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  Discussion on New experience for me - aggressive gelding
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Member:
Zohara

Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 12:49 pm:

Dear Dr. O,

I've had a very frightening experience with a 5 year old gelding recently, and I wonder if you can shed any light on what the problem stems from.

I have a herd of 7 Arabians, 5 mares and 2 geldings. All but 2 of them have been raised here since birth. Last week my neighbor asked if she could let her 3 horses (2 thoroughbreds and a mini) exercise in my front pasture. They've been corraled all winter, sadly, so I felt badly for them. I agreed they could come over and hang out for the afternoon.

They brought the thoroughbreds over first, and of course, my herd was excited, but they "chatted" over the fence separating them and all seemed just fine. Then the neighbors went back for the mini and turned him loose in the same pasture they put the other two in.

From the moment the mini showed up, one of my geldings became VERY upset. He paced the fence, ears pinned back, throwing his weight into the fence, lunging toward this little guy. I thought things would settle down, so I just kept a close eye on them. The behavior continued for several hours. All of my other horses had lost interest by then. The next time I looked out the window, my gelding was breaking through the gate (thank God I looked when I did) and literally ATTACKED this poor little mini. I went flying out the door, but by the time I got there, the other 9 horses were flying all over the place, full throttle. The gelding had the mini pinned down against a fence in a big snow drift. He was striking out at him with his front feet and biting him viciously. I was HELPLESS! I knew if I went into the pasture I was risking my life. Fortunately, with all the commotion from the other horses, the gelding was herded away from the mini long enough for the mini to get to his feet, dazed, teetering, and clueless. I saw his little brain kick in and he started trotting for the gate all of my horses just flew out of. So I ran for the same gate and got it closed behind him just as the gelding got there. He slammed into the gate, but it held.

Phew. It was awful.

So we got the little guy out of there, needless to say. AMAZINGLY, he didn't have a mark on him! His fur is so thick and long that he seemed to have been totally protected from the nashing teeth. Aside from a stunned look, he was fine.

My herd went right back to normal after the 3 neighbor horses were removed from the equation and there hasn't been any aggressive behavior from this gelding since. Nor had there ever been any before.

My fear is that now that I know this horse's potential, I'm afraid to ever take him around other horses. He was coming along under saddle pretty good last summer, but his only exposure to being ridden was in the pasture. The next obvious step is to get some trail hours on him. But I'm afraid he'll see another strange horse while I'm on him and I will no longer be driving as they say.

Any thoughts, opinions, or experiences from anyone would be greatly appreciated. Except for this recent murderous tendency, he's a really nice horse. ;-)

Thanks.

Diane}
Member:
Warwick

Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 2:06 pm:

Diane

What a horrid experience! It must have been terrifying for you and the poor mini.
Years ago I owned a chestnut Anglo-Arab gelding who had a maniacal hatred of all grey horses. In the warm-up rings at horse shows I had to keep him far away from any grey horse or else he would charge at them with teeth bared and feet flying. This behaviour did not decrease over time.

After owning him for about 4 years, I bought a 3 year old very dark grey warmblood filly. I put her in the paddock next to his and he immediatley took off like a rocket at the fence. Thank goodness the fence was solid and high or else he would have gone through it and probably killed the poor filly.

Somebody once told me that certain horses will attack grey or white horses because they believe they are an anomaly. I have absolutely no idea if there is any validity to this but my gelding was definitely a horse on a mission!
Member:
Warwick

Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 2:11 pm:

Forgot to add that like your gelding, mine was definitely not an aggressive horse in any other way. He could be ridden or turned out with other horses and would behave like a true gentleman.
Member:
Alden

Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 2:19 pm:

I can’t really comment on the behavior, except now you know and can avoid minis on the place. But your not alone, I’m sure my 10 yro gelding would kill a dog loose in his paddock if he had the chance; he is very aggressive towards them. He does behave while being ridding so it isn’t a problem then and he has had kids around him since he was born and is very gentle. I just make sure new people around the stables know to watch their dogs. Funny what they get in their heads, the gelding doesn’t care about the lamas down the rode but my wife’s mare on the other hand is convinced they are from another planet and love horse flesh! Go figure.

I would test your horse, in a controlled setting of course, have someone bring the mini into his view while you’re riding the gelding and make sure you can maintain control while mounted. I wouldn’t be good to find out on the trail you can’t control him if he sees another mini.


