Mares with Ideas. *eyeroll*
Aug. 2nd, 2006 12:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pyrsandponiesThose of you who are horsey, and probably those of you who read this journal regularly, will understand that horses have Personality aside: I am borrowing ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dancinghorse's use of the wayward capital for emphasis. Many thanks for the effective technique ;). . And that is Good.
Geldings have personality, but fewer hormones, so they tend to be the even keel members of the horse world. They also tend to be the lowest on the totem pole if they live with mares (and stallions cannot abide by geldings. They are a Threat.) So in our little horse society, Beau has opinions, but he is fairly used to being told (by the girls) that they don't count, and he is also exceptionally kind and well meaning and he listens to his humans, mostly. Though occasionally he hides in the field at dusk, hoping that we shall not find him and he can graze all night ;).
Mares are often disparaged in the horse world for having excess personality, and strong opinions. I find this terrible, and I am one of those people who LOVES mares. I love the ways they think (or occasionally DON'T think when there is a !!BOY!! nearby and they are in season -- and the !!BOY!! needn't be intact to be intersting ;) and I love working with their intelligence and their opinions. Even when it can be infuriating, it is rewarding. And in the horse world, Mares Rule. Stallions are allowed to believe they head the herd, but the head mare really runs the show. And stallions are only allowed to do their thing at the favor of the mare -- if she says "yes, please, sex today," he can have his fun, and she may have hers. If he pushes the issue, he may well wind up missing some rather crucial parts. At the very least, he'll be nursing a hurt pride and likely some bruises. No really does mean no in equine circles ;).
Ayrabs are, as a breed, known for being smart (and often flighty/hot/spooky but this is, I believe not excessively true -- my walkers are WAY more so that way than my arab). And Opinionated.
This means that an Ayrab Mare who leads the herd is an opinionate thing. And also a wonderful amazing partner when you work with her, rather than trying to tell her what to do. I joke in semi-seriousness that with darling Shaughns, we have a 60-40 split on who is leading. And who gets to be majority leader on any given day just depends.
But of late, Shaughns has been feeling Neglected. And so, she is More Opinionated than normal about things.
Viz yesterday at lunch. I go to take her out to the field (she'd had hay in in the AM, and stayed in when everyone else went out because she is a little rotund these days). I intended to put her in a field with Beau, a field we access by passing through the field that Juno and Joy were in.
Shaughns happily accompanied me into the first field. And then PLANTED HER FEET when I asked her to continue onto the second field. No. she said. I'll stay here she said. Take my halter off NOW she said. I am NOT Moving. I am bigger than you and more persistent and NO.
15 mins later, much patience, one moment of complete and utter frustration (never ANY use with Shaughns, who looked at me bemusedly as she knows that even when I am at wits end I would never hurt her or get too strong in my requests), a stroll down the driveway and several different attempted paths, she deigned to accept that the field was the only place she would be allowed to eat. (The one rule was she could stand there, but her head could not drop to the grass). And she accompanied me to the field.
But ai yai yai! There are days I wonder WHY I love my mares so. Geldings are lovely. But I will always love mares. *eyeroll* There is just something so rewarding about them. Even when they are CLEARLY looking at you and saying hey, twit, I am WAY smarter than you. Quit being so silly ;) We'll do this my way or not at all
dancinghorse's use of the wayward capital for emphasis. Many thanks for the effective technique ;). . And that is Good.Geldings have personality, but fewer hormones, so they tend to be the even keel members of the horse world. They also tend to be the lowest on the totem pole if they live with mares (and stallions cannot abide by geldings. They are a Threat.) So in our little horse society, Beau has opinions, but he is fairly used to being told (by the girls) that they don't count, and he is also exceptionally kind and well meaning and he listens to his humans, mostly. Though occasionally he hides in the field at dusk, hoping that we shall not find him and he can graze all night ;).
