On Dec 6, 2007 7:25 PM, Karen Thomas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: I will put her in the herd > eventually, but for now, I want her 1) isolated so she can relax and settle > into her new home, and 2) to get used to a routine of twice daily handling, > so that coming in to the barn is a pleasant event, not just something she'll > associate with some invasive (to her) procedure. >
I'm a big believer of giving horses a lot of time to settle in. I think I did too much too soon with Gloi and pushed it too much and it made us lose ground. He needed more time to settle in and learn to trust me. Moving here along with the other changes in his life in the year before he came here meant that he needed more time. I remember talking to Alexandra Kurland at the Equine Affaire about Gloi and she said that she wouldn't be surprised if it took him a full year to really be comfortable. When I was at an art show last weekend there was a photographer who had photos of the Pryor Mountain wild mustang herd. One photo was of two stallions fighting with one being very beat up, she said that the beat up one has been a bachelor for many years and finally stole a herd of mares for himself. He has been so nervous and jumpy that the mares can barely get food or rest because he's just not a very good herd stallion. It made me think about Falki. Maybe he's not 'drunk with power', but just not sure how to be a good leader. There was a little difference in the dynamics between him and Gloi this evening at feeding time. He has been keeping Gloi farther away from the gate and barn when I come down with the buckets. Tonight Gloi was closer and Falki was farther out. I noticed this morning, he wanted to go to the pasture to eat hay instead of staying at the barn. He was half way there and the other two wouldn't follow him. I stood there thinking that if you were a more benevolent leader, maybe you'd have more willing followers, maybe he's realizing that too. -- Anna Southern Ohio
