Mares and geldings

[Patchworkpony]

Do you put mares and geldings out together? If so does it work in a small space?

 

[fidleyspromise]

How small is the space?
I don't see it as being different to putting mares out together to be honest. It all depends on each horses temperament.
I've put mares out together and I've put my mares out with geldings. Had 2 mares and 1 gelding on 1.5 acres at one point.

 

[SEL]

My mare and gelding get on fine in a tiny space - unless there's food around. Both upset recently by a hormonal gelding in the field next door who got possessive over the mare. He had to be moved away after a day for everyone's safety - so very much depends on the horse.

 

[elliejhb]

I put my mare & gelding out together, my gelding is 20 & was turned out with mares for years before I got him with no issues. All was fine until my mare Dolly came into season, then Flynn (the old arthritic gelding) thought all his birthdays & Christmases had come at once and started to mount her! So are now separated.
I did turn them out in the school together earlier this week with no issues, so am planning to do this over the winter when we don't have grazing in the hope that next year's seasons don't cause issues.
My mare is a flirt though, she swings towards him, squirts and gives him the doe eyes so can't blame the old guy for thinking his luck was in!

 

[Mule]

I have 1 mare and two geldings together. They get on well. Sometimes the geldings try to herd the mare but she has very strong hind legs

The mare and 1 of the geldings are very close. They spend most of their time together. The geldings do spend a lot of time playing together. The mare has absolutely no interest in playing. I get the feeling she doesn't fully approve of the other gelding

The only time the geldings are difficult is when they are given food. Given the chance the bossiest gelding will take the others' food. The second gelding will take the mares food.
They are better behaved in a larger space.

 

[CMcC]

I have 3 of each. All turned out together, no problems.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I've turned out in mixed herds in the past, no problems.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

My gelding turned into a wally when he went out with a mare and two geldings. Perfectly behaved in the field just horrible to handle and ride as he fell in love and obsessed over her. So no more mixed herd for him until retirement.

 

[Doublethyme]

Depends on the individuals. We have one gelding that happily goes out with the two mares permanently or ad hoc for a day if his normal field mate is competing. His field mate though is banned as he has very riggy tendencies and caused chaos when put in all together. My older mare is a complete floozy though even at 23.

 

[pippixox]

Depends on the horses, some all mare or all gelding groups can be just as bad. Have 2 geldings and a mare. Used to have 2 of each and they also all used to come into a barn together. Personally I find mares are better in season and the effect on some geldings when they can just mix and get bored of each other!

 

[HashRouge]

I have a mare and gelding who live together and get on very well, despite the mare being a temperamental madam at times. They are rarely in a confined space together, but get on fine when they are. However, when I say confined space, I mean small paddock rather than a stable! When I first put them in their summer field they were in a relatively small section and there were no problems (I use electric fencing and strip graze as the mare is a lami risk).

 

[TelH]

I have 5 mares and a gelding. My gelding knows his place

 

[Hipo]

I have a mare and a gelding out together , they get on really well. Gelding can be a bit bossy , but it works really well. They groom together all the time. Gelding has no interest of mares in season.

 

[meleeka]

I have two geldings and a mare. I’ve never had any issues. I think irs probably worse in large herds or herds where there’s more comings and going’s.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

We used to till 2 months ago - worked much better than separate also much easier to fill livery spaces

Now we separate except my gelding - and it is a nightmare to fill spaces as mares field is full and more mares want to come but no gelding yet we have two spaces for geldings.

So it is worst separating but now demand is to separate

 

[JJS]

Mine have alway been in mixed herds. My current gang are four of eight that live together: five geldings, two mares, and my yearling filly. They can and have all lived together, but are currently split into two groups of four, one with three geldings and Flower, and the other two mares and two geldings. They're a very stable herd and we never have any issues.

 

[paddi22]

i currently have 5 mares and one gelding. works fine. it really depends on comings and goings, if they all know eachother and are used to eachother things settle quickly. i wouldn't be keen on herds where new geldings and mares are coming and going - you'd always have a bit of drama. If you were depending on a good competition horse then i'd watch it more, my main lad isn't bothered at all by being the only gelding.

 

[scats]

I used to have 2 geldings and 1 mare put together. One gelding was a false rig and could be a bit of a pain when Diva was in season.

I’m down to just mares now, and couldn’t entertain another gelding with Polly as she is very seasonal and becomes a nightmare around geldings.

 

[MagicMelon]

Ive never had any issues and have always mixed mares and geldings. I generally have always had geldings (with 1 mare nown and again). But the only time there's been squabbling is when I had 2 mares out with the gelding. But this might be a general mare thing (I'm a gelding person so Ive never had 2 mares at the same time!). My geldings have never been particularily "interested" in the mares when in season, they might sniff a bit but really couldn't care.

 

[Auslander]

I have in the past, but not any more! All the mares here are trollops when they are in season, and I've got three (out of four) geldings, who think they're Gods gift to women. I now have two herds - the boys are lovely, and the girls are still horrid, but I've put them in a field that I can't see from the house, and left them to it!

 

[pixie]

I have one single sex pair and two mixed pairs turned out at the moment. They are absolutely fine. The one mixed pair will even share a feed bowl!!!

 

[AGray825]

We have two paddocks between 4 horses in use at the moment, both are mixed. So the big horses (my unbacked gelding and mum's TB mare) are together in the greener paddock and get on marvelously, it's nice because she tells him off and puts him in his place when he starts getting a bit too big for his boots! Bless him, he was put in with both mares in season at one point and you've never seen a more confused horse in your life!
The ponies (Section D mare and Shetland gelding) are together in the bare paddock and love each other but are generally fine and it hasn't changed any personalities. Only problem we get is sometimes when she goes in to season, he stresses when she's taken out of the paddock for exercise, but he was a stallion until age 13 (5 years ago) and was gelded by the rehoming centre we got him from so that probably explains that.

But like others have said, it depends entirely on the horse!

 

[Hannahgb]

I hadnt until I moved to current yard. Now have 3 mares and 2 geldings which arent an issue at all. Geldings are at the bottom of the pecking order and know it!