1/19/2024 0 Comments Are horses prey animals![]() While one visitor might not consider that he or she is making a difference, the impact of hundreds of visitor a day is significant. Any time we cause a horse to move away from us that horse loses valuable grazing time. If you get too close to the horses they may defend themselves by charging, kicking or biting. Wild horses see humans and dogs as something dangerous. They must find their own food and water and protect themselves from danger. However it must always be remembered that if a horse feels trapped then. Good training can overcome this behaviour so that a horse and rider/handler are safer. A horse will instinctively run at the first sign of danger and for this reason horses are highly reactive. Bug repellant is also recommended during the summer months. Horses are a prey animal whose first line of defence is to run away from danger. ![]() Keep your dog on a leash for its own safety as well as the safety of the horses.They can injure you if you get too close and consuming unusual food, anything other than the island's plants, can make the horses deathly ill. Stay where you can see both harems at the same time. Keep a look out for other harems nearby that have stallions that may come trotting up for a fight.Never get in between a stallion and his mare or a mare and her foal.If you can't be certain that you see the whole group, give them more room.Įars pinned back or moving away from you means you are already too close. The safest way to watch horses is to position yourself in such a way that you can see the entire harem-the stallion, his mares, and their foals-at one glance. Horses have evolved to be cautious and flighty at water because their natural predators (which don't live on Shackleford) would prey on them there. But, make sure you are not so close that horses must move to other watering holes, using valuable energy.Īpproach with all your senses working be ready to stop or back up. The ranges of harems often overlap at valuable resources like water and good grazing. You may also want to look for freshwater or rainwater ponds. From the top of a dune or another high area, you can use binoculars to scout for horses. When climbing dunes, walk diagonally and avoid disturbing the sea oats. Use existing trails and bare sand when possible. Look for a narrow path through sand, this is often a trail cut by the horses.įollow a horse path until you come to a higher area, but remember to preserve the dune vegetation-it holds the dunes in place and is an important source of food for the horses. If you don't see any horses, take along your water, bug repellent, and binoculars or camera with zoom lens. At other times, you will have to go looking for them. Sometimes, you arrive on the island and there are horses grazing right in front of you. The first challenge is to find the horses.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |