Odd behaviour? Horse friends

[Kite_Rider]

At our yard we back onto another yard, horses can’t see each other as the double hedgerow between yards screens from both sides, Belle is as far away from joining fence as it’s possible for her to be just because of the layout of the land, so up until today she’s never been interested in anything the other side of our yard despite horses often calling, today Belle was totally convinced a long lost friend was over there and both of them were calling back and forth and she was getting really quite stressed that she couldn’t get to whoever the other horse is.
She even ignored a treat when I put her back out after a rather eventful hack and galloped off down the field shouting all the way to get as close as she could to the joining boundary.
I am convinced that whoever the horse is she knows it very well and I’m half worrying now that she’ll be through the hedge by the time I go up later! I’ve never seen her behave like this before in the nine years I’ve had her and I’ve only ever heard her call like that to me, usually when I’m late or if I’ve been on holiday Anyone else’s behave like this? She’s not remotely interested in her yard buddies, they and me may as well not have been there this morning.

 

[Skib]

Tolstoy does describe horses calling to each other after being turned out (in his horse story Holstomer) but it is minutely observed.

He loved horses and does seem to give them human qualities which would be frowned on today. Whereas we now classify them as herd animals.

 

[Jessey]

Yup, Bo was a bit of a tit about other horses, if there happened to be another horse out of sight calling (not just normal calling but the slightly more desperate new arrival or separation anxiety call) then he would be screaming and having a melt down like it was his long lost buddy. Generally if he then got to see them up close he'd realise it wasn't someone he knew and stop worrying. He was generally a worrier tho.

Jess is not a worrier, she would never normally reply to neighbours but a few years ago next door but one lost their companion, the one left was very upset and would randomly start screaming and it really seemed to upset her and she called back a few times and went to that side of the field.

 

[Trewsers]

At our yard we back onto another yard, horses can’t see each other as the double hedgerow between yards screens from both sides, Belle is as far away from joining fence as it’s possible for her to be just because of the layout of the land, so up until today she’s never been interested in anything the other side of our yard despite horses often calling, today Belle was totally convinced a long lost friend was over there and both of them were calling back and forth and she was getting really quite stressed that she couldn’t get to whoever the other horse is.
She even ignored a treat when I put her back out after a rather eventful hack and galloped off down the field shouting all the way to get as close as she could to the joining boundary.
I am convinced that whoever the horse is she knows it very well and I’m half worrying now that she’ll be through the hedge by the time I go up later! I’ve never seen her behave like this before in the nine years I’ve had her and I’ve only ever heard her call like that to me, usually when I’m late or if I’ve been on holiday Anyone else’s behave like this? She’s not remotely interested in her yard buddies, they and me may as well not have been there this morning.

The only time I've seen this was when I hadn't had Storm long and we were on our first yard. She was in with other mares and every single morning when I turned her out she'd go bananas up and down the fence line until her "friend" made an appearance. This other mare and her vied for supremacy by the looks of it and I don't believe even liked each other very much! But they fretted without each other, it was really weird to watch. They would squeal and strike front feet out at each other every morning, yet they didn't actually attack each other. This mare's owner decided to stop keeping her in that particular field and when she was removed Storm called for her but fortunately it wasn't long after that episode that winter came and there was no turnout in the paddocks at all. (We moved shortly after that). That's probably not very helpful! But it's interesting because she's never ever really behaved like that with any other horse, either mare or gelding.

 

[Kite_Rider]

Maybe the horse across the way is in distress and she’s picked up on that? Although the other girls aren’t reacting…. Or maybe she’s just having one of those days, she never normally worries, she’s so laid back she’s almost on the floor as a rule but yeah it’s really unusual for her to get in a tizzy, hopefully she’ll settle soon. If not I’ll have to hack her over there and ask if we can see the horse she seems to think she knows!

 

[Jessey]

Maybe the horse across the way is in distress and she’s picked up on that? Although the other girls aren’t reacting…. Or maybe she’s just having one of those days, she never normally worries, she’s so laid back she’s almost on the floor as a rule but yeah it’s really unusual for her to get in a tizzy, hopefully she’ll settle soon. If not I’ll have to hack her over there and ask if we can see the horse she seems to think she knows!

Keep us in the loop if you find out which horse it is, I'm intrigued now if she does know it

 

[Kite_Rider]

Keep us in the loop if you find out which horse it is, I'm intrigued now if she does know it

Will do, Im intrigued too.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

I'd be very interested. When they were separated Ziggy and Mattie kept in constant radio contact, and Mattie called after Ziggy died for weeks if he got a smell of him (from a rug for example). Do let us know.

 

[domane]

No chance it's a stallion and Belle is in season? Just musing.....

 

[Kite_Rider]

No chance it's a stallion and Belle is in season? Just musing.....

It could be I guess, I did wonder that myself. If it is I really hope he doesn't get through the hedge!

 

[chunky monkey]

Last weekend when we were out searching for the missing cows. I went along one path whilst chunky and his rider took it upon themselves to take another path through the woods. Both paths meet at the same place so they were only going to be separatedfor a few minutes. I said nothing and let her go. The horses couldnt see each other in the woods. I was thinking silly girl has she not learnt that my horse acts up at silly things. Anyway. Just round the corner i found the cows so shouted out ive found them. Well chunky clearly heard my voice and called back to me. To which billy called back to him. Then back and forth the calls went. I was actually shocked how vocal both were. Ive never heard them calling to one another in this way. It was actually very sweet. It stopped when they were reunited.

 

[Kite_Rider]

Well I found out this morning that there was a horse on the yard opposite who was accidentally?? Left out alone all night that was galloping around and yelling it’s head off, no wonder my poor Belle was unsettled, although still doesn’t answer why she was calling to the horse on the yard behind.