Colts with mares

[PrincessP]

What are people's opinions on keeping a colt and a mare stabled next to each other?

I have a 1 yr old sec c colt and a 2 yr old sec c mare. Currently the mare is stabled next to my colt. He is not one bit interested in her, in fact a think hes more annoyed his best friend was moved to the next stable block. There is no way they can get to each other as the stable is bricked to the top. It has bars in between so they can still sniff and see each other. They will be travelling to shows together.

I am not sure whether its better to keep them far apart and move her to other stable block at top of the yard or allow them to continue like this? Is it better to socialise him young?

[glorybe100]

My 2 and a half year old colt is stabled next to my mare and they are in fields next to each other. I dont treat him any differently to any other horse and this seems to have paid off in the fact that he is a quiet, well mannered, well behaved boy. I am not 100% convinced he knows what his bits are for!!!!!! I think if you are going to be travelling them together then leave them as they are, as long as he is not trying to climb the walls to get to her and is manageable there is no reason they need to be moved. I think a lot of people can "girl thingyfoot" around colts and stallions at the end of the day if manners and boundaries are putr in place from a young age there is no real reason to treat them any different.

[lils]

my 4 yo stallion Hanky Panky has been well socialised since a young age. He travels next to mares, and lives alongside them, both in stables and fields. When i bring him in from the field he likes to go in and talk to the foals ( who are now weaned) he is so kind with them, and they even have attempted to * cough* get milk off of him, and he lets them!!!!

[Jenna]

iv always done it and never had a problem

[Deleted]

My boys are all well socialised living next to mares and travelling with them. It makes for a much better alll round life.

[PrincessP]

That's great thanks! I will leave them as they are

[Guestless]

My herd mostly live out except the night before a show or for other reasons of convenience. My mares are therefore often next to my colt and it is fine - mostly they try to bite him so he gives up talking to them quite quickly. The only thing I would caution is that you may need to be flexible when your mare is in season as IMO it would be unfair to have her sniffing and squirting at him when he can do nothing about.

That won't be a problem until he starts taking an interest, but I would be thinking up a plan on how to deal with it now rather than wait.

[sarahp]

Agreed. I would be fine with them next door as long as he can't actually get to her - I wouldn't ever put an entire in a field next to a mare with just a fence in between though. But only fair to move one if he does get stressed over her.

I have two boxes (all inside a big barn) that I use for entires which are solid for the bottom half and bars above with top doors I can shut if necessary. They don't adjoin any other boxes, or each other - space used as feed room in between - but the rest of the boxes are 5' block walls with meshed gates across the front and I'm more careful who goes in there and next to who. The boys are funny though - the borrowed A I had last year and my D really hated each other though and would squabble across the feed room. All used to having mares lead past them etc.

[elmere]

My boys are stabled on a mixed livery so go next to anything that happens to be there. I just make sure there is a bar above their head low enough so they don't get any ideas of jumping over which they don't but I feel better doing it as the kids are constantly standing their ponies in front of their doors, they soon don't even bother to look though.

[PrincessP]

That's great guys! I will keep them as they are. I have posted a picture in the pic post section so you can see the idea of the stables.