Introducing stallions to foals

[Sherry]

I have always hand bred but wanted to see how those of you that pasture breed introduce your stallion to a pasture situation that includes mares and current year foals. Also what if all of the foals are not the said stallions? I have two of his foals and one outside breeding (sire: majestic mime) so obviously don't want her hurt either. Does the stallion remember which mares he bred & what if they are some that are the same color? Would he ever get confused and accept all foals irregardless of who sire is? How did you test the situation before starting that type of program. I probably will always hand breed the majority of time but have had on occassion the "need" to pasture breed but didn't because I was too scared the current years foal would get hurt. Do they know to stand back when the "act" is starting or do they try to stay with dam? Any helpful tips would be appreciated.

 

[TuffyLynn]

i am also interested in responses...

 

[Kilkenny Farms]

My new stallion is not the father of my two current foals and I have had no problems with him. I never let the babies out of a stall until they are at least 3 days old and in the beginning just to be safe, I put my stallion in my round pen. The round pen is in a middle area of the pasture so he has full visual access to see all the other horses. I do that for a couple of days, just to watch the babies interacting with him through the panels. The mares are VERY protective of their babies and once I let him out they band together to keep him away from the babies. He is FAR more interested in the mares than he is in the foals anyway.

My stallion is definitely the boss of the pasture, but he respects the mare’s request (hoofs) that he stay away from the babies. My babies are about a month old now and everyone is relaxed about each other’s presence. My little colt adores the stallion and follows him all over the place. The stallion has been very patient and kind to him.

Over the past few years, I have had three different stallions in a pasture with mares and babies and I have never had a problem.

I am sure the possibility of terrible problems exists, and I would HATE to have a stallion injure or kill a baby, but I have never had any trouble. The babies seem to get a pass on their baby behaviors from the stallion. My little colt even mounts and nips at the stallion and he never retaliates. I don't have trouble with my stallion until the babies are yearlings. Then he seems a lot meaner to them. I guess it goes back to nature when the wild stallions use to run the yearlings off so that the mares could prepare for their next baby.

Just my experiences,

Barbara

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I have only ever dealt with one stallion that was not a pussycat with foals.

That stallion was not mine and would have been gelded if he had been!!

Put him on the other side of a safe fence to the mares and foals if you are in any doubt. I had Carlos out with set mares without foals his first year, having bred all in hand, and then took a deep breathe, took him out of the field, put in the mares with foals, and then, when they had settled, put him back in.

He never turned a hair, in fact he was mercilessly bullied by Bertie who was then a thug at foot ,...sorry, foal at foot...... and was, at weaning, nearly as big as Carlos!!! (and twice as wide).

Bertie is not by Carlos, in fact none of the foals were.

Carlos is a very laid back herd sire and an absolute LUNATIC in hand, funny isn't it???

 

[Jill]

I know at Erica's last year, Destiny did fine with mares who had foals at their side by other stallions. This year, he has been so loving to his fillies. He grooms them, plays with them, etc.

DunIT also has always been sweet with foals, but so far has only been exposed to his own.

 

[Anne ABC]

In 25 years of breeding miniatures have rarely hand bred any of our mares, pasture breeding is the standard at our farm.

The stallions we are showing are put out on their pasture every morning with their mares and brought in to their stall at night for grooming and feeding to help keep them in good weight. They know the system and do well with it, most likely the stallions enjoy the rest (pamper) time at night.

The stallions that are not being actively shown are on pasture 24/7.

We have owned many stallions over the years and have never had one that bothered a foal or anything else except another stallion should they manage to get together during breeding season.

A mare will teach a stallion good manners in quick fashion if you will allow her to have her hand (hoof) with him!

As Rabbit said, I am sure you might find a really tough stallion on occassion, he wouldn't stay here long and I think she has the right idea, for sure, on how to handle one like that.

 

[JWC sr.]

We pasture breed the majority of the mares and have never had a problem from the stallions. Now the mares on the other hand can be too protective and run the stallion off the feed trough sometimes, so we just watch them all and make sure things are as harmonious as is possible in a breeding herd. Normally with no hitches.

I love to watch the stallions get snake necked with their heads durn near on the ground the first few days of herding them all around the pasture. kind of cool to watch the interaction between the mares/babies and the stallions being stallions.

Rio De Oro always adopts his babies in the pen and will go off with them leaving the mares by themselves after a few weeks and the mares have been bred. He loves his babies. LOL The mares seem to like the peace them finally get too.