Holy HORMONES

This year has brought Roscoe's hormones out in full force. He was telling us it was spring before the girls did. Roscoe knows what it is all about and it making sure we know it too. Well the hormones are causing problems too. We finally were able to take of blankets and found that all the great weight Roscoe had put on over the winter, was gone. He is so busy keeping track of the girls and sniffing girl poop, he is not eating as much. Plus he going through another growth spurt which always makes him look skinny. So frustrating since the show is in another month.
To help with his weight, we added more rice bran to his meal and he gets to go out with out a muzzle every other day. Turn out might change, but we have to see how brave we are feeling. It is a scary prospect putting horses on fresh spring grass after dealing with Laminitis.

Can you guess where the mares are?

In addition to the weight issue, the hormones have made him *cough* BALLSY. Yep I said it. His breeder commented recently that he has a big set. He seems to think he has to share that fact in his actions. Those mares are his. So poor Winston is bearing the brunt of his actions since he alternates turn out buddies. I came in Saturday to find out Roscoe had ripped Winston's sheet in two places. Now previously Roscoe would not even try to engage Winston. All Winston had to do was swing his butt or pin his ears and Roscoe would give him space.

"My Girls are inside, so time to come in"

This new development made me think. I don't want to separate either of the boys. No horse should be alone if at all possible. But I can't have him taking out his frustrations on Winston. I told Mom and Peggy I would buy a cribbing muzzle for him if he keeps it up. It will allow him to eat hay, but not bite Winston. The other thing I did was hold on to Winston and move Roscoe off the fence line. Basically the was the head mare saying he is mine, so bug off. Winston went off to have a rare time grazing while Roscoe would trot up to the fence and bite the top board. He has a healthy respect for the hot wire since he has encounter it while posturing.
On a positive note, we did find kick marks on him Monday. Which means Winston got some hits in. That day when they went out, Mom saw Winston pin his ears and Roscoe went WIDE around him to go eat hay. Maybe they worked it out. We gave Winston the night off from wearing his muzzle just so he had teeth to help ward off the rotten pony. The funny thing is that Winston would rather go out with the boys than the girls. He gives those hormonal females plenty of room and I swear he sighs when we come to bring him in.
Here we are trying to protect Winston's health and we inadvertently put him in the cross hairs of the future herd boss. Oh, the joys of herd dynamics. This should be an interesting year.