Picked on?

Has anyone ever had a horse that's picked on a lot(New or old) and it be for a good reason? Like the other horses know that horse is secretly a pain in the butt.

I've had a few horses before that is brought home and it bothered me that they were picked on so much. So I'd give them a nice horse. Just for the picked on horse to be a big time a**hole.

Like every time if I get a new horse, and my guys aren't very nice to them I've noticed it's because this horse is kind of aggressive himself if he gets the chance.

So I've learned just to leave them (unless they are really hurting eachother)

My guys aren't mean to all that come. Just those kind. Most of them they end up playing and automatically accept them.


That might not make any sense o.o I tried. XD

Herd dynamics at play, Janna.

My gelding Casper is the omega in my little group, although he willingly lords it over any new or strange horse until they figure out the new herd pattern. Then he goes back to being low man on the totem pole.

Casper wants to be a badass, but he's really just a follower at heart. Which is fine, because every group needs an alpha AND omega.

My jazzy gets run around a bit BC she's low horse in the herd- always lol. Plus she's 3 and still wants to play, so the older mares will indulge her her a bit and then tell her to scram

Every so often I will find some horsey-war-wounds but that's what they do... As long as its not relentlessly dangerous we let the herd work it out. I do try and tell jazzy to chill out and leave the older gals alone, but she prefers to learn the hard way (I am joking, for those that don't know me, and are worried I try to talk sense to a horse:)!!

You mean it's wrong to try and talk sense into your horse? We do it all the time. I just thought they had selective hearing! LOL

Anywho, our colt is constantly chased by the next oldest gelding who is 6 years old. I think he's trying to play but we still tell him to knock it off.

Our newest horse, who is 9 but not the oldest, took over lead position not long after we got him. He's constantly pinning his ears and chasing off the others from the hay. We also get after him (yell at him) but he keeps it up.

We have a friend keeping his horse with ours. That horse was picked on for about 5 months until we added a couple new horses. He still was picked on but not as bad.

Some horses just don't readily get accepted into the herd and will be picked on for quite a while.
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JJ is the dirt they walk on.......I had to take him out of the herd when he was 5 because he just got beat up so bad. It has created a few issues with him.....he was TERRIFIED of horses come up next to him, coming AT him still. He also ATTACKS his hay and still thinks he has to eat fast (slowed down now). He used to be really bad at pinning his ears when you threw the hay in. Now he USUALLY keeps his ears perked....all I have to do is give him a look and a stern low pitched AHTTTT and he backs off quickly and then has to wait a few seconds.

But all the other low horses don't get picked on as bad as he did....but they are not such big of babies and drama kings like he is lol.

And they are bullies! They go for the NICE and kind hearted ones lol.....not the jerks who need to be put in their place.

My guys beat up on on cocky or aggressive ones and are nice to the quiet ones. I'm glad.

I really noticed this happening with the past couple horses I've got.