miniwhinny
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Recently there has been a number of posts relating to the keeping and breeding of stallions and appropriate ages of breeding mares and stallions. While I don’t claim to be an expert on these subjects I’d love to be able to share some of my experience studying the wild mustangs of South Eastern Oregon.
For the past 7 years I have spent many, many, many hours crouched behind juniper trees in some of Oregon’s wild horse HMA’s learning about the habits of horses under natural conditions. Knowing a little about how a horse behaves in the wild helps (IMO) to provide him/her with a captive life as close to a horses own needs and instincts as possible.
Living in teh wild is no cake walk don't get me wrong. This post is just highlighting a horses social life in a herd situation.
Weaning.
Wild horses are obviously not weaned at 4-6 months. In the wild a mare will still be nursing her previous years foal at a year old when the next baby is born. She will continue to nurse both the current years foal and the previous years foal right up to dropping a new baby. When this happens the older colt/filly– now 2 to 3 year old – will be pushed out. And on and on…Obviously the older foal is nursing more for comfort than for nurishment,
2/3 year olds
When the new foal crop is born most 2 year olds are then chased from the herds. The mares run their daughters off and the stallions chase off all young studs. Wild horses do this instinctively and very little inbreeding ever occurs.
Fillies
When a 2 year old filly is pushed out from the herd (the mare will chase her off) it takes no time (literally) for her to be rounded up by another stallion. She is open game for any stallion wishing to claim her. Unlike the movies wild horse herds do not consist of one mighty stallion running a herd of hundreds of mares. Wild horses live in fairly small bands (1 stud to 2 or 3 mares and offspring) more commonly than large herds consisting of 10-20 mares with a main herd sire and a couple of younger ‘lieutenant†studs. These secondary studs and the bachelor studs are constantly on the lookout for their own mares and quickly claim the young 2 year olds when they are kicked out. Many 2 year old fillies are bred.
Colts
When the 2 year old colts are kicked out of their family units their immediate instinct is to get back in a herd situation for comfort, company and safety. Horses are social animals. Because they are a threat to rival stallions they form bachelor bands of other young single studs. However, their driving instinct is to start their own harum of mares. The reason in the wild that very few 2 year old colts aren’t breeding isn’t their inability or lack or desire to do so, it’s because they lack the aggression and experience of a more mature stud and therefore find it hard (and dangerous) to “steal†a mare for themselves or to keep one they have found from being taken from them. Sometimes these younger boys join an established band as a “lieutenant†living just on the outside of the herd. Here they help the mature stallion defend the unit but also once in a while get to breed a mare themselves.
In captivity
In reproducing a life for our horses that enables them to thrive mentally as well as physically it’s important to know how they’d live given the freedom to choose their own life. ( I’m NOT saying life in the wild is prefect by any means) Domesticity brings many benefits including free meals and health care but it can also play havoc on a horses natural instincts, which despite eons of being domestic, still remain strong.
Remember…horses are herd creatures. To be kept alone is an unnatural state to a horse and even more so to a stallion whose needs to breed and have a herd outweigh every other need. Think of it this way…geldings wake in the morning- think “ oh what a lovely day†go grazing singing “dumb de dumb oh happy dayâ€. Mares wake and think “oh what a lovely day. I wonder what I’ll find to eat today and once in a while..I wonder if there are any handsome boys around hereâ€. A stallion wakes and thinks “mares, mares, mares and more mares oh yeah..food too…and more maresâ€. Stallions are pre-programmed to spend their days thinking “find a mare, find a mareâ€. Unless you really need your horse to remain a stud and can provide him with the life he deserves then gelding is the best option. This frustration is often the cause of stallions developing behavior issues. After owning mustang stallions and knowing dozens of mustang stallions I have yet to meet one who has aggression issues or bad habits when allowed to run with a mare band. An old Mustanger once gave me the advice that “if you allow your stallion to live and learn from his mares you’ll never have a bad horseâ€.
I personally took this to heart. I have a 2 year old stud who lives with his 3 year old “wifeâ€. After learning that you’re gonna get nailed if you charge at her like a bull in a china shop he has become THE most gentle boy. He sweet talks her for hours, grazes and sleeps at her side. Leaves her alone when she wants him to (just a slightly pinned ear is all she has to do now) Rounds up our pesky dogs and chases them off if they get too close to her. My farrier thought he was gelded because of his nature (until I laughed and told him to check the plumbing) He doesn’t bite, kick, strike or push into your space. I can tell he’s happy, well adjusted and frustration free.
I’m not on a soap box knocking anyone doing things differently. I know it’s hard to let your prize boy get a few life lessons during the first few months learning how to respect his mares. I also know that not all studs and mares get along. Just like in the wild some can’t stand each other. Sometimes even color is an important factor and some horses have their personal preferences. If it’s obvious a “relationship†isn’t going to work you have to make other plans.
