Mixing mares and geldings

[charlie_george]

I currently have 2 geldings, I'm looking for another horse, would you look for another gelding, or do any of you have 2 geldings and a mare with no issues? Thanks in advance 😄

 

[Shoei]

We have 3 mares and 2 geldings and the get on fine. The largest gelding is herd leader. They get on fine and I prefer a mixed herd. I used to keep a mare on a livery yard that had a mare field and a gelding field and their were many more fights including a horse sustaining a broken leg. The only issue I have are the girls coming into season and squirting at the boys... It doesn't cause an issue though as the just ignore them!

 

[Tobiano]

I have had problems in the past with 2 geldings and 1 mare, as the geldings fought over the mare! It depends on the temperament of the horses, but after I sold my mare I definitely only looked for geldings.

 

[Wagtail]

I have never had a problem. However, I have had two geldings here in the past that could not be safely turned out with anything. I don't think it has much to do with being in a mixed or same sex herd. Some horses are very anti social. We have a mare here who used to get on with anything, but since having her foal 3 years ago she takes an age to accept any new horse, and point blank refuses to accept my little mare.

 

[Bertolie]

My previous horse, a gelding, used to share a paddock with another gelding and a mare and they got on fine. We also tried two mares and one gelding but that wasn't quite so successful!

 

[RubysGold]

My mare and gelding are turned out with one other gelding.
They are very close, the boys are both 7 this year, with only a month between them. They like to play and run together.
My mare is 21 and is almost a mother figure to them, she keeps them in line and they have always had a lot of respect for her

 

[happyclappy]

All the places I've been/worked at/kept, have never had any issues keeping mares and geldings together. There are always exceptions though

 

[Tern]

My mare has her field buddy (a gelding) with her every day. Two more geldings who she knew but the buddy didn't came over the weekend. They all got on fine.

 

[PorkChop]

I've never had a problem mixing mares and geldings - I personally think some horses are just troublemakers no matter what gender

 

[meesha]

I had my mare and gelding together for years just on their own, , introduced a second gelding and had to integrate him very gradually but they are now all OK, boys play together and older mare watches over them.

 

[CrazyEquestrian]

Never had any major problems a couple of spats when mares are in season but other than that absolutely fine!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

My gelding is in a field with between three and five mares depending on who is where. Today he was last to go out due to me riding and his mares were standing shouting on him and wouldn't leave the front of the field until he appeared. He got lots of nickers and sniffs over the fence whilst I was undoing the gate and he was responding with his 'stallion' grumble, the girls were loving it lol.

After he was turned out with them the whole herd happily (with some flirting) wandered up the field to find grass.

I prefer mixed herds, more natural.

 

[MagicMelon]

I've always mixed mares and geldings and never had any problems except for a shetland mare I had who was the biggest flirt and would wind the boys up all the time (even though they were over 16hh...), she would keep reversing into them then booting them in the knees! I've got 2 geldings and 1 mare out together at the moment, no issues at all.

 

[MrsElle]

I've never had a problem. I currently have one mare and three geldings. The mare is the herd leader.

 

[muddygreymare]

I've been on mixed yards and ones with strict separate fields. My mare is fine with both although is better with mares. She is currently in with one mare and a male donkey as the 2 geldings fought over the donkey and kept scrapping I'd have no reservations putting a mare in with 2 boys. Good luck with your horse search

 

[ktj1891]

I prefer mixed, when my gelding was out with other geldings they would always be play fighting and hurting eachother. Now he is in with my mare albeit she is a squealy so and so they have never hurt eachother!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

personally I stick to same sex-I have three boys because of this. Over the years all of the more annoying/inconvenient cases of separation anxiety I've seen with friends/acquaintances horses have been between mares and geldings. When I was a kid mixed sex turnout was more common but I do remember some problems because of it.

 

[Steorra]

Do you have the facilities to separate the horses if mixed turn-out doesn't work out?

My gelding is perfectly fine in a herd of other geldings. Confident in his dealings with the others, and will put a bolshy youngster in his place when needed, but not aggressive. Lovely manners with people, too. You wouldn't imagine he could ever be a problem.

However, he isn't fine at all in a mixed herd. He gets overly attached to "his" mares, spends his time separating them from the others, and causes trouble for humans coming to catch their horses. He hasn't been in a mixed herd for many years and might have settled down but I wouldn't risk it in case he injured another horse or person.

Lots of horses are fine in mixed herds, but some perfectly sensible and normal-seeming ones turn out not to be.

 

[fredflop]

I think generally it's fine. There will be the odd horse that can't cope with it, just as there are horses that are better on individual turnout.