Mini-Stallion companion to geldings?

CassTheCob

CassTheCob

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Hello,
I will be moving house soon to somewhere with land and stables, so will be getting more horses. There will be my current horse, a late cut 13hh heavy cob, a 16hh ish type and maybe 1 or two other ponies. I have found a perfect companion pony, a 3 yo Shetland stallion. My only concern is, would he get on with my cob? As my cob is late cut he is quite confrontational at first with new horses but if the other horse retaliates he will run a mile and submit. He's also quite playful with his 'friends'.As the shettie is a stallion, would my cob 'take offence' to that? In all the photos the shettie appears to be in a mixed herd.
Thanks!
 
Well, I often suspect Ned is late cut...not so much any more actually, but how he behaved when he was in a mix herd.

He lived with a 3yr old Shetland stallion for about 6 months and Ned was pretty good at ignoring Cookie, but Cookie was a real pain. Ned doesn't really "do" playing that often at all, if ever, so Cookie's constant attempts at playing just got on his nerves. Still, for a good few months they were ok. But one day, Ned lost it and pinned Cookie to the floor and bit him really hard a few times! It coincided nicely with me leaving for a job, so Cookie went back to his owner and Ned came with me. Though, if there had been other horses, I do wonder if it would have been different, as it was just Ned and Cookie alone.

Good luck :)
 
If your cob plays rough, a little shetland might not be perfect. I would prefer a gelding, personally, and would be looking in to having the shetland gelded well before turning him out with new companions, to make sure he is well healed.
I'd also separate them initially, so they can get to know each other before turning out together. Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing if horses will "get on" - it depends how much rough play you can tolerate, and if serious kicking/biting/cornering is involved or not.
 
Thanks everyone:) He doesn't play rough, just likes running around a lot! He doesn't really kick out at other horses, he only did it a couple of times when we first moved him to a new yard and they weren't even really kicks :) xx
 
I have a stallion fellabella who goes with my cob and warmblood. mine stays on the other side of the field or they kick off with each other like rearing up
 
A local girl had a mini Shetland stallion in with her 16HH TB mare. He did try but the forces of Nature were aainst him. The TB has now been swapped for a Welsh gelding and the two are inseperable. Try it and see. The minis don't know they are small. This one was making eyes at my Highland mares across the fence. Well, I suppose they are a bit smaller....
 
OP, I can't see why it wouldn't work, tho I would question keeping the mini entire unless he is that good you need to stand him at stud.

When I have introduced a tiny to my others, I have them paddocked next to each other for at least a week, if not longer, with a solid fence between them, plus electric fence (which can be slowly brought 'in' to get them closer.
On the day I want to put them together, I open an gate between the paddocks and lash at least 1 spar (a solid fence rail does nicely) which is at least around 5 inches higher than the smaller persons withers. Sometimes have put a higher one too, if joining a very big one, to deter big one from jumping it.
I then let them go to join the other (s).
The open gate with spar can then be used as a 'foal creep' affair - if there is a real danger, the tiny can get away - or be enticed by yourself - back to safety and the gate slammed shut.
I usually leave this in situ for a couple of more days.

Also, I never feed/hay as a group for several days till the dynamics have been worked out. They are split up overnight :)
 
my mini was a stallion until he was 9, you'd never know it!! They only gelded him as they stopped breeding and wanted to turn him out with mares!! I got him as a pair with a mini mare and they were best mates!! now he is out with my 15'1 mare and my friends 14'1 gelding and the mini is the bottom of the pecking order!! He never shows any signs of wanting to be like a stallion, and he obviously knows what he job was!!

if this mini has never covered a mare, he might not even know he's got his bits and how to use them! especially against a gelding!

Making friends


Out with the biggies, once all the grass had gone
 
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