Horsey Question . . .Trust

Question

My colt as some of u know has come from the knackery. He was badly neglected. I have placed him with my oldest and most wise gelding he is 28 and extremly trustworthy. however he is quite stern with the new little colt and can be very geolous (not sure on spelling) of me. What is happening is every time i go into the paddock the colt will put himself between myself and the gelding and if i move away he stays beside me on the off side of the gelding. If the gelding does pin his ears and threaten the colt he runs around behind me and stands there. is he using me for protection seeing that he knows and has seen that i dont take c**p from the gelding? im curious to find out why he does this . . .

Answer 1

Your older gelding is exerting his dominance over the colt. He could be jealous, but most horses will push the less dominate horses away when there is attention to be had. Yes he realizes that you are dominate over the gelding and knows you can protect him. I have a gelding named Starboy, who, when he was a young weanling colt would play with a yearling colt. Sometimes the play would get rough and Starboy would go too far. The older colt would get mad and go after him. Starboy would run and hide behind his mother and look over her back at the yearling colt. The yearling wouldn't go near the mare. It was a funny thing to watch. They are both pasture buddies now. Your colt and the gelding will work things out and the colt may get some bites from the older horse but I wouldn't worry too much.

Answer 2

Wow I had a filly like that! I really don't know if its because they think your going to save them or what, but thats the way it seemed to me. I have notice that horses that are rescued from a bad situation seem to bond with the one that saves them and those are the ones that make the best horses!