The changing of the Guard

eieio · 06-01-2006, 08:42 AM

As a breeder it is not often one of my colts stays with me until adulthood, only one has managed this feat. Was it his palomino paint color, his curly platinum blonde mane, his lovely acceptance of riding, his boyish charm or his ability to make me laugh? Who knows but he stayed and his name is Saxxon (means Fair Haired Warrior). I have watched this youngster grow and he is three now. He lives in a world of mares, gelded at 1.5 years, he has no idea of what a mare is for but he has lived his entire life with them and knows nothing else. Around six months ago, I witnessed his decision that he would move up the pecking order, no matter how many bite marks he would have to endure. There have been many and I realized last night that the guard had changed.

We put hay out last night as the drought has severely effected our grazing. The hay was beautiful, fine, soft, bright green, aromatic and recently cut. He came down the hill in the first group and like the the others was very pleased with the buffet. He took two bites and galloped off up the hill. I thought this was strange. Then a few minutes later he returned with several of the other horses that had not come down, ears flat back, lips tight, herding them at a trot down the hill. He then proceeded to get everyone arranged at a hay pile, stop a couple of fights and flat out tell the alpha mare who was the boss and why. He then settled in grazing with his girlfriend Joey and her son Boomer.

Boermann has been lead gelding in this group for a long time, but when Saxxon walked by, he skipped out of the way. With Saxxon's leadership now firmly cemented, I have a new "lead" gelding. He seems to be a compassionate leader and I glad to see that he is doing a better job making sure everyone has reasonable grazing and eating rights (Boermann was getting much too old for this work) In a herd of twenty, somebody has to keep order and it looks like he is just the man to do it!

I know this weird but, it like watching your child graduate from college. I actually feel so proud of him and for him. I am also glad to see a horse that fully understands that he is a horse and knows full well how to care for himself and others. Granted this is a horse who loves humans, but he is all horse all the same. Here he is with his half sister Mickie and my daughter last summer. He is on the right side!

treasure1 · 06-01-2006, 08:56 AM

Go saxxton

Heres to many years of ruling the roost

Kemstar · 06-01-2006, 09:07 AM

What a great story! Hugs for sharing it with all of us.

MaggyMae · 06-01-2006, 09:38 AM

Good for him! Very interesting how they work these things out. You have a way with words, too - makes for very entertaining reading.

**TDH** · 06-01-2006, 10:30 AM

It's so fun to read a story like this; I would have loved to have been a witness to how it all went! Extremely interesting to watch horses and how they establish their heirarchy!

And nice looking horses too, by the way.

eieio · 06-01-2006, 12:27 PM

Thank you, I am quite partial to them both. Mickie (on the right) will give birth to my first great grand foal in the spring. I am very excited she is 58 days in foal to Charlie. Both are Tiger babies with different dams.

I am glad everyone enjoyed it!

Faceman · 06-01-2006, 12:44 PM

Neat story. I am just fascinated with horses and their herd behavior and communication. Sometimes I just sit and watch them for hours. Some of their "language" and interactions are really subtle, but if you study them long enough you see the consistency and realize these things are not random, but their form of communication.

What always amazes me is how the key members in the pecking order have their respective "jobs", and as the pecking order changes they change jobs to fit their new position.

Herd dynamics is pretty intriguing, but I know - I should get a life...

Orchid · 06-01-2006, 12:52 PM

You mean there is more to life than watching herd interactions? Where? When?

I really liked your story, eieio. Very well written! Saxxon sounds like a pretty special guy.

For a long time I only had two geldings, and their pecking order never changed from the day I bought them, even though other horses moved in and out over the years. Then I got a gelding who would stand for nothing less than being the boss. My alpha gelding suddenly went to low man on the totem pole - the gelding who has always been smack in the middle, stayed there. Boy was my husband mad! For someone who supposedly just tolerates the horses, he was awfully offended that my former alpha gelding was now being "picked on".

eieio · 06-01-2006, 12:53 PM

I agree, if it weren't for hubby I would say forget the cable and just watch them. A herd of horses is better than a soap opera, everything they do has a reason and a purpose. It is so cool. We have to get a life together Face!

eieio · 06-01-2006, 01:16 PM

That is strange how that happens Orchid. I have seen it with mares and in a large group it causes confusion. In his tenure Boermann would allow that. We had one gelding that would bully all the babies and geldings but all the mares would bully him. Thankfully he was a boarder for a short time and left for another state. It caused mass confusion, there was this constant rotation at the hay piles, everyone stayed beaten up, the bottom end horses never got to eat quietly. The strange thing is that since in a herd, many will pair and group up not according to pecking order, this caused some pairs to stop eating all together, even though one was quite high in the order.

