Pony gelded late..........

Supertrooper

Supertrooper

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So I've been asked to move my gelding from the livery yard he's been at for only a week! He was gelded at 6yrs and he is 8yrs now and is a rescue.

He has lived at rescue with 20 to 30 other geldings of all shapes and sizes and although he is dominant there have been no problems and next door was a field of mares but separated by a small ish path.

Considering this is his first move he has settled well at livery, he's gorgeous with people and was in a small paddock on his own till Wednesday when he was moved in with two other geldings, he'd already met them over fence for the days he'd been on his own.

There was a lot of noise, running and rearing/kicking but no worse than I expected. Within half an hour they'd settled although obvious that my pony was now the boss. All fine until yesterday when without my knowledge livery yard put four mares in field right next to mine and other geldings field.

Cue major kicking off, mine trying to get to mares, going for other geldings and then owner of geldings tried to take one of hers out to ride him and my pony was very intimidating and scared her so we've been asked to leave.

I went up after work last night and all horses grazing calmly and I had no problems getting mine out and back into field on his own where he is staying till I move.

I have found another yard where there is one mare who is kept in a field nowhere near the one mine will be in and he can be in a nice big field with other boys.

I'm also going to put him on rigcalm supplement but I think a lot of this is a new pony finding his feet?

What do you think?
 
Sounds relatively normal behaviour to me, it seems a shame to have to move him without really getting the chance to settle in but maybe it will prove to be for the best, if the current yard moves horses around with no thought to whether it will unsettle a new grouping and other owners are asking for him to be removed then it is likely to have happened at some point so at least he will not be really settled and made friends before moving.
i have a pony that was gelded at 3, he is a terror when a mare is in with him, fine with just the mare but he will not tolerate another gelding sharing his mare, I just keep the apart and he is no problem, fine if just with geldings it is having a mare to fight for that causes friction, yours should soon settle if kept in a gelding only group.
 
ST I think it will have been the movement of the mares to right next door that triggered that episode for him with the other geldings - I know of a gelding that's a bit like that with mares when they are bang next door in a field and able to touch noses, sniff etc but fine with them separated by a paddock or space. And I also agree with someone above that once herds are established in fields they should stay that way as much as possible as new groupings I think take a wee while to settle. And any yard worth it's salt should maybe look at other solutions first - ie, dividing up herds/fields before giving someone notice after just a week - how to make someone feel welcome (not!). Think your new place sounds much better suited for him - I'm just so sorry you're having to go through so much upheaval whilst trying to establish your relationship with him :(
 
Yep, had a crap day yesterday what with this and a family issue also :-( hardly had any sleep last night!

Oh and my pony has brought all the mares into season!
 
Supertrooper said:
Yep, had a crap day yesterday what with this and a family issue also :-( hardly had any sleep last night!

Oh and my pony has brought all the mares into season!
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I can only advise from my experience. I gelded mine at 2 because I wanted to breed from him but things changed from his doing and he was cut. He is more dominant than the average gelding

I can also see it from other owners point of view, as my mare was introduced to a new field and experienced a shattered splint bone in 19 pieces and nearly lost her 3 times.

I suggest you find a livery where he can be on his own till he grows up or quietens down a bit. Or things can seriously wrong fro someones horse or yours. This sounds important to sort asap.
 
I have found another livery and as I've said he is ok with geldings. He is now in a field on his own but can talk to geldings over fence and will stay there until I can move him.
 
It is normal behaviour and will settle. I introduced a new gelding to my stallion whilst 'his' mare was in the field next door. After 10 minutes of hooning they settled and became firm friends to the point they shared feed buckets in the field. It was easier for me though as I have mine at home so can keep a close eye on them and not worry that someone is going to play silly ******* with the fields...
 
Sounds like normal behaviour to me, too. My mare comes into season moving fields, as many do . It's ridiculous to suggest your boy is to 'blame'. Sounds like a lot of upheaval in a short space of time, for all the horses . If people were expecting different, perhaps they should get the mechanical type!
 
Sounds completley normal behaviour to me. I recently had my 4yr old cut and my friends was cut at 5 (now 6) we have one mare on the yard and when my newly gelded boy was introduced to the yard (mare in next field only divided by fence) we had massive problems with my fiends late gelded pony bullying mine to the point we though they would never be safe together! But we persevered and let them fight it out and establish pecking order then introduced mare to field and things got better! She keeps them in line despite being a massive tart she keeps the herd in order and wont take any messing from anyone! The two geldings are now best friends! But my boy has become so laid back since gelding i fear if anymore hormones leave his body people will think hes been doped up! :D

its a shame youve been asked to leave as i think all thats needed is another week or two to settle
 
Thanks everyone, you've confirmed what I feel as well but I don't want him to be stuck in a little field on his own or spend my life waiting for phone calls about what he's done!

At the new yard he will be in a nice big field with another boy his own size. I'm going to put him on rigcalm supplement as I've ordered it now and it may help with travelling and introductions at new place
 
My old gelding was gelded at 7 and I got him at 9 on loan. He was always fine with mares, would do a full on stallion display when a gelding joined the paddock but no nastiness as we always introduced over fence for a couple of weeks before putting them together.

So I think it was just normal, new mares, it's spring , he was just being a boy! Shame you have to move, I'm sure he would have settled fine.
 
As others have said it sounds like normal behavour to me.
Herbie is an agressive pony. He wasn't cut till he was 7 and has had alot of upset in his life. He has to be kept on his own and is much happyer that way. He will corner other horses and lay into them without warning. When I first got him I tried to put him out with a dartmoor gelding and Herbs just ran upto him, picked him up by his crest and ran round the field with the poor Darty screaming :o
When out riding Herbie has to be at the back as he will stop dead and run backwards if a horse is behind him and if you ride side by side he will without warning just launch himself at the other horse.
Fortunatly ponies like Herbie are few and far between although people often mistake nomal horse behavour ie sorting the pecking order out as agressive behavour.
Good luck at the new yard it sounds like a much better set up for you and your pony :)

Forgot to say the only horse Herbie will live with is a Mare but only if she's in season and then he spends the whole time mounting her. I think they forgot to tell him when they gelded him ;)
 
My is a late cut and im so lucky shows no interest in the females what so ever he goes out with a stallion. But i wouldnt let him go in a field with a mares just in case was yours ever used to breed mine was and i dont know that why hes so good been there not so interested after all and cant be bothered.
 
The only way to tell is a blood test, they may not know. It is most likely just normal settlng in behavior, but if it continues may be worth considering
 
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