|
|
Post by Debbie on Mar 19, 2008 13:43:12 GMT -1
Okay, I've gone to the field this morning to find Blossom's discovered the joys of digging?  I watched her this morning while giving Amanda her morning marshmellows. Blossom was full of herself, charging about a bit, and then she stopped and started 'attacking the ground'  I've never seen her do this before. I found a second hole that must've been the first one she's attacked. I don't get it? Why would she suddenly start attacking the ground?? Do you think she can hear the water 'percolating' and think it needs driven from her field? Or do ponies suddenly attack their field? I watched her this morning, and she seemed very driven as she stabbed and slashed at the hole. I've seen this behavior before, and she's very keen to drive intruders away...in fact at the onset I thought perhaps she'd managed to pin the skunk or some other small mammal under her feet. But I've gone to look...and its just a hole? I'm baffled. |
|
|
|
Post by NFK Dumpling on Mar 19, 2008 14:33:32 GMT -1
New one on me - Musky paws in an effort to get me to feed him quicker....
|
|
|
|
Post by lancslass on Mar 19, 2008 14:48:51 GMT -1
mine paw for the same reason as NFK....when its feed time .
|
|
|
|
Post by Debbie on Mar 19, 2008 14:52:36 GMT -1
Nope, the whole feeding thing is out of the picture...she doesn't get feeds in response to any pawing. In fact when she's banged the gate, she gets the bottom of the feeding scheduale (and she's normally top). She's cottoned onto banging the gate sincerely does not speed the feeding procees. Instead she's attacking the ground like its an intrusion to her field/territory?? Do you think she could be hearing the ground 'perculating' She was 'attacking' the ground like it was coming after her!  |
|
|
|
Post by NFK Dumpling on Mar 19, 2008 15:06:49 GMT -1
Nope, the whole feeding thing is out of the picture...she doesn't get feeds in response to any pawing. In fact when she's banged the gate, she gets the bottom of the feeding scheduale (and she's normally top). She's cottoned onto banging the gate sincerely does not speed the feeding procees. It's counterproductive as I refuse to feed him until he stops and stands back, but it is the only time he digs Instead she's attacking the ground like its an intrusion to her field/territory?? Do you think she could be hearing the ground 'perculating'  She was 'attacking' the ground like it was coming after her! Do you get burrowing creatures/insects? or maybe as you say she can hear the water...... Can you video her? |
|
|
|
Post by zeldalithgow on Mar 19, 2008 15:31:36 GMT -1
How strange Debbie - could she have itchy hooves I know most ponies stamp when itchy but maybe Blossom has decided to be different lol
|
|
|
|
Post by Debbie on Mar 19, 2008 15:58:02 GMT -1
Zelda, do you remember when Mr Ireland's dog tilted her head towards the ground and then acted like she was 'hearing' something and then started barking and was being agitated towards the puddle? That was exactly what I watched Blossom do this morning! The rains only stopped late afternoon yesterday, and I'm pretty sure she's hearing the water as it percolates through the ground. I take it no one else's pony cares  Trust Blossom to be alone with this one! ;D |
|
|
|
Post by zeldalithgow on Mar 19, 2008 16:03:31 GMT -1
Yes I do Debbie, you'll just have to get down there and listen, maybe you'll hear it too
I've just remembered I can sometimes hear water bubbling under the ground in our field
|
|
|
|
Post by leannwithconnie on Mar 19, 2008 19:00:39 GMT -1
:oOooohhhh how odd! I suppose their hearing is lot more sensitive than ours but then again Zelda you say you have heard water bubbling in your field. LOL |
|
|
|
Post by harveydales on Mar 19, 2008 20:28:07 GMT -1
Well, I can certainly hear the water perculating through our field at times but I've never seen the horses react to it. Very odd.......
|
|
|
|
Post by clara on Mar 19, 2008 21:27:38 GMT -1
Blossom the lesser spotted digging dales pony LOL! My donkeys used to dig two holes in their field. No real idea why, I thought perhaps they were lacking minerals but they shouldn't have been. I would fill them in and then they would do it again. We are sand over chalk and the water table is a long way down. They haven't done any for a while now. Who knows perhaps they do it to give us something to think about!
|
|
|
|
Post by PonyGirl on Mar 20, 2008 8:43:24 GMT -1
That is so interesting. Never heard that before.
|
|
|
|
Post by NFK Dumpling on Mar 20, 2008 8:54:16 GMT -1
Do you have more holes?
|
|
|
|
Post by Debbie on Mar 20, 2008 13:31:59 GMT -1
Blossom the lesser spotted digging dales pony LOL!  No more holes this morning. I *think* she may have been after the percolating water. The ground is fairly well drained, and I know yesterday there was a lot of water that needed shifting. I did watch to see if it was some sort of play behavior as she just all of a sudden lashed into the ground, but she was acting like she'd gotten something pinned with her front feet. I really did expect to find a mangled skunk, but no, just the hole. She must be proud she's chased the water off her field. Hmmm....that'd be nice if she started taking out the moles ;D |
|
|
|
Post by leannwithconnie on Mar 21, 2008 15:21:54 GMT -1
If Blossom is a mole attack pony I would love to borrow her please Debbie. My field [and garden] are under attack from the wretched things.
|
|
I've never seen her do this before. 
Trust Blossom to be alone with this one! ;D
