Can I put my gelding in the pasture with a 9 day old colt?

Question

My gelding is 25 yrs old and a dink, I also wanted to know if it is safe to vaccinate my mare now?

Answer 1

I think it is safe to turn him out just watch him for a while and make sure....I think I would wait untill 30 days after birth to vaccinate the mare but call your vet because I am not positive....but that's what i would do.

Answer 2

Make sure the mare,, Likes your dink,,  L.O.L!! u said it not me

and what are you vaccinating for ?Most foals can not have some shots until they are 4 months old sooo,,>>

ASK THE VET TO BE SURE !!

I am sure if the mare like's the old gelding & the colt and mare will not get kicked,,

It would be fine !!

Also the ole man will make sure he( the colt ) has manners!

Answer 3

only if momy likes the old gelding

Answer 4

You should be okay unless your mare gets overly protective of the baby. I'd be more worried about the gelding. My old stallion ran with the mares and babies and I never had a problem with him. I'd wait on vacinating as it might give the baby the scours but I'd ask a vet because I don't know what you're vacinating for

Answer 5

they will enjoy each others company

Answer 6

I don't expect that the gelding being in pasture with the mare and foal will be a problem if he is not inquisitive while the foal is lying down. I'm sure you have noticed the mare's protective aggression toward the other horses if they become inquisitive around the foal and you have probably noticed how the mare will nudge her foal and herd it away from the other horses if it becomes too inquisitive around them. That is just the normal protective nature of the mare with her new foal and is rarely a problem. But there is a potential serious problem if other horses are inquisitive around the foal when it is lying down. I have personal knowledge of two instances where mares have accidentally trampled their foals and I expect it is reasonable to assume that there are many other similar instances where that has happened. I suppose you have noticed how the mare stands close to her new foal and protectively hovers beside it when the foal is lying down. When another horse was inquisitive around a resting foal I know of instances where mares in their protective aggression toward the other horse have accidentally trampled their foal. If the gelding is not inquisitive then I wouldn't worry about that happening but if you have noticed occasions when he has been a bit inquisitive around the foal then I would not take a chance and I would wait awhile until the mare's protective aggression begins to wane and is less intensive. Accidents like that do happen and I would bet the ranch that it has happened many more times than just the two instances which I am aware of.

I am sure you are aware that dangers posed by a stallion can be an entirely different matter though. Here is an example of that but be warned that it is a shocking thing to watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwOnFrfPR...

Edit: Oh! About the mare's vaccinations. Would it be a problem to just wait until the foal is weaned and no longer nursing?

Answer 7

Sure, if you want to watch your colt get killed by the gelding- because that is almost certainly what will happen. A baby horse that age is not strong enough to fight off an attack by a mature horse- and the mare is not necessarily going to be able to defend her baby effectively all the time- no mare can. I used to work on a breeding farm, and I know from personal, first hand experience that this type of thing is a real NO-NO, until the baby is much older than he is right now. That gelding is going to harm the baby, no matter how much of a wimp you seem to think he may be- and you could wind up paying thousands of dollars in preventable vet bills by doing this. Do yourself and your baby a favor, and don't do this- he's just not old enough. It's no fun to have to try to catch a horse that is bent on killing or maiming a foal, and having to treat injuries from a foal's frantic efforts to escape isn't pleasant either. I know- I have been there.

As for whether or not it's a good idea to vaccinate the mare, I would wait another few weeks, or at least until the baby is a month old, before you do this. The mare should be coming into heat right now- the foal heat, and this is not a good time to vaccinate her, because she may already be trying to fight off a mild infection- many mares develop a slight one right after they foal. Check with your vet for further information about this. Also, vaccine reactions could potentially cause the mare to lose her milk, which is the last thing you want to see happen, especially now- I don't know how eager you are to bottlefeed and raise the baby by hand, which is what you could end up doing.

I would just be patient a little longer. Good luck with your new foal.