Re: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
On 11/4/07, Janice McDonald [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Then I have Nasi and Tivar. 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. V NB, Canada
Re: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
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. They are in the same paddock becuase they have the same very small amount of feed etc. And times I have put nasi elsewhere they seemed very happy to get back together. But at turnout Tivar runs straight to stonewall and curly ray runs straight to nasi and torments him for hours, which nasi seems to enjoy. Then at nite they seem eager to get back to their paddock together. Janice-- yipie tie yie yo
RE: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
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
Re: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
On 11/5/07, Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: 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... Gat was a 'loner' for her first year at the boarding barn--always alone and looking depressed, and she never bonded with any of the horses there, even ones that came after her. Orri and Gat came from the same farm but were not pastured together until a week or two before they moved back to the boarding barn together. So, maybe they have bonded because they knew they came from the same farm. V NB, Canada
Re: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
On 11/5/07, Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: 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 I don't know, Karen, I do think there is something to this. My Arab was always glad to see other Arabs, more so than other breeds and Doppa was in a mixed breed herd before I got her and the horse she was closest to was another Icelandic that she had never seen before. I certainly don't think they have to have another Icelandic in the herd to be happy but I do think, in most cases, they prefer another Icelandic if they have a choice - maybe it's because they are most likely to have the same personality. I have seen this in the Arabs, also. And I'm sure many of us have heard that horses seem drawn to other horses that are the color of their mother. -- Laree in NC Doppa Mura Simon, Sadie and Sam (the S gang) When you're young and you fall off a horse, you may break something. When you're my age and you fall off, you splatter - Roy Rogers
RE: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
So, maybe they have bonded because they knew they came from the same farm. I think horses know what horses are on their farm, even if they aren't boarded in the same pastures. Usually, they see each other at least from afar, or for short periods - maybe one trail riding next to each other's pasture, or coming into the barn at the same time for the farrier, etc. I'd be willing to bet that all the mares know all the stallions on their same property! And, of course, some horses just seem to like each other from the get-go, for no reason that I can see. Who knows, maybe Gat was just a little shy, and along came that charming young studly gelding, who was looking for a friend, and he charmed her out of her shyness. :) I just think the social interactions within any herd are much more complicated than most people believe. Karen Karen Thomas Wingate, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.22/ - Release Date: 11/5/2007 4:36 AM
Re: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
Tosca, Yrsa and Lina all came from the same farm. Lina was sold and came to Applegate two or three years before our mares. She also moved from Oregon to Virginia and back in that time. Yet, when we pastured Lina and Tosca together, they acted as if they were old friends. They are also half sisters. It made me think of the studies regarding separated twins who grew up very much alike, although having never lived together. There seems to be some sort of genetic bond. Nancy
RE: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
I don't know, Karen, I do think there is something to this. My Arab was always glad to see other Arabs, more so than other breeds and Doppa was in a mixed breed herd before I got her and the horse she was closest to was another Icelandic that she had never seen before. I don't think there's anything to say that Icelandic's won't have personality traits in common at times, but after watching 24 Icelandic's with seven non-Icelandic's (and two non-horses) for five years, I really don't think the breed connection is very strong. I DO think that quiet, more stoic horses are more likely to be attracted to each other than to an opposite personality horse. But, even so, quiet born-old Mac and Thunder-the-not-TOO-crazy-Arab were instant buddies from they day they met until the day Mac died. Mac was more like an Icelandic in his stoicness and gentleness. Thunder was joined at the hip with Mac, a TWH, even during the brief period they were boarded at a barn with other TWH and other Arabs, as well as other breeds. They WERE both introduced to the herd at the same time, so it seemed more that the new kids sought each other out. I'm only happy that Mac died first - I'm convinced he would have grieved himself to death had Thunder died before him. I always thought of them as the Skipper and Gilligan for some reason, with Thunder being Mac's Little Buddy... :) Mac was more like Joe (App) or Sundance (QH) in personality, but he always preferred Thunder, and Thunder preferred Mac. One