@angus.mystery.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 11:47 PM Subject: Re: Harrison Fjord is home > This message is from: Tamara Rousso <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > often people fail to > > take into account what a traumatic change it must be > > for a horse to leave > > their familiar circumstances and friends, and travel > > to a place of strange > > odors, sounds, and surroundings! (where NOTHING is > > the same) It takes TIME > > for them to make the adjustment and too often people > > expect too much too > > soon. > > > > Ruthie, nw mt > > I do believe that it takes any animal, be it horse, > dog or whatever, time to adjust. But with Harrison > Fjord he is so complacent how will we know when he > feels adjusted? The first day here he walked past the > llama and goat pens like he'd spent his whole life > with them and into his pen where he immediately got > down and rolled like he was glad to be home! Any > guidelines for how long to give him? > > Tamara > > ===== > ***^^***^^***^^***^^***^^***^^***^^***^^***^^***^^*** > If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least > once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things. Rene Descart
