my 3 mares, 2 of which are maiden. He is 2 years old, pastured by himself. The driveway separates him from the girls. He has a great personality, and doesn't seem to mind having his own space. He never runs around like crazy when the girls are in heet, he just calls them when they get out of his site for a couple of hours. He seems real content, but I would like to put him with the girls this fall so he will learn social skills and be ready to breed this coming spring. If he gets to know the girls, I think it will be alot easyer to breed him with my 1 mare. I don't want to attempt to breed him with the 2 maiden mares, just my one who has foaled before. Hand breeding is what we are planning on doing because to me it seems the safest way especially since he has not had any experience. We have never done this before, but have people with experience is this field to help us when the time comes. I have gotten alot of info from this page, but would appreciate you opinion about putting him with my girls this fall! Thanks!
Julie
ELizabeth Hardy (12.38.198.125)
Posted on Thursday, August 29, 2002 - 10:47 am:
Julie he is two years old and while young and madien.. he is still a stallion.. Until he is experienced in pasture breeding would not put him in with the maiden mares or mares who are not already pregnant
It might be okay if all the mares in the pasture were currently pregnant.. as he would not bother a pregnant mare....
If you have a couple of geldings and can get him out site/smell/hearing of any mare then you could put him with the geldings..
But it is not wise to put a stallion with mares unless your intention is that they be bred.
And while breeding season is winding down and alot of mares are no longer cycling some mares esp maidens may not cycle on a regular schedule and if they come in season while the stallion is in the pasture ( he will know it before you) then you run the risk of the stallion trying to breed the mare.
A stallion's first breeding experience good or bad can set the stage for life in regards to his future performance... SO if he tangles with a maiden mare who will not be as tolerant of his attempts as mare who has been bred before.. the chance of the mare kicking the stallion and injuries occurring are high...
What I am saying given your situation 3 mares two of which are maiden and only one of the three you actually want to breed to this stallion and the stallion being maiden himself... I would not put him in with these mares.
Once you hand bred him for a season .. you could then put him in with a group of mares ( all of whom should not be maiden) and with the intentions that he be bred to the mares.. then it would be okay to leave him with this group unitl the mares start to foal.. then you would have to remove the mare from the group..or the stallion could injure the foal or rebreed on the foal heat..
Thanks Elizabeth! I think we are going to leave him where he is and just hand breed next year! I will use my mare that has been bred befor, and hope that things all go well! For now, I will keep on educating myself!
Julie
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