Cancelled castration - a question

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Patterdale

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I have a ten month old colt and filly living together. He was supposed to be getting cut this week but it’s now been cancelled.
How long can they carry on living together safely!? Vet didn’t give me a definitive answer..!
 
I have a colt and filly living together as well at the moment.
There’s no definitive time, colts mature at different rates. Mine is no way coltish and exhibits no behaviour that would concern me, and I have several stallions so am use to entires.

I’ve normally split by June time previously
 
I can’t split them. Not until we finish lambing. I’m going to ring the vet tomorrow and plead on welfare grounds. I can IV him whilst husband holds him then vet can approach the back end once he’s dopey whilst I hold the end of the rope, we don’t need to be close. I’ve got it all worked out! ?
Or we could just drop him completely in the field. Where there’s a will...
 
I would separate as soon as possible I saw a yearling colt jump a 5 bar gate to get to mares, I wouldn't risk it you just never know with colts they can be so innocent some stay like that some just don't you just don't know.
 
Castrating will only be effective five several
Weeks after the fact, it won’t be the same as separating them.
 
Going to have to watch them like hawks and if she comes into season I’ll have to put her in. Can only separate over the fence at the moment without a trailer journey and neither of those are an option.
Or stable one or both of them indefinitely, which also isn’t an option.
Sigh.

You can plan for lots of things, but not for this..!
 
Why should your vet risk their life to castrate your horse? Especially when you could separate them if you get inventive, if you have space for horses and lambing you can find a way, even if its just ordering electric fencing
 
Patterdale said:
Going to have to watch them like hawks and if she comes into season I’ll have to put her in. Can only separate over the fence at the moment without a trailer journey and neither of those are an option.
Or stable one or both of them indefinitely, which also isn’t an option.
Sigh.

You can plan for lots of things, but not for this..!
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Can you not stable each for half the day, so one is on night turn out and one on day as a temp fix?
 
Why is separating over the fence for the time being not suitable? Or have I misunderstood what you mean by over the fence?
 
ester said:
Why is separating over the fence for the time being not suitable? Or have I misunderstood what you mean by over the fence?
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Theyre not stallion fences, just normal sheep fencing, I wouldn’t trust him not to try and get over it and injure himself.

Vet said that she should be fine, he’s been a vet 30 years and has never seen a yearling filly get in foal, whilst it happens it’s rare and if I’m seeing them twice a day I should see the first signs of her being in season.

It’s not ideal but I really don’t know what else I can do.

In 2 weeks when we finish lambing there’ll be more fields available and I’ll be able to shuffle everyone around again. Hopefully they’ll be ok until then.
 
Patterdale said:
the stables are at the farm, they live 2.5 miles away and neither of them lead well :(
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so triple fence them into separate parts of the field, then hope and pray

ETA by triple fence i mean run an electric fence either side of the current fence, 1m from the fence.
 
They’re not in a paddock, they’re in an 18 acre field alongside an 11 acre field. Any other fields around have young lambs in.

It is what it is. Spoke to vet today who recommended just to be vigilant, so that’s what I’ll have to do.
 
Patterdale said:
They’re not in a paddock, they’re in an 18 acre field alongside an 11 acre field. Any other fields around have young lambs in.

It is what it is. Spoke to vet today who recommended just to be vigilant, so that’s what I’ll have to do.
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Can’t one of them go in a field with lambs in? I know that Flower had ewes with their lambs in with her and Mary as a foal, and the farmer didn’t seem to see it as an issue ??‍♀️
 
I don't think splitting 2 yearlings leaving them alone in part of a field will work, they may settle fine but if the colt wants to get in with the filly an electric fence probably wont stop him and may end up with a serious accident, if they were already used to electric and had other company it could work but I think you need to take the risk for a couple of weeks and if you suspect the deed has been done inject her asap, that could be considered an emergency and if it is I/M you could do it yourself.
 
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