I am delighted that Saxxon has "risen" to the top of the order and I am also glad he is young. Young horses tend to have less fear from newer horses coming into the herd. My old lead gelding (who was sold a couple of years back) would never haver let such confusion happen in his pasture. He ruled absolutely with the alpha mare as his pair mate. I am going to be very interested to see how will Joey rise in the herd (she is bottom mare) now that her pairmate has become Alfa. Alomost better than a soap opera!

**TDH** · 06-01-2006, 01:24 PM

Herd dynamics is one of the most fascinating things to watch, I'm with you guys. I had an old mare several years ago that was at the bottom of the totem pole where she came from. When she came to my place, she ruled the roost! Then when I had her at my parent's for a while... she was low man again...but alpha when she came back home again.

These days hubby's gelding Taz is definitely the boss. But he's very fair and only punishes when it's needed; long as everyone else doesn't step out of line, he's nice to everybody. I'll never forget when my young black gelding Stormy got turned out in the pasture with him once earlier this spring... a few days later he must have REALLY ticked Taz off, because I was watching from the kitchen window while Taz kept the other mare and filly sort of rounded up; he was trotting around them, snaking at Stormy, occasionally thundering after him and chasing him off a ways if he thought Stormy got too close, before coming back to the girls...mean time Stormy's running with his tail tucked, head extended and clicking his teeth... I don't know what on earth he did, but for about 20 minutes he lived to regret it!

Taz doesn't beat up on them, but sure looks and acts like a scary monster when he's teaching them their place! It's just completely fascinating watching that stuff.... and funny some times too.

And goes to show why some people on here recommend the "crazy lady" response when telling a horse when he's crossed the line.

gbarmranch · 06-01-2006, 01:32 PM

It is such a great story...you are a very good writer and very observant

I am also glad to hear that others. like me, would rather watch their horses then television any day....

Sassy · 06-01-2006, 02:05 PM

It is always so intreging to watch horses with the intricacy of the social plains! Thanks for sharing!

BornToRide · 06-02-2006, 10:01 PM

Fascinating story. I love watching a herd of horses when they meet a new horse or what not.

Rebecca · 06-03-2006, 07:09 AM

"I have a new "lead" gelding. He seems to be a compassionate leader..." - eieio

I love the story "The changing of the Guard".
It was very enjoyable.

We had an Appaloosa gelding who was a very good herd leader.
He even kept our young stallion in line.
He would step in between horses that were having arguments and break up the fights.
Good old "Ranger" could be counted on to "keep the peace".

Sound like Saxxon is going to be a good leader of the herd.
Three cheers for SAXXON!

Range · 06-03-2006, 09:10 AM

What a proud moment! And, compassionate leaders are the BEST horses. Romeo is a great lead gelding in his field. Now, my mare is alpha here, even in her own secluded pasture, and she is NOT compassionate. However, when other mares are brought in, she is no longer dominant. Poor thing.

