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QUESTION: I just bought a young
colt (he’s about 6 months old right now) to
keep with my 3-year-old mare. They’ll be okay
with each other one minute, and then the next, my
mare tries to run him over. Maybe she’s trying
to tell him she’s boss? I was wondering if
you had any suggestions for dealing with this kind
of problem. Should I keep them apart or is there
something I can do? — Anne
RESPONSE: This
type of situation is very common among horses that
are first being introduced. Both of your horses
are young, and still trying to determine their place
in the “herd” pecking order –
the mare feels her top position is threatened by
the colt, while the colt is probably bewildered
by the entire situation. However, a few sharp kicks
and bites will soon teach the colt to respect the
mare’s personal space and rank in the herd
hierarchy.
If the mare is not wearing borium
or hind shoes, and the threats aren’t seriously
injuring the colt, I would suggest allowing them
to work out the pecking order by themselves. Eventually,
once everyone knows their standing, the physical
harassment should tone down, but don’t expect
it to completely stop. Even horses who know their
pecking order will continue to remind the others
of their place, just to ensure they don’t
lose it.
When the mare and colt are together,
I wouldn’t recommend hand-feeding them. Jealousy
and aggression could arise, which would definitely
not facilitate your goal. Make sure your pasture
has enough room for each to have their own space
– neither should be forced upon the other.
Also, the colt should be gelded before the age of
one, to prevent “stud-like” behavior
towards your mare.
I would say that after about 2-3
weeks, if the aggressive behavior hasn’t improved,
you should consider separating them. You should
also arrange a check-up from your vet just to rule
out any health problems, and also to get a second
opinion on reasons why they might not be getting
along. Good luck!
— AE
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