I was just wondering if anyone has any insight into a certain behavior that my 9 yr old arabian mare displays sometimes. She will give a very low sounding nicker and get a strange posture and look in her eye. She arches her neck and gets very mouthy (which I do not condone) while making this low sound. She has displayed this behavior when I was working on teaching her a few tricks, including bowing and standing on a block, however she sometimes does it out of the blue.
For example, a few days ago she did it after riding. It started out as nuzzling while I was petting her, then she just nudged me and started nickering. She has reared on a few of these occasions, but not out of malice- she does not even seem very excited. It is definitely not fear. It almost sounds like she is trying to communicate with me, but it is like seeing a totally different horse than the one I know. She is normally a completely sweet, laid-back type of horse and does not get grumpy when it heat- although she does get sensitive on her belly.
This behavior has been present at intervals since I got her, and although I am normally very good at reading my animals, when she does this I just don't understand what she is thinking. It is very odd, and I am not sure I like it. I do use hay stretcher pellets as a reward when training her to do tricks, but on the other occasions there was no food involved. She is not aggressive while eating, and takes treats quite gently.
Anyone have any explainations for this behavior? Do you know any other horses who do this?
Without knowing the horse and not actually *seeing* the behavior as performed, I think it's terribly hard to say anything - unless I had experienced the same thing, of course.
It's definitely some form of communication, though. Arabians are special too, and in my experience can be more expressive than other breeds..
Low nicker is usually saved for their babies or when courted by a stallion. Maybe she just displays a deep affection for you? ;)
Kim-
I don't have an explanation either, but I wonder if it is indeed related to asking for a treat. I work with Arabs at the ranch where my horse is boarded, and I know that when feeding time comes, a lot of the horses go into that low nicker mode. I do know that Monty strongly suggests against feeding from the hand, to keep the horse from frisking you for food/biting.
Perhaps if you could capture it on video and post a link here, we students could have a look and then offer suggestions/help. Best I can think of without seeing the behavior.
It does sound like she is asking for her treat.....
I have my own "strange behaviour" to ask any of you about, if you please.....
I have written about Willow all over this Forum. She is gentle and sweet and trusting and definately knows me. I used to groom her while she ate and never moved an inch. Then, one day as I was brushing towards her rump on her left side (which is away from the wall of her stall so I always start there) she just lifted her hind leg real high, like a spring. I backed off slowly without letting adrenalin rise but unsettled inside. Continued brushing her neck and then left her. All this time she kept on munching her hay.
I tried it again the following day and there it was again. I spoke to her and then left her. So I tried doing it outside.... no problem whatsoever. I brushed her all over, even her tail (yes, I know, from the side just in case). I tried once more in her stall and there it was again. I wonder, doesn´t she want me grooming her while she eats now that she is "2 and 1/2? Is it something I have done? She just "coils" her back leg ready to kick out but in all fair warning. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Christy
It does sound like she is asking for her treat.....
I have my own "strange behaviour" to ask any of you about, if you please.....
I have written about Willow all over this Forum. She is gentle and sweet and trusting and definately knows me. I used to groom her while she ate and never moved an inch. Then, one day as I was brushing towards her rump on her left side (which is away from the wall of her stall so I always start there) she just lifted her hind leg real high, like a spring. I backed off slowly without letting adrenalin rise but unsettled inside. Continued brushing her neck and then left her. All this time she kept on munching her hay.
I tried it again the following day and there it was again. I spoke to her and then left her. So I tried doing it outside.... no problem whatsoever. I brushed her all over, even her tail (yes, I know, from the side just in case). I tried once more in her stall and there it was again. I wonder, doesn´t she want me grooming her while she eats now that she is "2 and 1/2? Is it something I have done? She just "coils" her back leg ready to kick out but in all fair warning. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Christy
I'm thinking she happened to lift her leg for a fly or anything not of your doing, (possibly something did hurt where you brushed - my mare reacts like that when her knees bother her ) - and got that response from you.
So she does it again and learn that she can move you away.
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They are kind of one track minded sometimes, so she hasn't necessarily figured out that this "works" in other places. Or maybe she doesn't feel the need to move you there.
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I think she is messing with you. Unless she gets viscous, I would keep the brush still in place and just wait her out and then continue like nothing had happened. If she persists, I would try to move her back or forth or get her to yield the leg - any way I show that I control movement,and praise her the moment she obeys, so you don't pat her in an effort to "calm" her when she kicks.
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Good thing you didn't yell at her - that never helps.
