Mares and Geldings together?

Kite_Rider

Kite_Rider

Cantering cabbage!
May 18, 2009
11,019
9,431
113
Just curious really, a livery I know has two horses one mare, one gelding and was saying the other day that she had to separate them as the gelding keeps mounting the mare.
Surely that is 'normal' and I do know another lady who's horses all live together in one big mixed herd, she said that yes it does happen but no one really worries about it as all the geldings are geldings.
So would you, should you keep a mixed sex herd? Obviously not stallions. And if not, why not?
 
I have always kept stallions, colts and geldings together, the company is good for them. I have always kept mares and geldings together too. The only exception is foaling mares, Geldings are a pain in the rear end with pregnant mares and foals. Once the foal is a week or two old then they can go in with the geldings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ruskii
Wally said:
I have always kept stallions, colts and geldings together, the company is good for them. I have always kept mares and geldings together too. The only exception is foaling mares, Geldings are a pain in the rear end with pregnant mares and foals. Once the foal is a week or two old then they can go in with the geldings.
Click to expand...

This is what I thought Wally, but wondered if I was missing something, so thanks for the reply.
 
Depends on the mare and the geldings I think! I can't imagine mine would take too kindly to being mounted, in which case there would be kick issues. And she is a pain when she's in season and putting her in with a riggy gelding could exacerbate that. For choice, I'd rather mares and geldings were separate but maybe that's just MY mare!
 
Geldings to mount mares, and our lot have high old time, Everyone Fancies Fákur and the mares chat him up something rotten. He gets really quite embarrassed about it, he's not that kind of guy. Frances' orange Klaengur is a right ladies man and obliges at every opportunity, It never causes any problems, they are a content bunch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kite_Rider
Wally said:
Geldings to mount mares, and our lot have high old time, Everyone Fancies Fákur and the mares chat him up something rotten. He gets really quite embarrassed about it, he's not that kind of guy. Frances' orange Klaengur is a right ladies man and obliges at every opportunity, It never causes any problems, they are a content bunch.
Click to expand...
I think that's the thing isn't it really Wally, if they are allowed to be horses most of the time they seem far more content with life in general.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cortrasna
We kept Joe and Storm together for years. No mounting issues - but if he has found his fifth leg she'd probably not have objected!lol she adored him:)
I would put geldings in no problem with our girls. There might be some argument over one gelding between my old maids:p But when we get another horse they'll all live together - be it gelding or another mare (or two).
 
I totally agree with mixed herds and letting horses be horses, but today I have separated Jess and Hank, due to late cutting he thinks he's the man and doesn't seem to realise there is some vital equipment missing. Sometimes Jess will stand for him, other times she kicks him (mostly the latter) which worrys me in case the little dude gets hurt but normally I grin and bear it. However over the last few weeks Jess has had chunks bitten out of her all up her shoulder, chest, neck, and back legs and today she has a nasty cut to her leg and a fence rail down, I'm guessing kicking out at Hank, I don't really see any other reason she would have kicked at the fence as there are no other horses there. In a week or two we will try again and see if they behave a little better.
ETA I sometime think just 1of each is more trouble than a herd where they can go off and annoy someone else.
 
The beauty of our lot is they rarely kick, They will scream and bellow and swing pants, but when heels are shown it's more in warning than violence. They will often settle a score with a bum to bum shoving match, and the person who pushes the other forwards is declared the winner and peace reigns again,

If I had something like TBs or horses with no self preservation I would have to rethink my regime and only put those out with those they get on with, Really there are no hard and fast rules with horses. I do what I do because it works for us, the bred we have and the amount of land available
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ruskii, KP nut, squidsin and 2 others
Mattie and Ziggy live contentedly with Izzy and Bella. The boys generally keep to themselves and the girls too, but occasionally Ziggy will groom with Izzy and Mattie will chat up Bella in his charming French way.

Although Mattie is very stallion like in lots of ways (he wasn't cut until he was about 7) he never mounts anyone. And the mares absolutely rule the roost!
 
  • Like
Reactions: KP nut
I have always kept geldings and mares together, never been a problem at all. I am always slightly bewildered when people make a huge fuss about keeping the separately. What do you people do when you go to a show or hunting or a charity ride? I did have a riggy gelding once that took a real shine to one of my mares, not really an issue though, if she wasn't in season she told him in no uncertain terms to bog off...if she was....well....they entertained themselves for a week or so every now and then.:rolleyes:
 
Always been at yards were they are separate and I have always kept my boys together but in their own paddock. Chanter had a awful time before I got Ginger, Some of you may remember, he came in every day covered in bite marks. At one point I could not ride as they were under his saddle so I separated them and lost a so called mate at the same time.

Selfish as it is and not natural and I agree for my benefit the boys are in their own paddock where I control the turn out times, the amount of grass, the poo picking the ragwort everything.
 
I've always kept geldings and mares together. Kia loves having mares to look after and all the naughty bits as well only thing is now that he has had himself and the same mares for a year he isn't very tolerant of other geldings and even chases new mares if they are put in the field.

He has always been quite dominant but as he gets older he seems to be making it more of an issue. I personally don't like same sex herds.
 
OwnedbyChanter said:
Always been at yards were they are separate and I have always kept my boys together but in their own paddock. Chanter had a awful time before I got Ginger, Some of you may remember, he came in every day covered in bite marks. At one point I could not ride as they were under his saddle so I separated them and lost a so called mate at the same time.

Selfish as it is and not natural and I agree for my benefit the boys are in their own paddock where I control the turn out times, the amount of grass, the poo picking the ragwort everything.
Click to expand...


I liked having my own paddock when we were on a yard. Wouldn't have it any other way. Joe and Storm had their own. Previously they were split up which I didn't like. I hated having them in a herd as there were always petty arguments about who brings who in and when and I felt tied in with other people.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OwnedbyChanter
I can mix one or both of our mares with either of the geldings, I have issues with the 2 boys together, one or the other of them usually ends up with an injury, they get on great with a fence between them but just too exhuberent in the same field!
 
I turn 2 mares and 2 geldings out together at the moment but they are at my parents home. I know local livery yards have strict mare or gelding fields though. x
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom