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[RC] Pasture Arrangements with Mares/Geldings - Equus Wolf

>>>>So, my question is:
What do you do about mixing geldings and mares?
thanks
Keith<<<<<
 
When I was younger, I had my horse at a farm where mares and geldings were kept together.  I never saw it as a problem *if* the horses were a good match in personalities.  However, my mare hooked up with a gelding and it would take us hours to catch them (never had catching problems until that.)  The gelding was moved to another pasture and problem solved immediately.  I also remember another mixed pasture that frequently had injured horses from kicks/bites because the geldings didn't "get the drift" when the mares were in heat and got too close (even if it was innocent.)
 
Since then, I have been at stables that keep mares and geldings separated.  Herd dynamics just seem to work better.  It prevents the mare/gelding forgot he was a gelding issue.  We also keep the pastures rotated in such a way that the mares and geldings never share a fence line.  No broken fences yet.  And that's a first of anywhere I've been.
 
I think it just depends on the types of horses you have (personality wise).  Both of my mares would be find with geldings that knew they were geldings.  I know mares that would tear a gelding up if he even thought of entering her "space" *laugh*
 
Sounds almost like a playground at school!
 
Jennifer


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