I’m seeking advice on the best buddy/turnout scenario for a weanling. I’m getting a weanling Lipizzan colt (will be gelded) this fall/winter. My herd consists of a fat, stoic large pony mare, 14 hands, a 16.3 h older TB gelding with exceptional manners (herd boss, non-aggressive), an 11 year old arab/SWB gelding, 15.2 hands and an 11 year old playful large pony gelding (he is for sale and may not be here forever). My plan was to keep baby mainly with the mare, who is out 24/7. By spring I’d like to put him with the geldings during the day and the mare at night (she needs to stay on a dry-lot). And advice or warnings about this plan?
Not all adult horse will except the presence of foals, and weanlings. Some can be very aggressive and even try to kill young stock.
My weanling tried to nurse on every mare he was turned out with, they rebuffed him by kicking at him. A pony x arab gelding tried to kill him. He did better with an older gelding that had done baby sitting duty before, and was confirmed to like foals. Be very careful with introductions.
I would just try and be ready to change your plans if you need to. I had a broodmare I was going to turnout with my weanling last year, yeah did not work. But the two geldings on the place love her and they make a wonderful little unit. One is more tolerant and she can push around a bit (yearling now) and the other keeps her in line. I usually use either another young horse or a gelding as a weaning partner.
Thank you, definitely the “plan” is flexible. All introductions will be done extremely slow and cautiously, as with any new horse. I know the pony mare has been with little babies before, but it’s been a few years. I expect it to take a bit for the geldings to get used to him, so I’m talking several months before he would go out with them, and probably just the TB at first.
My weanling was with my standard and mini donk. The standard was a saint, and loved having someone to roughhouse with. I then got an OTTB mare, introduced them carefully, and she was AMAZING with the weaner, even when he tried to nurse on her, lol.
and as an aside…I try to do introductions with horses on the lead rope. My situation this year only left me with one option for a turnout friend for my weanling, and it is my pony mare that kicks first, asks questions second. So the first intro was done on lead, pony made a big ruckus squealing and kicking, but as she was on a lead did not do any damage. Weanling now knows the “get away” look and is pretty respectful of it. Now they are pretty good buddies.
Thanks for all the input. I ended up leaving baby with his 4 weanling buddies, 2 2 year olds (gelding and filly) and an ancient mini until spring. I will bring him home, now a yearling and soon a gelding, in a couple weeks. I’m still planning to keep him with the pony mare for now and eventually introduce him to the geldings. I welcome any advice you might have to a new yearling owner.
I would geld him first and wait a bit before turning him out with a mare.
Yes, he is being gelded before he comes and it will be a few weeks before he will be out with her.
Sounds like a good plan but I would wait at least 30 days after gelding.
Laurierace would you put him with a gelding or keep him separate for a couple weeks? My 11 year old gelding loves everyone but does have shoes on all 4s.
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Laurierace would you put him with a gelding or keep him separate for a couple weeks? My 11 year old gelding loves everyone but does have shoes on all 4s.[/QUOTE]
You’ll have to answer that question, you know your horses better than I do. Can you just leave him where he is for at least 30 days after gelding?
The breeder has another one shipping off across the country next week so she’s been bringing them to a stall at night so they are accustomed to being alone for the trailer ride. She’d like mine to go fairly soon after. Plus I’m really excited to get him home. 
A couple of things -
First, please don’t do the “turnout with one group during the day, turnout with a different horse/group at night”. That’ll just lead to stress. Horses thrive on routine and consistency.
IMHO, your best bet would be to introduce one buddy (if he’s recently gelded, then buddy should be a gelding), and then once he’s used to the new place and to you, introduce one or two herd members in with them at a time, building up to having him in with the whole herd.
Babies who grow up in mixed herds of all ages do much better later on as they understand the concept of herd dynamics and hierarchy. They learn social cues and horse language and behaviour. (This is of course assuming they aren’t bullied - which does occasionally happen.)
It’s also the best way to avoid herdbound youngsters.
It also sounds like one of your ponies is very cheeky and playful, so he will have a “roughhousing” buddy, along with a bunch of adults who will keep him in line - this is a great arrangement.
For your sake and, for the sake of anyone who ends up buying your horse years down the road if you have to sell, please avoid keeping him with just one other horse other than during his initial “settling in” period.
