🚀 go-pugleaf

john@dhh.gt.org wrote:

>Muleskinner writes:
>> How do you know what your horses do when you're not there?

>I watch them.

Figures.

>> Grain isn't that important to their diets, anyway.

>Not for most of them, but a few ounces serves to keep them interested in
>coming into the barn every morning.

Mine will show up for the vet, the farrier,
visitors, you name it.  Where are their
priorities, eh?  I do reward the last
visit of the day with a spot of bowl
cereal for them, though.

>> Not my herd.  Where'd you get this information?

>Off the Net.  You know how reliable it is.

Heh heh heh.

(I would never knowingly post misinformation,
would retract it in abject apologetic humility
if I did so, that ignorance being no excuse,
and resolve not to repeat such a mistake.)

They're a frisky, healthy, mixed bunch of big
strong athletic mares and geldings including
a mix from Arabians and Appaloosas and Amish
light harness to Quarterhorses and TBs, and
they are treated as a group, effectively,
to enable clustered, easy management.
I know your herd is much larger and
far more diverse than mine.

>> That depends: forages range in caloric content, and horses who are at
>> risk of becoming obese can be given mowed graze and late-cut grass hays.

>Heh.  Get yourself some Celtic ponies.  Besides, most of my hay *is*
>late-cut grass.

Perfect.  Celtic ponies?  You should see my
sturdy cobs!  Grade all the way, goddammit,
some of these 'breeders' should be putting
their fees into salvaging the superb but
nondescript individuals getting thrown
away for nothing more than ignorance
among humans.  I'd put my finest of
horses among yours in a heartbeat,
they =enjoy= that late-cut hay.

>> I don't allow horses to move others off food, but that's because I use
>> that policy to be able to feed them entirely individually, and at my
>> discretion.

>> They 'train' into sharing food no less easily than into pulling or
>> carrying loads; it's natural to horses not experiencing hunger.

>I put out many more piles of hay then there are horses in the herd, so all
>get an equal chance to eat.  Many will share a pile with a junior, but not
>all.

True words.

It's amazing when new horses come into
a situation where there is vastly more
hay than they've ever seen, plenty of
roomy turnout, unlimited conditioned
drinking water, etc, how they adapt
from fighting to take resources to
socializing to share them.

The change in their ability to be 
trained to work can be monumental.
Herd leaders direct and drive the
group to plenitude and safety.

>> In what ways do they change their behaviors because you've left,...

>They tend to be somewhat attentive to me when I am among them (could that
>have something to do with the hay four times a day?  Naw.  Surely it's
>because they love me). 

LOL

My horses completely ignore me as
I put the bales out.  I intend and
require that it be that way, not as
much for safety in my case, but for
an indication of satiation status.

My herd couldn't care less about the
hay, because they dwell in huge piles
of it.  They're so cool when they're
beyond wondering about lunch.  I'm
working my sorry ass off carrying
fodder for them, and they "stand
around looking stupid" (thanks
TvG), expressing "looks good,
I'll check it out later", or
the equivalent.

If all of the members of the herd
are seeking food at any given time,
that too is a head's up.  I prefer
to see only a few eating, casually,
and others watching, wandering, or 
resting, for example.  I have to
keep ahead of cold weather, for
example, that way.  They run
around even more in the cool
weather, so it's often time
to put even more hay out.

> They also tend to play and gallop less in my
>presence.  

They're focused on you, attentive to you.

I hadn't noticed that effect with mine,
but now that you mention it I'm making
a point to watch for that.

These fool beasts hear voices in the
stable, and the Ayehabs gallop down,
a few lope or jog, the rest stride,
stroll, or mosey, and then they
hang around waiting to get any
attention in the offing, and
it's not for food.  It must
be for my sweet personality.

>If I allow them to arrange themselves as they wish the most
>dominant tend to be grouped near me. In my absence the dominants spread out
>more.

I find this to be of very great interest.

Again, you make me seek another look  ...

>I wrote:
>> They also change their behavior a bit in the absence of any of the
>> dominants.

>Muleskinner writes:
>> Fascinating: please elaborate.

>Remove Toncho and some of the mares become agitated, and the herd becomes
>reluctant to come up the lane to the shed. 

Does he dominantly drive them up that lane
as a matter of their habit?  Are the mares
ones that seem to be 'his'?

> Remove Spec and the (already
>low) level of aggression drops.

Is this a horse who could have experienced
less herd socialization in prior development?

>  Remove Imp and Spec and Toncho are more
>likely to squabble.

Is Imp a pasture buddy with Toncho?

<hoping to draw you out, as ever>

"Serene"  *Sheila Green*  "Sagacity"  [aka Word Warrior green*@tristate.pgh.net]
"Eat me, and use your head for better than the absorption of monitor radiation."

http://minyos.its.rmit.edu.au/~s8904850/wisdom.html
http://www.olympus.net/personal/pvd/LamIntro.html#Interdigitate
http://www.jenkinspublishing.com/humanure.htm