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In a message dated 12/30/00 12:02:01 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL
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A couple of recent posts have mentioned knee-biting games: I just assumed
the knee-biting behavior was a common Fjord thing, but maybe not. We
noticed it the most one winter when a sudden early deep snow kept our Fjords
in a turn-out about 100 by 100 feet for quite awhile. They got their
exercise and alleviated boredom by playing fight games. The games were
always at the same time three times a day (there might have been overnight
games we did not see). The games were carefully choregraphed and the same
time after time. One horse would chase another around the perimeter of the
pen. At a certain corner the leader would whirl and rear up. They would
play fight on their hind legs and then chase to another point and repeat it.
The game came to an end when one would bite the knees of the other until the
loser went down to his knees. The games were gentle with no injuries from
teeth or hooves. Each horse seemed to win about an equal number of times.
The object seemed to be the game itself, not domination.
Standard play or fighting for stallions. My Icelandic did it with the other
stallion when he still had his n_ _ s. It still goes on when he is out with
Lars. Touch a male zebra on the knee, and he goes right down and then swings
back to look for your's. A lot of new zebra owners think there is a problem
with their pet, but it is just a very strong instinct with them. Merek
