what to do

[RnRs Lilnickers]

We have this one 3 yr old filly who just does not seem to get along with either one of my studs, for the winter months I put one stud in with 4 mares and the other is with 1 mare, 2 weanlings and now this filly. It doesn't seem to matter which stud I put her with they both seem to hate her and chase her away from the other horses. What could it be about this filly that the studs don't like? I feel sorry for her always off by herself, they do let her eat but then later chase her away from the others. Any ideas?

 

[nootka]

Are these horses you are intending to breed?

Maybe she's just not mature enough, and if it were me, I would separate everyone except the stallions bred to the mares they bred, each individually, get the weanlings out of the picture (as long as they're weaned).

What are the ages and genders of the weanlings?

This would help w/the scenario, but the bottom line is that any horse that I did not want to breed, I would separate. Even in Winter they can conceive and they will engage in sexual activity that could be dangerous to a horse too young to breed, whether or not they get in foal.

My advice would be to leave the stallion with one mare that he's bred, and then separate the weanlings and let the filly be with them (as long as none are colts).

Liz M.

 

[AnnaC]

Two of the first stallions I owned chased off young mares. One wouldn't cover mares under 4 years, the other happily covered a few 3 year olds, but refused to cover one mare until she was 5! I put it down to the stallion knowing the mares were not ready to breed until they were 'mature' enough.

I do think, as has been said above, you should separate the filly immediately in case she gets hurt, putting her into a separate paddock with the weanlings, and well away from your boys.

Anna

 

[Little Wee Horse Farm]

Since this sounds like a group feeding situation (correct me, please, if I'm wrong) just a word of caution -- if they chase her other than eating, it may be that she is not getting enough to eat anyway. It could be they are so preoccupied with eating that they allow her in to eat, but then want her gone when the food is gone. There's nothing to say she's not getting her fair share, but let's face it, when it comes to food, few horses are, shall we say, "gracious."

Sometimes a horse isn't seen as underfed until it's obvious by the horse's condition weeks later. I'd make sure she got to eat alone, because eating isn't a social occassion for horses. It sounds like they are tolerating her.

In my assessment, with the little we know, I'd say this: the weanlings are not instigating any of the chase since weanlings are pretty timid when it comes to confronting an adult who isn't mom; the stallion might not see her as a "mare" if she isn't giving off proper scent. If it's winter where you are, she's in anestrous and not producing hormones. If he doesn't "smell" that she's a mare, he may see her as competition. The other mature mare might be protecting the foals, even if they are not hers. I've had all of these situations, so I'm not just talking out of my hat, as they say.

I'd move the new mare to being alone with the mature mare. Maybe put them in a fence that borders the run for the stallion and foals. Let him get to know her thru the fence. Let the older mare get to know her without protecting the babies. Eventually, they could be put together, if all goes as it usually did for me. Good luck with it.

P.S. I would suggest that weanlings definitely be fed alone (by each themselves or as a group of weanlings) especially for their first winter. They cannot compete with adults for the chow. Weanlings, (and mine were always on a full ration of feed before they were weaned) usually eat slower than adults and winter can play havoc on those litte'un anyway, even with full food. I don't mean to be critical, I just believe that would be better for them.

 

[skanzler]

We would need a little more information on these horses, as Nootka said.

I would not put a stallion with mares that he did not breed, if possible. If you bred to outside stallions then this does create a different scenerio.

It sounds like you have placed one stud with 4 aged mares, I am assuming they are bred....

The other stud is with one mare and unrelated weanlings? And of course this 3 year old filly, again assuming she is unrelated to the stud and is she bred?

Was the filly established with either mare band?

Alot of questions unanswered to give a good opinion or suggestion.

I place my weanlings out in a pen with each other, not the older horses. The possibility of getting hurt during winter months and aggresive older horses dominating the hay piles can prove to be dangerous for youngsters. Especially if you have ice or compact snow conditions.

All of my open mares are in a pasture with the gelding. And my bred mares are with certain stallions. Depending on personalities.

 

[stormy]

If those weanlings are fillies DO NOT KEEP THEM WITH A STUD. A friend sold her filly to some new mini owners, 26" filly weanling, they turned her out with a 32" stud "just until they could finish the fence" The filly died trying to deliver her foal before she had reached her 2nd birthday, she was bred before she was even a full yr old!