Turning out colts

[Vodkagirly]

Just had a message that the new horse if going out in the geldings field tomorrow. Its a 16 month colt, they intend to geld but haven't yet. I don't feel particularly comfortable about this, presumed he would be kept separate till gelded. Am I over reacting?

 

[Auslander]

He'll probably be absolutely fine, and it'll be good for him to be out with mature geldings, who will do a grand job of teaching him how to be a civilised member of society

 

[HashRouge]

Yes, definitely over-reacting. He's just a baby, he will learn a lot from the geldings and it's not fair to keep him alone.

 

[be positive]

I would be more concerned for the safety of the colt out with a group of mature geldings than have any concern for the well being of the geldings.
I had a 3 year old rig come to my yard a few years ago, he was "homeless" as the owner could not get the op done until she was in a yard with a stable, every yard in the area refused to take him unless she paid full livery and he went out alone so I agreed to help her out as long as he behaved turned out with my geldings, he was soon put in his place, settled well, had his op a few weeks later and caused no issues while he was here, as long as they are kept away from mares colts are not something to be feared, most geldings are more than capable of sorting out a youngster if a few manners are required.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Agree with BP, sense as always. My concern would be the fencing, it needs to be more than a strip of electric if the colt is in sight or smell of the mares. No common sense due to his age and hormones will make him think he is invincible.

I had a Welsh E colt years ago, he was about 13 months old and booked in to be cut. I found him stuck on a five bar gate, he had tried to climb it, got his front feet over the top and then tried to use it as a ladder with his hinds which were stood on the one from the bottom rail of the gate. We had to lift him off and remarkably he was totally unscathed. He was cut the next morning !

 

[rara007]

At 16 months he is a baby and will quickly learn his place and learn essential interhorse manners. He's likely to try mouthing at them! We've had colts out with ours and my stallion lives with them currently. I can see it may be a bit different on a yard where you don't own them all though. My stallion is very much at the bottom of the pecking order and has very good horse talk so has never so much as had a leg thrown at him- thanks to living in mixed herds as a baby!
The colts (a little older) could start off a bit keen but all learnt quickly when with the right geldings (some just accept the mounting and carry on eating!) but we know our geldings (cut between foal and aged 11) are all good role models and polite but persistent.
Where is the colt coming from? If it's been living in without any company since weaning I'd probably bring mine in for the first few days as as much as it's not likely to come to much it's your horse so why risk is for no gain to yourself!

 

[eggs]

I usually get my colts cut at about a year old and at that time they are out with the gelding's so no, it wouldn't concern me provided he wasn't just chucked out into a field of strange geldings without having had a chance to get to know them first (usually I turn new horses out into an adjoining field so they can 'chat' over the fence).

 

[Vodkagirly]

At 16 months he is a baby and will quickly learn his place and learn essential interhorse manners. He's likely to try mouthing at them! We've had colts out with ours and my stallion lives with them currently. I can see it may be a bit different on a yard where you don't own them all though. My stallion is very much at the bottom of the pecking order and has very good horse talk so has never so much as had a leg thrown at him- thanks to living in mixed herds as a baby!
The colts (a little older) could start off a bit keen but all learnt quickly when with the right geldings (some just accept the mounting and carry on eating!) but we know our geldings (cut between foal and aged 11) are all good role models and polite but persistent.
Where is the colt coming from? If it's been living in without any company since weaning I'd probably bring mine in for the first few days as as much as it's not likely to come to much it's your horse so why risk is for no gain to yourself!

Its only been weaned in the last few days. For the last year it's been out with its mother and sheep. I'll be away tomorrow so mine won't be out fortunately

 

[AmyMay]

Jesus. It'll be crucified (No pun intended). Poor sod.

