This message is from: Linda Lottie User <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hi Fjord Lovers;
I need some suggestions: Yesterday I turned out my Swedish Gotland mare (21 years old) at 6am, on the pasture. She is turned out with a large paint gelding. At 1pm I went to bring them to the dry lot and found the Gotland with hair missing, scratch marks and small puncture wounds. None were bleeding but some had a little blood. It appeared that she was attacked from the top as all the wounds were on the back or upper sides. What ever attacked her had claws because there was a large long swipe with three claw marks.....claws about 1/4 inch apart. Lots of hair was missing....but no open gash wounds or open claw swipes. I heard nothing but was cleaning the barn, radio on and vacc running. Does anyone have an idea of what the heck could have attacked her? We have Bear, Wolves, Cougar, Coyote, Eagles and Mountian Lion in the area but sightings are very, very rare for the cats. The south wall of the pasture is a large area of pine trees and the surrounding property is a large vacent woods. There are many large trees in the pasture and two ponds. My Gotland does not hear as well as the other horses and she limps a bit. She is ok and seems none the worse for wear....but, I am scared to turn her out again in that pasture. She is much smaller than a fjord.....finer boned - more like a mid size pony. The paint had no wounds but dang, he lost a shoe, so thinking he was in muddy swampy grass and sprung up very quickly in response to the attack and left his shoe behind! To make this fjord related.....I love mine:) Linda in NW WI The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw
