Marish Monday
"I was riding this weekend and had such a stereotypical "marish" experience I thought I would pass it along to you! I am training a 4.5 y.o. little mare named Sophie, who is still developing her sense of self-confidence. She is paddocked next to Bella, my Hanoverian mare, who later became my sister's mare, and who is now not being ridden because my sister is on maternity leave.
The lack of exercise has brought out the very most of her marish behavior. Bella will come up to a fence to take a cookie from me, but gives me a look of scorn and disgust if I even consider patting her neck or petting her face; her love is conditioned on being fed treats. She is also quite mean to little Sophie across the fence: lunges with lips curled if Sophie gets too close, and is excessively paranoid that Sophie will take her hay, etc. But of course when I take Sophie up to the barn to ride, Bella suddenly decides that Sophie is her dearest friend whom she just absolutely cannot live without. Bella neighs anxiously for Sophie to return, and Sophie becomes nervous in the barn hearing Bella call for her. (Maybe Bella is just worried Sophie is getting cookies up in the barn!).
When I return Sophie to the paddock they engage in "hormotional" behavior (my husband's term, it equals hormones + emotional), squealing and rubbing. Yet because Sophie is now back in sight, Bella once again turns on her with the utmost bossiness she can conjure. I just have to laugh! Bella and Sophie live up to the saying: "Can't live with her, can't live without her..." They don't have attachment or 'barn sour' issues, just mare-on-mare issues!
[Here's a photo of the girls yesterday] in the turn out after being in the barn due to the rain. Sophie is in the front, and Bella is with her ears innocently perked.
(And of course a disclaimer: they do not engage in harmful behavior, nor are they at risk of physical injury; also, we keep them next to each other so they can both have paddocks with their own shelters)"
Hahaha! Thanks so much for the story, Corinna!! Check out the Ribbons and Red Tape blog; you'll love it! And don't forget to submit your marish stories for next week!!
haha, my husband will laugh that the "hormational" term was used! I hope it is still apparent that I really do love Bella, she is a beautiful mare and a joy to ride, we will have her until the day she dies. But... she IS a stereotypical mare!
ReplyDelete