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Seasonal change

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[posted to Morganlist, 26 Sep 1997]

Well, I can certainly attest to the truth of what was said about our latest storm– nearly an inch of rain in 24 hours, which is highly unusual for this area. To add insult to injury, it was very warm: yesterday’s temperature in the barn was 81 degrees at 3pm… while it was raining, mind you.

JM mentioned changes in seasonal behavior in horses a while ago… I have had similar experiences, and always chocked it up the difference in weather. I know that -I- always feel a bit more fey and energetic once the heat of summer begins to abate (hasn’t happened here yet, more’s the pity) and I have always considered that it isn’t a whole lot different for other animals. JM further noted that he sees this change right around Labor Day, and that syncs with my experience too.

Hours of daylight have been mentioned, and may well be a factor. However, I tend to think that *angle* of sunlight and night-time temperatures may be even more of a stimulus. These behavior changes always seem to appear *after* night temperatures have begun to drop, and the angle of light is noticeably autumnal. Too, this is when I usually notice that the horses have started their winter coats, which may indicate some sort of hormonal thing. My grandmere referred to the autumnal wild horse phenomenon as “being tickled by their new coats”. This seems appropriate, since even the wildest of the lot usually settles by the time their winter coat is noticeable.

My parent’s Percheron mares were a striking instance of seasonal change in behaviour. Normally, they were the most phlegmatic trio of ladies you could ask for. Come autumn, we would always have to endure the few weeks during which they were convinced that they were actually war horses. Their normal routine of off-work hours snoozing under the tree in their pasture and mooching around the byre during milking became a busy schedule of chasing cows and dancing about cutting shapes in the air. This exuberance also came out in their work. I think JM’s term “keenness” sums it up: when you feel like you are leading the Charge of the Light Brigade from atop a field rake, it is a little unnerving! (Fortunately, the lot of us came to a far better end than the 11th Hussars did under the Earl of Cardigan.)


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