| Author |
Message |
    
Leslie Walker
Neonate
Username: Nala
Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 02:51 pm: | 
|
Well you are not going to believe what happened yesterday March 28. Nala (haflinger filly) was now 67 hours old when Kaszmir (23 year old polish arab gelding) turned her into a rag doll and tried to kill her. It was the most horrific thing I've ever witnessed. It was like watching a loved family member trying to kill another family member. He flung her around and stomped on her several times while Amber (haflinger mare) was doing all she could to get him away from her baby. I was doing the same. It was like neither of us were there. His eyes were all white, ears were flat back and his teeth were beared. Little Nala looked like a rabbit trying to get away from a dog.
Fortunately for me my neighbor, Karl, was home. When he saw what was going on he leaped over the fence and tried with all his might to get Kaszmir to stop. Kaszmir cornered the baby behind the barn and somehow, once again, she escaped and got underneath a hotwire that was not hot. Kaszmir thought the wire was hot and did not barge through it. I was then able to get the lead rope around his neck. It took everything Karl and I had left in us to get him back to his stall. He was completely out of his mind! Once in the stall he was trying to destroy it to get out. We had to board him in with extra boards.
As soon as we got him boarded in, I looked down and saw my vet, Sandy, who was just returning from a long trip and was coming to see Nala. Sandy immediately raced up and took charge. She druged Kaszmir and told me to keep Amber and Nala out of sight. The other wierd thing that happened that at the exact time all this started happen, Reed, my husband, got the feeling something was going to happen and raced to the pasture from San Francisco (about 45 minutes away). He never comes to the pasture. Sandy made phone calls and found a place for Kaszmir to go since she said he could not remain on the property. Reed raced home, got the trailer and removed Kaszmir.
Believe it or not Nala was fine. Nala, meaning successful, was successful in surviving Kaszmir's. Sandy checked her over and said she is a strong, tough and probably won't remember any of it.
It was son's 16th birthday which was blown all to hell. I finally stopped crying long enough to go out to dinner then went back to check on Amber and Nala and off to check on Kaszmir. I could not even look him in the eyes. I'm so upset with him. He had the perfect world and now it has all changed. I stayed with Amber and Nala until midnight then came home I needed to make sure there were no internal injuries. Both were fine this morning. Kaszmir, however, is a mess. He does not understand why he is were he is. It's all so sad.
Who would have ever guessed. My sweet gelding that runs in the corner and hides. He was visiting with Nala over the stall wall. Everything seemed fine. I still can't believe it. I thought I knew him but clearly I did not. Oh what a day! |
Kathee McGuire
Breeding Stock
Username: Katheekj
Post Number: 223
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 03:04 pm: |
|
What a horrible experience! I have a gelding and the breeder warned me about the possibility but after hearing it from you, I will not let him near the baby for a long time. I am so glad that there are no physical injuries. I know the emotional scars will be there. |
Cconner
Neonate
Username: Cconner
Post Number: 3
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 06:40 pm: |
|
I'm really sorry to hear about your misfortune, luckily baby and momma are ok! I thought I would let you know I have a 14yr old gelding that I have raised and I always turn my mares and babies in with him at about a week and he is wonderful. As a matter of fact, I put my babies with him at weaning, he is great. I guess I am really lucky because he is always at the top of the pecking order and he teases my mares better than most studs, yet he can be very gentle to the babies. Strange, huh? Anyways, I hope things get settled back down soon for you leslie! Good luck! |
Kim Winter
Breeding Stock
Username: Clafairy
Post Number: 251
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 02:53 am: |
|
Oh leslie! Im sooo glad nala is ok. I couldnt beleive it when I was reading that, such a horrible thing to have to see - I cant imagine how worried you were.... Glad your through it! |
Lori aka " Raven"
Breeding Stock
Username: Raven
Post Number: 163
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 05:50 am: |
|
I'm so sorry for the horrible experience that you had to go through with your gelding and foal.
