Question reguarding colts in a herd!!!

[thatsmygirl]

Iv got a herd off 6 horses who all get on really well, the youngest being a 8 month old colt, 4 gelding off all ages and 1 mare. Now I get no problems with any off them they all get on so well. My question is as my colt has no testicals yet will he become nasty to my geldings next spring? I know in the wild they are all fine but want to make sure as I wouldn't want my old boy getting hurt. Will I have to keep him apart from my mare if I still can't castrate him? Or will it be ok as I doubt a 12.2hh colt could reach to cover a 15.2 mare anyway.
Advise welcome. Thanks

 

[rockysmum]

Personally having seen the results of someone who kept colts in herds, I would say seperate the mare from the herd.

I doubt if the geldings will bother much about a young colt, but if he becomes interested in the mare she could do him some serious damage. Mares often dont have much patience with youngsters, they probably wouldn't in the wild either.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Ok ta, the herd do get upset if I split them up, she's a real easy going mare and iv never seen her go for anything she's so dopey. I was more worried about the colt one day saying right this is my mare and beating the geldings up.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

The herd should be fine, provided the mare is removed from it.

 

[be positive]

Once his hormones kick in he might start to try and assert some authority, you will be able to see if this is happening and deal with it ,if and when, it causes problems.
He may be able to cover your mare and I would look at moving her in the spring, if you go on breeding there are plenty of stories of small colts covering willing mares of any size.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Well tbh I haven't anywhere to put her, iv only got 1 field which iv split in half and use 1 side for winter and summer. Couldn't use both bits at once else would have no grazing left. If I pull any horse out either the mare or gelding they shout until the herd is back together again but they are all ok when stabled and can hack out etc. Hopefully I can castrate him before spring so it won't be a prob as the rest off them apart from the colt have been together a long time but all excepted the baby without any issues and they all groom together now and play which is lovely to watch

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Well tbh I haven't anywhere to put her, iv only got 1 field which iv split in half and use 1 side for winter and summer. Couldn't use both bits at once else would have no grazing left. If I pull any horse out either the mare or gelding they shout until the herd is back together again but they are all ok when stabled and can hack out etc. Hopefully I can castrate him before spring so it won't be a prob as the rest off them apart from the colt have been together a long time but all excepted the baby without any issues and they all groom together now and play which is lovely to watch

So what are you going to do if you can't castrate him before Spring?

 

[thatsmygirl]

Piebaldsparkle tbh I haven't a clue.

 

[rhino]

A 12.2hh is perfectly capable of covering a 15.2hh, in fact one of the best 'ponies' I ever competed was a shetland x hanoverian

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Well I think you better start looking for a back up plan as one will have to move be it the mare or the colt and splitting the field isn't going to work with an in season mare and a determined colt (regardless of size)!

 

[piebaldsparkle]

A 12.2hh is perfectly capable of covering a 15.2hh, in fact one of the best 'ponies' I ever competed was a shetland x hanoverian

Exactly there is a Welsh A x Cleveland at our yard *bangs head*

 

[ischa]

I had my boy out with my young gelding and a couple others all got on perfect
I would remove mare tho inless you want a unexpected foaly turning up
It does matter what height , what age, what breed
Mares will give a helping hand
If she is in the mood
And a soon as he is fertile and all hormones kick in he will try and cover

 

[thatsmygirl]

Shetland x hanoverion bloody hell, who would think it.
If it comes to it I will have to split into 2 herds and do half half turn out as some perfered to be in during the day away from the heat and others are ok out so will keep half in by day and swap over so the mare and colt can stay away from each other. There's ways round it I suppose but hopefully all will be sorted by than. I'm just worried if things kick off while I'm at work as I wouldn't want any hurt and my old git is half blind so wouldn't want him hurt.

 

[thatsmygirl]

And no foal wanted, what a bloody mix that would be. Every breed posable would be included.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

...........you have just discovered why so many colts go through the sales 'unsold'..................

 

[rockysmum]

Honestly I wouldn't wait till Spring when it might all kick off.

Start looking now for somewhere your colt can go to graze with some other young colts. Stabling one half might work, or the colt might start jumping out, getting stuck over stable doors, god knows what.

Having stabled next door to a yard which bought in youngsters, kept them a couple of years and then sold them, I have probably seen it all. Ordinary fencing, especially electric is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard with a colt and an in season mare.

What will you do if only one drops and you have to wait to have him cut.

As I said, start planning now, you really might regret it, if you dont.

 

[HeatherAnn]

Could you not quarter your field? Or borrow someone else's temporarily?
You could put your mare with your old gelding to keep each other company and let the colt run with the boys. I've heard geldings are good nanny's to youngsters. Worst case scenario (and it sounds likely to happen) is that your colt does cover the mare and then you'll have 7 horses to deal with.

 

[jackscrag]

I know of a young colt whose had neither balls dropped covering a mare, when he jumped fields, one accidental foal later, and a big operation to remove his balls from high up in his abdomen, he's now a super gelding. Where's their a will, theirs a way.

 

[Sparkles]

Don't add a mare to the mix. !e've got 16 of them running together with 3 adult geldings plus a barn full of entires ranging from 6months-9years all of which are in chest height pens and can still socialise etc...All are absolutely fine. They wouldn't be however, if mares were added.

Colts all together are fine, until mares are added into the equation.

 

[Mare Stare]

Don't do it!! It's not worth the risk!

Are you sure he's got no balls? I assumed that one of the colts I rescued last year didn't have any (couldn't see any) yet when the vet examined him under sedation both were present and correct - he was just carrying them high up so they weren't noticeable until he was sedated.

Don't put a mare in unless you are prepared to risk having a foal. IMO that is a risk not worth taking.

 

[Sparkles]

And to add....

Our babies that get gelded, half the time we can't 'see' them util they're on the floor under sedation. Doesn't mean they're not there They become 'really' visually obvious when they're at around 2 years we find!


ETA - we don't normally geld ours still 18months. We'll keep weanlings mixed together until about 10 months max.

 

[amandap]

I'm another who would remove the mare sooner rather than later. Where there's a will, there's a way. You might get away with it longer but I wouldn't risk it myself, I'm afraid. I'd get a vet to examine him.