And we’re there...
- Thread starter Jessey
- Start date
Fan bloody tastic! I am so pleased that Niko and Jess seem to have hit it off. Fingers crossed for peace reigning from here on in
Herd dynamics are fascinating.
Jess is lovely left to herself but normally gets dramatic with anyone in her space, especially if she’s eating. Niko is still finding his feet but he’s pretty timid and gentle, this morning he was stood alone distinctly like he’d been told to. Hank normally doesn’t care about anything and will be in the middle of everything and give as good as he gets, Love or hate. Dan normally won’t get anywhere near a confrontation, or even the chance of one, he definitely prefers 1-2-1 interaction.
Tonight Dan pushes Niko off his dinner, he eventually relents and let’s Niko share.
Jess is still mooning over the baby, and apparently the rules are different for him than anyone else, sharing a bucket ?
they actually had the bucket wedged on both their noses!
Then Niko chases Dan in a not friendly way when they’d already left the buckets, and Jess didn’t even look up from the hay. And Hank stayed out of it and went to the opposite end of the field alone (to another hay station). And Dan gets in on the hay with the 2 big ones ?
They are most definitely still figuring out what is what, I’m very grateful Jess is mostly just letting them get on with it now though because it’s a whole heap less dramatic!
Jess is lovely left to herself but normally gets dramatic with anyone in her space, especially if she’s eating. Niko is still finding his feet but he’s pretty timid and gentle, this morning he was stood alone distinctly like he’d been told to. Hank normally doesn’t care about anything and will be in the middle of everything and give as good as he gets, Love or hate. Dan normally won’t get anywhere near a confrontation, or even the chance of one, he definitely prefers 1-2-1 interaction.
Tonight Dan pushes Niko off his dinner, he eventually relents and let’s Niko share.
Jess is still mooning over the baby, and apparently the rules are different for him than anyone else, sharing a bucket ?
they actually had the bucket wedged on both their noses!
Then Niko chases Dan in a not friendly way when they’d already left the buckets, and Jess didn’t even look up from the hay. And Hank stayed out of it and went to the opposite end of the field alone (to another hay station). And Dan gets in on the hay with the 2 big ones ?
They are most definitely still figuring out what is what, I’m very grateful Jess is mostly just letting them get on with it now though because it’s a whole heap less dramatic!
Niko seems very sweet. So unlike Charlie, he would be at the receiving end of multiple double barrels I am sure, he is always right in everyone's face!
I’m surprised Niko isn’t getting it from Jess more as he’s all up in her face/space, I’ve only seen her kick him twice and it’s only been 1 strike with 1 foot, which is a warning in her books!
Things are definitely evolving
First walk out tonight as I felt Jess wouldn’t be too bothered now as she seems to have stopped molycoddling Niko ?
He was a star, not fussed by people doing jobs or cars and a big van passing. Interesting though, he’s much happier leading on my right, slows right down on my left and tries to walk behind me so more practice needed there but I have no doubt it will come. He’s getting much better at meeting new people now too, though did get a bit impatient when I stood chatting but he’s a baby so to be expected ?
First walk out tonight as I felt Jess wouldn’t be too bothered now as she seems to have stopped molycoddling Niko ?
He was a star, not fussed by people doing jobs or cars and a big van passing. Interesting though, he’s much happier leading on my right, slows right down on my left and tries to walk behind me so more practice needed there but I have no doubt it will come. He’s getting much better at meeting new people now too, though did get a bit impatient when I stood chatting but he’s a baby so to be expected ?
Oh, he's gorgeous. I know people have commented on his Welsh-ness, but I can definitely see the Arab in his face ? . And the way you describe his gentle protest when asked to lead on the left is so like Raf. It sounds as though he's been taught to lead on the right and he wants to be good, so he just can't do the left thing - it's not right!
He's lovely, what a super face. Dark eyes for a dun, too, so pretty.
And a good boy to lead so well! Charlie gets very stroppy if I lead him on his left side, he hates it and crowds me the whole time. Lots of work to do there.
And a good boy to lead so well! Charlie gets very stroppy if I lead him on his left side, he hates it and crowds me the whole time. Lots of work to do there.
Poor lad has been shunned by Jess, he’s hanging about on the outskirts the last few days. I saw her running him off again this morning so thought I’d give Hank and him some time on the grass together in the hopes they’d make friends, but tonight Niko was running Hank off when they thought dinner was imminent, he’s got a friend in Dan at least, until he nips him ?
Niko was a good boy last night for a walk out, my 10 year old helper brought Dan out and that really helped Niko’s confidence. A neighbours horses ran their fence as we passed, Niko was very interested and tried to drag me over to them but no silliness ? he was funny passing houses with big windows, he kept calling to his reflection ?