Glad to hear Nala is fine! |
Kris Moos
Breeding Stock
Username: Kris
Post Number: 486
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 06:31 am: |
|
leslie- wow what a terrifying experince! i will defineately keep that in mind! i hope however your terrible visions fade! |
Peggie M
Weanling
Username: Peggie_m
Post Number: 31
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 09:35 am: |
|
Leslie - I can't imagine how frightened you were. We have a gelding that has always been turned out in his own paddock, however, our mare is in the paddock right beside him. We've turned mom and baby out beside him twice now and he has really acted crazy. Mom has also been really stressed trying to keep baby away from the fence. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing your heart-wrenching story. It certainly makes us remember that our horses are "animals" and are capable of things we never imagined. I definately will not be turning our gelding out when mom and baby are out. The difficulty is that he goes crazy when he's turned out alone. I may have to look into getting a paddock buddy for him...... Glad to hear everyone is okay. You've done the right thing to move him although I know its hard right now....... Good luck with it all and take care of yourself!!!! |
E Watkins
Breeding Stock
Username: Evie
Post Number: 371
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 10:17 am: |
|
Leslie- I'm glad to hear the outcome of this was not a tragedy. I'm afraid there are a lot of folks who trust their geldings with their foals and as you unfortunately experienced, things can turn ugly very quickly. Good luck with working things out for the gelding and hopefully Nala will soon forget the incident too. ((( hugs ))) Ev |
Kim k
Breeding Stock
Username: Kimk
Post Number: 537
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 10:32 am: |
|
sorry to hear of you experience. We are lucky as we have never expereinced this problem, although we only have one gelding(and wouldn't have him but he is good for inexperienced riders -so he was lucky to stick around) He is in the herd of mares, yet he is a offspring of one of the mares that seems to be at the top of the group. ? so I don't know if that plays a large influence on him. You pull him out of this herd and he tries to assurt himself and normally falls at the top of the group when he is away from the mare herd. Never any problems with the foals . 
Kim |
Kathee McGuire
Breeding Stock
Username: Katheekj
Post Number: 235
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 11:00 am: |
|
Is this pretty much exclusive to gelding/studs? I have heard of mares trying to steal babies, but are they known for getting vicious? I plan to keep my mom and baby separated until the new one is no longer a novelty to the other two. Any ideas on how long this should be? I have a 5 yr old gelding and a 20 yr old mare. The 20 yr old and the momma-to-be have been buddies for 4 years and I am afraid there will be some jeaoulsy. The mom-to-be is the alpha horse so I guess that will help. |
Leslie Walker
Neonate
Username: Nala
Post Number: 3
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 11:19 am: |
|
Wow, everyone, I only posted this because I didn't want the same thing to happen to someone else. Your support is really helping me. So far my gelding is not eating. He is really depressed. I'm not sure what to do. I have forgiven him and hurt for him. He truly is a sweet guy and doesn't understand. Instinct just took over his body. So Sad. Thanks for all your support and mayble my experience will keep it from happening to one of you. I have three friends that have allowed their mares to deliver in the same pasture as their geldings, with no problems. So, one never knows.
Cheers everyone, Nala is fine. Kaszmir need to heal now.
Leslie |
E Watkins
Breeding Stock
Username: Evie
Post Number: 377
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 12:51 pm: |
|
Leslie- he'll be ok, just give him a little time. A lot of people do not realize that a gelding can react that way to a foal..because so many of them DON'T when one does, it can come as a shock. Kasz will just have to be kept away from the little ones it seems.. at least you didn't get hurt and didn't loose your baby.. everyone was lucky ! |
Joanna
Breeding Stock
Username: Joanna
Post Number: 105
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 04:29 pm: |
|
I had heard that geldings can become agressive towards foals, and so I always keep my broodmare pasture separate from my geldings. It also makes it easier to give the mares thier vitamin supplement without having to separate the pastures every night.
I am so sorry that you went through this, Leslie, and I hope that you can come up with a good solution for you and all of your horses. |
Terri Berwanger
Yearling
Username: Terrib
Post Number: 94
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 11:40 pm: |
|
Leslie,
The same exact thing happened to my stepmom last year. Foal accidently got in with her TB gelding and he did the same thing. Threw him all over the place. My stepmom threw herself on the foal and gelding tried to kill her. She ended up on a helicopter to hospital. Luckily she and the foal were o.k. Obviously gelding had a new home that day. I have a gelding here who weans the foals, but really try to keep them away when they are young. Sometimes they just snap and you don't know why or how, but it happens.
Your little guy will be fine and lucky you are too!