Mares are often disparaged in the horse world for having excess personality, and strong opinions. I find this terrible, and I am one of those people who LOVES mares. I love the ways they think (or occasionally DON'T think when there is a !!BOY!! nearby and they are in season -- and the !!BOY!! needn't be intact to be intersting ;) and I love working with their intelligence and their opinions. Even when it can be infuriating, it is rewarding. And in the horse world, Mares Rule. Stallions are allowed to believe they head the herd, but the head mare really runs the show. And stallions are only allowed to do their thing at the favor of the mare -- if she says "yes, please, sex today," he can have his fun, and she may have hers. If he pushes the issue, he may well wind up missing some rather crucial parts. At the very least, he'll be nursing a hurt pride and likely some bruises. No really does mean no in equine circles ;).
Ayrabs are, as a breed, known for being smart (and often flighty/hot/spooky but this is, I believe not excessively true -- my walkers are WAY more so that way than my arab). And Opinionated.
This means that an Ayrab Mare who leads the herd is an opinionate thing. And also a wonderful amazing partner when you work with her, rather than trying to tell her what to do. I joke in semi-seriousness that with darling Shaughns, we have a 60-40 split on who is leading. And who gets to be majority leader on any given day just depends.
But of late, Shaughns has been feeling Neglected. And so, she is More Opinionated than normal about things.
Viz yesterday at lunch. I go to take her out to the field (she'd had hay in in the AM, and stayed in when everyone else went out because she is a little rotund these days). I intended to put her in a field with Beau, a field we access by passing through the field that Juno and Joy were in.
Shaughns happily accompanied me into the first field. And then PLANTED HER FEET when I asked her to continue onto the second field. No. she said. I'll stay here she said. Take my halter off NOW she said. I am NOT Moving. I am bigger than you and more persistent and NO.
15 mins later, much patience, one moment of complete and utter frustration (never ANY use with Shaughns, who looked at me bemusedly as she knows that even when I am at wits end I would never hurt her or get too strong in my requests), a stroll down the driveway and several different attempted paths, she deigned to accept that the field was the only place she would be allowed to eat. (The one rule was she could stand there, but her head could not drop to the grass). And she accompanied me to the field.
But ai yai yai! There are days I wonder WHY I love my mares so. Geldings are lovely. But I will always love mares. *eyeroll* There is just something so rewarding about them. Even when they are CLEARLY looking at you and saying hey, twit, I am WAY smarter than you. Quit being so silly ;) We'll do this my way or not at all
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no subject
Date: 2006-08-02 07:35 pm (UTC)Clearly, geldings are not powerful members of bureaucracies who know how to manipulate the system.
What? I told you guys I was having a day of crazy. :-D
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Date: 2006-08-02 07:41 pm (UTC)so, should I be offering Mr. Mathy succour and possibly sleeping pills to slip into your supper? *snerk*
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Date: 2006-08-02 07:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-02 07:50 pm (UTC)What is the temp down your way?
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Date: 2006-08-02 07:54 pm (UTC)The Weather channel says it was 94 F, but felt like 97 F. That sounds right...
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Date: 2006-08-02 07:58 pm (UTC)Then I realized that yes, my gelding in fact *does* act an awfully lot like a typical mare. At least he doesn't go into heat, eh?
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Date: 2006-08-02 08:05 pm (UTC)Epona will get you every time ;) Even when you THINK you have outsmarted her, she finds a way....
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Date: 2006-08-02 08:25 pm (UTC)Now he is living with Teacher, and thanks to a week of rain, he has not had sufficient entertainment for his busy, busy brain. He's been rattling gates, testing fences, and generally driving people nuts. I asked her if he still had his shoes on. Apparently he does, which is a first. Usually he surgically removes them as a gesture of protest when he is Boooooooredboredboredboredboooooooooooored.
The alpha of that herd btw (old QH gelding, young Lipp-Arab Minion of the Evil One, and 3yo Lipp filly) is the senior gelding. He rules with an iron hoof. Filly-brat doesn't get a word in edgewise.
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Date: 2006-08-02 08:32 pm (UTC)also, *hee*
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Date: 2006-08-02 08:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-03 04:42 am (UTC)