06-01-2006, 08:42 AM
eieio Greenbroke Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,138	The changing of the Guard As a breeder it is not often one of my colts stays with me until adulthood, only one has managed this feat. Was it his palomino paint color, his curly platinum blonde mane, his lovely acceptance of riding, his boyish charm or his ability to make me laugh? Who knows but he stayed and his name is Saxxon (means Fair Haired Warrior). I have watched this youngster grow and he is three now. He lives in a world of mares, gelded at 1.5 years, he has no idea of what a mare is for but he has lived his entire life with them and knows nothing else. Around six months ago, I witnessed his decision that he would move up the pecking order, no matter how many bite marks he would have to endure. There have been many and I realized last night that the guard had changed. We put hay out last night as the drought has severely effected our grazing. The hay was beautiful, fine, soft, bright green, aromatic and recently cut. He came down the hill in the first group and like the the others was very pleased with the buffet. He took two bites and galloped off up the hill. I thought this was strange. Then a few minutes later he returned with several of the other horses that had not come down, ears flat back, lips tight, herding them at a trot down the hill. He then proceeded to get everyone arranged at a hay pile, stop a couple of fights and flat out tell the alpha mare who was the boss and why. He then settled in grazing with his girlfriend Joey and her son Boomer. Boermann has been lead gelding in this group for a long time, but when Saxxon walked by, he skipped out of the way. With Saxxon's leadership now firmly cemented, I have a new "lead" gelding. He seems to be a compassionate leader and I glad to see that he is doing a better job making sure everyone has reasonable grazing and eating rights (Boermann was getting much too old for this work) In a herd of twenty, somebody has to keep order and it looks like he is just the man to do it! I know this weird but, it like watching your child graduate from college. I actually feel so proud of him and for him. I am also glad to see a horse that fully understands that he is a horse and knows full well how to care for himself and others. Granted this is a horse who loves humans, but he is all horse all the same. Here he is with his half sister Mickie and my daughter last summer. He is on the right side! __________________ There is no such thing as a always or never in the horse world. Say that one time and some horse some where will prove you wrong!.

06-01-2006, 08:56 AM
treasure1 Yearling Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: South lyon, Michigan Posts: 904	Go saxxton Heres to many years of ruling the roost __________________ RIP: Neverskiphercolor

06-01-2006, 09:07 AM
Kemstar Yearling Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Salem, Virginia Posts: 896	What a great story! Hugs for sharing it with all of us. __________________ May we all ride as well as we do in our dreams!

06-01-2006, 09:38 AM
MaggyMae Yearling Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 716	Good for him! Very interesting how they work these things out. You have a way with words, too - makes for very entertaining reading. __________________ Visit the U.S. Equine Rescue League website to learn about our rescued horses: http://www.userl.org/index.html

06-01-2006, 10:30 AM
TDH Welcome and Introductions Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Iowa Posts: 4,232	It's so fun to read a story like this; I would have loved to have been a witness to how it all went! Extremely interesting to watch horses and how they establish their heirarchy! And nice looking horses too, by the way. __________________ "If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." - Ronald Reagan

06-01-2006, 12:27 PM
eieio Greenbroke Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,138	Thank you, I am quite partial to them both. Mickie (on the right) will give birth to my first great grand foal in the spring. I am very excited she is 58 days in foal to Charlie. Both are Tiger babies with different dams. I am glad everyone enjoyed it! __________________ There is no such thing as a always or never in the horse world. Say that one time and some horse some where will prove you wrong!.

06-01-2006, 12:44 PM
Faceman Kid Safe Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Arkansas Ozarks Posts: 7,421	Neat story. I am just fascinated with horses and their herd behavior and communication. Sometimes I just sit and watch them for hours. Some of their "language" and interactions are really subtle, but if you study them long enough you see the consistency and realize these things are not random, but their form of communication. What always amazes me is how the key members in the pecking order have their respective "jobs", and as the pecking order changes they change jobs to fit their new position. Herd dynamics is pretty intriguing, but I know - I should get a life...

06-01-2006, 12:52 PM
Orchid Bombproof Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 11,048	You mean there is more to life than watching herd interactions? Where? When? I really liked your story, eieio. Very well written! Saxxon sounds like a pretty special guy. For a long time I only had two geldings, and their pecking order never changed from the day I bought them, even though other horses moved in and out over the years. Then I got a gelding who would stand for nothing less than being the boss. My alpha gelding suddenly went to low man on the totem pole - the gelding who has always been smack in the middle, stayed there. Boy was my husband mad! For someone who supposedly just tolerates the horses, he was awfully offended that my former alpha gelding was now being "picked on". __________________ Careful what you wish; Careful what you say; Careful what you wish; You may regret it; Careful what you wish; You just might get it. ~ Metallica, King Nothing

06-01-2006, 12:53 PM
eieio Greenbroke Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,138	I agree, if it weren't for hubby I would say forget the cable and just watch them. A herd of horses is better than a soap opera, everything they do has a reason and a purpose. It is so cool. We have to get a life together Face! __________________ There is no such thing as a always or never in the horse world. Say that one time and some horse some where will prove you wrong!.