Terri |
Dianne Edwards
Yearling
Username: Mamaedwards
Post Number: 52
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Friday, March 31, 2006 - 09:37 pm: |
|
That is my greatest fear, that one of the other horses will hurt our baby.
How old should he be before we put him out with the other horses?
His mom is very protective, but our stud is running with our other 3 mares. We have a gelding but have to keep him separate, the stud hates him. I dont think I will ever feel safe putting them together. |
melissa
Breeding Stock
Username: Mbgirl
Post Number: 169
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, April 01, 2006 - 09:30 pm: |
|
Hello,
I was sad to hear about your foal. Our gelding name Buddy was great to our foal last year. Buddy is a great babysitter to the foal still. I hope he is as good with the this years foal. I am WorrIED now, after reading your story. I wish you better luck in the future, so sorry sorry. We wait so long for the foals, to lost one is a very sad thing. We didn't put the foal with our gelding until we weaned him at 5 1/2 months. We put the foal in our round pen for a week, before we put him with the our horses, I think this help.We watch the horses react with the foal in the round pen.
TAKE care,
MELISSA |
Donna Sabatine
Neonate
Username: Centuryoak
Post Number: 3
Registered: 05-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 10:31 am: |
|
I was very sad to read your experience with your gelding and foal. I am so glad she came through it ok and was not hurt seriously.
I had the same thing happen a few years ago with a young 2 day old colt that slipped away from mom and one of my geldings who was then a 3 year old, attacked him, kneeled on him, picked him up in his teeth and threw him around. It is a horrific experience and while I had heard of this the actual vision of it left me shaken for a long long time. Luckily the colt was not hurt badly but just shaken up.. he did however and still does carry a bite mark on his neck where he was attacked. Not a scar but just the way the hair grows probably because he was so so young. It was a reminder always to watch a gelding around young foals.
Most likely as the foal ages and becomes bigger the gelding will be fine and will accept him. The older gelding and colt that had this happen at my farm actually were great buddies once the colt got up to about 6 months old and I tentatively tried them together over a fence, but for the time while the colt was with his dam I did not let them share a fenceline and watched them very carefully.. often not turning them out at the same time just in case one did get out somehow.
There is home.. I am glad you've been able to forgive Kaszmir. I feel certain once the filly is older he will be best buddies with her.. <hugs> to you too.. it's a horrid thing to go through.
(Message edited by centuryoak on April 08, 2006) |
Jennifer
Neonate
Username: Kidchaser5
Post Number: 10
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 10:50 am: |
|
OH! I am soooo sorry to hear about your foal AND beloved gelding! This really scares me because you just never know. I have learned alot just from this thread, so thank you for telling your story. I will pray for you and your horses! I hope your gelding starts eating soon. Maybe if you and Kazmir have a strong bond together, he felt threatened by the baby?
Well, I only have one horse right now that I'm raising from a baby. He will be gelded this fall after fly season, or if I can get him in within the next few weeks before the flys start. I will always keep in mind this post when we eventually get more horses |
Leslie Walker
Neonate
Username: Nala
Post Number: 5
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 07:02 pm: |
|
If any of you have had this same experience, please let me know if you were able to ever put the horses together. I know it is much to early to attempt it now but my gelding just isn't adjusting to the move. He was never in with the baby and I wasn't planning on putting them together for months. I was only cutting through his pasture to put them in their paddock. Due to the bad weather we are having we had to quickly put up a plywood wall which blocked access to the paddock. Does anyone have any experience with a similar situation and were you able to bring the other horse back? |
Gail Young
Neonate
Username: Riverise
Post Number: 1
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Friday, April 14, 2006 - 09:29 am: |
|
Our gelding was devoted to our mare and tolerated the pony mare until the two mares became best buds and his love started ignoring him. One day he snapped and I was horrified by the intensity of his attempts to kill the pony mare. In my worst nightmare, I couldn't believe he'd be capable of such savage behavior.
Were it not for the pony mares speed and agility, I would have lost them both, because if he had succeeded in killing her, I do believe it would have been his last day on earth! To escape him, she swam to the middle of our field pond, -in freezing water! He was too much a sissy to go in after her. He circled the pond waiting for her to come out, but I grabbed the other mare out of the field, which broke his attention on the pony. He followed the other mare into the barn.
