I think something is wrong with my little horse herd. My 11 year old gelding is now the leader of my 2 1/2 year old stallion and two 16 month old filles.
Use to, everyone follow the most out going filly, Mischief. I found out today that, that is no longer the case. I took all four (first mistake) out on the dirt roadside to graze, so we wouldn't have to mow, the gelding started walking to the summer pasture and everyone else went along. I was holding the filly, who became upset at being left behind. She backed and ran around me and I fell in a hole.
Fortunately, the gelding continued to summer pasture and all are happily grazing.
The gelding and stallion were sleeping back to back in the hay the other day. Is this normal? I think its great that no one is fighting.

Hello Graywolf,

In my herd thats been pretty normal. Horses jockey their ranking as they mature.They always seem to be testing.

In order, Bill, 7yr gelding, is top dog. Tasha, 6 yrs, is lead mare.I had 2 stud colts and didn't cut them til 2 1/2. Bill always kept them in line and they were bottom of the herd. Tasha, lead mare had a filly, she was protected by Bill and Tasha. The older stud colts NEVER molested her, cuz Bill and the mare wouldn't allow it. As the stud colts grew and got cut, one of them, Mr. T, rose in rank above the other, his brother,Budder. (3 days younger)I then added a paint gelding..he became bottom.

3 years later as everyone matured, Bill still rules, Tasha is number 2. Mr.T, is number 3, Tasha filly, 3 yrs now, is climbing fast. She's at number four now, below T, but she pushes him hard, and even snaps at Bill and Tasha once in awhile. Budder and Clay, the paint, switch back and forth all the time. They are always the bottom 2, but one day Clay rules, and other days Budder rules.

At this point, I think the young filly will end up no. 2, under Bill, one day. Then her dam, then T...and Budder and Clay will always go back and forth.

When I add new horses, no matter how bully, Bill always keeps then away from the rest. T, Budder, and Clay, surround the mares, and keep them from the new horse. It's very interesting to watch.In that situation, both mares,submit to the lower ranking geldings.I love watching the herd. They teach you so much.
WisSpurs

[ October 04, 2006, 01:00 PM: Message edited by: WisSpurs ]

Gelding, stallion, two fillies, together, October. Just curious, not concerned about Sept babies? Not flaming, just wondering.

I run studs and geldings together in the non breeding season as long as I don't have any mares real close. If there are mares they fight, if there aren't any mares, they get along just fine. Horses are herd animals and they have instincts to govern their behavior.

I am not worried about Sept. babies, the girls are 19 months old ( Mr Graywolf corrected me) and both are due in the spring, march/april for Blue, and may for Mischief ( they were in foal when we bought them, maybe that is why we got such a good deal). Didn't want to breed them until the girls were three, but the damage is already done, so we will have two teenage mothers. Diablo is dad and still acts more like a gelding, then Jethro, the gelding.

In my case, my stud colts weren't, studdy yet. My lead gelding and lead mare both kept them in line. I got both colts cut before any lip rollin' or flirtin' started. My lead mare was also bred the whole time the stud colts were in with everyone.

This spring I had a stud colt come in with no handling, just ran with mom til he was 2. He was full of himself. Instead of me fighting with him the first few days, I toned him down some by putting him in with my herd.(AFTER taking the mares out) I let my percheron gelding teach him some manners away from mama. Ol' Bill couldn't catch him to hurt him none, and really isn't that type anyway.He just kept him out of the herd, and the colt learned he wasn't the boss. A few days of bottom horse on the totum pole, made a big difference in him, when I took him out to work with him, one on one.

I use my herd for "training" many horses I get in. My herd knows who the leader is when I'm out there. The new horse understands herd "language" and learns who I am, from the rest of the horses.I work with allot of problem horses, and sometimes, for some things, this works very well for me. Kinda like training, without training.The new horse learns, until I get a chance to get to him, personally.

This works on hard to catch horses extremely well.The first thing I do with a horse thats hard to catch, is let him go.It isn't long, and he wants to know just who the hell I am..LOL Pretty soon he's in my pocket, in the pasture. Usually, in my way LOL. I love watchin a group of horses. They've taught me more than any book or trainer, thats for sure!

Wisspurs

Well my herd out here on hte place that is goes like this,

22yr old mare
14yr old mare
8yr old gelding
9yr old mare
3yr old stud

pretty weird but thats how the pecking order goes horses have certain things they go through. Every full moon My 14 yr old mare is always letting the 9yr old mare eat before her if hte 8 yr ld gelding isn't ding anything to stop her.

all of my horses are in different pens oddly enough, but most everyone agrees that if we ran all of the horses that my horses pasture with together that my 4 yr old mare would be at the top. It doesnt have to do with age just personality. My 15 year old mares a push around and my coming two year old mare pushes her around.