Brumbies 101

[Tiggs]

Wild brumbies were once tame horses that escaped from settlers and adapted to the wilds of Australia. Most brumbies today are descendants of these escapees, and they are sought after by men for their hardy builds and stamina for work in cattle herding and wrangling.

In the era of the Kosciusko RPG, most of these brumbies are crossbreeds, mostly stockhorse with a little arab, draft and thoroughbred thrown in. Few purebred breeds were available in Australia in the early 1900s, and those that were already exported were highly prized and high bounties were given to catch escaped purebreds.

Brumbies can come in any colour, and their builds vary but the average brumby is somewhere between 12-16hh. Anything larger is likely to perish in winter, due to needed more food than the cold season can provide.

The setting of Kosciusko imitates the habitat of the Silver Brumby books, where the wild brumbies run free but men still chase, catch and tame them.

At Kosciusko, brumbies can be played wild or tame but please see the topic on men for information on tame brumbies. In this thread, you'll find out the basics on all aspects of the brumbies' lives. It is as close to realistic as we can make it, but with a few little deviations here and there for the sake of Role-Play!

For more information on the colours and shapes of brumbies, see this external link: Australian Brumby Horse Register: About
For examples of some colours, see this thread: Coat Colours and Genetics

Birth
Mother brumbies give birth to a single foal between late winter and the end of summer. Generally foals are born away from the herd, and their mothers will look after them for a few days before returning. Almost immediately after a foal is born, it can stand. Not long after that, it can walk, and then run. Their legs are incredibly long compared to their body size, so they can keep up with their mother should danger threaten.

Nursing
Foals drink milk until they are half a year old, though some may nurse for longer or until their mother refuses them milk. They will begin to eat grass much earlier than that, copying their dams.

Play
Foals will play with other foals in their herd, often sparring and playing other games that mimic other circumstance they may come across when older.

Leaving the Herd
By the time the foal is a year old, they are able to leave the herd though most do not until they are two years of age. Stallions usually chase away their sons when they are between two and three years of age. Fillies will usually stay with their birth herd until another stallion tempts them away. This is the only time a stallion will tolerate the stealing of his mares, as related mares are not as important for a stallion to keep. Young stallions who have left their herd will usually travel in temporary mobs or 'bachelor herds' until they break up to start herds of their own.

Sexual Maturity
Colts are able to conceive once they are two years old, but a filly will not usually breed until she is three.

Breeding Season
The breeding season begins at in late winter and continues though to the summer. Stallions are most protective of their mares during this time, and most fights occur then.

Herds
Each stallion collects mares, and defends them from other stallions wishing to steal them. The stallion will breed with all his mares when they are in season, and will also protect his foals though does not usually have much to do with their upbringing. Usually it is just one stallion per herd, though stallions that are close friends may build a herd together. A single stallion may have as many mares as he likes, though the more mares, the harder it is to keep them from other stallions and men. Stallions do not hold specific territories though they may chase off horses they feel to be too close to his herd.
Generally, it is easier to keep track of the mares in your stallions herd if you put a list in your signature or in a thread in the Players board.

Fights
Stallions challenge others either for mares or the position of King. If the challenge is accepted, a fight will begin. There is a high risk of injury or even death from these fights, so one stallion will usually surrender before any serious injuries occur.
The outcome of a fight depends on the skill of each stallion involved based on a Fight Stat calculated by age, health and experience. A chance dice roll will determine who wins the fight, so the stallion with the highest fight stat is more likely to win. Always notify a staff member if a fight or challenge has been made. Read the following thread for more information on fight stats: Brumby Fights and Stats

Stealing
The stealing of mares is a tricky business, though many younger stallions employ this method when starting a herd. The idea is to take a mare from a herd without the lead stallion noticing or being hunted down afterward. Stealing from a larger herd is better, as the lead stallion has many other mares and may not chase after another stallion. Stealing daughters of stallions is easier as she is obviously not one of his brood mares.

King of the High Country
The King of the High Country is the most famous and respected stallion. This position is fought for, often leading to the death of the loser. The position comes with the power of respect from all other stallions though his mares are prized over all others and they are often sought to be stolen by other stallions.
However, if the player of the King is inactive for more than two weeks without notice, the position will be open for another stallion to claim. See this thread for more information: King of the High Country