Liquid Gold is gone, replaced by this interesting trio:
The mare is in the lead, a dominant girl in hiding. The shetland is a little shit-disturbing gelding. Very nice riding mount, but I suppose you just can't shake all of the pony obstinance outta them. He's been enjoying pushing Bill's buttons. And the old man bringing up the rear is a sweetheart I used to look after at another barn 13 years ago! His pony has been getting him into a lot of trouble with our herd leader. Poor Sailor just isn't as wiley as his shorter counterpart and often gets the brunt of Bill's rebukes.
In fact, it was 7 hairy days during the nastiest fall weather that Bill was making me wish him 6 feet under. He's a phenomenal herd leader, offering protection second to none, but integrating males to his harem is tricky business. Once a horse is in, though, he's their valiant protector for life. I'm glad he's not a horse to corner or constantly pick at anyone. I guess he makes his point clearly enough that all is required to continue his assertion and maintain order is some serious Ugly Face. He's great about protecting herd members from bullies within, too. Yes, he redeems himself a zillion times over once the dust settles.
Poor old Sailor has bald patch gashes head to tail and was chased through our electric fence twice. Thankfully, it was internal cross-fencing (rather than perimeter fence) and we use electric rope, which offers plenty of give and avoids serious injuries. In fact, other than his surface trophies, he has suffered no other ill effects from the altercations. Checkers the pony sustains not a mark, of course. The little shit would go into Bill's buffer zone and stir him up. Sailor, like a good protector himself, would try to protect his little scamp. And Sailor's mare (Minuet) just flirted back and forth with everyone.
At miday on the 7th day, everything changed. Liquid Gold had left the day before and we had pulled Bill's #2 mare into a seperate corral to complete a weaning process and allow her bag to dry up.
Mini went into heat, barrelled into the middle of Bill's herd and let both cannons fly. "Hey bitches. I'm here - MOVE OVER". I'm thinking a smaller hullo may have won her more friends, but she did catch Bill's eye. After some clear rule-setting such as "Don't pick on the babies!", he's seperated her from her Old Man and her Mini-Me. He continues to keep those two on the perimeter of the herd, though they are now allowed to eat in the same hemisphere. Minuet still comes visiting every time I feed Sailor his seniors feed, the little piggy.
I'm glad Patrick talked me out of removing Bill from the herd. It likely would have increased his frustration and subsequently his aggression when we would have been eventually forced to put them together again. Better to remove the alpha's motivation for defensiveness. One happy herd is so much emotionally healthier.
We have a full house. Full of wonderful personalities!
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