It is always interesting to watch two horses scratching like this to observe how they interact. Horses often start by scratching each others withers but will move up and down each others body, not only rubbing with their strong upper lip but also using their teeth to both scratch and to gently nip. Feral horses tend to bond with others who are roughly their age and dominance rank, while domestic horses will bond with whoever they are sharing a paddock with, once they get to know them. If there’s some choice grazing or feed going, the dominant ones will grab it first, chasing the others away.īonds are often formed within the herd between pairs of horses. Top horse is the stallion, closely followed by the alpha mare and so it goes all the way down to the least dominant mare, who tends to get picked on by everyone.ĭomestic horses sharing a paddock will often show herd-like behaviour…there’s usually one or two dominant horses who boss the others around. Horses living in the wild have a natural pecking order within their herd. Is this where the expression, “I’ll scratch your back while you scratch mine” came from? One horse generally starts the scratching and the other horse seems almost unable to resist the urge to return the favor. This usually involves two horses standing in a way that they can both scratch each others withers at the same time. When horses are turned out together it is often possible to find two horses mutually grooming each other. Obviously you don’t need to use your teeth! You can use a dandy or body brush! ![]() Mutual grooming is an excellent way to bond with your horse.
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