Relative Something

On the fourth day of adjusting to their new home, the horses appear to be working on their pecking order. Well, three of them seem to be working on it, as Legacy stands by, unfazed by their activity. His leadership is not being challenged. The rest of the group had us laughing at their game of following each other in circles around the water trough, each one trying to influence the other.

Elysa and I were describing to Cyndie how Hunter seemed to be seriously focused on keeping Dezirea away from anything she wanted. First, the ears pull back, then strategic positioning of increasing threat. Cyndie explained how their exercising roles of dominance are a form of emergency response drill. Just like we practice fire drills, they are practicing to see who can drive others from harm’s way, regardless their interest in going.

If there is a threat, a leader needs to move the herd, even when they are unaware of potential harm and would rather just eat. By showing another horse that it can be controlled, no matter what, dominance can be established and a leader will earn its role.

Now that the horses are becoming comfortable with their surroundings here, they are able to play around with the hierarchy of their herd. It looks playful at times, and like serious business, at others. It is important play that establishes who can be trusted to take necessary action when the time calls for it, which allows the rest of the group to feel at ease and commence with their grazing.

Today, we intend to put them out in the big field for the first time. Since it has been so dry the second half of the summer, we didn’t get enough growth to justify a second cutting, so we will graze the horses out there to let them eat the grass that did grow. It will also give them a chance to be out in open space, and increase their familiarity with their new location.

No doubt, it will also give them a chance to hold some emergency response drills, practicing the leadership roles they appear to be experimenting with since they moved to our place.