Natural Rhythm

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

I am the alpha mare. I had a filly who turned into a yearling who turned into a young mare and who continues to grow, and with that grows the desire to move up higher in the hiearchy of the herd. She is second and she knows she is second; she is dominant of the third and reminds the third of this fairly frequently. With me, she wants to know where the limits are, what boundaries are still there and which ones have stretched a bit and in what direction. What happens if I do this? What happens if I do that? She wants to know your buttons and how to skirt around them. If the young mare tests the alpha mare of the herd, the result can be a whirlwind reaction of nipping and kicking that tells the young mare no, she is not yet ready to challenge the matriarch. I am still dominant. Then it is over. The hiearchy of the herd is still as established and the members can go back to their assigned roles within the herd. Until the next challenge.

posted by Jennifer | 8:59 AM