Pets
- Thread starter Pontifex Geronimo 13
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Seeler
Well-Known Member
I have a question regarding horses. Perhaps someone here who has had horses can satisfy my curosity.
I remember once going on a trail ride. The owner/manager choose the horses for our party and placed us in line. I wanted to ride near Granddaughter but I was told that our two horses didn't like each other. At one point in the ride we got spread out a bit and when the trail started to narrow I tried to get my horse into place but it absolutely refused to pass different horse. The guide had to come back and sort us out placing my horse well away from the other - apparently they didn't like each other either.
I remembered this as I watched a documentary about wide horses the other evening. Apparently, even through they live together in a herd, with a lead, dominate mare, and a dominate stallion watching them, the individual horses only form close friendships with a few other horses. Friends stand close, brush flies off each other with their tails, groom each other with little nibbles around the mane. But they keep their distance from other horses. Within the herd there are groups that overlap (horse A might like B, C, and F. Horse B might like A, C, and G but not allow F to come close. )
So, my question. What happens if I am trying to put together a team to pull a sleigh and I buy two horses who don't know each other and who will not tolerate each other coming anywhere near? It seems to me that I would have a difficult time harnessing them side by side and expecting them to keep in step and walk side by side. Does a team have to be raised together? pastured together? stabled together?
Just curious.
I remember once going on a trail ride. The owner/manager choose the horses for our party and placed us in line. I wanted to ride near Granddaughter but I was told that our two horses didn't like each other. At one point in the ride we got spread out a bit and when the trail started to narrow I tried to get my horse into place but it absolutely refused to pass different horse. The guide had to come back and sort us out placing my horse well away from the other - apparently they didn't like each other either.
I remembered this as I watched a documentary about wide horses the other evening. Apparently, even through they live together in a herd, with a lead, dominate mare, and a dominate stallion watching them, the individual horses only form close friendships with a few other horses. Friends stand close, brush flies off each other with their tails, groom each other with little nibbles around the mane. But they keep their distance from other horses. Within the herd there are groups that overlap (horse A might like B, C, and F. Horse B might like A, C, and G but not allow F to come close. )
So, my question. What happens if I am trying to put together a team to pull a sleigh and I buy two horses who don't know each other and who will not tolerate each other coming anywhere near? It seems to me that I would have a difficult time harnessing them side by side and expecting them to keep in step and walk side by side. Does a team have to be raised together? pastured together? stabled together?
Just curious.
Pontifex Geronimo 13
#walkaway
This is Betty the Red. Actually just Betty.She's a Devon Rex. That's her "Time to feed me" face. For some reason she would eat herself to death, so we have to portion out food. Most cats you can just leave out some dry food and they will graze.
KayTheCurler
Well-Known Member
We've always had pets. In the early days of marriage we had a succession of Siamese cats - sold kittens from them. Once the kids were past the baby stage we had a Beagle (Bingo) as well as the cats. Unfortunately he got run over. Moved out to an acreage and had several yard dogs at various times - always collie mixtures. One was the babysitter (Tiffany) and watched out for the children and would herd them away from the pond, a trick I enjoyed and the kids hated! One daughter had an Arabian brood mare on loan from a friend - she was allowed to ride it when it wasn't vastly pregnant and she did initial training on the foals for the owner. Lots of cats, a couple in the house and the others outside for rodent control. In addition we had the usual childhood run of rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, fish, turtles and a garter snake called Rosco (who produced the sweetest little baby snakes one day).
Now we have a couple of aging dogs - small, white fluffy things that always need grooming.
Now we have a couple of aging dogs - small, white fluffy things that always need grooming.
