Stallion Doesn't Like this mare - help!

[whitewood]

I am posting this on behalf of a friend who doesn't have access to the internet.

She has a young stallion (4 yrs ) has had him since weaning and he has always run with his mares and foals and up to this year has not presented any problems.

She has had three foals by this stallion this year and they were turned out in a large field - after foaling heats the stallion was reintroduced to them - he has run with all of them in the past.

On letting him out into the field, he made a beeline for this one particular mare and foal, running past the other two completely ignoring them. The mare not being quite in season stood up to him and the stallion then proceeded to, for want of better words - beat the hell out of her. She fought back, the foal fled to the nearest other mare and foal. The fight continued on the ground and it became quite stressful for everyong, the owner knowing she couldn't get in there and get in between two fighting horses- blood was evident and the mare had been bitten all over her neck and back . The foal was separated from the mare for about 2 hours but eventually found her way back to mum. They then were banished to the far corner of the field by the stallion and he took the other two far away.

This happened about 10 days ago, fortunately the field is very large and since then although not open hositility, the stallion will not tolerate the mare anywhere near the other two and will 'see her off'. She should have had a season, but there is no evidence he is feeling any better disposed of her presence. The owner did contemplate removing the mare and foal, but dreaded having to go through that again so although the peace if very uneasy there is no open hostility other than not letting her anywhere near anyone else.

What is strange is that they have run together in the past and the foal is his, there is no apparent reason for it.

He is totally chilled with all the others mare. The mare in question is neither the dominant or passive mare of the herd and is not contentious in any way shape or form, a very mild mannered girl.

Any ideas why this may have happened. The owner is now very anxious about introducing her other mares just in case he decides to do it again.

Has anyone else had this happen?

I will pass on your comments.
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[charliebo]

After all that and the owner is still keeping the mare and foal in the same field as the stallion? They must be completely mad.

 

[seabiscuit]

Sorry. Bonkers. What is she doing? Does she want a dead mare?

 

[KarynK]

Witnessed something similar years ago with a stallion I used to look after, he was running with 5-6 mares in a very big field. He was covering one mare when another ran over and kicked at him, he would not tollerate the mare in the field with him and drove her to jump out. We took her out, teased her with another stallion hooked him in and covered her in hand, she did not go back in with him after that, and had a rather nice foal in the end.

He also took a dislike to another little mare and just ignored her even when clearly in season, we did the same and he covered her happily and enthusiastically in hand! You had to watch him as he was a bit of a dictator with his mares so we used to give them a break and put the Bu**er in his stable at night!!

The corner of his big field butted up to that of the TB stallion running with his mares, they could not come into contact there but there was a huge pile of his dung in the corner and the mares were not allowed anywhere near it no matter how long the grass.

Who knows what they are thinking, though with that attitude they wouldn't last long in the wild!!! I find the process of covering in hand or using AI much better on the nerves. I would take the mare and foal out of harms way.

 

[JanetGeorge]

I don't run my stallion with mares - and don't have experience of doing it - but I would suspect the problem MAY be related to his young age. He is only 4 - and "he has always run with his mares and foals and up to this year has not presented any problems."

I wouldn't consider giving a 3 year old colt more than 3 or 4 QUIET mares for in-hand service! And I wouldn't consider running a stallion with mares until he was rather older than 4 - with a bit more experience under his belt!

The fact he has attacked one mare with no apparent provocation would make me feel he is NOT suitable for running with mares - at least at this stage of his career. Who is to say he won't attack her again? The foal - as well as the mare - is at serious risk - as is any other foal who gets caught in the firing line!

 

[Touchwood]

Echo Janet totally. She must be absolutely crazy - does she want dead mares or foals or both?!

