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| Pippi, Daughter,( Mini Pip) Chance and Turnip
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After being across from each other in the barn for over a week, and seeing each other outside for a few days, we decided to put Pippi and Chance together in one field. Pippi has been alone in that field since we moved. Chance was excited to be on grass, and ran right out and started eating. At first Pippi just looked at him, and kept munching away. She then moved closer and ate next to him. He never batted an eye.
Speaking of batting, I sent Daughter out there with a lunge whip just in case. Turned out to be a good idea.
Pippi soon circled Chance, ears pinned, and then ate some more. All of a sudden she turned her butt to him, signaled with ears pinned and waited for a second or two for him to move away, and then kicked. She caught him on the side. It was not a real hard kick, but he is a MINI!!!
I already had enough and yelled for Daughter to remove him IMMEDIATELY!!! Donna and Kevin were quite calm, and stated "oh well, we will try it again in a few days." Oh hell no, I can not have it on my conscience that Chance was mortally injured by my, until yesterday, sweet little mare.
I do think Pippi expected him to give ground, and signal to her that yes indeedy she was the Alpha Mare and that he would move when told. But Chance was so excited to eat, and being a mini, he just did not know the protocol and the rules for polite behavior when encountering a Beeyatch Mare.
Donna thinks we should leave the two alone in side by side fields for a few days, and see what develops. Anybody ever put a mini Gelding and a mean Mare together? Any advice?
(btw, Chance is fine. We gave him lots of carrots, and I checked him over this morning; not even a bruise it seems)
Yikes! You just never know how they will react to one another. I've never had minis so I can't really give any advice. If Pippi was a bully I think you would know it by now, so I'm guessing she's not. Since she's not I think he would be fine in with her. After the kick I'm sure he'll give her more space and be more alert to her moods/body language. Horses very rarely intentionally hurt one another. :) I'd just watch for him acting unusually scared of her or her keeping him from eating or moving him around too much. They should be fine though. :)
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