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[RC] re: mixing mares and geldings - Mary Krauss

For the most part large pastures allow almost any group of horses enough space to get along, but in Ginny's defense, sometimes I do think some of us horse-people occasionally overlook the uncomfortable social/physical positions we create for our horses. .....Two cases come to mind--beware, the stories are a little graphic....

First, a friend's mare (owned by someone else at the time) was hobbled for breeding, wasn't readied properly, wound up being raped in effect, i.e., was terrified and not at all ready let alone eager for the experience. That mare hasn't allowed anyone since to work with her hind feet. She actively panics and cow kicks. Last week the vet tried real anesthesia, not Ace, and she freaked out even more. This poor terrified thing is about to go to the auction because her owner has no experience or energy (she's ill) to handle the situation....

Second, last summer we took a trip to Sunriver, where we biked the kids to the resort's stable to pet the ponies.... While there we wandered around, amazed by the number of horses they had corralled together for trail-rides. They were all wearing saddles but were loose in a smallish pen. There must have been thirty horses in there. I noticed a lot of commotion in the far corner and discovered a mare in heat, hemmed into the corner by about 10 interested geldings. She was absolutely terrified. She was shaking and dripping with sweat and kept bumping the fence trying to bust out. She had blood coming down her legs. It was horrifying. I walked over to the idiot kid in charge with his idiotic "I'm the man from Snowy River" get-up and said he might want to check the mare in the corner. He grinned and said, "oh she'll be all right, they all work it out eventually." I then smiled and said, "yes, and your boss will work out who should and shouldn't be working here if you don't go get that mare out of that pen right now." When he brought her out she could hardly stand she was shaking so much. Half an hour later, she was still shaking....

I feel the same way when "Natural Horsemanship" practitioners (whom I try to emulate for the most part) insist that a mare in heat has to "handle it" when they want the sacking out to include all sorts of handling of their rear stomach area. Just ask a woman what might happen to a guy who tries to approach that part of the anatomy when cramps are visiting....

Enough said.

Mary K. who really relates to PMS mares.....


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