 

[Equi]

I have just bred my first colt. His whole life has been with his older sister, her dam, and now he has matured a bit and getting a bit colty when sister was in season his new herd is his mother and my gelding. He gets colty with the gelding, and he reacts playfully and mum steps in if it gets too much. My other brood mare is with the sister filly at the mo, but when she was with him she also taught him some manners. My friends colt has not had any contact with another horse since he was 4 months old and is a total nightmare to handle and control and despite being bought with intention of having a good stallion, will be getting castrated purely because his behaviour is so bad with other horses. She has a gelding and a mare and he can not be within any sort of distance of them whereas my stallion who was raised in mixed herds and always in herds with mares and their foals is a dream. Yeah he is stalliony but controllable but he wintered with my gelding and summered with my mares and was very civil to my foals. He also loved the neighbours geldings and would spend a lot of fence time with them.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Its only been weaned in the last few days. For the last year it's been out with its mother and sheep. I'll be away tomorrow so mine won't be out fortunately

That puts a whole different perspective on it. Recently weaned it just needs a friend or 2 of the same age or an old wise broodmare to teach it some manners.

 

[sport horse]

How old are the geldings? Do they have shoes on. I do hope they are other youngsters - I have picked up the pieces, quite literally, of a youngster just slung out with a group of older horses. It was not pretty and the owner could not deal with it herself, just ran away crying, even though she had been advised not to turn it out there but still did. Poor young horse spent weeks at the vet hospital and bore the scars for life.

 

[DabDab]

That puts a whole different perspective on it. Recently weaned it just needs a friend or 2 of the same age or an old wise broodmare to teach it some manners.

Absolutely this. I wouldn't be concerned for the welfare of my horse, but in a livery yard situation I would be pulling mine out of that scenario for a few days. I wouldn't want to risk my horse being implicated in the fallout if/when the colt gets injured

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Like others, I am concerned that the poor colt could be injured if he's just chucked out in a herd.

 

[honetpot]

That puts a whole different perspective on it. Recently weaned it just needs a friend or 2 of the same age or an old wise broodmare to teach it some manners.

I agree with this. It could get run ragged. I have seen ones practically lie on the floor, and this is the other side of the fence, in an attempt to make themselves as subservient as possible to an adult horse, mouthing constantly.
I turn mine out with either an old mare or an old pony, who will nip and lift a leg but not harm it. When it gets happy with that pony it goes out with two more, and then they decide who they want to pair up with. My welsh A gelding bullies my 18mth 15.2 ID colt.

 

[Illusion100]

At near a year and a half old, if it were my 'just weaned' colt I'd happily put it in a herd of geldings. He's not a baby, he can figure things out, he knows interaction/body language.

As long as there is plenty of room and good grass/shelter I wouldn't even question this. Unless the other geldings are shod of course.

 

[Peter7917]

My concern is not for the geldings but for the young colt.

Nothing wrong with keeping stallions/colts with other geldings or stallions. A whole herd of stallions will live happily together if there are no mares to argue over.

This young colt however is just a baby, I hope they are nice to him.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I'd probably start him off with just one or two of the quietest geldings who are least likely to do him harm for a few days. Straight out into a herd is asking for trouble for the poor wee mite!

 

[SpringArising]

I'd probably start him off with just one or two of the quietest geldings who are least likely to do him harm for a few days

Same here.

 

[AmyMay]

Any update OP?

 

[Pinkvboots]

Jesus. It'll be crucified (No pun intended). Poor sod.

this its a really silly idea he should be turned out with horses similar in age and not a huge herd of established horses they will chase and kick the c**p out of him.

 

[BSL]

Just had a message that the new horse if going out in the geldings field tomorrow. Its a 16 month colt, they intend to geld but haven't yet. I don't feel particularly comfortable about this, presumed he would be kept separate till gelded. Am I over reacting?

No. I wld not be happy.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Just an update. He went out on a day when I was away at a competition with mine. Apparently there was 5 minutes of squeals then one of the older geldings who "babysits" the other youngsters took him over to his herd and they all settled down to eat. they have all been very settled since so I was over reacting. Apparently he is booked in for gelding now

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I'm so glad that it was OK. Phew.

 

[AmyMay]

I'm so glad it went well.