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  Discussion on Mare aggresive towards gelding
Author Message
New Member:
Kthomson

Posted on Monday, Jul 11, 2005 - 1:51 pm:

Help! We purchased a 10 year old appaloosa mare about 2 months ago. She is basically even tempered, hadn't been ridden in a while, but we could handle her without difficulty. We decided to get her a companion, because she was always calling to the two horses across the street (one a stallion, one a mare)but had no direct contact with them (fence lines don't touch).We also heard from everyone (and read in books) that horses are happiest when they have companions. We purchased a 10 year old gelding - extremely sweet tempered - who was a pasture mate of hers on the farm we purchased them both from, for about 2 years. According to the previous owner, the gelding was the "boss hoss" there, but everyone got along well. There was one other mare in the pasture with them at the time. We put the two horses together in the round pen (under supervision) about 10 days ago, and after some initial kicking out and "snaking" of the head from the mare, everything seemed OK. We had to stay close by when they ate their grain, but the mare would allow the gelding to eat hay and graze next to her without any overt shows of aggression. Yesterday, the mare really went after the gelding, bit him on the rump, then chased him into a corner, screamed at him then attempted to kick him. He went through/over a small fence to escape! We separated them immediately because of the aggression and because the gelding was limping. Can't find anything wrong with the leg, but have called vet anyway. While she was in the round pen and the gelding was loose, she seemed to become upset that she couldn't see him and started calling to him. Needless to say, whether from his injury or because she bullied him, he preferred to stay out of sight!! When we turned her out the next morning and put him in the round pen (had the horses trade places), she immediately started to try and approach him from the rear with her ears laid back. Has anyone faced this situation with a mare acting aggresive towards a gelding? We are new horse owners - I sure hope this can be resolved!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 12, 2005 - 10:43 am:

The biggest problem I see so far Kimberly is that you placed these horses in too confined an area. These behaviors are normal for new horses when introduced and the inability to find run room enough to get out of the others space has resulted in the injury. Your last few sentences were a bit unclear: is the round pen inside the pasture? If so put the mare into the round pen the gelding into the pasture let them become more acquainted and then turn them together loose in the pasture. No one can guarantee that harm won't come to one or the other as they work out there differences but what you describe so far is not that unusual and does not mean they cannot work it out when they are given room.
DrO
Member:
Dtranch

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 12, 2005 - 11:55 am:

Ditto DR O .... I always introduce new horses in this way. New horse in 5' high round pen panels inside the barn lot. Horses will sniff and snort and introduce without having direct contact for full blown fight. I keep them separate in this way for several days before I let the new one join the others. A few bent corral panels, but no injuries to date.
DT
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