Posted 2006-03-29 2:29 PM (#39731) Subject: Don't let your gelding near your new foal!
Regular
Posts: 87 Location: Novato, California
Well you are not going to believe what happened yesterday March 28. Nala (haflinger filly) was now 67 hours old when Kaszmir (23 year old polish arab gelding) turned her into a rag doll and tried to kill her. It was the most horrific thing I've ever witnessed. It was like watching a loved family member trying to kill another family member. He flung her around and stomped on her several times while Amber (haflinger mare) was doing all she could to get him away from her baby. I was doing the same. It was like neither of us were there. His eyes were all white, ears were flat back and his teeth were beared. Little Nala looked like a rabbit trying to get away from a dog.
Fortunately for me my neighbor, Karl, was home. When he saw what was going on he leaped over the fence and tried with all his might to get Kaszmir to stop. Kaszmir cornered the baby behind the barn and somehow, once again, she escaped and got underneath a hotwire that was not hot. Kaszmir thought the wire was hot and did not barge through it. I was then able to get the lead rope around his neck. It took everything Karl and I had left in us to get him back to his stall. He was completely out of his mind! Once in the stall he was trying to destroy it to get out. We had to board him in with extra boards.
As soon as we got him boarded in, I looked down and saw my vet, Sandy, who was just returning from a long trip and was coming to see Nala. Sandy immediately raced up and took charge. She druged Kaszmir and told me to keep Amber and Nala out of sight. The other wierd thing that happened that at the exact time all this started happen, Reed, my husband, got the feeling something was going to happen and raced to the pasture from San Francisco (about 45 minutes away). He never comes to the pasture. Sandy made phone calls and found a place for Kaszmir to go since she said he could not remain on the property. Reed raced home, got the trailer and removed Kaszmir.
Believe it or not Nala was fine. Nala, meaning successful, was successful in surviving Kaszmir's. Sandy checked her over and said she is a strong, tough and probably won't remember any of it.
It was son's 16th birthday which was blown all to hell. I finally stopped crying long enough to go out to dinner then went back to check on Amber and Nala and off to check on Kaszmir. I could not even look him in the eyes. I'm so upset with him. He had the perfect world and now it has all changed. I stayed with Amber and Nala until midnight then came home I needed to make sure there were no internal injuries. Both were fine this morning. Kaszmir, however, is a mess. He does not understand why he is were he is. It's all so sad.
Who would have ever guessed. My sweet gelding that runs in the corner and hides. He was visiting with Nala over the stall wall. Everything seemed fine. I still can't believe it. I thought I knew him but clearly I did not. Oh what a day!
Posted 2006-03-29 9:31 PM (#39749 - in reply to #39731) Subject: RE: Don't let your gelding near your new foal!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 644 Location: Odenville, Alabama
We had a Jack Donkey once who would kill a baby goat the minute it hit the ground. The same thing, shaking it like a ragdoll and then stomping it. He left very quickly, never to return. I'm so sorry. Had your gelding been left a stallion for a while? I guess you just never know. I have a pregnant mare, and I will be worried about the geldings behavior. I'm glad your baby is o.k.
Posted 2006-03-30 4:20 AM (#39760 - in reply to #39731) Subject: RE: Don't let your gelding near your new foal!
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Danielsville Georgia
My roan walking horse gelding years ago in a boarding barn was in the front of the barn with two others,one was a little Qtr mare all were grazing the front yard real peaceful for a hour or so.Then a squeal and sound of hooves.He was chasing and trying to spin and kick the qtr mare.She was running like hell was afte her.She dove into a open stall and he crashed in with her.He had her in there slamming,kicking when both rears.Barn owner went in,grabbed his halter and got thrown all over the stall,came out and grabbed a livestock whip and dove back him.He still would not stop,he felt NO pain and was out of it.Finally he stopped,ran out,put his head down and went to grazing.The mare had massive bruising all over front end,under her and hind qtrs,udder with torn areas in the shape of hoof prints all over.She shook for two hours.Vet came and gave banimine etc.said could have some real hidden damage.Luckily a lot of cold water hosing etc.was ok.Took several weeks to heal.Once years later he did same thing on a picket line.Tried to murder a Walker mare we owned.He acted and looked like he had lost his marbles..Acted like a horse from hell.Ears PINNED.Squealing,wheeling and slamming with both rears for all he was worth.Had several folkes nearby come running.Later they said never heard or had seen anything like that before.That time once I got my hands on his halter.(HIS eyes told me he was NOT with us at that moment)and yelled at him it was like a spell was broken in a split second and his mind returned to this planet.Had him 17 years and that was the only two times it happened.
