I had Piper doing really well with her meal time routine. I think she wanted to see whether she really had to follow the rules or not this evening. I told her to back away from the feed room door and waved my glove at her. She only moved back about 5 inches and was standing there staring at me. I was staring back. Yes, we were like two kids. After a minute I went towards her, pointed to he stall, and said "Go" using a commanding voice. She turned and walked into her stall. I felt great that she was following my commands so well.
Now I have a new worry. We never used to find her in her stall when we walked down to the barn. Both my husband and I have gone down several times now and she has been in her stall. I came back to the house this evening and started thinking that maybe when I tell her to go into her stall she doesn't realize it's okay to come out again after I've put her feed and her hay in there. What do you think? I went from thinking she was so smart to thinking maybe she isn't so smart after all!
Well, I've read your last couple of posts and have to admit that I find your story quite amusing! Horses are very smart indeed...you are right and proper to expect Piper to respect your space, and she was being rude when she gave you the "hurry up nudge". Whatever works that you can wave in her face that will get her to step back and respect you is alright. :) You are the alpha mare in this relationship, after all and Miss Piper needs a reminder about her status in the herd. She is number 2. I wouldn't worry one bit about her spending time in her stall. I'm pretty certain that she enjoys coming and going as she pleases, and it probably has just been circumstance that you've found her lounging in her stall being a "stall potato". Our horses are quite good at that. :) Here at the vet clinic, the first question we ask horse owners when they have a concern over their horse's behavior is, "is he/she eating, drinking and pooping normally?", and if the answer is yes, we tell them just to keep an eye on them, and if something changes, let us know. As long as she is her perky, normal self, she's most likely fine. She's just exercising her prerogative to be lazy...wish I could.
ReplyDeleteThanks, C-ingspots. She definitely is not spending all of her time in her stall. Lately I always see her outside her stall - at least until the food shows up. I was joking a bit when I posted that day as I often do to poke fun at myself or "Miss Piper."
ReplyDelete