Putting gelding in my mare pasture

[kdhminis]

We have a 3 year old AMHR gelding that we just gelded 3 months ago. He was born here on our miniature horse farm. His dam and 2 of his sisters (all 3 from same dam) are in the mare pasture. The dam (mom) is 16 years old, the 2 sisters are 4 & 5 years old.

We have waited 3 months since gelding him and this past weekend I turned him out with my mares, All the mares NOT related to him seemed to warm up to the idea he was in their pasture. But his mom and 2 sisters would take turns running clear across the pasture and run him off. I know whenever you introduce a new mini into a herd of mini's - there will be a pecking order, etc. He acted just like a gelding should - didn't act like a stallion at all (that's why we waited 3 months),

His mom does have a 3 1/2 month old filly still in this same pasture, and mom has been bred again for a foal in 2014; and one of his sisters has been bred for a foal in 2014 also. I know it takes time.

Will they ever accept him in their pasture - since they are related? I don't want anyone to get hurt. But I really wanted to keep him in with them on pasture and remove him from his previous stallion pen.

Any ideas? Thanks!!!!

We have 8 mares, 1 gelding, 3 stallions on our farm. Love all of them!! Have shown some of them in AMHR.

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[MiniNHF]

I think they will accept him but I think he is just low man on the totam pole as people call it so they will pick on him more at the time being. I have had geldings out with mares and had no problems. Mares are really big on pecking orders more so then geldings really.

I would just keep an eye out and if you start to see gashes etc then yeah I would remove him, but most horses have the typical missing hair bite marks.

 

[kdhminis]

Yes I too have put geldings in with mares before. I thought maybe the reason that my gelding's - Mother(dam) and his 2 half sisters were the ones not accepting him in their pasture was more than just him being the bottom of the herd. Because all the other mares out there seem to accept him. I'm going to try it again this Friday, Saturday and Sunday while we are home to watch. Any ideas from anyone about siblings (mares and geldings) being problems in same pasture - or ideas to help it work - please let me know. Thanks

 

[Danielleee]

They don't know they're related so its probably not that. Those mares are just probably witchier than the others it probably runs in the family

As long as hes not getting hurt it'll most likely work itself out in time

 

[kdhminis]

Thank you!! I hope it works, I love the little guy - but we never did use him to breed - so to keep him I thought I'd geld him and show him in gelding classes!! Thanks again

 

[Danielleee]

Thats great, good for you. Good luck with him in the shows! Good stallions make even better geldings!