Colts and Mares

Question
QUESTION: Hi there!

I don't know how much you know about stallions (psychologically), but, do you think that
keeping a young colt with mares (in the same pasture together) very early in his life will make him a better behaved, more calm stallion around mares (and in general) in the future??

Any help advice would be greatly appreciated :)
Thanks so much! ~Hannah

ANSWER: Hi Hannah,

Keeping a young colt that is to be used as a stud later in life with mares, is honestly one of those things that can go either way.

I can tell you my own personal experience.

I purchased a weanling colt that I had intentions of using as a stud as he got older.  I allowed him to run with my herd of mares and he got along great with all of them.

When he turned 2, I attempted to breed him for the first time to several of my own mares. He became extremely picky of who he would breed. It was like he picked who he liked and who he didn't.  I did manage to breed him to two of my mares but that was it.  He wouldn't touch anyone else.  He had no interest at all.

When he turned 3, I tried breeding him to some outside mares.  He wouldn't have a thing to do with them!  If anything, he would chase them off rather than breed them.  It was a nightmare.

I spoke with my vet about the situation and he stated that he just may not have been "ready" psychologically to breed yet.  Although he appeared mature physically, he may not have been mature enough mentally.  And he also suggested separating him from all mares completely.  I did try separating him, but unfortunately, he passed away late that summer during emergency colic surgery, so I was unable to determine whether or not separating him from the mares really made a difference.

So, yes, keeping a colt with mares does make them a lot calmer around mares in general, but my personal opinion is that it almost makes them TOO calm.  But every stallion is different and you could have a different outcome.




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Oh ok thanks for your answer. Good to hear it from some one who has the experience. And I'm so sorry he passed a way... that is a shame :( But as for my question, so, did you only let him run with the mares until he was physically able to breed? or did you keep him with them even after he was two, and technically able to breed? I am thinking about getting a young (weanling) stud, and was just wondering what would be best for him behaviorally if he was to be kept as a stud. I have a grown TWH gelding, a soon-to-be-gelded colt, and an older arab-mustangX mare. She is very grumpy and dominant, and does not seem interested in breeding much any more, so I do not think that she would allow him to cover her, but, there's always a possibility. Seperation is an option, but I would rather not. The mare does not allow my yearling stud colt to even get remotely close to her back end, even when he's interested... Sorry for the surplus of questions!! i just wANT to make sure I am doing best thing for him mentally! Thanks :)
~hannah  

Answer
I did let him run with the mares after he was the age of 2 years and even after he had bred two of the mares.  I only separated him after my vet had recommended it, which was in his 3 year old year.

It really is a double edged sword when deciding whether or not to let a young stud run with mares.  You definitely do run the risk of him being injured, especially if you have a very dominant, grumpy mare.  Which in turn could throw him off mentally, to where he doesn't trust getting close to a mare at all.

I'm not saying it is a bad thing to let a young stud run with mares as some people have had success with it, but if you plan on training your future stallion to breed in hand, you're going to have to have patience with him to train him that you are the one in control, rather than him.  He could get it in his head that he can breed a mare whenever, wherever he wants, rather than when you want him to.

Just make sure that you give your young colt a lot of human attention and training and both you and your colt should do just fine.

Best of luck.