Mares and Geldings same field

[Buzz1]

Do you have a problem mixing mares and geldings? Just moved to new yard and my boy is just off box rest and was put out last night in a cornered off part of the field, he will be going into the field soon so letting him mix first over the fence thing is out of coincedence there is only mares in this field now including his best friend (my pals horse) this was one of the reasons for moving to this yard as we wanted them together esp for winter. Seen one of the other liverys last night and let her know he'd be going in with her horse soon and she wasn't pleased to say the least as he is a gelding, explained he is fine with mares not interested when they are in season etc and freindly but not annoying anyone, also this was agreed with YO that my boy would be out with friends mare before we moved to yard.

Anyway point being do you have a problem mixing mares and geldings (if they are not riggy) I just can't see her point of view at all and am afraid it will cause anomosity on yard.

Choccies for getting this far x

 

[Penny Less]

I have a mare and a gelding in the same field, first time I have done this and was a bit worried, but posters on here reasssured me that it wouldnt be a problem and it hasnt been.
AFter the first few days of general pecking order sorting they are really good mates.

 

[Chavhorse]

Ours are out 24/7 April to October in a mixed herd of 12, 8 geldings and 4 mares, only problem we have is the utter confusion of the boys when the ladies come into season as the miserable old bats who are normally giving them the "get out of my space" attitude are suddenly acting like complete slappers and all "Ohhh I really love you".

Poor guys are all "urrrr you bit me last week so I don't think so" they then give in and spend a lovely few days snuggled up to each other until the mardy inner bat takes over again and they get chased away.

Most of our boys appear to be gay anyhow and only cuddle up to each other)

 

[POLLDARK]

I know this is not a lot of help but it depends on the mare & the gelding ! We used to mix them with no problem but some horses just do not get along with a particular horse regardless of sex & have to go with a different mix of horses.

 

[LaurenBay]

My mare is in a mixed herd. 2 Mares and 3 geldings, we don't have any problems. She's the newest addition, when she first came she came into season, so we left her in a seperate field and let her meet the others over the fence. She went in and all was fine.

 

[Buzz1]

This is Buzz lol he has girl pals but when they flirt and squirt he runs away in disgust lol, Just a bit peeved she doesn't know my horse and was giving me attitude last night "do you really think thats a good idea, he should be out with the geldings etc!"

Icould understand if he was out and causing trouble but he's not and i know he wont

 

[dorito]

No experience of doing this, and I'd guess that, as always, a lot depends on the individuals. But I was once told by one of the 'old-school' types that you can have one mare and one gelding together. Add in any more of either sex and it is asking for trouble.
Personally I would be wary, especially if said horses are shod. Sorry, not trying to put a downer on things for you.

 

[Chavhorse]

This is Buzz lol he has girl pals but when they flirt and squirt he runs away in disgust lol, Just a bit peeved she doesn't know my horse and was giving me attitude last night "do you really think thats a good idea, he should be out with the geldings etc!"

Icould understand if he was out and causing trouble but he's not and i know he wont

It really shouldn't be a problem we have one mare in our herd who is a real girly girl sounds like a Dinosaur when she is in season the boys are totally horrified and just give her a very wide birth and a "oh god she's off again look".

 

[Wagtail]

Occasionally you will have a gelding that will cause trouble in a mixed herd, but I have found this to be the exception, rather than the rule. We had two mixed herds here until just recently when a new gelding joined and made it clear he had it in for the mare! I had to separate them immediately. But he's fine with the geldings. I have had two other geldings that have caused trouble and had to be removed from mixed herds. But generally speaking, mixed herds are fine, especially when the gelding is the only boy.

 

[oscarwild]

My previous gelding was a utter nightmare and could only be kept with geldings. He was very riggy. Total nightmare. But he got pts end of last year and I went out a bought a mare. She is in a mixed field and we have no problems at all. She has paired off with a gelding , and yes she is a bit of a tart when in season but she still seperates from him no problems at all. We have a few mixed fields and a gelding only field for the more boyish boys and it works fine.
But to be honest it all depends on the horses how they will get on.

 

[competitiondiva]

I have my mare out with my 2 geldings, granted the geldings are 2 year olds, but I don't think it makes much difference, they have a hierarchy and it doesn't alter, mare at the top!! And they get on brilliantly, she keeps the boys in check, whilst the boys still have each other to colt play together with etc!

