when to separate the boy?

[lisae]

We have a colt that's going to be one year old in april, who is not gelded yet as we are waiting for his 2nd testicle to descend. He is running with our two fillies, the older of these two will be a year in Feb.

We have the two adult horses in a different field, today I let them all in together because everyone looked so bored with the cold weather, it was cold but at least sunny.

Our mare who is five (going on 25!) NEVER plays with our coming three year old, they are quite sedate on their own. Well, the little colt just started stirring things up with Dante, biting and running off, rearing, chasing- and Dante spent the day simply having a fantastic time! The fillies stayed with the mare, mostly, but the boys certainly will sleep well tonight.

Anyways, all this "stallion play" got me thinking - when DOES puberty set in? This spring? I'm sure it could be that Andy will prove fertile, and we certainly don't want anyone "in trouble" before their time. After today, it would appear that Andy and Dante could run together just fine, and the mare is good with her own weaned filly and tolerates the other one.

Thanks for your input.

[Wally]

I'd separate them now before the "sap" starts to rise, the last thing you want is to find he can perform. As the sap rises too in spring he'll start wanting to play and play and the mares generally don't want to play, but another gelding or colt will be good company for him.

We have a colt, stallion and two geldings, older geldings, all out together at the moment. The boys all play terrible rough, but the older geldings will instill manners into the colt as to how to behave in a herd. He will have his bits nipped in the spring then can join the whole herd...then the mares will knock him into shape, poor boy!

[Tootsie4U]

I agree. I'd seperate sooner than later as you don't want to give him a taste of the stallion life ;) Keep him guessing as to what that "thing" is for :p

[Horsesforlife]

Careful, because stallions can be fertile as early as 4 months old! I have also heard from my vet that they can be fertile for up to 3 months, I think, after the gelding. Some of his "boys" may be left over.;)

[DebO]

I left my colt as long as possible before I gelded him, 18 months. At the time mares and geldings were together, however just before he was gelded he did try to mount one of the mares.

I would either get him gelded as soon as the testicle drops or separate now.

Another thing, mares are supposed to come into season from about Feb to Oct (or that was the case 20 odd years ago!) There was a stallion running with the herd and obviously due to hormones! he ended up pestering our mare (the owner wouldn't take him out straight away!) anyway she ended up having her foal in November. We were obviously worried about her survival but she was fine. So watch out.

Nowadays you could probably sue the owner of the stallion.