What went wrong?????????????

Question

Hi, yesterday sadly, my horse was killed by another horse. And I would like to know why. He has lived with this other horse for years and my horse was a good old friend who wouldn't hurt a fly. The other horse's has always kind have been a knot-head, but ever since we've gotten a mare he's been stuck to her like glue. Before, we had the other horse's brother and they kind of evened each other out. But he had to be put down because he was run through a wire fence (we think by his brother, but we aren't certain). Ever since he died, the other horse's attitude has gradually gotten worse. If it were a stud, and him being around a mare, it would be more understandable. But both horses are geldings. And I know that my horse would not have shown any interest in the mare, or made the other horse feel threatened. From neighbors we've talked to they've mentioned rabies to locca weed (?) as an explanation. If you have any ideas I would love to hear them. Also, I am kind of heart broken right now, so please, no cruel remarks about anything (No, I am not asking for sugar coating, but I already blame myself enough already)

Answer 1

I am extremely sorry for your loss, however no one can truly explain why this happens. And I would not blame yourself it was far from your fault.  My thoughts and prayers are with you

Answer 2

Very sorry to hear that. Hope you recover alright. Sometimes things happen that you can't explain. Horses have their up and downs just like people do. If there has been no problems in the past there shouldn't be anything different now. Rabies could be a factor but you would have seen signs or attitude changes. Don't blame yourself, it is not your fault. Stupid things happen that cannot be explained and just have to be left and forgotten. R.I.P to you horse, so sorry for your loss.  

Answer 3

Hi, sorry for ur loss i know  millions of people have said it already but at least u know people care.

Everyone has said there is no explanation for this, there is.

My mums horse he is a big oaf of a thing and he came from the property next door, the people had just had a foal absolutely NO connection to Harry is his name. To wean the foal the they thought hmm harry would be good because he is gentle and quiet. well Harry hassled and chased the foal into a fence wasn't hurt but got wire in his tail.

The only thing that made harry do this is "dominance". harry thought hmm a youngster if i show him who is boss now he wont get control.

You had already said it your self, they were brothers, Boys and u had got a mare.

There are 2 possibilities for this:

If it was the older brother that was put down the young horse thought if i get in now i will be on top, just like harry even though the other horse did nothing and apposed no threat. And maybe older weaker.

2nd: If it was the younger horse was the one put down, of course older brother higher spot in the herd, deserves to have the mare more.

So dominance is the key, but i would investigate those weeds for neighbours mentioned. And it all does depend on personality usually the best horses are the ones lost because they are so great and no wat not to do and wat to do.

Best wishes, rokchik, remember its ok to cry.

Answer 4

I'm so sorry, it must be awful. Everyone knows horses are unpredictable so you can't blame yourself. You could have kept your horse wrapped in cotton wool but he would have still managed to injure himself. If you want an explanation then it might be the mare. I know you said they're both geldings but sometimes they can still fight over a mare, it just depends on their nature.  

Answer 5

I am sorry you lost your horse. Sometimes accidents happen. My trainer had two horses playing out in a pasture, one was older and her vision was not as good on her right side and the other horse accidently kicked out during play and hit her on her leg and broke it. If not for her vision problem on that side we think she probably would not have been hurt, they were just playing not trying to intentionally kill one another.

I could have been an accident that happened during play.

My mare ran through a fence one time when she was scared, it was just hotwire and fortantly she was not seriously hurt by it. She knew the fence was there but at the time she was too scared and just ran through it anyway. Something might have happened to freak him out beyond what he could handle and he was doing on the flight instinct.

I am terribly sorry for your lose, it is never easy when one loses a beloved friend.  

Answer 6

Sadly sometimes there is just no explanation.  Years ago my aunt had two horses.. they lived together for 5-10 years, one was always dominant but nothing serious ever happend.. Then just one day he cornered the other horse and killed it, no real reason.  I don't know if your going to find an answer, but these things sometimes happen, without warning.. No ones fault.

Answer 7

Unfortunately it's unlikely that you will get an answer to this one, unless you can teach the remaining horse to talk. They can be funny animals and can turn at any time without explanation. You could come up with a list a mile long of what possibly happened. I would put it down to something that happened and just be very wary of other horses around the one that did the killing. I'm so sorry for your loss

Answer 8

you can never know why with animals. one day they love you, the next they hate you. dont ever assume that one horse and another are best freinds because that could change quickly

Answer 9

Chili,  First, sorry for your loss - there's nothing anyone can say to make it all better - it just takes time and healing to get over it.

Second, I would suggest that if you've had other issues with these horses before, it's probably not rabies or locoweed unless you've an abundance of loco weed or bats in the general vicinity of the horses.  In locoweed or rabies, one will see and horrific change in the horse - it's not like you take a dominant horse and see him simply get meaner, it's like you take a laid back, very submissive horse and he suddenly becomes totally different and terrible.  I've seen horses with rabies attack inanimate objects like barns, tractors and trucks, without even attempting to hurt another horse or person.  IF something like this happens and you are in contact with that horse's saliva or other body secretions, contact the dr immediately as they can pass through your skin and infect you.  

So if you have checked with the vet to insure the horse wasn't rabid or otherwise infected or he doesn't sound like he's gone this completely insane, look toward suggestion #3.

Horses have a hierarchy within any group.  Any change within the group brings about a change in this heirarchy.  Every horse has a level of dominance or submission and all are constantly tested by each other to maintain this heirarchy or enforce needed changes - this is all natural and needed for survival.  In the wild, the herd stallion protects his band and enlarges his gene pool and the success of his line by years of breeding.  The boss mare is highest on the heirarchy and keeps everyone in their place.  It doesn't matter that the geldings are geldings, they are still males.  The later a horse is gelded or the more he's used for things a stallion would be used for - even if he was never used for breeding but kept at a breeding facility with lots of mares and other stallions their stallion nature will be stronger.

Even two full siblings will have different levels of dominance based on hundreds of different factors.  For example, I have a 7 year old mare - she's a big mare.  As a two year old, I turned her out with my two geldings.  The gelding established their dominance over her.  I turned her full sister out with her and the boys when she was 3.  the younger sister is MUCH more dominant than the elder, and she's slightly more submissive than the geldings.  I added the mares' mother this year - mom does not rule the roost but also doesn't take much c**p from the kids.  

Your description of what happened shows this picture clearly;  The "knot headed" horse was fine with your horse of proper submissiveness.  You introduced a mare to the herd which heightened the "knot head's" dominance factor.  He protected his "mare band" as a stallion would attacking your horse whom he saw as a threat to the safety of his "mare band".  Once the "knot head" got rid of his previously equal (perhaps) dominant brother, he became the 'big cahuna" and his dominance increased.

This is my conclusion from the experience I've had and seen.  It doesn't matter whether a male horse is a stallion or a gelding, male horses all have a certain amount of behaviour driven by the fact they are male.  Even my old gelding that had been gelded at 4, when he was 18 and I turned the mare out with him, he tried to mount and breed her (unsuccessfully, of course).  Just because they're gelded doesn't mean they lose all behavior driven by the fact they are male.

You've beat yourself up enough - think back over the episodes, watch all the groups of horses you can and make some conclusions about the dominance factors of them all.  Use this to learn and make good decisions about in the future.  I haven't seen many horses that must be kept alone due to this problem, unless there are just too many in too small and area that is unsafe for their needs.

One last thing - Ive taken my 7 year old mare for training - turn her out with 'strangers' and she becomes mare #1 of the herd - bring her back home to the old herd and she reverts to her old ways and habits - they can change drastically in their "horsenality" when any part of their herd changes.

Answer 10

I don't know sorry for your loss. Could be the was horse was jealous? Try talking to a vet about it maybe

Answer 11

Oh, I am so sorry for your loss...

There are no words that can ease your pain...just

time...

Many years ago my very first horse Brownie a gentle soul

came into my life nearly dead and terrified of men...

She survived and was the kindest horse right up to her

death at the age of 24...

If I remember correctly Brownie was prob. between 16-20

yrs. of age when I was keeping her at my sisters...she had

a elderly shetland pinto who also was as gentle as a kitten...

No problems, there were other horses as well and the

usual pecking order...each horse had their own large

corral as well as open grazing areas...

One day we were all outside just watching the horses when

Brownie cleared the fence (she was no jumper) and went into

a full attack on Candy the Shetland...it was brutal and fast...

We were stunned beyond belief and if it hadn't been for

the fast reflexes and actions of a brother and brother-in-law

little Candy would have died...

Brownie never really got over her fear of men and I believe

that is what saved Candy when the men moved in and

went after Brownie...

Candy survived the attack and lived a number of yrs. after

that...

I guess there is just some questions that will never be

answered...

Answer 12

i don't exactly have an answer for you, but i am extremely sorry for your loss, sometimes things just happen that really have no explanation, sorry that isn't much help but i wish you all the best

Answer 13

I have a herd of eight horses living together, six mares and two geldings. One gelding has no interest in any other horse and keeps to himself, the other gelding owns the herd. Until recently it was the top mare that owned the herd and both geldings wanted just to be left alone. Just suddenly one day this particular gelding decided he was taking over and did so, he is now top dog. In the wild you would never get two male horses living together, though it isn't usual for them to kill each other the defeated stallion can normally escape alive. In captive situations there is no where for them to escape to, so they end up getting killed. Just because we have gelded a stallion it does not necessarily take away their natural instincts. That is not to say they are bad horses, they are just being horses that is all. Please don't blame the other horse either. It is not his fault that he was stuck in a paddock with another gelding. He was just being a horse.

Answer 14

Honey, I am so very sorry for the loss of your beloved horse...unfortunately, no one is going to be able to answer this question for you...certain things just happen...we can't explain them, but we can at first be angry, then mourn the loss, and then gradually move on...Just remember the wonderful memories of your horse, and realize that for whatever the reason, the Good Lord needed another angel...God Bless