I just want to share my experience and show how a horses wild instincts strongly control the little friends we share our lives with today.
For the past 7 years I have spent many, many, many hours crouched behind juniper trees in some of Oregon’s wild horse HMA’s learning about the habits of horses under natural conditions. Knowing a little about how a horse behaves in the wild helps (IMO) to provide him/her with a captive life as close to a horses own needs and instincts as possible.
Living in teh wild is no cake walk don't get me wrong. This post is just highlighting a horses social life in a herd situation.
Weaning.
Wild horses are obviously not weaned at 4-6 months. In the wild a mare will still be nursing her previous years foal at a year old when the next baby is born. She will continue to nurse both the current years foal and the previous years foal right up to dropping a new baby. When this happens the older colt/filly– now 2 to 3 year old – will be pushed out. And on and on…Obviously the older foal is nursing more for comfort than for nurishment,
2/3 year olds
When the new foal crop is born most 2 year olds are then chased from the herds. The mares run their daughters off and the stallions chase off all young studs. Wild horses do this instinctively and very little inbreeding ever occurs.
Fillies
When a 2 year old filly is pushed out from the herd (the mare will chase her off) it takes no time (literally) for her to be rounded up by another stallion. She is open game for any stallion wishing to claim her. Unlike the movies wild horse herds do not consist of one mighty stallion running a herd of hundreds of mares. Wild horses live in fairly small bands (1 stud to 2 or 3 mares and offspring) more commonly than large herds consisting of 10-20 mares with a main herd sire and a couple of younger ‘lieutenant†studs. These secondary studs and the bachelor studs are constantly on the lookout for their own mares and quickly claim the young 2 year olds when they are kicked out. Many 2 year old fillies are bred.
Colts
When the 2 year old colts are kicked out of their family units their immediate instinct is to get back in a herd situation for comfort, company and safety. Horses are social animals. Because they are a threat to rival stallions they form bachelor bands of other young single studs. However, their driving instinct is to start their own harum of mares. The reason in the wild that very few 2 year old colts aren’t breeding isn’t their inability or lack or desire to do so, it’s because they lack the aggression and experience of a more mature stud and therefore find it hard (and dangerous) to “steal†a mare for themselves or to keep one they have found from being taken from them. Sometimes these younger boys join an established band as a “lieutenant†living just on the outside of the herd. Here they help the mature stallion defend the unit but also once in a while get to breed a mare themselves.
In captivity
In reproducing a life for our horses that enables them to thrive mentally as well as physically it’s important to know how they’d live given the freedom to choose their own life. ( I’m NOT saying life in the wild is prefect by any means) Domesticity brings many benefits including free meals and health care but it can also play havoc on a horses natural instincts, which despite eons of being domestic, still remain strong.
Remember…horses are herd creatures. To be kept alone is an unnatural state to a horse and even more so to a stallion whose needs to breed and have a herd outweigh every other need. Think of it this way…geldings wake in the morning- think “ oh what a lovely day†go grazing singing “dumb de dumb oh happy dayâ€. Mares wake and think “oh what a lovely day. I wonder what I’ll find to eat today and once in a while..I wonder if there are any handsome boys around hereâ€. A stallion wakes and thinks “mares, mares, mares and more mares oh yeah..food too…and more maresâ€. Stallions are pre-programmed to spend their days thinking “find a mare, find a mareâ€. Unless you really need your horse to remain a stud and can provide him with the life he deserves then gelding is the best option. This frustration is often the cause of stallions developing behavior issues. After owning mustang stallions and knowing dozens of mustang stallions I have yet to meet one who has aggression issues or bad habits when allowed to run with a mare band. An old Mustanger once gave me the advice that “if you allow your stallion to live and learn from his mares you’ll never have a bad horseâ€.
I personally took this to heart. I have a 2 year old stud who lives with his 3 year old “wifeâ€. After learning that you’re gonna get nailed if you charge at her like a bull in a china shop he has become THE most gentle boy. He sweet talks her for hours, grazes and sleeps at her side. Leaves her alone when she wants him to (just a slightly pinned ear is all she has to do now) Rounds up our pesky dogs and chases them off if they get too close to her. My farrier thought he was gelded because of his nature (until I laughed and told him to check the plumbing) He doesn’t bite, kick, strike or push into your space. I can tell he’s happy, well adjusted and frustration free.
I’m not on a soap box knocking anyone doing things differently. I know it’s hard to let your prize boy get a few life lessons during the first few months learning how to respect his mares. I also know that not all studs and mares get along. Just like in the wild some can’t stand each other. Sometimes even color is an important factor and some horses have their personal preferences. If it’s obvious a “relationship†isn’t going to work you have to make other plans.
I just want to share my experience and show how a horses wild instincts strongly control the little friends we share our lives with today.
