Our sorrel mare “Cowgirl” knows when it’s time to eat. Notice how she comes bolting over the barn the minute she sees me.
Meanwhile the sheep and their buddy “Brady” the pygmy goat wether just saunter about taking their time coming over. But when they see Cowgirl making a beeline for dinner, they fall in line behind her.
Despite her size, the mare is very gentle with her charges. As the official “shepherdess,” she is the one they run to if they get scared or get spooked by a loud noise or a coyote yapping.
In fact she is so gentle, we have to run her into her stall when it’s time to eat so she can eat undisturbed. Otherwise, the sheep try to pilfer her food and she lets them!
But no-one pushes her away from a flake of coastal hay. If they try to horn in on that, one flick of her big head sends them away.
