pasturing stallions together ?

[bevann]

I am trying to consolidate horses before winter so I can feed from inside the barn and not be out so often in very bad weather.I have 2 very docile stallions.Each has been in a seperate small paddock.I has been next to 1 mare on a side and 2 mares on another side.No problem there.The other has been next to a gelding and very close to a mare. I am thinking about putting the stallions next to each other for a few weeks then together.There would be 3 mares and a gelding in the field next to them.If I leave the one stallion where he is he will be isolated and his nearest horses will be about 50 feet away, but still in sight.I have an old dairy barn with lots of sheds attached so I can go in the barn, feed and be out of bad weather.I have 3 mares with Cushings on daily meds, so I can't move them to another field.Any thoughts from anyone will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Marty]

Bevann sounds like a bad plan to me. I wouldn't chance it no matter how docile your stallions seem to be right now. Wouldn't take much to set them off. With a large dairy barn and ample sheds, try to draw something out on paper and study it. Maybe all you would need to do is add some extra fencing around a shed or something so you will still be under cover and the stallions will be also without having to put them together.

 

[Riverdance]

I leave my stallions together all year when they are not being used for breeding. I just put my stallion that I used for breeding this year in with them today for the winter. He was in the paddock area along side them for a week. They started withering each other right away when they got together.

But, my boys are in the paddock area of the side yard, no where near the girls. If they were just on the other side of the fence from the girls, they would be fighting each other all of the time.

Not a good idea to be near the girls and in the same paddock area.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

This winter I will have two geldings a stallion and a yearling colt, and a weanling gelding all pastured together.

Everyone except the mature stallion are together at the moment, and he should be out from the mares next week.

If you know your stallions, and have the facilities to do this away form the mares, and you have a good sized pasture (the field they are on is just under three acres) then this is by far the best way to do it.

The key words are "if you know your stallions"!!

I would also, however docile they are, be ready for a fight or two to break out. It should not be too bad, at this time of year horses are usually fairly quiet, and the hormones have settled down for the winter.

Rabbit I can never, ever put in with another horse, I know this so I no longer try.

The others are fine.

There will be fireworks, though, just be warned!!

Oh, and I would really take the gelding and put him in with them as well, as his presence in with the mares will annoy the entires.

Can you maybe put hotwire on either side of the fences so the horse cannot touch noses over the fence?

This is what I do, although only the weanlings are next to the stallions, not the mares.

 

[stormy]

I pair my stallions up for the winter, seem to like having a companion. I do have one though who is very aggressive and has to live by himself. Other then that have had no problems, just a bit of noise when they first go back together after the breeding season.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I leave my stallions together year-round and this includes my 4 y/o, 2 y/o and yearling. While my 4 y/o dominates the paddock, everyone gets along fine with "his rules". I know my boys and how they act and I feel comfortable with this arrangement - although everyone has enough room to seperate when desired and everyone is away from the girls. 

Hope this helps!

 

[wcr]

I have my 3 stallions in together right now and they are far away from the mares as I am set up. They scream and stomp but generally just play stallion games. In the breeding season this wouldn't work but in this time of year they are pretty quiet.

 

[Watcheye]

I have been keeping Keegan and Funny together. Funny is generally the boss. Keegan is bigger than Funny and has a very mellow, goofy attitude. Keegan also goes out with Elliot and they have a blast. I have recently allowed the three turn out together in the evenings and all has been fine thus far though I always watch them for extended periods of time. Though 2 have been fine year round, I will re evaluate in the spring the 3 together.

 

[Katiean]

I think the girls next door will be a problem. If it were just the boys and no girls near by they would do ok. But then, We have wild horses here and about a week ago while my mom was on a job she saw a few different bands of horses. One band was made up of 3 mares and 2 studs. They were not confined and "THEY" made the choice to be together.

 

[madmax]

Sucess here will most likely depend on whether you have enough room to keep the mares far away from the boys. I have a small place, and it would never work for me. The boys here can see the mares, are not next to them; they live nicely next to each other, but not together, it just would not work here. They each have a stall and run.

I used to visit the Komoko ranch, he took about 10 stallions out of the mare pastures each winter and kept them together in one field quite some distance away from the mares. They were in a 20 acre pasture together, and Bob told me that having all that space gave them room to escape from each other if necessary, it worked for him, but of course he had about 300 acres to work with.

 

[River Wood]

Our stallions have been fine together but never with a mare near.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Well, I have to just add that while it does make sense to have the mares as far away as possible, my mares are only about fifty yards away, and all the stallions can see and smell them, and there are weaned foals on the other side of the fenceline to them.

An awful lot will depend on the tolerance levels of the individual horses.

I too was one of the ones who screamed "No way, not for me" when I first heard of this, and I was right, at the time, as I had Rabbit and his sire, who I think, would have fought to the death!

Now, while Rabbit still has his own space, sharing fence lines with mares only most of the time, he will now tolerate my yearling colt on the other side of a fence.

For now!!!

