Mixed herd success

[JoannaHCR]

First: I know there are many reasons to not turn a mare and baby out with geldings and a young maiden mare. I had no plans on turning him out with the whole group, but had been letting my baby sitter type gelding (Ty) spend the night with mom and baby recently b/c I thought he needed a friend–and Ty was the one I found standing on guard over him after his first escape.

My 3 month old colt has somehow gotten out of the mare and baby paddock twice now and in with my 2 performance geldings and 4 year old filly, and cut his head pretty badly each time-we think probably in his frenzy to get back with his mom. The first time, we think he went under the fence, it was bent and there were clear marks of some drama in the night, he had a couple kick marks and a bad cut on his nose. This second time, we can’t find a single way he could have gotten out. The fence is 4’9"-5’, woven wire. He cut a different part of his head, and had to get stitches again–not a single kick mark. So, I figured he’d fare better out with his mom to watch him than out there by himself and bit the bullet and turned them out.

It is going great! He’s loving playing with his big uncles and the 4 year old plays with him too. I’m very thankful that they are all doing so well, and that I’m not having nightmares about him getting out anymore (still wish I’d had a camera to see how he got out).

I’m not suggesting others try, and I don’t plan on doing this next year as a default, but it is a relief to see that my little herd does well with babies and I wanted to share with people who probably understand the feeling of fear when you go out to feed and don’t see the baby in with his mom!

[NancyM]

Hey, mine go out into a mixed herd, and it has worked very well for me for a number of years now. I make sure that everyone has had a look at each other, met over the fence, and then take the chance and let them in together on a permanent basis. It takes a herd to raise a foal. Mom gets a rest. Younger fillies get some experience baby sitting. Geldings can adopt foals on a part time basis, take a youngster under the wing and help raise him, even when the foal is still returning to mom for milk.

When we first moved to this farm, and not as much was built yet, I had one very early filly, and another foal coming and needing the one foaling stall later in the spring. I had few options, other than let the first filly (and her mom) out into a paddock with three yearling geldings, who had been next door to her since she was born. They had met. You have never seen three yearling geldings be more careful, more protective, more delighted with their new charge. Not a mark on anyone, and the 3 month old filly bossed everyone around, ruled the roost. She is still a confident leader type of gal, a warrior princess.

Especially if you are located in an area where predation from cougars, wolves etc is a possibility, a young foal is safest out with a herd, a ward of the herd. The herd never sleeps, they post sentries, and care of the youngsters is a prime directive.

There is always risk, with any and every decision we make regarding horses. None are intrinsically “right” or “wrong”, they just carry risk, and have pay offs. We all have to make our decisions as best as we can, and assume the risks associated with those decisions. A foal raised in isolation is also at risk. At risk of not developing “normally” as a horse, in a herd of horses. At risk of not getting enough running around. At risk of being a social misfit due to being raised alone, or not in a mixed herd.

[JoannaHCR]

I’m glad it’s working well for you too! I would have been less concerned with just my boys–they were both raised in a herd setting at my parents and are wonderful with babies. The 4 year old mare wasn’t even turned out with other horses form 2-3 (before I got her)–she is the one I was worried about, but she’s been great with him!

Your point about risk is so true. I might print it off and put it on my wall! Just seems like the safer I try to keep them, as opposed to the rather rugged upbringing my other horses had, the more they all manage to get hurt.

[Personal_Champ]

Depends on the herd and its inhabitants, but I’ve been doing mixed herd adults for 10 years. My 2014 colt is/was out with his donkey uncles and his mom. I’ve never found the need to separate by gender - only by personality when necessary.

[Man_in_Black]

The farm I board at has two options…Day (all geldings) or night (mares, geldings, ponies). And that’s that…

[JoannaHCR]

[QUOTE=Personal Champ;8726414]
Depends on the herd and its inhabitants, but I’ve been doing mixed herd adults for 10 years. My 2014 colt is/was out with his donkey uncles and his mom. I’ve never found the need to separate by gender - only by personality when necessary.[/QUOTE]

I’ve never separated by gender, just was trying to keep the little guy from being out with the big guys and girls–but he took care of the decision for me.

[JB]

My homebred foal’s dam had been well acclimated to living with 2 geldings. It was not a big deal putting her and her foal back in with them after about 3 weeks, once he was strong enough and accustomed to the bigger pasture with just him and his mom for a week or so.

The one gelding has grown up in mixed gender herds for all but brief stints in his life.

[Chestnut_Run]

All our mares and foals go out with the “herd” of other mares and foals, youngsters (both geldings and fillies), plus all the adults (geldings, open and bred mares, never bred mares), and we’ve never had a problem. All boys get gelded by 6 months, or they are in a smaller herd of ungelded boys and and adult gelding or two to keep them civil. We’ve never had a problem.

[sherian]

mixed herd once they are strong enough to keep up as long as its a stable herd hierarchy, wouldn’t do it with a herd that has horses coming and going (for both the squabbling caused by sorting out the pecking order and biosecurity viewpoint). I find horses raised in a mixed herd have better social skills and settle in better when they change herds.

[fordtraktor]

I put my weanling out with my 12 year old gelding and a 23 year old mare when she got here this winter. They are doing great. This is the second baby that gelding has raised. He is very high strung under saddle but he is GREAT with babies! Makes me feel like he earns his keep! :lol:

He has the perfect mix of teaching her manners without hurting her.