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RE: [RC] re: mixing mares and geldings--question to other RC horse experts - heidiJill, It depends on the horses.I used to keep my Stallion,BEZT SPLASH with our geldings.Never a problem.I have a mare in with 2 geldings and a John Mule.No problems.Quite frankly ,I found the arogance of miss 45 year horse expert offensive.If you knew me ,you'd know I am almost impossible to offend. Good Luck, Matt Jillcohndc@xxxxxxx wrote: Wow--I'm really shocked at this news from Ginny. Do other experts out there think this is for real stuff? I'm looking for a pasture mate for my mare here in Berkeley/Orinda and was thinking a gelding as she's (my mare) so dominant: am I setting myself up for a fall here? This sounds pretty terrifying. <snork> Matt, you're right on the mark. I used to work with another vet who would chuckle about one of the self-styled "experts" among our clientele who was always expounding about her "30 years of experience." (I guess she was a piker next to Ginny.) Anyway, he'd say to me behind her back, "Yep, 1 year's experience, 30 times..." Jill, I'd bet my next meal that far more male horses (both stallions and geldings) have been injured by mares than visa versa. Any male horse who tries to mount a female horse who does not want to be mounted usually ends up soundly and repeatedly kicked. The girls are definitely the ones in charge of the sexual process in the equine species, unless hog-tied by humans. One way to ensure that a young stallion has manners is to turn him loose with a bunch of mares--they show him who's boss in a big hurry! I've seen rare individual geldings (and stallions) who are a bit crazed, but they are few and far between, and certainly not the norm. My ex-husband had one--but no, he never tried to BREED the mares--he would just herd them around and around, and go fight the stallions through the fence. Far more dangerous than the odd one who will try to mount and breed. And yes, I've seen the occasional gelding who will mount and go through the motions of breeding--but mares won't let it happen unless they are in a standing heat. As many have indicated, it is the social stirring that can be an issue when geldings and mares run together, not the sex. And even then, there are many very stable herds that contain both mares and geldings with no issues whatsoever--and regardless of the ratios involved. I'd wager that it is more apt to be an issue if new horses are frequently introduced than if the herd is allowed to establish a pecking order and get used to it. It is amazing the sorts of athropomorphic hang-ups of a sexual nature that one finds perpetuated by so-called experts--but as I said in my first post on the subject, this one takes the cake! Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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