[juliesowner]

I was out feeding tonight and our horses were down at the end of the field and they idn't wan't to come up but they finally started coming and our TB was galloping and my little horse was totting.

Well our TB got them all excited and for no reason three of them started chasing my horse. Well they cornered her and she made a sharp turn and fell and one of them was biting her and she couldn't get up. Finally she got up and they started chasing her again.

Finaly we got her in the catch pen and her back legs were all cut up and she had some bites on her shoulder. She was breathing really hard so we walked her for a while before we fed her.

Then we brought her up and I gave her a liniment bath and cold hosed her legs. We put her out with her friend in a small paddock for the night. None of the cuts are real bad but I think she will be really sore tomorrow.

Why do you think they did that?
Is there anything else I can do for her?

[Blistering Winds]

Any new horses added to the herd lately?

[dallasbarnone]

poor little thing- shes probably on the bottom of the pecking order and they gang up on her- i wouldnt put her out with them again -if she has a friend that gets along with her then id just put here in there. Ive seen that happen- makes you want to run out and kick the **** out of the others in defense . She may well be sore tomorrow- just see what swells or if shes lame- if she is you really can' t put her back out with them-if she can't get away. Lucky they didnt catch her in the head and kill her. Have they all been together long? ive only seen them that aggressive with newcomers.

[HappyJoy]

i'm so sorry! i hope she recovers soon! i would put her in a seperate pasture with a buddy for company to ensure that it doesn't happen again. herd dynamics can be so tricky, it would be so nice if they all just got along!

[juliesowner]

No newcomers. She has a friend and she is out with him right now in a small paddock but I can't leave her there forever. We are going to get her in a different pasture though.

I had to use listernine mixed with water for her liniment bath because I don't have any liniment right now. I didn't know how much so I just dumped a little in but is there a set measure in case I need to do it tomorrow?

Thanks you guys.

[caballus]

I think she'll be OK ... horses do this to vy for hierarchial positioning in the herd. If she's the "low man on the totem pole" she's going to have her feet shuffled around now and then by the others. The fact that she got cornered added to the insult cause then she had no where to get away from them.

I have to say, tho, that if this were to continue I'd personally ask that she be moved to a different paddock with one or two buddies instead of out with a herd that continually beats up on her.

She should recover nicely without issues. Horses do this all the time in the wild but, then, they have room to move out if they need to do so.

BTW, "Calendula Ointment" is a WONDERFUL healing agent for wounds. It also is an antiseptic and antibacterial as well as a bloodclot. It is based in petroleum in the ointment version which helps the hair to grow back in quickly. It is all natural - no chemicals. Works better than Triple Antiobiotic creams! You can find it online or in your local health store. I keep that and Australian Tea Tree Oil around as staple in my first aid kits.

--caballus

[juliesowner]

Thanks. I don't think it was a hierarchy issue. The chasing went on too long and too far.

[caballus]

It most definitely is a hierarchy thing ... the horses would not do that to a horse higher ranking than they are, period. As I said, I probably would try to find another turnout situation for your girl.


cab

[juliesowner]

It was not a hierarchy issue. There were threee of them chasing her around from one end of the pasture to the other and back again. Keep in mind our pasture is like a 30 acre pasture. They were after her like she was food and they were cougars.

[Blistering Winds]

julie, I have to agree with Caballus, it IS a hierarchial issue. It ALWAYS is when other horses gang up on one horse.

She probably stepped over the line, got too close to one higher than them, and WHAM, free for all with that little "cliq". It doesn't happen too often, but for example

If there are 10 horses in the herd. She is number 9. She walks over and tries to be-friends #4. Not ONLY Will she be attacked by #4, but 5, 6, 7, AND 8 all will make sure she knows her place is NOT in those positions. Because if #7 does not say anything to her, she has reached a new position in the herd as #7 and #7 and #8 move down.

It looks BAD when a bunch attack, but she may have stepped INTO The herd instead of out of the herd when the first horse pinned her ears. And that might have led to the horrible chase that you witnessed. They wanted her to KNOW her position and know it well.