Colts and fences

[Pentland]

I have three yearling colts who I would like to keep entire. How long can they stay together in the same field? And what height of fence will I need when I build them each their own paddock? They are Arabs to mature around 15.1!
Any advice about how to keep them would be appreciated.

 

[Maesfen]

As long as they all get on there's no reason why they can't stay together, at least until (if they do) they start covering mares.
Fence wise, it would be most sensible to use post and rail or specialist stud fencing to a height of at least five foot all around, higher if necessary. Never think that electric fencing alone is strong or safe enough for colts. Whatever fencing you use, it needs to be strong and well fitted particularly using much longer posts than normal fitted deeper into the ground. If you have the space, I'd strongly advise you to double fence as well plus have a wide enough walkway that a horse can't reach the one you are leading.

 

[Alexart]

Agree with the above - there is no reason why they can't stay together in a bachelor herd and with geldings too - would help so you've not got 3 immature yobs running together but having an older horse or horses to teach them manners would be far better!! We've had mature breeding stallions, including an arab, run with colts and geldings of all ages as that is how they were brought up and they behaved like normal horses as they were treated like normal horses, they all had good manners too.
And as long as you cover mares, if you're doing natural and not AI, out of eye and earshot of the rest of them and in a particular place so they learn to associate that one spot for doing their job, plus give the one doing the covering a bit of a bath after wards then it lessons any reasons for fighting - or the others humping the victor on his return!!

Keeping them on their own is cruel - horses are herd animals and should be kept as such to prevent behavioural issues especially fence running with solitary stallions which means they are impossible to keep weight on and build up all the wrong muscles, in a herd they get to burn off steam with their buddies and have security as well so are far easier and more laid back to handle than one kept on it's own.
Have you had experience keeping stallions? - let alone 3?! - they are a handfull!!

Fencing wise a 6ft fence is what we have, you could have an additional electric if say you have a bridle path nearby or field where mares are, and as said above, a gap between fields of about 20ft so they can't physically touch whoever is in the next paddock or walking past.
Any pics of your boys? - I love arabs, i miss our little arab stally - we didn't need him for breeding so we gelded him and sold him to a lovely home as a general riding horse, he was such a sweet horse though!

 

[wits end]

I've kept stallions together in the same field before. Both only did AI and we with a couple of geldings and colts in a very settled happy herd. The boss of this herd? 11h mini donkey...

We keep out colts together in a large herd (both gelded and a couple who are entire) together to the age of 3 when they go off to be started. At this point we 'pair' off but tend to keep the entire colts together, as it's far easy for the farms that back for us to have stallions for a shorter amount of time.

Our fencing for the colts main field is 5 foot surrounded by hedgerow and fences. The fillies on the other hand have electric fence they could probably step over, but being lovely, non-mischievous girls the decide it's not worth the effort

IMO it's largely about the way stallions are brought up. If you keep them in a settled herd and treat them normally, on the whole they'll be a lot more easily managed that the image of stallions people usually have. If they start covering (particularly live covering) it would IMO be advisable to separate the stallions for a period, keeping them geldings instead, then after the breeding season try careful reintroductions. This is what we've done, and the boys are still happily together.

 

[Cahill]

my boy herd live happily together and often share the same blade of grass lol.2 were gelded at 3,the others were gelded at 4yo two years later .thought i better get on and do it as some ladies moved next door.all of them have manners and never `colty` but they are laid-back gypsy cobs.