Swimming with the sharks

So, it's Tiki's first day out with an adult horse. I have to admit, Doc isn't much of a shark. Normally, "baby's first day with adults" is a swimming with the sharks moment, where the babies stick close to mom, and the adult horses swirl around them like curious sharks. Or, with a bold baby, you have the role reversal moment where the baby stalks the adults, who are running away from the protective mothers. DON'T YOU TOUCH MY BABY!!

So.........you take a wild guess as to which situation this is......

"Hey look!! A new horse in the field!!"

"My name's Tiki! What's yours??"

Mona: "GET AWAY FROM MY BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Now, as babies are wont to do....SOMETIMES the bold and smart ones figure out that they can get their new pasturemate in trouble by "baiting" them to incite Mom into thundering over to beat the crap out of them. We had a colt named Gossamer who was famous for this--truly his favorite trick. He would stalk the unsuspecting adult grazing nearby, walk slowly but very deliberately up to the adult horse, one eye on Mom, one eye on the target. Once within a few feet of the horse, Mom gallops over, teeth bared, ears pinned, wheels around and begins firing with her back legs.

Tiki is beginning to master this art......

Tiki: "MOOOOMMMMM! Doc's touching me!!!"
Doc: *SIGH* "Kids......."