9 Year old Aggressive Gelding

Question
QUESTION: I have three horses, 2 older mares and 1 gelding.  The gelding just doesn't have any manners.  And the biggest problem is he is aggressive with both mares.  Neither mares will stand up for herself, and just takes whatever the gelding does.  I'm worried because he seems to be the most aggressive with my daughters 28 year old POA pony.  He is bitting her and he just started today bitting her legs to the point she going down onto the ground.  We've done the muzzle, but he keeps breaking them off.  If I'm out there with all the horses, he will not do any of this aggressive behavior to the mares, in front on me.  What are my options?  I do have friends that have horses that maybe willing to let my horse get a dose of really from their horses.  I'm at the point of just selling him, but he is just an incredible trail horse.  And the "extra" horse for my non-horseman husband.

ANSWER: Hi Ginger!

Well, my first response is to stop turning the gelding out with the mares....immediately.  For everyone's safety and peace of mind.  If you have them in a single backyard pasture situation, create a rotating schedule where he goes out solo for just the AM and the mares get the PM.  Or switch them to every other day T/O.  If you have them out 24/7 because you do not have a barn with stalls, build another much smaller pasture to house just the gelding.  If he is a safe and sound mount on the trails, then he is worth a few hundred dollars of extra fencing, no?

One cannot train horse-on-horse behavior.  They are hardwired to herd mentality and there is nothing you can do for a mean gelding out with 2 very submissive mares.  Even if you did put him out with friend's horses who will dominate him, it will not carry over to when he is back with his own herd....horses don't think like that.

Simply separate them.  I am sure your poor put upon mares will appreciate it  :-)

Good luck and remember to always wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet!

Solange



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

QUESTION: Thanks, we do have two 1 acre pastures and a paddock area.  I was just hoping to not need an additional waterer for the pastures and shelters.  And with spring coming, I'm just not sure what to do during the thaw to separate them.  We don't have horse (they are dairy cow) sized stalls for them.  However, there are two equine standing stalls, would those work on an AM/PM rotation?  And the Gelding is the least okay with being stalled, and he would be the one to be confined alone.  The stalls just weren't needed, due to the huge 40x 40 shelter area in the barn, off the paddock.

Do you have a cheap ideas?

Answer
Hi Ginger!

Since the gelding must be by himself more, you will need to "trick" him into the new way of doing things.  Just grabbing him, separating him for long periods of time and hoping for the best is not a really good idea.

So...what to do?  If he likes to eat, exploit that to your advantage.  Begin to only feed him in his new area, whether it is in the barn or in his own pasture.  He only gets food there.  Make the food enticing, such as a delicious sweet feed he likes or even a mash with carrots or apples in them.  Spread his hay all over so he must "graze" for it.  Buy him an inexpensive Pasture Pal...a toy that rolls and indiscriminately distributes treats.  It can be bought at any major tack shop.  Hang a Lik-it up with a ball attached.  Lure him to associate his new area with food, interesting fun things and even time with you.  Groom him there and make him happy to be there.

As for cheap ideas....since you do have some stalls, knock down walls making a 12'x12' enclosed area for him inside.  If you can do 3 in a row with slightly lower walls in between so they can touch noses over the top to reassure each other that would be ideal.  Then, each has their own space for food and private time when the others are in T/O.

There might be nervous days in the beginning from separation, keep the forage plentiful and be calm.  They will adjust and unless you see a life-threatening situation, ignore and "allow" them to adjust.

Feel free to ask your vet for advice and I also like Quietex to help keep horses calm in stressful situations.  It's available in tack shops, is all natural and washes out of their system every 24 hours.

This problem can only be solved through clever thinking and time.  But, if you love all of them ~ they are worth it!  :-)

Solange