Gelding and mare in together?

Penny Less

Penny Less

Joined
10 March 2009
Messages
7,682
Visit site
What are your views about the above, does it work ? Having just lost one of my boys I am going to try and find a companion for the other but have only been considering geldings.
Wonder if I would be wrong to rule out a mare ?
 
My share Horse, is a mare, she's out with 2 geldings.

No trouble at all, she's completly obsessed with one of the geldings though hehe

I wouldn't rule out a mare
 
I have 2 geldings and a filly all in together. Never once had a problem.

My friend has 3 mares and one gelding all in together. They're also absoloutely fine.

I was once told it doesn't work - in my experience it's absoloute rubbish! I've known 2 mares to fight but never had a problem with mixed.
 
Only know one pair in together and they have to be separated in the spring , so thats why I have been doubtful. I will not rule it out then, cant bear to see my lad on his own
 
Never had a problem and horses always seem more settled....I've seen less scraps between horses in mixed herds than in same sex herds...particularly mares! :)
 
Last edited:
When I turned out one of my mares with the geldings it really calmed her down - much better, if it wasn't for the fact that one is shod I would defo run as a mixed herd.
 
We have two geldings and a mare together with no problems. Before we had them at home they were in a herd of four mares (one with a colt) and three geldings and never had any trouble. I think it's much more normal for them to be in a mixed herd. The main thing is to make sure you introduce them properly - but that applies to any horse really, regardless of gender. :)
 
i have only seen a problem when its a lot of geldings with a lot of mares, ours are separate as we have 15 odd of each and if the go out together (ie- the gelding break the fence down!) they all go crazy! but if its just a couple i have never found a problem :)
 
I don't think I have ever questioned running mares and geldings together, I find it odd how some people think it is the most dangerous thing that could be exposed to their horse on a livery yard! I find that in a mixed herd, the dynamics work far better, it is much more natural than same sex herds.

We have mareish mares, and a riggish gelding, but keeping them all together keeps them all settled. The geldings have respect for the mares and the mares keep them in order!

This is a herd of 13 BTW. My horses are all expected to respect horses no matter what their sex, and we have a fantastic herd leader who doesn't bully but keeps things running smoothly. None of ours are shod though.

Good luck

ETA - At the moment ours are split in to easier to manage sized herds of 3/4 per field, however we can take one out of one field and throw it in another with no problem at all. They are still split into mixed sex groups even with small numbers.
 
Last edited:
I have been on quite a lot of yards over the years and all bar 1 have had mixed herds. They only one there were problems was the yard which separted the mares and geldings!!
 
My mare is in with a gelding and they actually get on really well, better than i thought! when my mare comes in season (which she is in now) she is sometime abit mardy with him, but you know us giurls!
 
My mare and my gelding turn out together and get on amazingly - they occasionally chase one another around for fun, but the rest of the time they are usually seen grazing side by side in perfect unison! They behave just like brother and sister to be honest.
 
Mine have always been mixed and never had any problems... Only once has my gelding been turned out with a field only of geldings and that was also the only time we had problems with him being bullied! (They were also all about 4hh taller than him...). So he's back in with the mares now and much happier.
 
As far as I know, most geldings have had their balls lopped off by a handy-man who knows about that sort of thing.

So then, the problem of turning a male out with a female has been removed, what seems to be the problem?
 
Personally, I am not a huge fan of it, as my mare is very mareish, and I don't think it is fair on her or the geldings for her to be showing her seasons to them all summer.

I've also witnessed geldings penetrating mares in season.... whilst it's not that common, it can happen. again, not really fair.

That said, I have had previous mares in mixed herds and it's worked well. Depends on the horses.
 
At our yard there are a large number of geldings and mares living very happily together, I've never known there to be a problem. At home I have a gelding (who was entire until his teens) with two mares and they are all very happy and content.
 
Me and PS have had mares & geldings in the same field on a number of occasions and had next to no problems (except the rare in season, tarting about squealing type stuff!).

Although, I would say, all of ours have been together on the same small yard for a prelonged period of time, not just swipping and swapping with random mares and geldings on a livery yard?

If it's deffo a gelding and neither are grumpy, it should be fine imo! xoxo
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top