Am I crazy?

[Floridachick]

I have an 8 acre pasture I would LOVE to have my 4 minis combined on. Its a safe field with 5 boards of wood fencing. Here is where I get iffy.... I have 2 bred mares, 1 2yr old colt and 1 8 yr old stud. Should I chance putting them together? The colt is a sturdy guy the same size as my stud and I think he could easily hold his own. I am afraid they will chase and fight and wonder if its enough space to let them figure out their places without anyone getting hurt... What do you think?

Oh and I can't split the pasture it needs to stay 1 large field for haying purposes. Thank you

 

[esty]

I have an 8 acre pasture I would LOVE to have my 4 minis combined on. Its a safe field with 5 boards of wood fencing. Here is where I get iffy.... I have 2 bred mares, 1 2yr old colt and 1 8 yr old stud. Should I chance combing them? The colt is s stury guy the same size as my stud and I think he could easily hold his own. I am afraid they will chase and fight and wonder if its enough space to let them figure out their places without anyone getting hurt... What do you think?

Oh and I can't split the pasture it need to stay 1 large field for haying purposes. Thank you

Put up a temporary hotwire to keep everyone seperated, take it down when you are ready to mow your field. I wouldnt put both stallions together with the mares for a number of reasons. I would let the stallion the mares are bred to run with them though.

 

[Magic]

I agree with Esty, just too much risk that the stallions would fight, and someone get really hurt (or killed). JMO

 

[crponies]

That does sound like a bad idea even in an area that size. You don't want anyone getting hurt because they are figuring out the place. I would do as was suggested and put up a temporary electric fence to separate it into at least 2 areas. You can get step-in posts that are really easy to install and uninstall.

 

[Mona]

I personally wouldn't do it. I might consider the mares and the 2 year old together, but I would keep the stallion separate.

I chose it this way, because I think the stallion may really hurt the 2 year old if they are all together, and I would prefer the colt be the one in with the mares, as he would be easier to learn from the mares NOT to mount them, whereas a stallion may in effect, "rape" them, and possibly cause them to abort.

 

[Miniv]

Even with the mares being bred, you can expect the two boys to fight over them.

Your other concern to consider is........if one of your mares "slips" or aborts, then what? Again, you have two studs going for her.

I would recommend cross fencing on your 8 acres, even with some strands of electric.

 

[Floridachick]

The stallion has always been with his mares and I won't seclude him. So I left a mare with each boy. 1 pair is on the 8 acres and 1 pair is on 1 acre. I guess I will leave them like that. We have 2 five acre pastures as well, BUT its my full size horses and I keep them seperated.

All these boys make me crazy. I think the 2 studs will be gelded when this FL heat stops in the fall. Thanks for all of your opinions./

 

[Minimor]

I wouldn't do it either.

I assume your mature stallion is the sire of the foals the mares are carrying? (I'm not sure if these mares are due to foal this summer, or are they bred now for '09 foals?) If the mares are now bred for '09 and the stallion is used to running out with mares, then I'd have him out with the mares. And, if he isn't used to pasturing out with mares then I might try it, but be prepared to separate him if he gets too aggressive with the girls. Some stallions are great in a pasture situation, and some just never are "safe". I don't believe in having a stallion out if he's going to be running the mares or beating up on them.

I wouldn't turn the 2 year old out with the mares unless I didn't care if he ended up breeding one of them--even if the mares are bred now, it's quite possible one of them could come up open any time, and in that case he'd be breeding if/when the mare came into heat. If that's something you don't want, then don't put him out.

I would not put both the colt & the stallion out with the mares. It's just very likely that they will fight and someone could get hurt--possibly even one of the stallions get fighting and the mares get in the way.

I would do as the others have said and use electric wire and temporary posts to divide the pasture.

edited to add: Ah, we were posting at the same time; I see you have it all figured out & done!

 

[Marty]

1 2yr old colt and 1 8 yr old stud. Should I chance putting them together?

An accident looking for a place to happen