Agressive mare in pasture breeding situation

[Fantasia]

Down under we are nearly ready to start another breeding season. I am going to pasture breed this season owing to the higher conception rates I've had in previous years.

Stallion is a fertile 3 year old (first baby due Nov this yr), hand bred last year. Mares he will be in with are an experienced 16yr old "tart" who will be perfect for teaching him manners. It's the five year old mare I'm concerned about.

I tried hand breeding him to this mare last season - she was his first and unfortunately he, well, fell asleep on her after the deed. She only let him serve her twice more and then would not show to him again. She was breed to another, older stallion but did not get in foal. Back home she has not shown to him at all. I did run them together and she is a real bag to him - turns her butt to him, ears back but not overtly agressive. Suggestion has been that in time she will settle down around him, particuarly if he's not trying to jump her all the time. (BTW she was vet checked and apparently no fertiltiy issues and she has one foal already - conceived via paddock breeding to an older stallion)

I am more worried about her driving away the other mare from him. Other mare is boss mare of the two but gets really soft when she's in season.

Am I better to pull her out when I see the older mare in season? Or leave the lot in together and hope she "gets over it".

Any advice appreciated

 

[spottedminis45107]

Down under we are nearly ready to start another breeding season. I am going to pasture breed this season owing to the higher conception rates I've had in previous years.
Stallion is a fertile 3 year old (first baby due Nov this yr), hand bred last year. Mares he will be in with are an experienced 16yr old "tart" who will be perfect for teaching him manners. It's the five year old mare I'm concerned about.

I tried hand breeding him to this mare last season - she was his first and unfortunately he, well, fell asleep on her after the deed. She only let him serve her twice more and then would not show to him again. She was breed to another, older stallion but did not get in foal. Back home she has not shown to him at all. I did run them together and she is a real bag to him - turns her butt to him, ears back but not overtly agressive. Suggestion has been that in time she will settle down around him, particuarly if he's not trying to jump her all the time. (BTW she was vet checked and apparently no fertiltiy issues and she has one foal already - conceived via paddock breeding to an older stallion)

I am more worried about her driving away the other mare from him. Other mare is boss mare of the two but gets really soft when she's in season.

Am I better to pull her out when I see the older mare in season? Or leave the lot in together and hope she "gets over it".

Any advice appreciated

Hi,

we also have a 3yr old stallion who we have pasture bred this year but he has his own pasture that he breeds in. if he runs with the mares,the ones not in heat always bosses him around and he doesnt get the job done.they kick at him or the mare hes trying to breed...we have also tried running our older stallion with the mares BUT we do have one mare that when shes not in heat and another mare is she absolutly does not let the stallion breed her,when he tries to breed the mare in heat she runs to him and turns around and kicks him really hard!or if she doesnt kick him she kicks the mare.....so honestly it wouldnt hurt to seperate that mare from them when she comes into heat.....hopes this helps any......

 

[Margaret]

I agree, once the other mare comes in to heat then seperate the aggressive mare from the situtation.

Sometimes that type of mare wont let the others breed, is my experience.

 

[Joanne]

I agree with Margaret. Pull out the agressive mare when the other mare is in heat and let the stallion have just one "target" for a few days.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I think you will find it is a matter of the colt's age.

Some mares will not breed to a young horse, they just will not have it, and you have no choice but to hand breed until the colt has gown up.

It does not matter to the mare that, for some reason, you decide to call a colt a stallion, she still sees a colt!

Some mares are just bags, though, I agree, and then you will have to keep that mare out of the herd when another is in season.

If you have a larger herd a mare like this is a real problem.

If you have a couple of mares it is not really an issue.

In circumstances like this pasture breeding will not, of course, improve your fertility as the one mare will not get in foal to him and then she will not let him breed the other!

I would have them in paddocks next door to one another and just put the mare that is in season in with the colt.

If they are both in at the same time I would "rotate" them day and day about.

 

[Fantasia]

Thanks for you replies guys. Will be interesting to see what happens with them.

Rabbit, I think you're right she may just not like younger men!

Cheers