Managing Pastured Horses

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

k s swgiart katswig@earthlink.net
I have a hard and fast rule in my pasture.  Only one gelding at a time, and even then he is on probation.  I have found that mixing mares and geldings does nothing but cause problems....and it is the geldings that cause the problems.

I have a separate pen that I use for my colts, and if gelding owners want their geldings to "wrestle with the boys" they can keep him in with them.  Otherwise, geldings get their own pen (and I only have one pasture...all the rest are paddocks).

If I had a dominant gelding out in my pasture, I wouldn't dream of adding another gelding (although I might consider adding one if it were a yearling...so he could be beat up by an older male and learn some manners).

I used to allow geldings when people would tell me "oh yes, they get along with other horses just fine," but no more.  Geldings cause nothing but problems.

As far as having "boarders" horses out to pasture (24/7 for me) and the risks associated with that.  One of the clauses in my pasture board agreement is that the owner understands that the horse will be out to pasture with other horses....and that other horses can cause problems...and the owner is reponsible for any injury suffered by his/her own horse, no matter whose horse was the cause (which goes both ways, since they aren't responsible for their horse beating up on the others and causing injury).  As far as going to get the horse from the field with others there...well...owners have to take their chances there too.

I, however, do not "board" horses in my pasture.  I merely lease out a shared use of the pasture land, and the lease agreement quite clearly states that I am not in care custody or control of the horse.

kat
Orange County, Calif.


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