How does a boy horse know it's seen a girl horse :)

[newforest]

Scent?
Behaviour?

We have four new arrivals. My money was on two boys and two girls. The reason was because two came over when we went by and two didn't. They don't graze with mine, so havent met, just seen.

Horse one definitely comes over and brings his friends. He is a boy horse because I looked. Horse two nickers, horse three and four just tag along I think. There is a definite line up though, that shuffles along the fence line!

My money is on the nickering horse also being a boy horse, but unless I look I won't know, so how do they know.

The obvious thinking is scent, my tart has messed up her season pattern to fit a season in when she shouldnt!

 

[Bodshi]

Haha, good question. I have the opposite situation - when I lead Raf to the yard from the far field, it's the girls that come running over to the fence to see him. And when they're in season - well ... you can imagine what they do as he passes!

 

[Cortrasna]

I have no idea how they 'know' but I have to say Dolly can spot a boy a mile away....like your mare Dolly also tends to produce a season when no season is due, if the lads come calling. She is an old slapper but then I knew that anyway. When the 4 little boys moved in a few weeks back.......across the other side of the yard in another field altogether. she pranced and danced the first couple of day way spraying and whickering. Thankfully she has now come to her senses and realises she is a baggy, saggy old strumpet chasing after the young eagles and has made a complete tit of herself! All has settled down.

 

[newforest]

I bet had they not come over and showed her attention, she wouldn't of come into season.
It's one of those, you can't be back in again. But nature doesn't want to miss the boat does it. Survival of the fittest, she would leave baby cob's all over the place!!!

I know these days for us humans it can sometimes be difficult to work out a man from a woman dressed a bit masculine. But you pretty much know.

 

[MrA]

Haha this is so funny. Ale sometimes gets confused and thinks a male horse is a lady... He likes to flutter his lashes and arch his neck for the ladies!! No idea how he knows, I'm guessing smell. Not one of the girl horses he has ever tried to impress have ever looked at him twice, probably because he looks like a girl!!!

 

[Kite_Rider]

Interestingly the ONLY boy horse Belle didn't like was a Haflinger gelding.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

LOL this is a great thread.
Andi knows a boy for sure. But she is only interested in BIG BOYS.
If he is the same size as her or smaller she wont give him a second look.
If he is a BIG BOY then you have quite the HANDFULL IN HER!!

Now if we could only ever ride around small boys.

 

[newforest]

Update the nickering horse is a mare! Mine nickers back now. Ok so they just think they could be pals then.

She has been seen grooming a horse, a mare, unheard of until a horse left.