herd biting

Question
My 25 yr. gelding has been in the new herd for 8 mos. and a couple times a week I am still noticing bites on him from other horses.  Is this normal?  When the other horses come near him he moves away but sometimes they bite him anyways (3 in his herd and 6 in a herd over the fence) Yet I see them all standing together sometimes quietly....so is this just normal behavior...will it ever stop?  I don't appreciate finding bite marks (fur is ripped off down to the red skin color and sometimes even dried blood) on my gentle old boy.  He was accustomed to living with one other old horse who was submissive towards him (my horse used to be boss)
Also, he seems to walk quite gingerly over gravel...we just cross over the gravel road to get to the field. He doesn't wear shoes...seems un-necessary?  Is he just "delicate" or is there a problem with his feet?  I just had a trim few days ago.
Thanks. Lori

Answer
Hi Lori!

Your old boy is going to continue getting beat up as long as he is in with that particular herd.  He is low and they all know it and while they may be fine some of the time, he will always be low and therefore, at risk for a beating.  I would move him immediately to a different herd group or by himself to keep him safe. One day he might get kicked and but good.  I would just move him out of that herd.  Humans cannot change a herd's pecking order.

He is foot sore and it could be because of the recent trim or he is just sore all the time.  If you are not riding him and he is not often on gravel, no shoes are necessary. Just make sure your farrier is not trimming him too short and making him even more lame.

Good luck and remember to always wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet!

Solange