Here to Stay: Day 10

 Word Count: 60,115

Summary of Events:

James observed his stallion to be quite agitated late in the afternoon, regularly looking to the east and whinnying shrilly. When Jake came and told him that Mr. Baron's horses had arrived and Mr. Baron wanted James to stop by and take a look at them at his earliest convenience, James wondered if the new mare next door was the cause. Having a bit of free time before supper, James decided to go check them out and found the three palominos penned together with the two stallions in a bloody fight over the mare, whom James observed was in heat. He took Mr. Coombs' horse — a gelding who was pastured separately — and separated the stallions into different pastures from each other and the mare because neither Mr. Baron nor Mr. Coombs had known what to do . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

“I can’t thank you enough,” Mr. Baron said. “I really can’t. Just what happened? I’ve never seen horses fight like that before.”

Removing his hat, James ran his fingers through his slightly sweat-dampened hair before setting it back in place.

“You have already been told by more than one person,” James replied emphatically, laying his frustration bare. “That horses are not like humans. They are animals! Thus, like any other animal, they are instinctive, and are out to make or have offspring of their kind — and in the case of the males, their line, more importantly — so that it will continue. As a result, putting two or more stallions together at all is a dangerous enterprise, and putting them with a mare — especially one that is in heat, as she is — is twice as bad, or worse.”

Mr. Baron looked a little frightened by James’ outburst, and his tone was timid when he spoke. “Um, what does being in heat mean?”

James shook his head. “I knew that was what you were going to say next.”

This startled Mr. Baron, but James didn’t let him ask how.

“Being in heat is, I guess, the veterinary term for ovulation,” James explained. “In other words, she is in prime condition to conceive a foal, and I doubt you have any idea what to do with one of those.”

Mr. Baron gave a small, timid shake of his head.

“That is why my stallion got so excited when you came to invite us to the barbecue,” James continued. “One of my mares was ovulating, so he wanted to get it on with her, for lack of a better term, and I think he can even tell your mare is in heat from where he is right now because he’s been pacing the fence and looking east for some time.”

“Really?” Mr. Baron asked.

“A stallion can tell when a mare is in heat from a distance up to or exceeding one point six kilometres,” James replied. “Your stallions didn’t need to be put in with her to know she was in that state, or to be disposed toward duking it out for the privilege to engage with her, but your doing so was only asking for what you got.”

Mr. Baron looked even more dismayed. “You mean I have to keep all my horses separated into different pastures?”

“Aside from her and Mr. Coombs’ horse — as he’s a gelding, thus he couldn’t make her pregnant even if he tried — yes,” James replied. “Yes you do.”

“Where am I supposed to put them all to keep them apart?” Mr. Baron asked, looking distressed.

“Where they are is fine, so long as they don’t know how to jump fences,” James replied. “And so long as the stallions never share a fence with the mare, as stallions have been known to impregnate mares through fences before.”

Mr. Baron looked a little shocked at that statement, but James believed it even though he’d never seen it, because fences had gaps more than large enough for it to happen, and he’d seen what was supposed to be a weanling nursing from its mother through a mutual fence before too.