6 Horses and herd dynamics

Not too much has been going on, but I figured I'd drop a line about a few things.

First off, this next Saturday I will be having FUN!  The Antique Tractor Club in Paris, TX is hosting an event for old time farming.  There will be antique tractor events, but also horse drawn stuff too.  It will be all day, in Paris, TX at the Civic Center.  There should be 4-6 teamsters there with teams of horses.  There should be plows, disks, a mower, wagons, sleds, and other horse implements.  It's basically going to be a day of teamsters having fun and trying things out.  I'm really excited about it.  I'll have my 3 Belgians there and am looking forward to trying the sickle mower out (since that is next on my list of things to purchase).

I honestly think Rachael and Pam want to get pulling something.  The past few days, when I'm out in the pasture, they walk up to me, side by side, (on the correct sides) and put their heads in my belly.  I think they are trying to tell me that they want those harnesses on them and to be heading down the road.  :)

The only other thing going on right now is the fact that I am horse sitting.  My good friend Bev asked me to take some horses for a week.  Bev has done wonderful things for me, so I happily agreed.  This added 2 big and beautiful Belgians to my pasture.

A little history:  My mares Pam and Nellie spent a month and a half down in Bev's herd, so they are already familiar.  Rachael was my only worry on how she gets along with them.  This pair is Bev's Belgian team, and they are beautiful mares.  Here's a picture to prove it.

Rosie and Rita

When they first got here, they ran right up with my Belgians and everyone was just fine.  Bev's horses fell in love with the long grass and went to eating right away.  I was quite surprised that they group got together so fast.  I figured that there would be the usual sorting out of the pecking order, but it didn't seem like that happened right away.

All the horses together

Now ... just to refresh your minds ... the Alpha of my horses is Nellie.  Rachael is a lead mare and those two fought it out with Nellie being the victor.  Rosie and Rita are half sisters, and always side by side.  At Bev's, they are the dominant mares.  Rosie is the alpha, with Rita in her back pocket and sometimes doing her dirty work for her.  At first here, Nellie ruled all.  Rosie and Rita bowed to her and stayed clear.

Then 3 days passed.  :)  Now that Rosie and Rita are more comfortable, it's been awesome watching the herd dynamics transform.  At feeding time yesterday, I got to witness Rosie take the alpha role from Nellie.  Nellie was finishing off a bowl of food (left overs after Nellie ran off the horse the food was intended for).  I watched as Rosie ran right in and she just had this aura about her that screamed "I am the boss".  Nellie felt it too, she turned, squealed, and I thought she was going to give Rosie a big kick.  Instead, Nellie did a small half kick and ran away.  Rosie took the lead without even lifting a hoof.  It was awesome to watch.

Well, now things have taken a different turn.  Rachael (my mare, still angry at losing the alpha role to Nellie), decided she was going to put Rosie and Rita in line, and she did.  They both bow to her.

So now ... feeding time is like a circus.  It's hilarious to watch.  Nellie will run off Pam or Whinny, then Rosie runs off Nellie, then Rachael runs off Rosie.  A few minutes later, Nellie will come and run off Rachael.  It's a giant circle.  Needless to say, you hear lots of hoof stomping and squeals when it's dinner time.  Things are great while all have their food, but the minute one of those 3 is done with theirs, they head off to take someone else's.  It's pretty interesting to watch.

Here's a picture of feeding time this mornig.  Rachael and nearest the camera.  Nellie is off in the back ground, mad at the world, and Rosie/Rita and right there side by side eating the last of the remaining food.  Oh yeah, and Whinny is in the mix too, just trying to stay out of the way of all these huge draft horses.  ;)

Feeding time is ending.