Help with stallion

[Cammr]

Hi. I own two Shetland ponies. A gelding and a stallion. Both are very well trained and friendly.

However, I have just bought a mare for riding. Although he is far too short to breed with her, stallion is very excited and is acting the way you’d expect.

Is there anyway to calm him down enough to keep them together? I hate to leave horses without companions but I don’t want to spoil to the stallions temper.
I used to keep a mare and a stallion together when I was young and they were best of friends, stallion wasn’t dangerous so I know it’s possible.

Does anyone have any advice on how I could do this? I would also be worried about my mare hurting him as she’s much bigger.

He’s 20 so I don’t think gelding would do much good.

 

[Auslander]

Although he is far too short to breed with her, stallion is very excited and is acting the way you’d expect.

Don't bet on it! They are resourceful little buggers!

 

[doodle]

You want to keep a mare and stallion together? And concerned cos stallion is acting like a stallion? Really? He will find a way regardless of her height. We had a surprise foal - sec a mare, fresian stallion.

 

[Cammr]

You want to keep a mare and stallion together? And concerned cos stallion is acting like a stallion? Really? He will find a way regardless of her height. We had a surprise foal - sec a mare, fresian stallion.

I think I’ll be safe as the last pair I kept where put together for breeding but the stallion was too short. The stallion was a miniature Shetland and the mare a standard Shetland.

 

[Auslander]

MY first pony was a Shetland/New Forest - sire was the shetland (9hh) and mother was full up 13.2hh. Just saying...

 

[Chinchilla]

It depends on the mare though, some can be right sluts. They can/will squat/lie down for a stallion. And it may be your boy is exhibiting stallion behaviour because the mare is egging him on, so your only options really are too separate them or geld the stallion.

 

[Cammr]

It depends on the mare though, some can be right sluts. They can/will squat/lie down for a stallion. And it may be your boy is exhibiting stallion behaviour because the mare is egging him on, so your only options really are too separate them or geld the stallion.

Thanks for the good answer. My mare doesn’t seem to be egging him on as she gets angry with him, flattens her ears, bites him, gives him nasty looks and ignores him. He seems to really agrivate her. Her last owner gave us a special food that makes her less “marish” so hopefully that makes her less slutty but I’m not sure.

Also I had a disaster as my stallion went wild at a friends mare as we were passing the field. (She isn’t usually there so I wasn’t expecting it.) she flat out ignored him but she wouldn’t take that as an answer.

I will consider gelding.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

OP, simple answer is no, you wont be able to keep them together.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Why would you not just geld?
genuine question!

 

[chaps89]

If he's 20 I'm not sure I'd want to geld either.
You either need to get some serious fencing between them both or consider rehoming one of them really.
Mentally it won't be great for them to be kept close together if one or other of them is getting wound up, and physically I've seen stallions drop a lot of condition when they're constantly on edge and excited. Not to mention the pregnancy risk of course.

 

[Orangehorse]

Mares and stallions can be very resourceful! Also I've known shetland stallions savage geldings much larger than themselves.

 

[Snowfilly]

A local yard had a Shetland stallion cover a 16 hand hunter mare! He used the muck heap... produced a cracking 13hh hunter pony.

I would talk to the vets about gelding, it may be possible depending on his condition and fitness but don’t leave them together, there’s too much of a risk.

 

[Shay]

My mare doesn’t seem to be egging him on as she gets angry with him

She might right now - but in full oestress she will do anything to be mated. The breeding urge is just too strong. Special food to make her "less mareish" will not settle in inbuilt desire - for both- to breed. I'm afraid you cannot keep them together unless you want a spare.

 

[doodle]

Waiting for the “is my mare in foal?” Post in 11 months....

 

[HeyMich]

Has she been in season yet in your care? She may become a little more 'friendly' with him when her hormones kick in.

And yes, I know of a 16hh ID mare who was impregnated by a 12hh pony. Where there's a will, there's a way... ? ?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

If she is attacking him you can't keep them together just because you have done it before it doesn't mean it will always work out.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

The stallion will also turn on the gelding at some point and beat the crap out of him.

I can't believe you are being so nieve.

