# 37 The Dun-Colored Mare

Monty Roberts watched a herd of mustang because he wanted to learn their habits. And soon a drama began to unfold. This incident gave Roberts the key to the language of the horse.

A light bay colt was behaving badly. He ran at a filly and gave her a kick. The poor filly just hobbled off. The colt seemed to puff up. He looked pleased with himself. He was looking for trouble. Then a little foal came toward him. The foal moved his mouth in a sucking action. This showed he was no threat. The sucking action meant, "I'm just a little foal." The bay colt had other ideas. He took a bite out of the foal's backside. The bay colt pretended nothing happened. With head down, he kept cropping grass. He looked neutral. He was trying to avoid blame. Roberts was fascinated. He was watching a big family drama.

Roberts shifted his sight to a big dun mare. He had noticed that she was the leader. When she moved, everyone followed. This mare was eating too. But she was slowly weaving closer to the colt. Monty felt sure the mare had seen everything. She showed no outward sign, but she kept edging closer to the colt all the time.

The dun mare was now only 20 yards away. But the colt tried another trick. This time he launched at a full-grown mare. He grabbed her by the nape of her neck and bit down hard.

The dun mare did not hesitate. She ran full speed at the colt and knocked him to the ground. The surprised colt struggled to his feet. The mare quickly whirled and charged again. Down went the colt again. Roberts's heart was beating fast. What a drama he was observing!

# 37 暗褐色的母馬

蒙蒂·羅伯茨觀察一群野馬，因為他想學習牠們的習性。很快，一場戲劇開始上演。這個事件給了羅伯茨理解馬語言的關鍵。

一匹淺棗紅色的小公馬行為不端。他衝向一匹小母馬並踢了她。可憐的小母馬只是跛行著走開。小公馬似乎趾高氣揚。他看起來對自己很滿意。他正在找麻煩。然後一匹小馬駒向他走來。小馬駒做著吸吮的嘴部動作。這表明他沒有威脅。吸吮動作意味著：「我只是個小馬駒。」棗紅色小公馬卻有其他想法。他在小馬駒的屁股上咬了一口。棗紅色小公馬假裝什麼也沒發生。他低著頭，繼續吃草。他看起來若無其事。他試圖逃避責備。羅伯茨著迷了。他正在觀看一場大型家庭劇。

羅伯茨將視線轉向一匹高大的暗褐色母馬。他注意到她是首領。當她移動時，大家都跟隨。這匹母馬也在吃草。但她正慢慢地迂迴靠近小公馬。蒙蒂確信母馬看到了一切。她沒有表現出任何外在跡象，但她一直不斷地向小公馬靠近。

暗褐色母馬現在只有20碼遠了。但小公馬又試了另一個把戲。這次他撲向一匹成年母馬。他抓住她頸背，用力咬下去。

暗褐色母馬毫不猶豫。她全速衝向小公馬，將他撞倒在地。驚訝的小公馬掙扎著站起來。母馬迅速轉身再次衝鋒。小公馬又倒下了。羅伯茨的心跳得很快。他正在觀察多麼戲劇性的一幕啊！