 

[magic104]

The vet practice we use runs from a stud that runs their ID stallion with mares. He is a much older stallion & has never behaved towards a mare in the way you have described. It is quiet common for natives to run with their mares, but I dont know anyone that would continue to leave a mare that had been attacked in with the attacker. It may settle down, but is it worth the risk to the mare or foal. What would concern me is if he turned his attention to the foal. I just wonder if she would not be better talking to someone who knows about herd behaviour, or a stud that run their stallion in this way.

 

[Fahrenheit]

Utter madness IMO!

 

[mealrigghallstud]

We had a stallion years ago that did the same and took a real dislike for whatever reason to a particular mare, we took her out straight away. I think in hand cover would be safer for this mare and if he gets a chance he WILL kill the foal so get it out asap!!!
I guess it is like people some horses just do not get on, and sometimes there maybe something wrong that the stallion is picking up with this mare that he didn't before and so is banishing her. Also a mares sent will change after foaling so the fact she has been taken away and then put back means she smells totally different and she has a foal so will be acting differently too, which he may not like.

As this stallion is only 4yrs old I would not have had him running with mares this young either as he has 3 foals on the ground already I am assuming he was with them last year which is definitely too young, stallions in the wild don't take over herds until they are at least 5 or older so they have plenty of manners and are mature before even going near mares. Our young stallions run in a bachelor herd and boy do they wrestle and chase/hump etc! I would hate to think what they would be like if they didn't get a chance to burn off all their excess energy, so he could also be acting like a spoilt little bugger!!!

It does happen that even when presented a fully in season mare that a stallion still will not like or cover even in hand and there is bugger all you can do about it!!!

We did have one years ago that Wessel wouldn't cover - she was fully in season, he didn't like her as she was so nasty natured when in season but he wouldn't even get randy even when she was standing. I had to tell the mare owners to come take her away - needless to say they were not amused as they had come from the other end of the country - but they tried her with a local stallion who also would not have her either!! It turned out the mare had come from gypsies and they had not been able to get her in foal either, the new owners even tried AI but the mare never took - so the stallions were picking it up, and were basically doing what they would in the wild - why bother having a faulty horse eating up your time and resources!!

I have also seen mares chasing the stallion off mares that are in season or even when another mare is being covered they will kick the hell out of the pair to break them up! - our top ranked old mare will not allow Wessel - her stallion!!! - to cover any of the other mares in the herd - I guess that is her way of protecting her resources too even though she doesn't need them! - so we have to cover her in hand and leave her in the mare herd if we want another of our girls in with Wessel.

A stallion should be the lowest ranked member of the herd - the mares are always slightly higher unless another stallion comes into the equation when it is his duty to take over and either move the herd away or fight - that is why a stallion has to use such aggressive body language to move a herd away from another threat as normally they will just ignore him!! Some stallions nowadays haven't learnt that lesson so are cocky little buggers to start with so don't treat the mares as they should.
I love watching horse behavior you learn something new every day!!

 

[oscar08]

We had a similar experience with our old stallion. He was 9, had lived with our 4 mares for 2 years. And for no apparent reason attacked the lowest ranked female. He pinned her to the ground like a tiger, and i'm afraid to say we had to use the brute force to remove him. The mare had burst an artery and we nearly lost her life. He was promptly removed and castrated. I would strongly recomment unless she has the facilities to keep him alone, and cover properly inhand then she does the same. If he turned on one mare he could do the same to the others.

Take no risks, the mares lives are in your hands, they do not have thousends of miles to roam and get away from him. There is nothing to say he won't turn on one of the others and i would never put one of my girls at risk.

Hope this helps

 

[whitewood]

The mare and foal have now been separated and the stallion is going to be gelded and sold on. If he is to remain an entire (which I doubt) then it will be in hand only and by someone else who knows the whole scenario not with his current owner.

Thanks for all your help

 

[Fahrenheit]

[ QUOTE ]
The mare and foal have now been separated and the stallion is going to be gelded and sold on. If he is to remain an entire (which I doubt) then it will be in hand only and by someone else who knows the whole scenario not with his current owner.

Thanks for all your help

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that is a very sensible decision.