 

[be positive]

The stallion will also turn on the gelding at some point and beat the crap out of him.

I can't believe you are being so nieve.

This is a real risk, my late cut gelding attacked a much bigger gelding when they were turned out with a mare and he really meant it, I think you are being very unfair on all 3 expecting them to live together peacefully, when the mare is in season her attitude may well change and you are putting them all at risk of injury and having an unwanted foal.

 

[poiuytrewq]

If he's 20 I'm not sure I'd want to geld either.
You either need to get some serious fencing between them both or consider rehoming one of them really.
Mentally it won't be great for them to be kept close together if one or other of them is getting wound up, and physically I've seen stallions drop a lot of condition when they're constantly on edge and excited. Not to mention the pregnancy risk of course.

I mean more why was he not gelded 20 is a good age to have made ungelded for a pony. Most get done at some point even just for easiness of keeping.

 

[oldie48]

I had to return a sect A companion pony. Although gelded he was still quite coltish, my 16hh mare loathed him until she came into season. The behaviour of both of them became quite dangerous and not something I was prepared to deal with. I have no doubt that if he'd been a stallion they would have found some way to finish the job and she's not a particularly mareish mare! I think you will need to geld.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Honestly, I think it is hugely unfair to any stallion to have to be turned out next to a mare in season, never mind turned out with! Of course that is different if you are breeding. Otherwise it is just setting the poor creature up for disaster and stress.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My sister's section C was used as a stallion then gelded at about 10. Now 19 he is still happily covering his mare companion and I am quite sure would have a good try with my old brood mare given half a chance which he won't be, much to her disgust. Fortunately he ignores horses passing his field. We wouldn't dream of putting a gelding in with him and the mare. I am sure he would beat up the gelding. Stallion and gelding fine but add a mare and you are asking for trouble, someone, human or equine could get badly hurt.

 

[Cammr]

Thanks for the reply’s guys. I want to geld but the choice is my dads and he doesn’t want to. I will warn him of the pregnancy risk and hopefully that will chance his mind.

I’ll try get him gelded which will stop a pregnancy but at his age I doubt it’ll do much for his attitude.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Thanks for the reply’s guys. I want to geld but the choice is my dads and he doesn’t want to. I will warn him of the pregnancy risk and hopefully that will chance his mind.

I’ll try get him gelded which will stop a pregnancy but at his age I doubt it’ll do much for his attitude.

Otherwise you need to move the mare well away from the pair of shetlands.
It's very unfair, unpleasant and quite frankly a welfare issue on all of them, if put together.

 

[tristar]

last word, where there`s a will there`s a way

 

[Snow Falcon]

I think you missed a y off the word will Tristar?

 

[dorsetladette]

MY first pony was a Shetland/New Forest - sire was the shetland (9hh) and mother was full up 13.2hh. Just saying...

My old stallion was a welsh C. His sire 10.2hh section A and Dam a 15hh section D. Where there is a will (and a hill) there is a way.

I'd keep stallion and gelding together and (with a few foot gap) keep mare separate. The shetlands are not going to be much use to her as grooming buddies (unless she has itchy knees) and its not fair on your stallion to stress him out like that.
My old stallion was kept in this way for about 12 years. His paddock had a lane way between him and the mare and gelding field. He would play at the fence line with my gelding but was safely out of harms way.

 

[Bellaboo18]

Otherwise you need to move the mare well away from the pair of shetlands.
It's very unfair, unpleasant and quite frankly a welfare issue on all of them, if put together.

Completely agree with this.
It's an unfair and unhappy environment for all of them.
The mare is being constantly pestered. Although she probably won't mind when she's in season but at best this will cause behaviour issues for you.
The gelding is likely to get beaten up at some point.
The stallion will be extremely frustrated.

The mare needs removing.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I wouldn't want to geld a 20 yr old either. I think the mare has to be found somewhere else to live. Why on earth didn't you think of all this before buying her? Currently you are not being fair to any of the 3 and are putting them all in danger of serious injury.

 

[Tarragon]

I know of a little poodle dog managing to mate with a leggy lurcher bitch by standing on the bench seats in the back of the landrover