Good day,
Alden
Member:
Liliana

Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 2:24 pm:

Dianne

Please, Please do not brand this horse as a problem horse simply for being one!

I am assuming that Mini is a Shetland or a small pony, am I correct? If this is the case then your 5-year-old gelding is just being a horse. Please just for fun try to think like a horse, in the wild were things are tough, and only the strong survive, an orphan foal is not welcome and to him that is what mini represents, on thing is for sure, if your horse had really tried to kill that pony, believe me no thick coat would have protected him, he was simply telling him "you are not welcome here".

If you keep training your gelding in a proper manner, then, he will learn that meeting other horses whilst riding is ok. This episode was on his turf,

All the best
Liliana
Member:
Alden

Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 2:28 pm:

Sue,

I have two grey horses, one is pretty dark and the other almost white. Although I haven't seen other horses being overly aggressive towards the white one, I have seen horses on the trail look absolutely terrified and try to flee him. The darker grey horse doesn't seem to affect other horses nearly as bad. Like I said earlier; go figure.

Good day,
Alden
Member:
Gillb

Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 3:45 pm:

I also have a grey pony. I remember once going to a Morgan clinic, where several of the horses got very spooky with my pony - they had never seen greys before! I found it quite amusing!
Member:
Warwick

Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 4:25 pm:

Alden and Gil

You're right - go figure! The strange part is that my gelding wasn't in the least bit spooked by the greys - just downright murderous! He was a quite a spooky guy in other ways but took on a whole new persona when these horses would come into view.
Member:
Zohara

Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 5:12 pm:

Hey, everyone, thanks so much for your thoughts. Yes, Liliana, the little guy is a mini horse. You know, those little tiny short ones. They look like a real horse, but they eat less. ;-) A real threat, apparently.

After hearing the other experiences here, I suppose I should be grateful I've always had 2 grays in the herd and dogs running and playing with the horses every day, huh? Had the ordeal not been so horrifying, of course, I guess I, too, could see the amusing side of the thought process, but had I not been there to slam the gate, there is absolutely NO doubt in my mind that the gelding would have killed the mini. It certainly got MY attention.

Anyway, it's a comfort to know his behavior isn't totally beyond comprehension. My horses have never been anything but perfect, of course, ;-), so I just like to understand these things. Wish me luck!!!!!

Many thanks,

Diane
Member:
Liliana

Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 6:29 pm:

Hello Diane,

So you are referring to Falabella (a bit of useless information) as far as I know it is considered a horse in spite of its size as it is considered one of the most ancient horses ever. Then again one cannot believe everything one reads.

I am fascinated by the experiences that people have had with the grey horses, and it really comes as a surprise! In my yard in England we had our six permanent horses, and three of them were gray, a dapple-gray, a flea-bitten gray and a white gray, 2 bays and a pinto.

We did liveries so there were another 9 or 10 horses rotating all the time, from cremellos, to albinos chestnuts and all the colours one can expect to find on a horse, not to mention having had the part and full bred combinations. However, never in 25 year did we experience the gray problem, come to think of it, here we have three bays, two grays and a palomino and they get on very well.

When we competed at three-day events and pony club or went on hacks we did not encountered the gray problem. Its weird is it not?

Any way I wish you the best of luck with your gelding.
Member:
Christos

Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 9:01 pm:

Diane,
A horse expressing an immediate strong dislike towards another horse for no apparent reason is a common thing, especially when the victim is obviously weaker and helpless.
Murderous attacks are rare between horses. Had your gelding really had murder in mind, the little one would already be pushing up daisies.
It sounds like your boy was just a bit in a hurry to set the pecking order thing. Why, after all, not get done with it and go back to grass? The little one was obviously no threat, so no careful approach, smelling and such was necessary.
Do not be surprised if they make best friends now that things are set.
Member:
Gillb

Posted on Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 - 3:08 am:

Liliana, just out of curiosity, whereabouts in the UK are you - I am from the UK as well (south Herts) but we are thinking of moving this year.
Member:
Liliana

Posted on Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 - 10:16 am:

Hi Gill,

Curiosity kill the cat! I left England in 1993 I now live in Cozumel Mexican Caribbean.
As much as I love England and my friends, the idea of getting old in a cold coutry did not appeal tome.
All the best
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