Those Chestnut TB Mares
I love ‘em.
For example, Her Highness. Her Highness is one of the mares I walk a couple times a week. She and I get along great, because we both want attention on our terms and none of that lovey-dovey huggy stuff.
Over the past year, we’ve come to certain understandings, mostly revolving around who is the Alpha Mare (me, natch). Other understandings: Thou Shalt Not Step on the Alpha Mare’s Foot While She Is Grooming You. Thou Shalt Not Turn Your Butt Towards the Alpha Mare When She Is In The Stall With You. Thou Still Art Not the Alpha Mare, and if You Keep Pretending To Be the Alpha Mare, the Alpha Mare Will Do Something Unspeakable To You, Like Clean Your Udder, So Un-pin Those Ears Right Now, Missy.
And so on. She’s a TB with personality, and I loff her.
So, Sunday, we were walking in the arena. There’s scaffolding in the corner (blocked off so the horses wouldn’t get caught up in it, but clearly visible). It’s been there for a few weeks. But as we walked past it Sunday, she decided to spook. Decided, yes. This was calculated.
She crouched down, preparing to jump forwards or sideways, and then looked at me. She immediately got an “oh, crap” look on her face. We were just heading into the corner, she was on the rail, and I was to the inside.
I’ve never seen her pull backwards during a spook, so I guess that’s not an option for her. She also knows better than to run over the top of people–so even when she spooks, given half a second to think she picks the space without a person standing in it over the space with a person standing in it. Which meant that, having seen me, she realized spooking sideways was… well, an option, but a very bad one. Her only other choice? To jump forward–in the direction of the scaffolding.
For ten or fifteen seconds she crouched, trying to figure out what to do. I talked to her, hoping she’d just step forward, but she had her dignity to think of, after all. Walking forward would be tantamount to admitting there was nothing worth spooking over in the first place.
She compromised by jumping forward and to the side just a little bit. Then stood there with her head hanging down and the most embarrassed expression on her face that I have ever seen.
Poor mare! All that setup, and nowhere to go!
Learning Horses says 20 December 2006
I love red headed girls. They are the sassiest and most obnoxious, but will work harder and be more dedicated than anyone else (but don’t tell them I told you).