Re: RC: Stallion-Colt

[Lif Strand <fasterhorses@gilanet.com>]

At 02:54 PM 7/21/00 -0700, Mike wrote:
> I have been advised that he should be run with
> a barron or old mare in the paddack so that he learns some etiqutte. If
> he is kept yarded and stabled and only bought out to serve he will become
> very agressive. 
> Any comments and recommendations ?

We have a colt who just turned 3.  He's been living for the past two
years with a 27 year old mare who isn't cycling any more but was two
years ago; his sire (who isn't interested in breeding any more), a 27
year old gelding and a 6 year old half sister who is recovering from an
injury are all living in a pen right next to him and a 4 year old gelding
lives part time in another pen on the other side.  When Koko is
turned out on the 70 acres, it is with his sire, the older mare & the
young gelding.  He plays with the gelding (I want to encourage play
as long as it is possible) and doesn't mess at all with the other
two.  Last year he had 3 older and experienced broodmares in with
his current "girlfriend" and mentor mare.

So far this is working out well.  Koko absolutely does not mess with
a mare or even pay more than superficial attention to one without
invitation.  He has been bred to 4 mares in his life so far and has
been a perfect gentleman - and he is a sweetheart to handle.  His
sire, Ben Nasrif, wasn't like that till much later in life (we got him
when he was 8 and he was a monster), but then in Nas' youth he was
treated the "traditional" way - locked in a stall and treated
like a dangerous beast.  So that's what he became.

Horses learn a lot from other horses - it's such a simple, natural and
easy way to teach them so much!  Lif

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