06-01-2006, 01:16 PM
eieio Greenbroke Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,138	That is strange how that happens Orchid. I have seen it with mares and in a large group it causes confusion. In his tenure Boermann would allow that. We had one gelding that would bully all the babies and geldings but all the mares would bully him. Thankfully he was a boarder for a short time and left for another state. It caused mass confusion, there was this constant rotation at the hay piles, everyone stayed beaten up, the bottom end horses never got to eat quietly. The strange thing is that since in a herd, many will pair and group up not according to pecking order, this caused some pairs to stop eating all together, even though one was quite high in the order. I am delighted that Saxxon has "risen" to the top of the order and I am also glad he is young. Young horses tend to have less fear from newer horses coming into the herd. My old lead gelding (who was sold a couple of years back) would never haver let such confusion happen in his pasture. He ruled absolutely with the alpha mare as his pair mate. I am going to be very interested to see how will Joey rise in the herd (she is bottom mare) now that her pairmate has become Alfa. Alomost better than a soap opera! __________________ There is no such thing as a always or never in the horse world. Say that one time and some horse some where will prove you wrong!.

06-01-2006, 01:24 PM
TDH Welcome and Introductions Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Iowa Posts: 4,232	Herd dynamics is one of the most fascinating things to watch, I'm with you guys. I had an old mare several years ago that was at the bottom of the totem pole where she came from. When she came to my place, she ruled the roost! Then when I had her at my parent's for a while... she was low man again...but alpha when she came back home again. These days hubby's gelding Taz is definitely the boss. But he's very fair and only punishes when it's needed; long as everyone else doesn't step out of line, he's nice to everybody. I'll never forget when my young black gelding Stormy got turned out in the pasture with him once earlier this spring... a few days later he must have REALLY ticked Taz off, because I was watching from the kitchen window while Taz kept the other mare and filly sort of rounded up; he was trotting around them, snaking at Stormy, occasionally thundering after him and chasing him off a ways if he thought Stormy got too close, before coming back to the girls...mean time Stormy's running with his tail tucked, head extended and clicking his teeth... I don't know what on earth he did, but for about 20 minutes he lived to regret it! Taz doesn't beat up on them, but sure looks and acts like a scary monster when he's teaching them their place! It's just completely fascinating watching that stuff.... and funny some times too. And goes to show why some people on here recommend the "crazy lady" response when telling a horse when he's crossed the line. __________________ "If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." - Ronald Reagan

06-01-2006, 01:32 PM
gbarmranch Pasture Pet Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mayberry Posts: 32,635	It is such a great story...you are a very good writer and very observant I am also glad to hear that others. like me, would rather watch their horses then television any day.... __________________ http://home.earthlink.net/~vpgann Quality Foundation Quarter Horses If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself." Augustine of Hippo

06-01-2006, 02:05 PM
Sassy Started Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Northern Alberta, Canada Posts: 2,338	It is always so intreging to watch horses with the intricacy of the social plains! Thanks for sharing! __________________ A horse which stops dead just before a jump and thus propels its rider into a graceful arc provides a splendid excuse for general merriment. ~ DUKE OF ENDINBURGH ~

06-02-2006, 10:01 PM
BornToRide Coming two Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,639	Fascinating story. I love watching a herd of horses when they meet a new horse or what not. __________________ There's something about the outside of a horse that's good for the inside of a man.-Winston Churchill

06-03-2006, 07:09 AM
Rebecca Greenbroke Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: East Texas Posts: 3,196	"I have a new "lead" gelding. He seems to be a compassionate leader..." - eieio I love the story "The changing of the Guard". It was very enjoyable. We had an Appaloosa gelding who was a very good herd leader. He even kept our young stallion in line. He would step in between horses that were having arguments and break up the fights. Good old "Ranger" could be counted on to "keep the peace". Sound like Saxxon is going to be a good leader of the herd. Three cheers for SAXXON!

06-03-2006, 09:10 AM
Range Kid Safe Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Back of Beyond Posts: 6,739	changing What a proud moment! And, compassionate leaders are the BEST horses. Romeo is a great lead gelding in his field. Now, my mare is alpha here, even in her own secluded pasture, and she is NOT compassionate. However, when other mares are brought in, she is no longer dominant. Poor thing. __________________ "Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it all... you just might get it all, and then some you don't want." Chris Daughtery