Typical "colty" behaviour

[Dexter]

a very random question! but what do you consider typical "colty" behaviour? Not in a potential breeding stallion, but in a rising 2 year old cob to make 14hands. Not in ANYWAY shape or form stallion potential! Not even if you look at him at 100yards and squint with 1 eye closed

I'm having some major ongoing issues with a so called friend, and having made a very strong case for gelding ASAP, apparently I know nothing, am being a bully, and shes e-mailed the BHS who have said his behaviour is just "colty" and therefore its fine to leave him as he is until next year as she cant afford to geld him now.

I dont want to say too much in case I influence the replies, I could just really, REALLY do with some impartial back up about what is and isn't considered acceptable. Bearing in mind hes turned out with 3 other 15 month old colts, all of whom have to come in out of the field every day for a feed and general feet picking up etc handling.

 

[Holly831]

Apart from if turned out with mares (doesn't bear thinking about)

My colts behaviour is no different from any of my fillys - in that he is not allowed to behave any different when being handled. He has to behave when having his feet done/being led/ groomed etc. Just because he is a colt is not an excuse for bad manners.

Will add mine is due to be gelded but not anything to do with behaviour purely that although he is a cracking boy there are already too many 'just good enough' stallions out there and he isn't exceptional (which is the only reason I would keep an entire )

He is perhaps more boisterous (sp) in the field with his play mates but thats all.

Interested to find out what your friends colt had been up to!!

 

[Dexter]

So it wouldn't be acceptable behaviour to attack other horses and knock them to the floor? Or attack people in a full on charge with his mouth open?

I did a season as a stud groom and handled stallions and uncut colts and none of them ever EVER worried me. This one bothers me! Hes knocked 2 of the others to the ground! He doesnt do anything once they are down, but the violence of his attacks are pretty scary!

I can still go in the field and keep him away with big body language, so long as no one tries to bring any of the others out of the field, but as soon as we try to bring 1 out, or I leave the field he goes back to his aggressive behaviour. We also cant get any of the others out of the field as he guards the gate, and goes mental and attacks horses and people

Its all kicked off as I refuse to do it any more and the others NEED feeding, not from a bodyweight point of view, but from a growing pony nutrition point of view

She cant afford to feed him or geld him etc and therefore as far as I'm concerned needs to get rid to a responsible home ASAP, but apparently I know nothing and am being stupid hes just being a typical colt...

 

[Maesfen]

Poor you, I'm on your side. Sounds like he needs two bricks slamming together very quickly before someone gets hurt badly. (Joke before anyone complains!) Can she not have a word with her vet and ask to pay by instalments or failing that, how far are you from a vet school as they will very often accept colts in for castration as good experience for their students, under supervision of course.

If she can't afford to feed him then why is she keeping him at all? Some people amaze you with their head in the sand moments don't they?

 

[Dexter]

Theres no vet school anywhere round here, and unfortunately the vets are all "once bitten, twice shy" and all want payment up front. And TBH I'd be disgusted if she took advantage of that sort of offer when she can afford to look after him properly, she just chooses not too

Its incredibly sad as hes actually a nice pony underneath all the hormones, it just terrifies me as round here the market is dead, as in nicely bred, well handled future competition horses are going for a few hundred quid His market is as a nice all rounder for a kid, or mother daughter share etc and that wont happen at the minute.

He needs gelding and turning out with a big tough grown up pony who will, nicely! stand its ground when he starts. Unfortunately our big pansyified babies just flee in terror of the big bad pony!

 

[Maesfen]

If she can't be bothered to look after him perhaps she needs a kick up the bum from a BHS welfare officer or even the RSPCA or similar, it might buck her ideas up a bit and won't do any harm to have a professional (other than yourself of course!) telling her that her attitude is not on and it could result in a charge which will go against her or he could be confiscated. They don't have to know who informed them at all. For everyone's safety I would feel obliged to go down that route, sorry can't be more help.

 

[Enfys]

Is this your own yard, or livery?

If it is yours then tell her the horse will be separated for safety reasons, and do it.

If livery then speak to the YO and voice your concerns.