Lastpointe
Well-Known Member
I think that is verytrue of trail horses. I too have been in olved where one hor didnt like another. Teams of horses are carefully chosen and i suspect how they get along is key
Another horse thing
Whne my daughter was in grade two her teacher rode competitively. So of course all the little girls wanted to go to a show
We chatted with herandher verry large hirse before the show. She held his reins and he stood like a very obedient dog
Sheforgot something in the barn. Gave me his rein to hold while she ran to the barn. He instantly started pushing his weight around. Just leaning into me. I backed up and ontinued to back up the whole time she was gone. I bet he moved us 30 feet
It was quite amazing to see. He knew we had no authority and he took it
Another horse thing
Whne my daughter was in grade two her teacher rode competitively. So of course all the little girls wanted to go to a show
We chatted with herandher verry large hirse before the show. She held his reins and he stood like a very obedient dog
Sheforgot something in the barn. Gave me his rein to hold while she ran to the barn. He instantly started pushing his weight around. Just leaning into me. I backed up and ontinued to back up the whole time she was gone. I bet he moved us 30 feet
It was quite amazing to see. He knew we had no authority and he took it
BetteTheRed
Resident Heretic
- Pronouns
- She/Her/Her
I don't think Betty and I look anything alike, lol!
I don't know if my tortie point ragdoll is intent on eating herself to death; however, she does exceed 20 lbs...Now, mind you, she's a very big cat, but she's also fat, there's no doubt about it. Because I'm also trying to maintain the health of a very fragile skinny 20 year old cat, it's hard to balance their nutritional requirements.
Tabitha
journeying
at crazy heart-no horses do not have to be raised together to be a good team-but temperament as well as size and strength need to be matched. I had a horse for many years. She quickly found a friend when on trail rides or boarded different places.
Riding back from Vancouver-and EXPO-the horses broke out one night from a field. The fence came down.
In pickups we drove through the horses and turned them back. We got all but 5. 4 horse has done the trip down-and went on to our next stop. My friendly horse knew who to follow! She was there when I arrived later that day.
Riding back from Vancouver-and EXPO-the horses broke out one night from a field. The fence came down.
In pickups we drove through the horses and turned them back. We got all but 5. 4 horse has done the trip down-and went on to our next stop. My friendly horse knew who to follow! She was there when I arrived later that day.
This is the first time I've lived with pets in awhile, except for short house-sitting/ pet sitting stints. It's difficult to find places that accept pets, and I always felt living at home alone with a dog (while together, my husband wasn't too keen on having to walk a dog on schedule so it would've been up to me - and we worked odd hours) would not be fair - especially with no backyard. I love dogs but I bonded with our current cat more than the dog this time - he's actually more fun, imo. The dog is shy except with my roommate and he just sits around. The cat plays and is more chatty and bold - he even comes when I call his name (dog ignores me). It's like role reversal. The cat is boss here.
When I was a young kid - first we had a border collie - left him with a different family when we moved towns. Then we got a Dalmatian, from the dishwasher repair man who was moving. He said she was "a little hard of hearing" but she turned out to be totally deaf. She followed hand signals, selectively. I loved her to pieces and she used to take me for walks - but she was a handful for my parents. She would shoot out the door and chase small animals - and of course, we couldn't call her back. We got calls from the pound a couple of times, after she got put in the slammer, and told to take better precautions with her. We lived in the suburbs at the time. Halloween was fun - she always wore her fire hat. She was well loved and friendly, but a bit of a pain in the butt. We gave her to a family with a large property or farm, then my mom got us a cat, much like the one my roommate and I have living with us now.
When I was a young kid - first we had a border collie - left him with a different family when we moved towns. Then we got a Dalmatian, from the dishwasher repair man who was moving. He said she was "a little hard of hearing" but she turned out to be totally deaf. She followed hand signals, selectively. I loved her to pieces and she used to take me for walks - but she was a handful for my parents. She would shoot out the door and chase small animals - and of course, we couldn't call her back. We got calls from the pound a couple of times, after she got put in the slammer, and told to take better precautions with her. We lived in the suburbs at the time. Halloween was fun - she always wore her fire hat. She was well loved and friendly, but a bit of a pain in the butt. We gave her to a family with a large property or farm, then my mom got us a cat, much like the one my roommate and I have living with us now.
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