I’ll be finishing up my posts from the ORCA Art and Science of Animal Training Conference this week. (About time!, you’re probably saying.) Figure I need to get them wrapped up, as I’ll be attending ClickerExpo in Lexington in about 2 weeks and, well, I should have plenty to write about that!
The weather here has been getting warmer. The days are getting longer and the horses are starting to shed out their winter coats. Today is rainy, but yesterday was lovely 60s and it should be high 60s and low 70s all this week. Perfect weather for getting outside!
We opened up the gates between the two back pastures at the rescue on Friday, which led to much running, bucking and galloping around. The horses are feeling playful, they enjoy this warmer weather too!
Yesterday we moved our two weanlings, Tilde and Moody, and one of the yearlings, Doolittle, from one of the front pastures to the back pasture. They had been with the old timers, now they’re with most of the other young horses. It will be good for them to have more horses their age to interact with. (They are the three in the photo above.)
As usual, though, whenever you mix horses there is always a bit of chasing and running around. The older horses and top horses in the pecking order have to make sure the younger ones know who’s in charge.
If you’re introducing a horse to a new herd it can helpful (if possible) to introduce two new horses together. That way, they have a buddy they can hang out with while they assimilate into the herd. We’ve been moving horses back and forth between two properties all winter. Whenever we move them, we do it two at a time. It’s nice for the horse to have a familiar face while they adjust to the new herd.
No comments yet.