Today he was following me around and supervised my painting the shed ? all the time I was painting I had warm breath and whiskers on my neck
Had a good handling session, good groom, mane and tail brushed, all 4 feet picked, fly sprayed etc. he’s Definitely getting better about standing still but still a bit of a fidget butt ?
Niko was a good boy last night for a walk out, my 10 year old helper brought Dan out and that really helped Niko’s confidence. A neighbours horses ran their fence as we passed, Niko was very interested and tried to drag me over to them but no silliness ? he was funny passing houses with big windows, he kept calling to his reflection ?
Today he was following me around and supervised my painting the shed ? all the time I was painting I had warm breath and whiskers on my neck
Had a good handling session, good groom, mane and tail brushed, all 4 feet picked, fly sprayed etc. he’s Definitely getting better about standing still but still a bit of a fidget butt ?
I've not had anything usefull to add to this thread but I am finding it fascinating!
There’s 5 other haynets out, but Dan and Niko choose your wait for a turn on the one Jess and Hank are eating, Niko was gradually edging closer to them
God gave horses great beauty, but he kind of skimped on the brains.
I was nipped on the bum, by Jessica! I could forgive the baby but she knows bloody better! It wasn’t a nasty lunging nip, more a casual sniff and I’ll just sneak a taste nip ?
Then I nearly got flattened, taking a hay net out with Jess following and we passed Niko, she then launched at him and he came shooting my way ? thankfully my yell sent him swerving off.
I really need her to dial back these antics now, it’s getting tiresome ?
Then I nearly got flattened, taking a hay net out with Jess following and we passed Niko, she then launched at him and he came shooting my way ? thankfully my yell sent him swerving off.
I really need her to dial back these antics now, it’s getting tiresome ?
I don't know if it's relevant or not, but when Hogan moved in with B, and made his presence felt as big boss, he had a week or so backslide into being pushy and a bit bolshy with me. I put it down to the change in hierarchy, and him being a bit heady with his newfound power. I wonder if they struggle to switch it off around humans, if they've been establishing themselves with the herd.
Yes I definitely think she just forgot herself, I doubt the nipping will happen again.
The chasing off is just her being bossy, especially around food, she’s not full on attacking so it is a relatively good getting along for her. She’s just a bit grouchy around the edges. I don’t think the weather has been helping.
The chasing off is just her being bossy, especially around food, she’s not full on attacking so it is a relatively good getting along for her. She’s just a bit grouchy around the edges. I don’t think the weather has been helping.
Things are still evolving, today Jess is watching Niko like a naughty teenager, if he wanders off she lets him go so far before quietly wandering after him, and eventually gently walks him back to where she wants him and goes back to her hay and to watching. She did it 3 or 4 times around the track this morning. The little boys were off doing their own thing and didn’t get a second glance from her.
Niko is still being very good, he hasn’t been silly in all the wind (even when a big branch came down off the willow in the field) and he supervised me doing chores again this morning, he’s so curious. He loves a good scratch/fuss so catching him is a complete non-issue, something I thought might be a challenge as in all the pictures from the breeder and both times I saw him he had a headcollar on and from the rubbed fur under it, had it on all the time. A relief because I find very little more frustrating than a horse you can’t catch ?
Niko is still being very good, he hasn’t been silly in all the wind (even when a big branch came down off the willow in the field) and he supervised me doing chores again this morning, he’s so curious. He loves a good scratch/fuss so catching him is a complete non-issue, something I thought might be a challenge as in all the pictures from the breeder and both times I saw him he had a headcollar on and from the rubbed fur under it, had it on all the time. A relief because I find very little more frustrating than a horse you can’t catch ?
Niko’s learning so fast, can now switch rugs on and off happily without a headcollar, and he’s slowly learn to follow to his name and to move away from a cluck ?
Jess is still being grouchy, Niko’s new rain sheet is now ripped ? only a little rip but I wish she’d stop being a grouch! I just really don’t want Niko getting fearful of other horses.
But spot the mistake
This could very well be why Jess is extra grumpy, from the looks of it down the bottom, someone has been taking himself for little adventures when I’m not there! Going next door is a new one, there’s no fence between us down by the river. No idea how he’s getting out, will set up the trail camera in the morning.
Jess is still being grouchy, Niko’s new rain sheet is now ripped ? only a little rip but I wish she’d stop being a grouch! I just really don’t want Niko getting fearful of other horses.
But spot the mistake
This could very well be why Jess is extra grumpy, from the looks of it down the bottom, someone has been taking himself for little adventures when I’m not there! Going next door is a new one, there’s no fence between us down by the river. No idea how he’s getting out, will set up the trail camera in the morning.
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