 

[WhiteTailsMinis]

we have a back row of pastures just for the boys we call "Stallion Row" as they are lined side by side. Two of the pastures have 2 stallions together for buddies. I have to say that dispositions and age help determine who is paired (at my place). I'd never attempt to pair up the more mature stallions - I have two 2 yr olds together, have a 2 yr old and yearling together - and have a bred mare with a mature stallion. Another mature stallion is by himself.

While not in the same pasture, there is only electric fence between all the boys - and all the mares are on opposite sides of the farm. Even though they can mess with eachother through gates - there are some pairs I would not attempt together. I think you have to know your stallions personalities and dispositions and if you aren't sure - then don't chance it. I'd hate to have to try to break up two stallions fighting. I check my gates every day to ensure they are secure.

I tried once to put a yearling with a stallion (actual father/son) - thought company for eachother. I had to separate within an hour as the stallion about ran the yearling to death - the stallion kept mounting the yearling and trying to hold him underneath - it just wasn't going to let up so I had to remove him and the stallion never gets a buddy unless it is a bred mare of his.

january picture no grass - but concept is here -

 

[Miniv]

We've had success with pasturing boys together if we start them young.

There are also personalities to consider. And I agree about NOT having mares too close.

All you can do is give things a try and watch. If things look serious, pull the boys apart.

 

[HGFarm]

My stallions were not raised that way, and knowing them, would NEVER put them in together ever. Only MAYBE if mares were about 10 miles away, LOL and that is impossible.

My neighbors have several pastures and many boys. Some they absolutely cannot put in with another stallion or even next to one.. some were raised it a group atmosphere and many of them get along, but once a couple hit breeding age or were used to breed, were so aggressive and nasty, they had to be moved out of there and are no longer able to run with a group of other males.

I have seen what a stallion fight can result in, and dont wish to again- nor would I want to be in the middle trying to break one up either.

I personally just wont try it, as my two dont get along and I have no place far enough away to put the girls.

 

[WLS]

Pasturing stallions together can be a risky adventure as boys will be boys, and there is always the risk one will hurt. But I understand the danger especially with young studs, that one will be become the dominant stud, rule the roost. and other studs will become NOT interested in breeding even when breeding season comes. I know of a few cases where this has happened. Think of how horses live in the wild, the young studs will be chased out of the herd when they become of age.

And also know of a farm where two mature studs lived together, owner found one with a broken leg which is not a good thing. But I have found that a stud and gelding can live happily together. I have a stud that gets along well with three geldings. and even practices his breeding skills on the geldings who really do not care. (hah) I would personally not risk two studs together. I worry about vet bills.!! Good Luck.

 

[Shaladar]

I really envy those of you that can keep your stallions together. Or even a stallion with a gelding.

Mine would kill each other, no question.

I can't even put my geldings together...well, I can put my 2 yr. old gelding with the gelding he was raised with, but none of the others. Not much is worse than coming out and finding your yearling gelding so beat up by a 5 yr. old sweet as pie (to people) GELDING that he required veterinary care.

And hearing those bodies THUD together and the quiet grunting sound as they try to kill each other....very quietly....<shudder> (been there, done that)

Sue

 

[bevann]

Thanks for all the replies.I am rethinking my plan.Just trying to make my life more simple with winter coming and facing some surgery issues for me.I will try to come up with another plan.I just don't want to leave 1 of the stallions so isolated on 1 side of the barn where he can't even see another horse.I will figure out something so no one gets hurt.

 

[vickie gee]

Well I have certainly enjoyed all of the replies and needed advise on this subject as well. I only have my one stallion who has to to play musical stalls, go from pasture to lot, to stall, to pasture constantly to let the gals be where they need to be. We have been drawing up plans for a two stallion run on one end of our property and after hearing from you all I want to stick to my plan which would allow keeping two stallions separate once I have

that second guy.

 

[Bess Kelly]

Bev, you might still try the stallions adjacent to one another in a separate area. I've had, & do still have, some who are fine NEXT DOOR but, not in same fence. It has allowed me to condense their space in winter by keeping mares further away. When mares are cycling, whether you are breeding or not

, those boys can get aggressive with one another.

I'm reviewing my own pastures, shelters, electric access (heated water), animals, etc., for the coming winter. It is sometimes a chore for ME to accomplish the feeding, care, etc. if the weather gets bad....so, I'm trying to streamline like others. I also have several mid twenty ones, whom I like to bring closer to the house in winter as they do require more intensive feeding -- fewer teeth, less hay and more warm BP, etc. Sure less of an issue if they are closer to the house....together now, just in a different pasture.

Often times the fencing needs to be reinforced with hotwire to just put that little "extra" reminder for these stallions to be good

I'm with the poster who says "draw a map of the barn, etc". I have a big sheet on my dining room table that has the pastures, barns, electric outlets, etc. all marked off. Then I have pennies with everyones name taped on them

(my grandaughter LOVES this

) and I can move them from field to field and SEE ..... if there would be real issues with anything else physical, before I begin to integrate them to their "winter quarters". It lets me see in what order I must do this if I need to use adjacent pastures for intros first. Geesh.....41 is a lot a work.