Posted 2012-08-03 10:02 PM (#146050) Subject: Turning out New horse
Member
Posts: 5
Location: Nashville tn
Any suggestions on how to introduce new gelding to 2 mares I have put him in arena Mares are charging and trying to bite over fence should I just bite bullet and let them at it we have 15 acres of pasture?Oh and new gelding HARD to catch!
Posted 2012-08-03 10:20 PM (#146051 - in reply to #146050) Subject: RE: Turning out New horse
Elite Veteran
Posts: 781 Location: La Cygne, KS
Is this the first day? If mares are still being witchy with him I 'd wait a few more days. They can establish pecking order somewhat through a barrier. You know it is difficult to keep mares and geldings together. Most folks keep them seperate. I can 't as I have one alpha gelding with an old mare in one pasture and then an alpha mare in another with mare and gelding. It works, but makes chore time longer. Better to wait a few days so no one gets run through fence. Expect some squealing and kicking when they finally get together. Now would be a good time to teach gelding to come to you too. Good luck
Posted 2012-08-04 6:44 AM (#146053 - in reply to #146050) Subject: RE: Turning out New horse
Veteran
Posts: 282 Location: southcentral pennsylvania
I have always had mares and geldings together. I am always extra cautious when introducing any new horse. I let them get acquainted over the fence for a week. My mare loves any new gelding when she comes into heat. The first day or so, there is usually alot of charging the fence, squealing, etc. When they graze side by side, each near the fence, I feel pretty good. After a week, when they are left together, sometimes there is no drama at all, and sometimes some squealing, nipping, etc. Depends on the horse. Over the years, I have had equal number of mares and geldings, mostly mares, mostly geldings, etc., but they have always been together.
Posted 2012-08-05 8:37 PM (#146110 - in reply to #146050) Subject: RE: Turning out New horse
Member
Posts: 31 Location: Mt.Carroll,IL
I too have always pastured geldings and mares together and have never had a problem...When I took my late sister's gelding back (I bred and raised the horse), I let him and my two mares "talk it over" over the fence for about a week before I turned them all out together...And now he is best friends with my Half Arab Pinto mare, cuz they are always grazing close to each other and he just could care less about my Paint mare...He just "tolerates" her presence in the pasture and doesn't really bother her unless she gets "in his face or space" too often...But I have never had any big fights between them all...I would just let them "talk it over" over the fence till you feel its safe to turn them all out together...
Posted 2012-08-08 6:07 PM (#146178 - in reply to #146050) Subject: RE: Turning out New horse
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
I have a large well fenced dry paddock for the horses and when a new horse joins the group i simply turn them out. Now I only have the max of three horses ( all mine) so its not like some kind of herd. But there is plenty of room to move around and get away. Even if they sniff over a fence once they are together they will snort,squeel and even bite/kick. Its part of the process. However if they can escape everyone will be ok..toss some hay in various places..and then walk away. They will sort it out.
Posted 2012-08-09 7:42 AM (#146186 - in reply to #146178) Subject: RE: Turning out New horse
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376 Location: Missouri
Shoot the mares and turn the gelding out!!!
Just another reason I don't like mares as riding stock. In all the years we bred and raised horses, we never ran the geldings or stallions with the mares. The mares had their own fields. The geldings had theirs and the stallions had their paddocks.
Seriously, the mares will most likely mark him up, regardless of how careful you might be, and he'll be even harder to catch. You might consider dividing the pasture with a hot fence.
Posted 2012-08-10 6:20 PM (#146246 - in reply to #146050) Subject: RE: Turning out New horse
Member
Posts: 27 Location: ohio
Interesting, we currently have 3 mares and 3 geldings, all in the same pasture....they seem to pair up, just like Noah's ark..lol. We do give a new horse time across the fence etc...and we let them determine how long it takes before putting them all together.
Turning out New horse
