sultana
Active Member
Would 2 geldings and 1 mare work? Or would there be trouble? Thanks
Mixed gender grazing question?
- Thread starter sultana
- Start date
LeannePip
Well-Known Member
it really depends on the horses and their individual temperaments
Billyboo
Member
I have 3 geldings and a mare grazing together and they all get on fine. It's not so much the gender but whether the horses get on with each other in general. Sometimes mare and mares don't get on. Like wise with geldings. Try it out and see.
Shay
Well-Known Member
It does depend on individual temperaments but my personal preference is generally for separate gender herds. The issue for you OP is how you introduce them, how you manage them and what you would do if the mix does not work. Horses (of any gender) left out 24/7 in a small group are more likely to bond to each other leading to separation problems than horses regularly separated as part of their routine or for work. Horses out for shorter periods of time in a relatively good paddock are more likely to focus on grazing; horses left out for long periods on poor pasture will get bored and look for other things to do.
eggs
Well-Known Member
When I first started having my own pony which was over 40 years ago (gulp!!) it was the norm to have fairly large mixed herds and there didn't seem to be any problem. I think the issue these days is that most yards have very small fields compared to the old days. However there is no reason why it shouldn't work provided the horses get along together.
BSL
Well-Known Member
My daughter has two mares i have two geldings. They share an 8 acre field. One mare is quite dominant but the other 3 accept this. My gelding comes in with the odd mark on his chest now and again as he does not seem to understand "go away". But most of the time they get on fine. They do have plenty of grazing avd space though.
Damnation
Well-Known Member
Mine has always been out in mixed herds. Currently out with 4 mares and 2 geldings. The only thing is one gelding is so submissive he just ends up on his own as the other gelding is very dominant!
However it seems to be my mare who is in charge overall
Luckily she gets on with everything (from mares to gedings to foals and youngstock) so I never have to worry about her. If one doesn't like her she just leaves them alone. She isn't a bully but equally won't be bullied.
She's a good lass!
However it seems to be my mare who is in charge overall
Luckily she gets on with everything (from mares to gedings to foals and youngstock) so I never have to worry about her. If one doesn't like her she just leaves them alone. She isn't a bully but equally won't be bullied.She's a good lass!