# Best way to socialize young studs



## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Here is my question. We are raising a young stud, and tho I have worked and handled many stallions, I have not yet raised my own stallion until now. From the feedback I've had, it seems to be the best way to socialize a young stud is to keep them with an older gelding. All the stallions except for one, that I've worked with have always been stabled alone and on their own outside. 

It seems that the best option is to keep them with a gelding, that way he is able to still be a horse.

What advice do you have with that? I plan on looking at stabling him indoors over the winter as well to give him that additional experience. All input greatly appreciated.


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

How old are these young studs? I have usually seen young stallions (as in yearlings) kept with an older gelding who teaches them some manners. The young stallions will beat the ever living tar out of one another in play but the gelding keeps them in line. After a year they often go to training so much beyond how to house them is sort of dependent on what they are to be used for.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

An older gelding, and if that doesn't work if you have pregnant mares, you can put him in with them.


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

I haven't raised my own stud but I've been there since day 1 as my boss raised her fourth stud so I'm hoping I can help a little.  

When this current one was weaned she picked out a 'herd' for him that consisted of two mares and a gelding (mainly from lack of geldings that would tolerate him lol). He stayed with them until he started being more stud like with the mares and then was put into a smaller portion of that field where he could still see the geldings and interact but over the fence. 

He's kept on his own now, but there are horses in the paddocks across from him and constantly ones escaping and going over to meet him, and in the barn he's stalled next to two geldings with the ability to reach over and interact. I think he's kept alone more of the fact that he's an a$$ to other horses, as she had a stud a few years back who did wonderfully well pastured with his brother who was a gelding.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

pregnant mares and older geldings, Ideally that will keep him in his place and teach him manners for the first year or two(or more). Many stallions are monsters with other horses because, starting very young, they were kept alone, and only allowed near others when showing(not allowed to interact) or breeding. You end up with an antisocial, testosterone filled, dominant misfit, who sees geldings as rivals and mares as only breeding objects.

Also, in regards to stalling, I know many people do this, but while it is hard on adult horses, it is awful for youngsters. they need constant movement to develop physically, strengthen bones and tendons and keep their digestive system healthy. they also need constant stimulation to develop mentally.


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## Falcor74 (May 28, 2013)

I keep my 16 month old stud in with "the herd" (12 yr mare, 18 yr mare, 3 yr mare, donkey, 10 yr gelding, 23 yr gelding). The mares have come into heat and he shows no interest whatsoever (I know this will change), but I feel having the older gelding, who rules the herd, keeps him in his place. Plus, he is the most placid and lazy yearling I have ever seen.


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## MyLittlePonies (Mar 15, 2011)

Older geldings and pregnant mares will be the best option. The colt will learn his place in the pasture.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

> I keep my 16 month old stud in with "the herd"


this is great, as long as you don't mind having a pregnant mare. Colts don't come over and announce that they've "started thinking about girls". No, one day they have a mare in heat who is cooperative, they discover their hormones and off they go. I thought you were fine as long as the colt did not seem 'interested' until one day, the BO's 11 month old colt, who had been out with the herd, was up in the corral with my two year old and decided he should give it a go:shock: No 'warning' I just noticed him trying to arch his neck and up he went. she got pulled out of that corral in a hurry! thankfully not pregnant:-|


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## Falcor74 (May 28, 2013)

No, I wouldn't mind, since I got him for this purpose. Even in heat, both mares treat him like their own obnoxious child, and keep him in his place (and yes, I know this could change as he gets older). Realistically, he has another year of ground training before he will even be big enough to be completely saddle broke. I do not plan on breeding him until he is at least 4 (2016). Both mares are being AI'd in March (ish), so I don't foresee it being a problem until their foal heats (2015). When/ if he needs to be separated from them, he will stay with my older gelding (the younger one is "gay" and prefers the company of females, lol). In the next 6 months they will be moved to a 10 acre pasture, so the minute he shows an interest, he can be moved.


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Are you boarding him somewhere or are you keeping him at your own place? 

If you are boarding him, most places that I know will only stall the horse without turnout. Too much risk of a stallion getting loose and accidental breeding. 

How old is he? A young stud, under 2, usually isn't much issue being turned out with others. As they get older, they get more likely to cause problems. 

Turning out with geldings is ok. I wouldn't turn out with mares unless he isn't weaned yet. 

We have a stud colt yearling and he is out with our geldings. My wife wants to keep him a stud until he's 4. We also have a mule colt in with the mares but he's not weaned yet. Once he's weaned, he will be put in with the geldings.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

Just out of curiosity... Donkey? I have seen it done, but don't know if it's common practice..


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## TexasBlaze (Oct 4, 2010)

Donkey mares can get pregnant just as easily as horse mares can. I plan on getting a couple mare mules to herd up with my stud when he gets here.


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

My bad.. I knew that (mules are too big for storks to carry!)

But a male donkey?


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Stallions do not readily breed female donkeys. Cassuis is 17 months old and in a pasture with 3 female donkeys. who were kept with a two year old colt until I sold him recently. The Jack next to them in another pasture is too interested once every month for any of them to be pregnant.
Those female donkeys do not tolerate rough behavior from Cassius. He minds his P's and Q's.
I keep my young stallions in a herd with pregnant mares or geldings. Even after separating my stallions I feed the mares next to their pens and that keeps them calm. Shalom


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

If you have horses escaping and visiting, it is cute now but will be a problem when he is a stud and a mare wants to be bred! The stallions I have known have been by themselves but near other horses. I don't know how they were kept when they were younger (puberty to adult) which seems to be your issue atm.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Thank you for the all the advice given so far.

Cruiser is almost 7 months old, and is so far going to stay intact. I've already found 2 trainers on the local show circuit who want to get a chance to show him, based on his temper and conformation(advertise for breeding purposes). Right now he shares a paddock with our 5 months old filly. There are options to paddock him with 1 or a couple geldings. We will see what he has to say once his man parts drop.


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## rbarlo32 (Aug 9, 2010)

When I have got my colt foal last year I introduced him to my quietest stallion first as he was originally gotten just to be his companion, they spent the winter together and got on fine and they were in the field next to my other colt, stallion and gelding who all grew up with each other so when they were introduced together in spring it was fine, I did put the colt in with my in foal mare to keep her company she was mean to him but they got on fine as she foaled the next day so he was removed because he didn't think much of the foal trying to suckle off of him.


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