How common is this?

Meowy Catkin

Meowy Catkin

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I was browsing the web and found this photo of a stallion turned out with his youngstock.

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Now I know that in the wild, stallions live in a herd with their progeny but this somehow made me think that it was very favourable in regards to his temperament. IE, he must have a lovely nature.

Am I wrong - will most stallions nanny their youngstock happily?
 
Sparkles

Sparkles

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All ones know live out 24/7 with their 'herd', foals and all.There are some stallions who are turned out together and just have their own mares and get on good as gold. Our 3 year olds can be turned out with anything, they're not typically stud-ish at all.

Lovely photo though :)
 
Enfys

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Ester, I do indeed :)

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Probably more common than is thought. My boy isn't a show horse of course and doesn't need to be kept pristine, he covers his mares in the pasture too and has a few scars to show for it. He can be a little bossy with companions in that he may herd them about a bit but I have never, ever, seen him do anything that would make me take them out instantly, and his paddock can be seen from two sides of the house he was watched a lot. Never kicked or bitten them, nothing more than normal adult "Oi! That's not on kiddo!" sort of reprimand, in fact he was far more tolerant than the mares were. These two were not his, I don't know if that makes a difference or not.

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I do understand why more stallions aren't run out with others, be it temperament, or that they are competition horses, just too valuable to be risked, no suitable companions, or the set up isn't suitable, dozens of reasons.
 
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angrovestud

angrovestud

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P1010022.jpg

Not out with his stock but they were right next to him our ex stallion used to mind the Children and when they were new born stand guard all the time mum and new baby where out he would look after the children while mum went off with her friends to eat poor lad!

P1010002.jpg
 
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A

Alexart

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I had an arab stallion that used to run out with his mares and foals - he loved to play with them and was very gentle, he was also turned out in winter time with all the colts and weanlings so it is possible but just depends on the individual horse. I wouldn't turn my friesian out with foals, I did find him one morning out with our mares and foals grazing happily as one of the mares with her foal had broken her field gate and then pulled his gate off its hinges to get to him - she was in season and not the most subtle mare!, but I wouldn't trust him totally as he does like to squash small furry things if they annoy him! We bought him as a 5yr old that was kept on his own, so he now just runs with mares, he does say hello to the babies over the stable door in winter, but he's such a big lad at 3/4 of a ton he could potentially do some damage wether intentional or not so I'd rather err on the side of caution!!!:D
I also have a 5yr old stally that runs with geldings/colts etc from weanlings upwards, but I bred him so he doesn't know any different, it tends to be the more native/cob types that are run in herds simply because of their lower value they are not wrapped up in cotton wool so much and are allowed to be horses more often - it is a nice sight to see though.
 
Colivet

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thanks for that - mortified at how they have trashed the haylage bale in the field (it was winter time and grazing as you can see was non-existent). They are very chilled boys I must say. The one on the right has been gelded since that pic was taken, so he lives with the mares, geldings & youngsters now.
 
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