Horses gone crazy!!!

A shout out to all my horsey peeps!!!

Has anyone ever put a blanket on one horse, that has not worn one on 11 years, and have one of your other horses not recognize them!!

Holy cow! The weather turned nasty here and I had the bright idea of putting rain blankets on all the mares before I let them out. They have shed of all their hair and were miserable cold yesterday when I brought them in. So I proceeded to put blankets on all of them. Now they wont be cold. The weather has went from 75+ to low 50s the last two days, snow level came down to 3000 ft. We also had over a half inch of rain today! It was 45 when I went out to feed tonight.

Mares should be all snug in their rugs right?  NOT

Emma decided she had never seen Mickey before! Granted Mickey has never worn a blanket in the 11 years that these mares have been together. (She has never needed one)  Emma freaked out, chased Mickey away from Easy, screamed, roared, kicked and ran the other two, for ten minutes. I finally got out there and herded Emma to the lower pasture and locked her down there by herself, figuring she would get over it. NOT again.

I brought them in to feed tonight, bringing Mickey and Easy in first and taking Mickeys blanket off, before bringing Emma in. They still were carrying on! But inside the barn this time! They have been in stalls next to each other for a year now, I had to put Emma in the back stall and separate them! They were running in and out screaming and kicking at each other. I first had to catch her without getting hurt, at least she went outside where it was safer for me to catch her, so I closed the outside stall door and went to get her. Of course the rope halter decides to pick this time to be inside out, its never inside out, gahhaaa! So I put it on her and tied it on the right side! Always when you are in a hurry! She stood perfectly still, she does have good ground manners. But I am shaking like a leaf! Mad and upset too!

I had to tie Easy outside to the trailer, so I could get Emma to the other stall, without more fights! So they both were yelling for Easy! and Easy yelling back! Geez they could see each other! Both Emma and Mickey decide Easy was theirs! And the other couldnt have her!

I have never had this happen before! I have had and been around horses since I was two! 44 years!
I am really stumped as to why Emma had this reaction, which in turn triggered a really defensive action on Mickeys part! Emma out weighs her by 200 lbs, so I really worry about her hurting Mick. Mickey is really fine boned, Emmas leg makes two of hers. I know someone who's horses got into the barn together and started fighting and one kicked the other and broke her leg. That rarely happens, but something you always think about.

I am going to keep them separate for awhile now! I hope they will get over it.
Yeah, yeah I know, mares!! But this is just really weird and out of character for them.
They are both dominate mares, but Mickey was hiding behind Easy, with her head down, licking and chewing, during this whole thing, usually its the other way around. Mickey is the boss mare! But not today!

I just had to put this out there and see what other people thought about my crazy mares!!

Now I have three wet blankets hanging in the barn, that will take days to dry! But maybe some mud has been washed off! LOL

Anyone with connections to Mother Nature, I want Spring back!!! It is so cold, after having such a run of nice weather! I used my electric blanket last night and havnt had to for a couple months! We had a record cold day for this day in May!


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I messaged my girlfriend, that I bought Emma from, this is what she had to say....

"Ahhh yes.  I had mares not recognize their own babies and try to kill them when they wanted to nurse.  It is best to do it in front of them. (I am assuming she means after she blanketed a baby)

  

As I told Don, {LOL}  Shoot em all!  LOL  That's how I feel about mine some days!!

  

Actually I put a different blanket on Squiggly with a sleazy, and classy caught a glance of him two days ago, and was sure I put a different horse in with him, and she ran and screamed for 15 minutes until she was completely washed out!  MARES are weird!

  I would have just kept the blankets on them..in the barn so they could learn to deal with it.  Emma need mare magic or a marble put in her!" ( I really would like to try a marble in Emma, she is so hormonal!)

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Made me feel better that it has happened to someone else! LOL I love her statement "MARES are weird!"   LOL LOL

Makes you really wonder about how visual they are!! Is that what they use for recognition of herdmates? and not smell too? Something to ponder. They dont act different when I wear different clothes, or hoods etc?? Like she said, weird!