By all means, check for scabs, splinters, insect bites. Maybe she is in a growing phase and her muscles, ligaments or connective tissue are sore or sensitive?
some horses show this behaviour when they are confused. Foals will tipically do this when they are saying 'please don't hurt me, i'm only young'
its just a case of building trust and rewarding good behaviour however small.
Maybe doctors for humans should not try to be a vet... Anyway, the behaviour reminds me of a special kind of epileptic attacks in children without seizures.
If she did it 2 days in a row, is it possible that she developed a sensitive or sore spot that you brushed over?
I will give you a possible clue. I have worked, taught 2 Thoroughbreds recently, and have had the exact response as you. I was giving Onyx a gentle massage--all under belly and between his inner back thighs. All of a sudded he raised his back leg up and to the side. In my ignorance,I reacted automatically as if the movement was the beginning of a kick. I'm sorry to admit, I gave him an automatic slap and in a very harsh voice told him "NO Kick". This was done in a split second but I knew instinctly That I had read his behavior incorectly. He was already backing up to me so I would rub under his tail and down his back legs.
SOOOO--next day as I massaged his legs--iner and outer-I stood as close to his side as I could and that was when I felt him take thje weight off the near side I was massageing. When he shifted his weight I kept my hands in contack with that wonderfull soft inner thigh and he lifted foot and leg up. What I saw was a horse reacting to a wonderful feel that only I could provide for him. They cannot reach up under themselves to scratch this area. I saw what I now could tell was his feel good behavior that I had totally missread.
Now the 2nd horse, Joe, actually somehow unhinges his hip joint when he shows me where to massage. First time he did this move, I thought he was going to fall down.He does it on both sides so I just kept touching his inner thigs until he decides it is enough and I stop.
I am so pleased that these horses trust me enough that they allow me to work with their belly and inner legs. After all their DNA is programmed to protect their vital organs and their legs. These are the areas that preditor animals attack to bring a horse down for their next meal. And don't EVER forget, we are the top ranking preditors and the horse is the prey animal. If we humans can learn this preditor-prey relationship, and that it is both HARD-WIRED in our respective brains, it might make our relationships much more understandable and kind.
I sincerily hope this gives you another safe and mutually satisfying relationship with your horses. Let me know how it develops. Bobbie Morthland
Martin Pond Equestrian Farm
126 Civitan Rd.
Dadeville, AL
36853
Mail--morthlandb@bellsouth.net
256-825-9621
Now that you mention it, morthlandb, my adult horse lifts her leg in that way as well to give me more room to scratch her between her thighs or clean her udder.
I didn't connect it with what Christy describes since she said she was brushing her back, but it could very well be that her mare wanted to her to scratch her there as well.
I leave the horses alone while they eat.I have seen some strange moves while horses are being massaged too.Backs humping up and hindies lifting .Would be good to see a vid of the mare .
I used to own a tb (bob's best friend, who I go to visit quite often :)) who would walk in front of you as you went to leave the field, then swing his bum at you for a bum scratch and then hold his tail right up and to one side lol!
Now on the other hand the Mare at our current yard swings her bum at you, pins her ears and then reverses, in this case definitely wise to steer clear!
If she does it again I'd check her facial expression, that should tell you whether she's just enjoying the scratch or wants to kick.
Well! thnakyou for all the comments. Sorry I haven´t had time to get back to all of you earlier...
Let´s see, I doubt she has epilepsy and she has never ever been hurt by a human. Everybody in my village knows Willow is mine and respect my ways even though thinking I´m crazy. She trusts me ever since our first night together but I know sooo little that I was unsure how to react. Someplace else, I have mentioned age. I am 55 and very well, thankyou. But I am fully aware of the fact that if Willow should kick me for whatever reason, it would be very dangerous for my bones. Therefore when she coiled her muscles the first thing I thought of was that I was doing something wrong....
That maybe, as she is growing she wants to be "left alone" while she eats but loves her grooming when she is not.
I have never ever before groomed a horse let alone lifted a horse´s legs. I always try to remember to be on the safe side, after all she is getting big , about 350k and I have learned to keep my feet turned in and not in her way and have never yet crossed in back of her; when I brush her tail I do it from her side and no problem.
I was watching Monty use a pole with plastic bags tied to it with a skittish horse in one of the lessons and I think what I ought to do is find myself one and start passing it all over Willow and watch her reactions and facial expressions so I know whether she is warning me or enjoying the rub and I just hadn´t understood....
I tell you, I am learning as much from all the comments as from Monty´s lessons. Thank you again and I will let you know!
Christy