True Stories

Okay, down to business

I personally have two horses, my daughter has one and my parents have five more. They are all kept in one herd in about 30 acres of pasture. Because we have three pregnant mares, we usually feed grain 3-5 times a week in the winter. We also have a barn with very large stalls (about 18X10) in which we put 2 horses each. My two (Reena and Prism) are together in one stall. Well, the last time we fed, I told them both to get in their stall, like I always do. Reena, my 2½-year-old Arabian mare went in just fine, but my 9-year-old gelding, Prism (who was not gelded until he was 6 years old and still thinks he is a stallion), refused to get into the stall. So, in order to keep Reena in the stall, I shut the door. I went to get Prism and he pulled his **ears back, swing that rump** act on me, so I went to put the 9-month-old foal in her stall. Well, Prism finally realized that there was to be food forthcoming, and he ran around to the stall to get his share (and Reina's if he could). Imagine his surprise when he found the entry way blocked by the door! He was not amused, to put is mildly. The food was coming and he was "out in the cold." Talk about "not a happy camper"! So what does he do? He found an open stall (luckily our foaling stall that we keep empty) and walked right in and shut the door behind himself! And people talk about "dumb animals"? Of course he got fed, he would have anyway (but you could not have convinced him of that!). And then he got released. Hmmmm, I wonder what he would have done if that stall had been occupied? Can you say "eviction"!

Having horses opens us up to an amazing amount of knowledge that is not "general." For instance, some of our horses have no problem with the weather. Rain, sleet, snow - as long as there is plenty of food and water, they couldn't care less. Then there is Prism. He hates ANY kind of cold weather. At the first sign of cold, he heads for the shelter of the stalls. But, he hates to be alone, so he tries to "convince" another horse to accompany him. If that fails, he simply grabs one of the horses by the mane and tries to drag them into the barn! Now, this is okay if he get one of the more laid back mares like my Reina, who is the least dominant mare I have ever seem, but if he gets the ALPHA mare, Phanze (also his full sister), LOOK OUT! He soon ends up in the barn, alone and smarting from Phanze's act of "discipline"!

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