Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my question is why do all the horses treat my liberty the way they do?

liberty is a mare she is very quiet and does nothing but walk through the pasture. we were at one barn for 1 year for that year ALL the horses are very nasty to her they mount her bit her she is a walking scare. its not the mares mounting her but the geldings are doing most of the beating. it got to the point that she could not go into the run in out of the weather. when suddenly jennings my gelding started to care for her, he started to protect her keeping all the other horses away from her. puting him self between the horses and her. he then started to get bit from defending her. he would stand in the rain snow heat of summer with her even though he could go into the run in. i seen one gelding let out into pasture and ran right to her, jumped agressavly onto her back bit her and she just ran off as jennings ran to her aid. she will hide between me and the other horses never fights back. she acts like she is not home very withdrawn if she were a person that is what i would call it. right now the only feelings i have for her is concern. i dont know who she is. she seems to have no personality just there. i took ownership of her in jan,2005 but have been at the barn with her for a year and a half. i now have her because her old owner was afraid of her. in feb is when jen started to protect her and most of her bad manners are gone, but my concern is when she is being used as a punching bag. is there anything i can do for her?

i just moved them hoping things would be better the other horses still pick on her and still cant go into the run in. they have only been there for a short time and i hope things change. but now a unhealth relationship is forming between jen and lib. when i seperate jen from lib. jen get very upset, i am sure that is a training question and one i will work on but i cant see the solution to what her herd members are doing to her?

I take it this is at a boarding facility and a pasture to herself wouldn't be an option? Wow, I've heard of horse abuse, but this is certainly different...
If there is one thing I've learned in my time with horses it's this: they're gluttons for punishment.
The unhealthy relationship has happened on my turf, too. My mare and gelding have become inseperable. If you try to work with Pistol too far away from Lacy, he'll have a fit, and if you try to work with Lacy too far from Pistol, he'll have an even bigger fit! Funny though, he's the only one truly having the fit... Lacy just gets a little headshaking attitude, but nothing dangerous.
Another thing. A pasture to herself may not be all that bad. All three of my horses actually do MUCH better when they are by themselves. Pistol likes people more, he relaxes more because no one's around to pick on him, and even looks happier and calmer in the eyes. Boo is the same way, but he is already the type to instantly ditch the herd for me. Lacy is OK with the herd, she's in charge, but really, when she's by herself, she couldn't be more peaceful and calm. They all eat slower, lay down and relax more often, are happier to see us, eat healthier, and just seem to be so much more at peace. It's funny how it worked out too, because a horse that actually enjoys being alone is supposedly rare! And no, they're not depressed, they're quite a bit happier. Trainers, farriers, and vets alike were all surprised when they visited the different isolated ones. Boo in particular likes to be alone because he doesn't like his herdmates. He's very pokeymosey and laid back, while they are high strung and always pushy. Maybe that is your mare's problem.
Sorry to ramble about my own, but I'm just assuring you that maybe being by herself would be good for her. It will be tough at first to get her away from Jennings, but she needs to learn that yes she CAN survive when she's more than 10 feet away from him.

right now having her alone is not an opt. but a good suggestion better then what i have been getting. i was told that the other horses are useing her as a ralease? for there prob. but i have never herd of a horse getting its.. kicked for nothing. all the time. she likes jenning and maybe if i could find some were were the 2 can go out together only them it could help i am trying right now to get them home and was going to bring her home a month earlyer the jen but things arnt going the way i wanted them but thats a different story. i am just getting mad at all the other horse for hurting her. i am going through more swat then ever before because these are not threats they are drawing blood and the flys are just to much this year. if it was just treats then i wouldnt be so worried but its not! thank you for your reply and your help and i am going to see what i can do. thanks again!