 |
Re: [RC] personality change as mares gain status in the herd........? - LOUISE BURTONHi Karen,
There is usually more "jobs" in a herd than just "alpha". There is the sentinal, and there is the boss, as in meanest, and boss, and in leader to water, etc. Our horses get most upset when the sentinal is gone. My sentinal is one of the lowest in the heirarchy.
I have not noticed them become more alert, but I have noticed that the alpha horses are a lot more barn sour. Maybe they feel like they need to "take care" of their herd. I do not find this behavior in the sentinal at all.
I find my lower standing horses much more willing to mind and go down the trail. Perhaps the "alert and shying" is because they are nervous and they, too, are now worrying about their herd (or their rank!) while they are gone!
Happy Trails,
Louise Louise Burton
Firedance Farms Endurance Arabians http://pages.prodigy.net/firedancefarms
|