 

[Magnetic Sparrow]

I have been perfectly happy to turn mine out in mixed herds, but when the numbers went down on a yard I was at and we turned the previously separate mares and geldings out together, there was quite a bit of argy-bargy while they sorted themselves out.

 

[scarymare]

Hi

I didnt have a problem with this and wintered my 'bottom of the food chain' TB mare out with my 2 geldings as she was getting really stressed with the mares and foals. However this spring its been a nightmare with my 6 year old gelding taking a real 'fancy' to one of the mares and mounting her all the time. Also one of my infoal mares has suddenly taken against both my geldings and runs at the fence at them. Never seen anything like it so I'm changing to same sex paddocks for the summer. Guess it depends on the dynamics

 

[shortstuff99]

I can't remember where I heard this or even if its true but apparently mares can be bullies to geldings because they see them as weak/impotent males and don't want then to father weak foals? Don't know if its true but if so is an interesting fact!

But I have seen mares and geldings happily living together!

 

[Piglet]

Don't like it as I have a very jealous horse who wouldn't think twice about kicking the c**p out of any boy who dared to come near his "bird", luckily I an at a yard where boys and girls are separate.

 

[Mince Pie]

My gelding is out with 2 mares (3 at one point) and is fine, the 2 girls have paired up and leave him to his own devices

 

[Horses24-7]

Well I have just had to take my boy out of a mixed field as he turned into what only can be described as a stallion!! Really dangerous to handle and horribly stressful for both myself and the horse. He's never had a problem around mares before, but it was the first time he'd been in a field with them. Vet has said that some geldings just can't cope with mares when they are in season etc. I never for one minute thought it would be a problem? I would try it and monitor it closely as don't think this happens very often but if your aware you can keep a closer eye on them, I was so close to selling him as thought he was just too much of a horse for me, nut he's been separated a couple of weeks and I have my lovely horsey back!

 

[Dolcé]

It really isn't something I understand! We have always run ours in mixed herds and in over 40 years I have never come across a mare that can't be with geldings and vice versa. Yes, some don't get on (regardless of sex), yes some mares can almost force the geldings to mount them when they are in season but in general they mix well together and just stay away from the ones they don't gel with. I have had my livery options really limited in the past because I refuse to split my herd. We have even run our stallions in with the mares and geldings when we had to without ever having a problem, one young stallion fell out with an older late cut gelding for a few days but not over the girls, just a pecking order thing.

Splitting them seems to be a 'fashion' thing and YO's have gone along with it because that is what their liveries were demanding but I would bet many of them regret it.

 

[Dirtymare]

My mare is out with a gelding (just the 2 of them).
They are generally ok until my mare starts to come into season.
She then plagues poor gelding by squirting and backing into him. He does generally try to oblige, but can get a bit fed up with her. I might add my mare is total tart!!!!

 

[PollyP99]

I have had 2 mares and one gelding together, gelding was a bit left out but no problems, despite being late cut and a bit riggy!

Recently reverted to riggy gelding, 1 mare and new gelding. Riggy gelding didnt take kindly to this at first since he'd been on his own with the mare for a few months, he did the full stallion display along the fenceline (they were separated for a week), new gelding is an older boy and just looked at him and carried on grazing. After a week turned them in together and the boys palled up and have been best budddies ever since altho new gelding is higher in the pecking order, the mare is in charge and she enjoys a harem of boys that she can boss aobut, the two boys just do as they're told!

So in short it will probably be fine but be ready to act if it isn't.

 

[Buzz1]

Thank goodness the world hasn't gone mad he had always been out with mares until last yard (one of the reasons to move to new yard) and now I have this other livery drawing me the evils lol. Will just need to wait and let her see that he's not a problem. Thanks for all the reassurance

 

[missyme10]

My friend and i keep 2 mares and 2 geldings together, they are a very happy little herd, i think its no problem unless gelding is riggy.
I know of many that wont have theirs in a mixed herd, when u ask why u usually get lotss of ums and erms, they dont actually know, just being sheep because its generally the done thing x

 

[zangersheide]

Ours are out 24/7 April to October in a mixed herd of 12, 8 geldings and 4 mares, only problem we have is the utter confusion of the boys when the ladies come into season as the miserable old bats who are normally giving them the "get out of my space" attitude are suddenly acting like complete slappers and all "Ohhh I really love you".