Posted 2006-03-30 8:26 AM (#39771 - in reply to #39731) Subject: RE: Don't let your gelding near your new foal!
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 362 Location: Allegan, Michigan
I know exactly what you all are talking about! I have a thoroughbred mare I had bred this spring to our resident TB stallion. We "had" a 20 yr old gelding in the pasture with the mares. After the mare was covered and walked, she was turned out with the mares and the elderly gelding. The gelding went right after her and tried to kill her. Amy was screaming in fear and in pain. It took several of us to rope him and use a buggy whip to get him away from her. Needless to say he has been placed on a farm where there will be no mares bred! Who would have thought an old arthritic gelding who was a kids plug horse would turn into such a vicious animal? The vet seems to think that he was cut late in life and had at some time been allowed to cover mares. The gelding knew that the mare wasn't carrying his seed, and so he wanted to kill her. That makes me think everyone elses geldings behaved similiarly for the same reason. They knew they didn't sire those young ones and so they wanted to eliminate the competitions offspring. That is what wild stallions do if they take over a band, they will kill foals from a previous stallion. It is horrific!
So we don't have anymore geldings here, and I don't plan on getting anymore in the future. I have had enough of that kind of experience.
Posted 2006-03-30 8:53 AM (#39774 - in reply to #39731) Subject: RE: Don't let your gelding near your new foal!
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Danielsville Georgia
I don't think its anything to do with time frame of gelding.Other glands also make hormones.Both times my gelding did it had nothing to do with heats or being bred etc.Had another Walker gelding that turned on a billy goat I had same way.Just out of the blue.Picked him up,threw him and chased,stomped him with front feet like FURY after a rattle snake in a movie.Broke the goats back legs.He was a VERY gentle horse.
Posted 2006-04-01 12:07 PM (#39868 - in reply to #39731) Subject: RE: Don't let your gelding near your new foal!
Veteran
Posts: 127 Location: PA
So Sorry to hear of your experience, it sounds like it was very tramatic for all of you! I have a 10 yr old Arab gelding (gelded at 3) who just adores our baby filly, she is 5 months old now but he has loved and protected her since she was a baby. I did not turn the mare and foal out with my other horses until she was 1 month old. I have the gelding and a 5 yr old Arab mare also. I was worried about someone being jealous. As it turned out the "mare" was mean to the foal....she snapped her teeth, laid her ears back, tried to chase the baby around and did kick her in the neck before I could separate them. The next day I turned them out with just the gelding and he was just the opposite.....just sniffed her and stayed out of their way. As time progressed he started standing next to her and sharing his hay with her and was kind of like an uncle. Now we are weaning her and it is the gelding who I put in the stall next to the foal, he comforts and nuzzles her and they are happy together. So I guess not all geldings are mean to foals.......mine is a good babysitter. I am thankful to have him.
Posted 2006-04-24 1:07 PM (#40878 - in reply to #39731) Subject: RE: Don't let your gelding near your new foal!
Regular
Posts: 87 Location: Novato, California
The gelding is a 23 year old polish arab that I purchased when he was 18. All I know is he was originally owned by Four Winds Arabian Racing and was raced at the track for approx. 6 years then went to live with endurance riders that endurance raced him for approx. 6 years then I got he. He is a great trail horse and I've never seen him put his ears back with any other horse. He has lived in a 5 acre pasture with my haflinger mare. He was on the other side of the wall (1/2 wall) when the baby was born and touched her several times during the first two days. When the incident occured I was just leading the mare and baby out of their stall into their paddock. (approx. 10 ft) The gelding was at the far end of the pasture, about two acres away. When he came flying over I wasn't concerned. He did not put his ears back until he touched her. When he touched her his eyes rolled, he beared his teeth then he grabbed her by the neck and started flinging her. I let the mare go to try to defend her baby but he wasn't paying any attention as she double barrelled him multiple times. He is now living in a pasture with 5 other geldings and doing fine. My vet said he can never come back to the pasture with the mare and baby. I've learned this is not that uncommon.
Posted 2006-04-29 5:18 PM (#41075 - in reply to #39731) Subject: RE: Don't let your gelding near your new foal!
Regular
Posts: 50 Location: Delta Junction, Alaska
Wow I am very sorry to hear of all of your stress and pain you all have had. That scares me even though both my 3 geldings (QH, Appy, Paint) and stallion (Appy) are all fine with the foals born here. I have never heard of such a thing untill your posts I am sure I will keep an extra eye out with any new additions.
Don't let your gelding near your new foal!
What is the background of the gelding , do you know? Just wondering 'cause I'm preparing for a baby myself. Have you had him long? Was anything new?