ridecamp@endurance.net: [endurance] Re:

[endurance] Re:

Scooby1069@aol.com
Tue, 6 Feb 1996 13:09:43 -0500

My new Arab is socially inept. I atribute it to her age (5) and that her
previous owners kept her by herself (in pasture and barn) so that she would
not get beat up by the other horses. She was their halter champ and
beginning to go into high point stuff.
Huge change in the horses life considering I am training her for endurance
and I dont have the facilities to pamper her nor the time.
I have four horses and a split pasture, about an acre and a half on each
side. A barn is on each piece of land and I have two horses on each.
Since getting her, I have kept her pasture mates in rotation.
Every two weeks or so.
I have always done this with my other horses but this one seems really
effected by the constant changes.
My concern is her mental state.
Does anyone know what happens to a horse if it is not allowed to create and
sustain social status?
What happens if anything when a horse is being constantally changed from one
environment to another?
Anyone have any comments about the studies of horse socialization?
Since she is my endurance horse I want to get her prepaired mentally durring
this down time to get ready to ride with other horses and to have her remain
"consistant".
An oxymoron I am sure since I am speaking about a mare.
She seems fine when riding with other horses. But when I change her
surroundings she gets skiddish eating patterns and her ground manners dimish.
A concern for me if I want to go on two day races some day.
Any comments?
Thanks
Suzanne Tugman
"here come the floods