As we settle in for another 6 weeks of winter, I have time to reflect on the drama that seems to be unfolding just a few steps from my front door. While performing my daily check on the horses that I currently have in my care, it seems to me that each one has their place in the group.  Just as you would have different personalities on a schoolhouse playground, you have the bullies, the loner, the leader and the prankster all in one paddock.

In the few years that I have been charged with the care of more than one horse, the behavior of the horse herd has become more and more fascinating to me.  Last year while taking care of four horses, it seemed to me that I had a window into an All Girls Club.  I could almost hear the giggles as I fed them their grain.  They would vie for my attention hoping for a good word or a pat on the nose.  I could almost picture them settling down on the living room floor with their Cinderella pajamas, and their Barbie dolls wondering what the next day would bring!  They were all in good spirits and everything seemed to be a game to them.  Fun was the order of the day.

This year has been quite a different story.  I currently have in my care, nine distinct personalities to try and sooth, pamper, discipline and ignore.  I still have the girls, but presented with outsiders, it has become quite obvious that not everything is fun and games any longer. 

To begin with, I have eight mares and one gelding.  As you can probably guess, the gelding, Jack has become the unofficial leader of the group.  He dictates who eats, where and when. As Jack is the most aggressive of them all, his leadership goes without question. What has become a surprise to me is the fact that my oldest mare Dawn, has taken a back seat. Dawn has been the alpha mare for longer than I can remember.  She has been the teacher and nurturer to many a foal. However, with the loss of the title "leader" in this herd of nine, she not only has taken a backseat, but has removed herself from the group entirely.  She is the last to get to the grain and water.  It surprises me that it would even be possible to push her to the side.  What is even more puzzling is that fact that she is unwilling to stay with the others at the end of the chain of command.  It is apparent that it is either the top or nothing for Dawn.

Besides Jack and Dawn, I have Dawn’s daughter Dee Dee, the pre-madonna of the group.  She has to be wherever the attention is.  It is not good enough for her to be petted and praised.  All the other mares need to be completely ignored for her to be happy.  Next comes Diamond, Dee Dee’s younger sister.  She too needs attention but doesn’t crave it like Dee Dee.  You can almost hear her sufferable sigh when Dee Dee once again steals the spotlight.  Now we have Cody.  Cody has a dubious past.  From parents that were known to have short tempers and full attitudes, to learning how to slide under fences and causing accidents on the roads, Cody has been the one I worry about the most.  Not that she hasn’t survived the accidents and problems she has caused, you just have to look at all her scars to see that she is a warrior, but she always seems to come out of these scrapes with some damage to herself but even more damage to others involved!

We now come to Dixie, Dawn’s youngest.  This is one horse you don’t want to turn your back on.  She is always pulling pranks that pull at your temper. She likes to nip at any loose clothing, buttons or any exposed skin!  She is aggressive enough for four horses and always gets her share of the grain!  We have Suzy, which was pretty much ignored until she grew into her body and now stands taller then the rest.  Now, she too gets her food when she wants and no longer stands off to the side. Chapel is fairly new to the group but somehow manages to keep her head above water and is always there for feeding time.  I have a suspicion that none of the other horses want to turn their backs to her because I have seen her strike at them without warning.  Finally, we have Princess.  Princess was a loner from the very beginning.  Not only was her application to the

All Girls Club last year denied, but she wasn’t even allowed to submit it to this group this year.  She stays off to the side most of the time, lapping up the left over grain and hoping for a chance at the hay pile. She is a very pretty horse and I believe that it is a simple matter of jealousy from all involved because of her looks and her name!

As I pour grain into the trough and they shuffle, bite, kick and fight for their spot in the trough, I can’t help but think back to those four little mares last year and wonder, what happen to playing with dolls!!!