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Horse Behavior and Training

Staying in the shelter

Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed
Hey everyone !

I noticed something new and I was wondering what you thought about it.

Last May I took Dayka away from her fieldmates to keep her in literally greener pastures :) (the other 2 being overweight & sensitive to laminitis), i just brought her back into her herd and she started doing something new.

I take her to her richer pasture in the morning and i take her back to the herd every night. Since the 3 equines reunited, every night when i bring her back she "says hi" to her friends, rolls, comes back to me for a rub then goes to the shelter and stays there. I watched her for most of the day yesterday (I kept her there to check if she was ok) and she would come out to graze/drink, then go back to the shelter and repeat all day.

She never used to use the shelter before, except during really bad storms in the winter so i'm finding it a bit strange. Why does she suddenly love this shelter so much ? Is it simply because the other 2 used to keep her away from it and don't do it anymore or couldit be something else.

Other than this new behaviour, she's healthy, she didn't seem affected by the temporary isolation while she was on her own, she's really good under saddle, she interacts with her field mates, everything's fine. She does seem closer to the older mare than before (she used to prefer the 15yo donkey) grooming each other & grazing together.

Anyway, i was wondering what you'd make of that :)
Miriam (Holland&Germany)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed
Hi Lucie,
We're in midsummer, you're living in France, it might be the heat of the day and maybe insects Dayka is hiding from....
I have noticed other horses staying in when horseflies and other bothers are around. 
She might not need the grazing, since she spent the day on lusher grass. 
It seems the hierarchy has changed some, since you separated the small herd during part of the day, but only for the better. 
Curious to learn what others have to say!
Keep us posted and have fun with Dayka!
Miriam