Gelding reacting to hormones???

Question

I am 32 weeks pregnant and on saturday my australian pony gelding attacked me (I ended up in hospital all good though thank goodness). He is a 15yo aust. pony as bombproof as it gets, has been gelded for over 10 years (that's how long I've had him) and has never ever done anything like this before. I was in the paddock with him just giving him a cuddle before I fed him like I do everyday and he reared up and struck out, then spun and tried to double barrel me and then turned back around and charged me, knocking me flying. He had his ears flat to his head and was very nasty about it, he really wanted to hurt me. He has been fine with everyone else and isn't sick or sore. Could he be reacting to my hormones? That's what everyone keeps suggesting and on one hand it makes sense but then he's never reacterd to other pregnant women before or mares in season or anything. That said he has never been around many pregnant women for long so that may not be enough to judge by.

Answer 1

It is possible.  Sometimes, when a horse is gelded after puberty, they keep their instincts.  However, if this were the case, he would probably be very interested in mares in heat.  Has he ever been around pregnant women before?  I would definitely stay away from him until after the baby is born, and then be very careful when you handle him in the future.  Hopefully it was just a one time thing.

Answer 2

I've witnessed stallions react to women that walk through the barn during "that time of the month."  Not all of them do that, but some of them just come unglued when someone like that comes around, so they must be able to sense the hormones some way.  I know for sure if I were you, I wouldn't take a chance at this point.

Answer 3

Is it possible that it was over having to wait for the feed? Is he in a bare paddock and extra keen to tuck into his dinner? I've been around horses most of my life and would tend to think that this may have been something he's gradually led up to through taking liberties with you? ie pushing you out of the way, ears back, etc.

I wouldnt go back in there without a piece of hose or something to smack him on the neck with (hard), while being ready to jump away if he tried to kick you. Although friendly creatures, horses run on a totally different attitude system to us and need to know where they stand, and consistent guidelines. My husband and I both think its a bossy, feed related problem, a pecking order thing. He may have become too spoilt. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

It may very well be a possibility that he smells your hormone changes.  I know some stallions who get really agressive toward pregnant women, so this may be what's going on.  I also know some who absolutely HATE men but prefer women.  Horses are soooo intuitive it's not even funny.  I'd just be careful when around him and try to keep a fence between you and him until you know what he'll do.

Answer 5

It could be possible that he is reacting to the hormones. But in all reality he just pushed you out of his space. The place where you normally feed him? Am i correct?

Have you ever noticed any little tidbits that maybe he was pushy for his feed? Maybe his ears were back a couple of times when you went to feed him or he gobbled it down fast.

Try to put him in a paddock alone. That isn't too large either. Go to feed him (or have somebody else) as you normally would. But if he decides to put his ears back, push you, stand in your way, any type of thing where he is in your space (which is about a 3ft circle around you), then hit him with a whip. Crack the whip to make a loud sound to scare him off. If you ever watched horses in a field with one pile of hay you would have noticed that the alpha horse pushes all the others away and he eats it while they stand and watch. You are basically simulating that. You are showing him that you are the alpha horse and you eat first.

Once he is far from you (don't allow him to come back up close either) put the bucket where you normally do and walk away. He will eventually learn to respect your space and stay away when you walk into the paddock with the bucket at feed time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfFxYgY_5...

^^ watch that. it worked wonders on my pushy gelding (:

hope i could help.