Peace?

This morning when I got to the barn, the barn owner was already there brushing Kira in the cross ties.  We were waiting for both Metku's and Manta's owners to get there so we could try the four horses together outside.  I took Little Love into the aisle as well, just to take a closer look at her hooves and hair.  I haven't cross tied her since we started our new life together and believe I may have promised her to never do it again, if possible.  Lilo used to hate cross ties, but since Kira was in the aisle, too, I figured it was worth a try. 

She still hates them (and can you blame her?).  The moment I started brushing her, she pinned her ears back and even lifted her left hind, threatening to kick.  I believe she was saying: "I thought we had a deal about this??!!!"  Which of course we did.  I undid her head and let her stand in the aisle loose.  Which was a tad challenging since Kira was right there in front of us and there was all kinds of other interesting stuff to explore.  But luckily we are at a barn where people are not freaked out by loose horses :-)  And I have a little more patience than I used to have. 

When the other two owners showed up, we put the horses out.  To be on the safe side, we first let the three black mares (Kira, Lilo and Metku) go out again together.  They had already bonded yesterday and there were no problems with these three together.  Of course, the fact that Kira was in full blown heat might have aided this "union", at moments she was almost affectionate (and other moments not!).  Looks like Lilo is getting into heat as well...



Lilo on the left, always careful.  Kira in the front, peeing (she is in heat, after all) and Metku in the back, just happy to be part of the gang :-)

  Then we brought Manta out.  On Saturday when she entered the big paddock, she attacked Metku and after that everyone else.  What would happen this time?  I think everyone at our barn had had a serious talk with the bay mare, including all the horses.  And on top of that she had been separated from the herd for two days, so we were hoping she had gotten the message; if she wanted to be part of the herd, she needed to behave. 

I'll let the pictures do the talking...



Meeting, one of many




Synchronizing (the brown horse is Lilo, she just rolled!)



Kira and Manta saying hello to Metku (without trying to kill her!)



It was interesting to watch Little Love's part in all this.  She seems to be the complete opposite of Metku, who wants to make contact, who begs to be in the middle of things, who seeks the others.  Little Love will hang out on the outskirts as an observer; she is the shy kid on the block who never confronts anyone, yet will stand up for herself if she gets cornered.  She doesn't want to cause any drama and always approaches every situation cautiously.  Since Kira and Manta have always been very tight, it is obvious that if Lilo wants a true friend, it has to be Metku.  It was quite moving to see her attempt friendship with the big Friesian mare.Her "Spanish Riding School" antics have now been replaced with curiosity and careful kindness.  It reminded me of the way she approaches unknown humans - not much different!  Metku is the perfect partner for the introvert Lilo; out going, "talkative" (I've never heard a mare make so much noise!) and down to earth. I took several pictures of the two, but for some reason unknown to me, I can't get them to post correctly.  But here is one anyways (sideways, more like), just because.

I cant' tell you what a relief it was to see all the mares getting along.  The fact that three of them are in heat might have something to do with it (Manta is in heat as well).  Maybe the "happy family" will be broken in about three days when they all snap out of it?  We'll see...