other detail - the horses born here who have always known other breed horses seem totally, 100% blind to breed, absolutely 100% as likely to befriend a non-Icelandic as an Icelandic. I certainly don't think they have to have another Icelandic in the herd to be happy but I do think, in most cases, they prefer another Icelandic if they have a choice - maybe it's because they are most likely to have the same personality.. It really hasn't been particularly true here - we've had about as many cross-breed (even cross-species) friendships as we've had Icelandic-exclusive friendships. Remember though, my non-Icelandic's are pretty quiet-type horses too, not hot-bloods...except for the arguably sorta-kinda-maybe-hot-blooded Thunder. I can't demonstrate it right now though, since all of my non-Icelandic's (except Gracie) are aging quickly, and have had to be moved to a separate old horse herd for ease of feeding. Karen Karen Thomas Wingate, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.22/ - Release Date: 11/5/2007 4:36 AM
RE: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
They are also half sisters. It made me think of the studies regarding separated twins who grew up very much alike, although having never lived together. There seems to be some sort of genetic bond. I will be getting Bjola's 11 y.o. half-sister at the end of the month - Bjola is 9. They have never met, having been born at different farms, although the new mare looks a good bit like Bjola in the pictures I've seen, and her description sounds somewhat similar. This will be an interesting study. I catch myself thinking she'll be a lot like Bjola, but maybe it's just my expectation. I will FORCE myself to be objective though - lord knows, I've had my expectations dashed before! I know genetics is a factor, so I'm looking forward to studying the similarities and differences between these two - Bjola has always been one of my favorites. Karen Karen Thomas Wingate, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.22/ - Release Date: 11/5/2007 4:36 AM
Re: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
On 11/5/07, Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I will be getting Bjola's 11 y.o. half-sister at the end of the month - Bjola is 9. How fun! Let us know how they get along. What's her name? V
RE: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
How fun! Let us know how they get along. What's her name? V Angie - that will be her barn name. (Bjola is usually just BJ.) Karen Karen Thomas Wingate, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.22/ - Release Date: 11/5/2007 4:36 AM
Re: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
I have three herds and i think therein lies the problem, or part of it. One herd is Stonewall and Traveller and Jaspar. Stonewall and Traveller have been together since birth and are the same exact age and they act like brothers who fight. Its just constant. They actually leave bloody scabs fighting over Jaspar. Then the second herd is Curly Ray and Fox. Curly Ray is a mini jack and picks fights with everyone thru the fence and then when they fight back big bubbah Fox has to go whoop everybody. Then I have Nasi and Tivar. THEN I turn them out and they are fine. They get along great. They run to greet friends from the other herd like long lost loved ones, mutual grooming, playing all that. Then they come in at feeding time and all I gotta say is honey, get outa the way. Its like a bumper car track. A mob scene. Janice -- yipie tie yie yo
Re: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
Janice, I promise you they don't. I wonder if it compounds with numbers. My non-horsey husband feeds in the evening after he picks out the two stalls (bless him). Twist and Yrsa are not stabled, but at least one of them gets locked in to eat and they both seem to prefer stalls for potty. Anyway, non-horsey has every horse we've ever had here join his liberty act. He goes out there and Twist sedately and politely walks into his stall and Yrsa sedately and quietly walks into her stall. One of them has the door closed (different dietary requirements) and then he throws hay. I never watch how he achieves this. I think it's quiet repitition. Nancy
RE: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
Anyway, non-horsey has every horse we've ever had here join his liberty act. He goes out there and Twist sedately and politely walks into his stall and Yrsa sedately and quietly walks into her stall. One of them has the door closed (different dietary requirements) and then he throws hay. I never watch how he achieves this. I think it's quiet repitition. Mine do that But only when that is their normal drill. But, feeding them in the privacy of their own stall where they know they won't have to compete for every bite isn't what Janice was talking about - Janice doesn't have private stalls, and a lot of folks don't. Most horses I've met are reasonably mannerly (or can taught to be so VERY quickly) if they don't feel like it's every horse for himself at feeding time. Karen Karen Thomas Wingate, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.18/1104 - Release Date: 11/1/2007 6:47 PM
Re: [IceHorses] Hogs at feeding time
Actually, Hunter lives at a boarding facility where there are 50 horses. If there are five horses in a pasture, they put out six stacks of hay, and they still play musical hay piles. I bring him into a large pen/shelter at night just because I don't want him to have to compete for food. Do you think our horses are a bit spoiled? Nancy
