>>>> Do your Icelandics stick together? At our boarding barn my two are always together--they may interact a bit with the 'big' horses once in a while, but most of the time you see them together.
I think the idea that Icelandic's only want to hang with other Icelandic's is WAY over-played. I DO think that most horses have longer memories than most people give them credit for. I know that Sina recognized Swipa when she came her to be bred, and she wanted to be friends with her again...but then, they were together for about five years while they were growing up in KY. I'd bet that Sina was simply glad to see her old friend, not so much happy to see another Icelandic. Since it was just her, Gracie and Holly together before Swipa came here for that month, it might have looked like the Icelandic's wanted to stick together. I noticed that Sina also accepted Svertla instantly, much faster than she did any other Icelandic mare...and Svertla also was an old childhood friend from KY. Sina wasn't nearly so receptive to, say Bjola or Brunka (and she purely despised Maja when she first came) but then, they were new to her. I think the attraction was to the horses she'd known before in her youth, since she certainly doesn't equally love all Icelandic mares. I also noticed that Bjola instantly warmed up to Maja...and guess what - they were born at the same farm, and probably were together about two years when they were younger. I think they remembered each other. Bjola generally is not the friendliest of horses to new Icelandic horses, but Maja was an exception. I also think that horses tend to find their "best buddy" (although friendships do seem somewhat fluid, changing somewhat from day to day.) Most of the time when we've brought a new horse home, regardless of the breed, the last horse prior is the one without the strongest "buddy" attachment, so the previous "new guy" is usually the most receptive to the new "new guy." Not always, but often... And of course, you often see a late-gelded stallion (like our Joe) who really seems to "marry" one particular mare. Joe is "married" to Holly, totally devoted to her, and since she's always been a floozy in heat, she's happy to have her own "man." They are different breeds of course - but no one seems to notice when different breeds attract or don't attract...unless one of them is Icelandic! When Joe was in the gelding herd, before I had to put him in the "old horse herd" to manage his weight, Joe and Melnir were best buddies, another cross breed friendship. Right now, Brunka and Gracie are best friends, but Gracie and Ima are also very close. Also, remember that many times horses of similar ages/play habits will be more likely to bond...not always, but often. Therefore, I'd expect two young/prime Icelandic geldings to be more bonded than, say, a young Icelandic gelding with a 20 year old TWH, especially if the older horse is a mare. Not always of course, but often. And of course, Buck has always had a best-friend gelding, and he's not even a horse! Originally, he was joined at the hip with Kari, but we sold Kari. Now, he's Melnir's first deputy. (Buck always seeks out the dominant gelding in the herd and sucks up to them. He's too little to be herd leader, but darned if he doesn't always find a way to become herd vice-president...) I think if we think about it, MOST of the people who spread the idea that Icelandic's prefer Icelandic's don't really have that much experience with mixed breed herds. And...often I think they want to sell you the second Icelandic, so maybe their motives aren't always pure! I've had seven non-Icelandic's with my Icelandic's - two of them now dead - so I've had a little time to watch this now. I think age, habits, gender and personalities are a bigger factor than breed. So... think about it. What other reason might there have been for Orri and Gat to bond...? Are they like Holly and Joe - "married"? Was she a "single horse", without a designated buddy when he joined the crew? Was she one of the newer kids when he came..? Did they ever live at the same farm in a past life...? There are many other factors other than simply the breed... Karen Thomas, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.21/1109 - Release Date: 11/4/2007 11:05 AM