Poor guys are all "urrrr you bit me last week so I don't think so" they then give in and spend a lovely few days snuggled up to each other until the mardy inner bat takes over again and they get chased away.

Most of our boys appear to be gay anyhow and only cuddle up to each other)

Haha this made me smile .

2 mares and a gelding in the same field- no problems what so ever

 

[vroutledge]

This is Buzz lol he has girl pals but when they flirt and squirt he runs away in disgust lol, Just a bit peeved she doesn't know my horse and was giving me attitude last night "do you really think thats a good idea, he should be out with the geldings etc!"

Icould understand if he was out and causing trouble but he's not and i know he wont

That is stupid, she is obviously not very experienced. Horses are naturally a herd animal so i dont see how mixing them would be any different to keeping them together.....stallion or colt i could understand because that is just asking for trouble but a gelding ....why the hell not. My mothers friend has 40+ horses and they all live in a huge field together and she never has any problems.

 

[Angua2]

Personally have never had an issue with mares and geldings together, however, each horse is an individual so some can and some can't. I have actually had more issues with a single sex field as at my last yard, another mare beat the c*** out of my mare going for me and the field had to be split for safetys sake

 

[Tickles]

What Chavhorse said... I've only seen mares be a problem Having said that have been on a few single-sex/single-sex turn out yards so not the most experienced with this.

 

[Enfys]

I have seen it done all ways, depends entirely on the individuals themselves of course. If it works it works (lucky you) but if it doesn't then there can be carnage.

I lost a mare to injuries caused by a sodding great, over-sexed lummox of an ISH chasing her around and around, through fences, into bogs until we could catch her, did her legs in and she never recovered.

I have 20 plus horses here, geldings are a pain in the butt as far as I am concerned, more trouble than they are worth and for the sake of harmony I won't even consider a mixed herd. I have 11 mares in a group (old, young, foals, broodmares) and they are a very contented herd.

My advantage is that I have the final say over who goes where, and Boarders know that I keep sexes separate from the word go - unless they have a pair and then they'll just go in a paddock by themselves.

One very alpha 11 year old gelding loves the mares and won't have another gelding in with him - beat the last one we tried in with him up - under supervision - the swine. So, he lives happily in a paddock near the mares but with a hot wire 6' from the fence so he can look but not touch. I did suggest to [/B]I have another old alpha gelding (in mind, although the body is no longer quite what it was in his hayday) he took on the gelding above, and lost (the owners wanted to try - I didn't ) and he now lives with the yearling colts and is happy being boss over his little same sex herd, the boys love their Uncle.

As a YO, I don't think separating sexes is a mere fad. Why make life more difficult for yourself than it already can be? If you can avoid aggro, risk of injury - to yourself and clients too- and all sorts of unpleasantness I'm all for taking the easy route, if prospective Owners don't like the way a YO chooses to grazes horses then they either try to come to a compromise or walk on by to the next place. What owners can sometimes forget is that they go home after a few hours, it is often the YO (especially resident ones) who has to sort out fights and deal with injuries often in the middle of the night.

 

[Enfys]

. My mothers friend has 40+ horses and they all live in a huge field together and she never has any problems.

Huge field may be the operative word here, so many facilities do not have large enough fields for horses to get a respectful distance away.

Is the herd you mention actually split into several small groups?

My mares, although there are only 11 of them, are fascinating, some stay with their buddies, others chop and change, sometimes they graze in a group, other times there may be two or three sets in different parts of the paddock.

 

[tallyho!]

I don't think separation is a fad... some yards have to do this. I've seen some nasties from horses just thrown in together - and lets face it on large commercial yards horses come and go. It's a confusing and stressful place for such emotional animals.

Some cope by going introverted and avoiding all contact, others fight for space.

On more established yards, privately owned or only have several owners who aren't pressured by showing, competitions etc, I think herds are ideal.

Some geldings are horrid but they are in the minority. Enfys seems to have them all ... !

IME geldings & mares & even stallions mix and you need a lot of room. 2 acre paddocks where one can't run away from an attack isn't fair but if they get to know each other and sort out the pecking order, problems are few (bar the scrapes and cuts if they are shod).