Slowly, slowly

For the past couple of days, I closed the gate between the two pastures and kept Major Tubbs in one and Emmy, Java, and Vienna in the other. For the most part, they ignored each other. Well, except for Java trying to take a bite out of her new companion a couple of times.

Yesterday I noticed him standing at the fence just kind of staring at the other horses in a lonely looking way, so we moved Vienna over. Vienna walked over to him, he went to greet her, when she promptly turned around and tried to kick him. (It was a pretty adorable little kick. I know cute was not what she was going for, but it's kind of a default when you're a small pony.) After her kick, she comes racing over to where I was standing, goes behind me and peers out at the interloper from behind my back. I felt as though I was in a cartoon. While all this is going on, Major Tubbs just stood and stared at her. He didn't even put an ear back. The rest of the afternoon they grazed at opposite ends of the pasture.

Today I decided that because there had been very little drama, I would open the gate between the two pastures. For a long time nothing happened. Everyone stayed on their side and grazed. Eventually, I noticed Vienna kind of staying in between the two factions. At one point, evidently having had a change of heart regarding the new herd member, she whinnied at Major Tubbs as if to say, "Hey! Come over here!" He looked, and ambled over into the other field. At this incursion, Emmy and Java started to pay attention. They trotted over and everyone circled for a bit and then those two chased him back to the other side. If he gets too close to them, Java and her teeth appear. Through all of this, he has done nothing; no ear pinning, no squeezing, no kicking, nothing. He just looks a little confused and moves away. Knowing Java as I do, I'm pretty sure if he were to set a few boundaries, she would back down instantly. Maybe he'll eventually grow tired of her rudeness. 

But still, it's all significantly easier than when Vienna joined the herd and there were days of horses screaming at one another.

Meanwhile, the chicks are doing well and even had a bit of play time in the yard. This is one huge benefit of having chicks in July. There's no way we could ever do this in the spring; it would be far too cold.