Sounds like a combination of lack of manners and hormones. If it were mine he'd be cut before he knew what hit him, amazing sometimes how fast that changes a personality isn't it? I've seen some colts change, personality wise, almost overnight.

If I had a colt of my own behaving like that on my yard he'd be out with my broodmares, they'd put the fear of God into him so fast his head would be spinning, I've done it before and my girls don't take any prisoners, get to the back of the line or else! Sounds as if he needs some 'adult' supervision and, as said, plums off.

If he was boarding with me then I wouldn't put up with his behaviour at all and he'd be in a separate paddock, or with a bolshy gelding.

 

[Dexter]

We've got a mare that would be perfect. Would put him in his place without going over the top. Like hell is an uncut rising 2 year old going anywhere near our beautiful trak, the potential end result doesnt bear thinking about!

I'm going to speak to the person we rent the field off today, then he goes behind electric in the top end of the field. I'll keep an eye on him, but I've given her 24 hours notice that he will be separated and that I will have nothing more to do with him. I have also told her that if he cant be caught, I'll call the vet and have him sedated and forward the bill onto her. I dont think it will come to that though.

Once she goes on holiday shes technically abandonded him as I have told her I will not look after him. Maybe thats the point to involve the welfare people...

Its just very very sad for him, and means that due to one persons lazy, selfish behaviour I will never, ever, EVER help anyone ever again

 

[luckilotti]

To me that doesnt sound like 'colty behaviour' at all!
i've experienced 3 yearling colts grazing together when they were starting to get hormonal and none of them ever acted in that way.

could you prehaps try telling her that as he has done these things - attacked other horses and humans and she is now in a position whereby she knows what he is capable of and should he do it and hurt someone.... if they chose to sue her for damages (quite possible in todays society), then it wouldnt be in her favour as she knows what he is capable of and she hasnt taken reasonable steps to prevent a similar incident happening again.

i know years ago (when suing everyone for anyting wasnt as common) one of my horses liked to throw people over the yard if they went too close to his stable door and he was in that type of mood, he also liked to show people his teeth a lot (well, they were nice and white lol) anyway, we made sure he was at the far end of the block, had a notice on his door etc to warn people. when he did hurt someone rather badly over the door once (she decided to linger outside his door with carrots, giving them to the pony next door...), and this lady ended up in hospital, the lady was ok with it all as she said well you have done all you can, i knew what he was like, there is a sign on his door etc and it was my own stupidity...... now had i not have taken reasonable steps, had the sign etc it could have been a whole other story!

I really would go down that route as it sounds as if she really thinks that its just a matter of putting up with it until she gets her money sorted out.
do you know is she is insured...... maybe scare her if she isnt that she could end up with a massive legal bill which will far exceed the cost of him being gelded.....

also, tell her how it may actually cost her more to have him gelded as he gets older as i know my vets, once they are that bit older make them go into the surgery for it rather than coming to the yard. PLUS vat is going up so that itself would add 2.5% - may not be much but if shes not wanting to spend the money now, it may make her think!



I really hope you get it sorted, i really wouldnt be wanting to let any of yours mix with hers, and i wouldnt be wanting to physically help with him either considering her attitude.

really hope you get it sorted x

 

[JanetGeorge]

So it wouldn't be acceptable behaviour to attack other horses and knock them to the floor? Or attack people in a full on charge with his mouth open?

Not for a minute!! We run colts together up to about 2 - after that, we either run 1 with a couple of geldings, or if they're very 'colty' they're in at night and turned out indivbidually by day so they can have daily discipline.

Any attempt to charge at people in the field would be met by an extra long 'Mr. Blue Pipe' - with extreme prejudice!! Same behaviour in the stable would get a full bucket of cold water straight in the face!! Such behaviour in a 15 month old colt suggests that either he is VERY 'colty' - and needs gelding ASAP before he kills someone - or that he is totally undisciplined and needs serious counselling (of the corporal kind!) Or both!

The problem with delaying gelding any further - his behaviour WILL get worse - and when he IS finally gelded (hopefully before killing someone) his behaviour WON'T improve because he's LEARNED that he can be a total *****! The only people who'll take him off her hands will be one of the zoos! (As cat food!)