My solution was to separate all three. I stalled the gelding and pony beside each other and took the other mare they both wanted to be with, and stabled her in a separate barn and field. The pony and gelding only had each other for company. I did not let them out together, but alternated stall/pasture time between them. When it became obvious that the gelding began to miss the pony when she went out, leaving him in the barn alone, I risked putting them together. It was a love/hate relationship. He tried to run her into the ground a few times, but she was too smart and fast for him. Finally they made their peace and have gotten along without problem since. However, I NEVER allow both of them in the same field with the mare they fight over. |
Gynna Meiller
Breeding Stock
Username: Jw_kings_excalibur
Post Number: 123
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, April 15, 2006 - 08:20 am: |
|
Someone asked if this was just a gelding thing..NO..Our freinds have broodmares and two yrs ago the dominate mare picked up the other mares 2 day old foal by the neck and proceeded to shake him like a rag doll! She had not foaled yet and was apperantly jealous..so now they keep them seperate for a week or so before letting a new mare and foal out with the rest! |
Jennifer
Weanling
Username: Jennifer_d
Post Number: 33
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, April 15, 2006 - 02:07 pm: |
|
This is terrifying. I have my mare at home with just her gelding for company. I am really nervous now about them all living together. I have seen barn owner put two week old babies out with a whole herd and have nothing happen. Is it more common with just a few horses living together?
YIKES! I never even thought it could be an issue. |
Kim Winter
Breeding Stock
Username: Clafairy
Post Number: 302
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, April 15, 2006 - 03:02 pm: |
|
Jennifer - Is it possible you could just seperate them for a short while, while the foal gains some strength to run outa the way etc, maybe something next door to the gelding so that they get used to each other being around before they have to share their pasture? Jus an idea - This was how I was going to manage before I moved my mare to her own field - Hope it all goes smoothly for you however you end up doing it : ) |
Karen M. Whitaker
Nursing Foal
Username: Karenw
Post Number: 15
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 05:00 pm: |
|
I had a similar experience with my mare's first foal about 7 years ago. It was weaning time, and I had tested bringing the colt around near the gelding before I actually put them in together. (I board & it wasn't my gelding)It seemed fine, but the minute they were together, the gelding ran my colt all over the place! My poor mare was running all over trying to get to the baby. I don't know how, but Maliek actually jumped through/over the fence, I don't know which, but he got away. The poor thing was scared to death and shaking. When I got to him, he had two huge teeth marks scratched down his back. You're right, it's hard to believe that a normally sweet-tempered gelding could switch into a creature that is literally out to kill!
I ended up choosing to sell the colt to a friend, because at the time there was only one pasture that they could winter through together, and I just couldn't take the chance again.
My friend Jackie & I bred both our mares late this past summer. The pastures are divided up better this time around, so hopefully we won't have the same trouble. Plus, her gelding is older, so maybe he's mellowed in his old age? |
marie dooley
Neonate
Username: Radha
Post Number: 9
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 01:21 pm: |
|
I refuse to have a gelding on my place since a similar thing happened to me a few years ago. Fortunately, my husband came out at my inarticulate, ineffectual screaming and sailed a machete at the gelding's chest. He just knicked him, but it was enough to stop him for a minute and then chase him into a fenced in area adjacent and collect up a very shaken mom and baby. My husband told me he never wanted to see "that nag" again, and I sold him. He had kind of a wierd personality before this attack, so it wasn't that much of a loss. |
Colleen Beck
Nursing Foal
Username: Gypsycreations
Post Number: 13
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 03:49 pm: |
|
I haven't had an experience with a foal, but we've had geldings who tried to kill other horses - especially ponies. It is amazing how viscious they can become. I have a 24-year-old Morgan who we are re-homing because he got in with one of my Mares and beat the tar out of her. He will fight with any horse he gets near over the pipe fence, but if he actually gets in with another horse - any horse - he is relentless. I didn't realize that it wasn't all that uncommon. The other three geldings do fine together, but I think I'll leave it at that!. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories.
Colleen |
Leslie Walker
Neonate
Username: Nala
Post Number: 9
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 04:23 pm: |
|
Update on Kaszmir and Nala.
My vet recommended that I trailer the two together when Nala was about 8 months old, which I did. After multiple trailer rides I started taking them on hand walks together. All was fine then I ponied Nala off of Kaszmir and he was a perfect gentlemen. My vet said she does not know why Kaszmir reacted like he did when he came in contact with Nala last year. They still do not live on the same property together but I'm hopeful they will someday.
