Keeping a stallion as part of a herd?

[Cortez]

When I was travelling in the US, I stayed at a place with a herd of geldings and 3 stallions. There was a bit of shrieking, but no injuries.

I had worked with stallions before, and these were as well behaved as any. I felt happy to go into the heard and take any horse out, anyway!

Struck me as a much nicer way to keep horses.

Yeah, the UK does seem to have a uniquely fearful attitude towards stallions. I've worked with them all my life and the only ones that occasionally give the odd bit of bother are Thoroughbreds, and most of that is down to the way they are kept IMO.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

When I bought my 2nd pony he was turned out in a field full of boys, geldings, colts and stallions. When I liveried at a stud farm they had 2 big stallions standing. Both were turned out individually. I went down once to bring my pony in only to find one of the stallions, a huge Cleveland bay, had broken through his fence and was happily grazing with all the geldings!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

I can't advise but would love it if you kept us updated on how this goes. I really hope it works out for you and Mr Connemara....he will be a lucky boy.
It absolutely breaks my heart how some stallions are kept, no life for any animal ?

 

[onlytheponely]

My two NF stallions live peacefully with my older geldings, two of which were stallions run on the Forest for years before they came in to be backed and gelded at 7 and 9. One of the ex stallions is the boss, all done very calmly and with no nastiness. The bossiest and most aggressive of the group is the lifelong gelding but the others just ignore his hissy fits.

 

[rara007]

Like this?

It does take a little monitoring as to who gets on with him (he’s not even top of the herd but some geldings hate him!), as some thought as to fencing (we have a byway through our land, and 1 mare of our own), but he’s happy out in company. Never had to split up any dramas in 5 years so far. We got him already well socialised aged 5, having covered from 2-4.

 

[Snow Falcon]

Ha, Rara, who is the cheeky looking grey?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I had an ex racehorse ages ago. He was the most lovely genuine horse ever. So quiet. I broke in 2 of his sisters which had the same laid back temperament. They were lovely. I was then invited to meet the stallion to all these beautiful laid back, genuine bombproof tb's. I jumped at the chance. I arrived and we got walking to the stable and en route the chap picked a brush up. The stallion literally came at us with teeth bared. He would have done serious damage to us. He was obviously not like that naturally but being kept away from other horses had made him so nasty. So sad.

 

[stangs]

It does take a little monitoring as to who gets on with him (he’s not even top of the herd but some geldings hate him!), as some thought as to fencing (we have a byway through our land, and 1 mare of our own), but he’s happy out in company. Never had to split up any dramas in 5 years so far. We got him already well socialised aged 5, having covered from 2-4.

If you don’t mind me asking, how close is his field/herd to the one with the mare?

 

[Cortez]

If you don’t mind me asking, how close is his field/herd to the one with the mare?

I used to keep my stallions in paddocks next to the mares (double fenced with a corridor between). They were very good at telling me when one of the ladies was asking for a date......

 

[PurBee]

Like this? View attachment 83598View attachment 83599View attachment 83600View attachment 83601

It does take a little monitoring as to who gets on with him (he’s not even top of the herd but some geldings hate him!), as some thought as to fencing (we have a byway through our land, and 1 mare of our own), but he’s happy out in company. Never had to split up any dramas in 5 years so far. We got him already well socialised aged 5, having covered from 2-4.

i love the 3rd photo - looks like theyre being naughty schoolboys having a sneaky fag behind the bike sheds at playtime and been caught! The look on their faces ?

 

[stangs]

I used to keep my stallions in paddocks next to the mares (double fenced with a corridor between). They were very good at telling me when one of the ladies was asking for a date......

See I was always told that stallions turned out in company near mares are bound to fight amongst themselves over her. That said, the information came from someone who held very traditional beliefs (i.e. on their own forever) on how you should keep stallions, so not the most reliable source

 

[Antw23uk]

A gent near me has two ID x type stallions running with their mares, in together. They are on a lot of land with a natural watering hole so each herd keeps to themselves but when they are close to each other its mainly peaceful and mostly just a squeal and a bit of showing off between the boys. Its amazing to go in with them and watch them with their foals.

 

[rara007]

The closest they get is they’re stabled next door to each other. Their fields have about a 2m corridor (the byway…) and are both hedged so not in direct sight. She’s an always in season wee on the geldings heads sort… She’s quite a strong character and only 4! Mares hack past no bother all the time but he knows our mare from a line up, and more to the point she knows him. Amazing how you tie her up outside her stable, take the head collar off to bridle her and you’re right by him?! He corrales at stay away shows with double electric (so no one bothers him) calm as any. Leaving them in a herd is the way to do it. IMO if their temperament doesn’t cope with that, there needs to be a stinking good reason to run them on. Once you’ve isolated them and wound them up you have no idea how sociable they would have been.

The little grey was the boss! He was my nephews LR pony but top of the herd.