Mares and Geldings together-Does it work???

[MagicMelon]

I have always mixed geldings and one or two mares (so they're the minority). Ive never had much problem until my Welsh arrived. He's been gelded late so is a bit more interested in the mares when they're in season. He started mounting them and since the mares where way smaller than him, he was pratically crushing them! So we had to split them. My other boys couldnt care less though. I think it depends on how stallion-y your geldings are!

I do prefer it now having all geldings though just because I dont have to deal with the mounting etc. They can get along fine though. They do in the wild.

 

[SPARK]

My mare is out with geldings and is fine!

 

[Soph83]

<span style="colorurple">All ours go out together, I find the head of the herd (gelding) puts the girls in order at times.
We now have about half and half, when we were over run with mares they'd get a bit catty with each other. </span>

 

[Farm Kat]

On the whole yes. but one of mine is a real pain unless the mares are young, he spends his entire time trying to mount them, and I even got requested to leave a yard as he would not settle, but now I have my own place. He does teach manners to the youngsters, and is with them from weaning. At present we have the mares and geldings at 2 seperate places, the 5 boys together, and the 4 girls. but I would mix them, they will be together when the mares grazing runs out as we have 4 acres of land untouched since the hay way cut, and it's so long, Cop's may loose weight with all that running aroung he will be doing, which cannot be a bad thing.
I must say, in his defence last time he was in with them he did behave and protected them to a cetrain extent from my little bruiser, but they were only yearlings.

 

[Lill]

Ours were all out mares and geldings together until about 6 months ago when we separated the boys from the girls as we have an 18month old colt who has not been cut yet and we don't particularly want him shagging the girls!!

 

[Bossanova]

Moon has just been turned out with a gelding. Result? She instantly came into season and spents the whole time telling him how up for it she is then changing her mind and chasing him away

 

[Sparklet]

I prefer them to be separate because their behaviour at our yard is entirely different - I think they would just irritate each other and injuries would increase.

The mares graze quietly without any fuss at all. The geldings are more prone to play fighting which would irritate the mares and quite possibly lead to more forceful warnings...kicks.

When the mares are in season the geldings hover at the fence pushing each other out of the way, while the mares squeal, kick out. I wouldnt like to see them all in together.

 

[JoBo]

Mine are all out together, 1 mare and 2 geldings! They are fine together. Otto beat Blacks for the first day or two but now they just get on, infact they wait for each other at the gate.

Always had mares and geldings together.

 

[miamibear]

It didnt work at our yard, they always were fighting for the mares, always coming in cut or knocked or kicked. They ran about a lot more which tore the grass up in wet weather, we had one mare in particular who wouldnt let you catch your horse if she palled on with it but she is like that even with just mares!!

Our field is just geldings and im glad.

Im sure it can work in certain situations but not for us.

 

[patchandloopy]

All of ours have always been out together with both sexes, i have found that the more even you can make the numbers (i.e 2 mares, 2 geldings) the better they seem to get on. But never had a huge problem with different sexes in the same field.

Although dominace is a totally different tale!

 

[fizz-tally]

mine are together, only time is was a problem was when i new gelding was put into the group, now i keep my lot on there own

 

[fizz-tally]

mine are together, only time is was a problem was when a new gelding was put into the group, now i keep my lot on there own

 

[Len]

Hi,

My mare is kept on a large yard but is grazed with just one gelding - they get on great - alot of the geldings there wouldnt settle in the main gelding field and were put in with a mare and have great bonds with them - every horse is different I suppose.

 

[Blackhawk]

I don't have an issue with mares &amp; geldings being out together, but my two geldings have never really been out with mares before so they get far too bonded to a mare and end up kicking the crap out of each other.

 

[Fiona]

I always thought that 2 geldings and a mare wouldn't work, as the geldings would fight over the mare,......so glad to hear that this works as well.

We have 2 mares and a gelding, and the gelding is v possessive over "his " girls, but then he is a bit of a twit like that anyway (has seperation anxiety).

Fiona

 

[cobwithattitude]

My gelding lives out with 2 mares who 'see him off' at feed times (they are separated for feeds - this is when you are trekking across the field and they spot you coming!) but the girls never bite or kick him and vice versa.