(Message edited by Nala on March 01, 2007) |
Jenni Luttrell
Yearling
Username: Bugrace2000
Post Number: 65
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, March 01, 2007 - 02:17 am: |
|
I have been fortunate enough to never experience this type of unfortunate event. I'm glad every one is fine and they seem to be getting along fine now. I'm sure you will be able to pasture them together very soon. Good Luck!!! |
Ruth
Yearling
Username: Rooty
Post Number: 57
Registered: 07-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 13, 2007 - 04:17 pm: |
|
I have also heard of this happening, although I have (thank goodness)NOT had it happen. I do have two young mares who will chase foals with ears pinned, but between the foal's dams and I working to get them apart no harm was done. I just don't put those two out with foals now. End of story. We also had one mare boarding with us who was absolutely fine with one mare's foal, but tried to run down another mare's foal. She's been fine since with other mares and foals.
I do turn my donkey gelding out with foals, he's a super babysitter, and at 6 years old does like to play once they get big enough. But I do always think of the nasty possiblities. I guess you just never know what can happen really. |
Carol Krauss
Neonate
Username: Cadence
Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 - 12:19 am: |
|
I had a gelding that tried to kill a mare because she kicked at "his" pony. I thought I was never going to get him away from her. It's a good thing she could scoot as fast as she can. I always prefer to put geldings with geldings and mares with mares. I even further separate preggies from other mares and mares with newborns are separated out from preggies. It's just safer that way. Thank you for sharing your horrible experience and I'm glad your foal was okay. It is certainly a wake-up call to all of us - you just never know how a horse is going to respond to a baby. Sometimes the bully in them really comes out. I've seen stallions go crazy around newborn foals too, especially if the foal wasn't theirs. Somehow, they seem to know, don't ask me how they know this. I have 2 mares preggie this year and a gelding who thinks they're his girls. I have already made plans to keep him and all geldings at the opposite end of the farm when the foals are due and I appreciate this posting to further confirm that I'm right in this decision.
(Message edited by cadence on March 13, 2007) |
Tiffany Wright
Breeding Stock
Username: Wrightkoss
Post Number: 394
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 - 04:24 pm: |
|
I wanted to comment on this page because I believe each and every horse in this world has their own attitude. While THESE geldings have exhibited aggressive behavior towards foals, there are a lot of other geldings that would take them on as their own personal playmate and act as a babysitter so mom could get some rest. I think that the most important thing to remember is that you need to know your horse (Stallion, Mare or Gelding) and understand their attitude as well as reaction to different circumstances. I have heard of Stallions that were allowed to remain in the pasture with foaling mares because they stood watch and protected both mare and foal. I know MANY geldings that run in the pasture with week old foals and pay them no mind. I have also heard of aggressive mares. "Geldings" are not always aggressive towards foals and it is unfair to label them this way. You may find when you turn your new foal out with your gelding, that they become best friends. Every horse deserves a chance to befriend another... just be careful and pay attention to how they react when you introduce them. If you have a controlled environment in which you introduce your foal to your other horses, you should be able to keep the foal safe just fine if one begins to show some aggression. |
Pamela Sutherland
Weanling
Username: Lolly
Post Number: 42
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Friday, March 16, 2007 - 02:54 am: |
|
I wanted to throw my 2 cents in as well. I turned my colt/mare out with 3 geldings and 3 other mares...of course after over the fence intro's and then single turnout time with each over a 10 day period. Turns out, the geldings are the protective ones, and the mares are as well...but Mom gets jealous when mares get too close. And all has work out well so far. (fingers crossed)
Now, my question is, could this situation turn on a dime? The most I worry about is Boggie getting in the middle of a pushing match...should I be reassessing and thinking about relocating my Boy and Mom to a different pasture, he is the only foal/baby out there? |
Jenni Luttrell
Breeding Stock
Username: Bugrace2000
Post Number: 239
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Friday, March 16, 2007 - 12:01 pm: |
|
Pam - I wouldnt worry about it. If all has gone well this long I would say your fine. I myself have always let all the mares and foals run togetrher and never had a prob. I've even had a gelding or two in the mix at times. |
