The boys watch the girls while the girls watch the boys who watch the girls go by

The girls with the boys in hot persuit

It is all change with the fields recently. At the end of April Sofies worst fears came true as Mat left with Serenade and Sky leaving the girls field down to 5 horses. Sofie coped with the loss of her beloved Serenade surprisingly well. In fact for a blissful fortnight she stopped her separation behaviour in the yard. Unfortunately she then fell in love with the new mare next door and it all started again. I am beginning to think that Sofies’ owners’ plans to breed from her may be thwarted by Sofie clearly bating for the other team!

Anyway the two driving ponies are due to be sold, dwindling our numbers to just three horses. This becomes problematic as chances are two horses will taken out to ride leaving the last horse alone which does not work with neurotic mares who freak out when alone. In order to prevent this from happening, the yard owner suggested putting the girls out with the boy field liveries. Unfortunately one of the owners has refused to mix her horse, and so it is just Sofie and Rosie who have been put out with the field of boys.

Again this is a new herd dynamic to introduce you to. The boys field is, by in large, occupied entirely by fat cobs. Tonto is king fat cob, all the others do as he commands. Fred is Tontos henchman, and is generally in fairly close proximity to Tonto. Ernie is the resident clown and gets on with everyone. Buttons and William are the teenagers who are always playing. William is particularly annoying and is generally getting into mischief.

Tonto thinks all of his Christmas have come at once - girls in his field! He is utterly convinced that he is a beautiful big black stallion and has been prancing about like an idiot. He is showing all the alpha stallion behaviours. Herding and circling the girls, making sure none of the other boys get to talk to them. Making repeated approaches, desperate that one might accept his advances – not a chance, but Tonto is ever the optimist. Arching his neck, whinnying and prancing about in a continual display of his manliness. None of the other fat cobs have shown the same level of interest in the girls, no more than they normally show to any new horse. It is only Tonto who has forgotten that his bits are missing.

Sofie is, as usual, taking this in her stride. Rosie and her are now attached at the hip. Any unwanted advances (any advances from Tonto) and they turn in unison and scowl at the unsuspecting male who then goes and cowers. By in large she ignores Tonto’s constant circling and just gets on with enjoying the grass. She will fit nicely as alfa female in this herd.

In fact I think it would all be very calm indeed expect that a new boy has also been added. Doc was placed into the herd the day after the girls arrived. Whilst Tonto is a black stallion trapped in a cobs body, Doc is a cob trapped in a race horse body, he is far too relaxed for racing so he is now going to have a go at being a pleasure riding horse.

The problem is, the girls seemed to rather like Doc, he is far more attractive than fat old Tonto, and they have been trying to sneak off to talk to Doc every time T’s back is turned. Tonto is not happy about this, not happy at all, and has reacted by waging war on poor old unsuspecting Doc who only wants to quietly eat the grass. Every time Doc is anywhere near, Tonto launches at him teeth bared. Tonto has rallied his henchmen to support him in his crusade. Luckily Doc is a lot faster than the fat cobs and can trot away without breaking a sweat but it must be stressful for him to be constantly harassed. Tonto can’t be doing his legs much good either. In his quest to be a stallion he is also forgetting his legs don’t work and is charging up and down the field. His arthritis must be really hurting him, but he is too stubborn to relent despite the pain.

I don’t want to give Tonto painkillers though, as I think he will just do himself, and potentially Doc more damage. In any case I can’t get Tonto away from his mares long enough to have a feed with painkillers in, so he will just have to put up with the discomfort.