11.02.07
Horse Behavior Herd of Three (Videos)
As an avid horse observer, I have bunches of videos of our own little family herd of three. It never ceases to fascinate me how they interact with each other… which I share here!
Horse actors: 1. Willy momma alpha mare, defacto herd leader when she wants to be (age 21), Polish Arabian with 1/8 Connemara blood, brown bay with 3 socks and stripe– officially Willow’s Bask
2. Glendale, herd leader wannabe but still quite young (2 yr. old,) arabian/percheron warmblood gelding, brown bay with white hind socks and star– officially Willow’s Fleet Command, sire Silent Commander
3. Gilford, least dominant horse (4 yr.old) perch/arab warmblood gelding (full brother to Glendale), black bay with white hind socks and star– officially Bask’s Commandant, sire Silent Commander
(These videos are in sequence…)
HERD LEADERS DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
I have called them to barn to be fed, but they aren’t sure if they want to come or not. Willy mare is the usual herd leader, with Glendale often challenging her authority in close second place. He gets to lead when she lets him, he is sort of her favorite.
Here they display indecision and Glen and Wil take turns being herd leader. Glendale runs away from gate, Willy leads through the gate, Glen runs back to follow her. Then Glen returns through the gate, sayin he REALLY wants to go somewhere else, and Willy then follows him back out. Black brother Gilford just hangs out to see what his leaders will decide.
Though trained to come in to barn for grain when we ring a bell or call them, in summertime their bellies are often so full of grass that they don’t feel great incentive to come to the barn when called, because they aren’t hungry. We don’t grain them very often or very much in summer.
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TWO TOP HORSES VIE FOR LEAD
Willy mom makes the final choice to come up to the barn, but Glendale, upon seeing this, races past her so he can gallop to the barn in the lead. Gilford, in his position as low horse on the totem pole, remains in third place.
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FOLLOWER HORSE MOVES TO REAR OF HERD
Returning to pasture, Gilford (black horse leading at first) moves to rear of line to walk behind his mother mare (first brown bay) and his brother Glendale. Gilford is low horse in their pecking order, even behind his younger brother, and he doesn’t feel comfortable in the lead. Note that momma mare is then leading.
Horse Gal said,
November 2, 2007 at 11:39 am
This is SO awesome….I too love watching The Herd interact with each other. As we know, Momma always wants to be first! And what I can’t get over, is the very obvious move on Gil’s part, to the BACK of the Herd (in your last video clip). I am facinated by the psychology of horses…and it’s even MORE facinating when they are all blood relatives and interacting with each other. Thank you for sharing these videos with all of us who love to read your posts! Keep up the great work.
Horse Gal