[Horsebrat20]

My 5 year old mare is harassing my older gelding. He's lame and sore and it's getting cold so he's getting extra stiff. She just started pulling this **** . Before they were fine (i've had her for about 5 months). It seems she started this since they have had blankets on. How do i get her out of this habit? So far, i squirt at her with a hose (never hits her though). She seems to get very sensitive about me diciplining her though (when i go out to her long after the incident she shys away. A couple times she couldn't even see me when i squirted her. I don't know what to do. She's not hurting him, she's just bothering him and biting his blanket and lifting it up and messing around. Thanks for any input!

P.S. another reason she's doing this is becasue we're trying to make them finish they're hay. (they waste a lot of hay)

[Tammy Grace Lynn]

What do you mean "you are trying to get them to finish their hay"? She could just be feeling playful in the cooler weather or she is just letting him know she is the boss. How old is your gelding?

[Sandra-A1]

Cut back on the amount of hay, feed them flakes several yards apart and in fence mounted racks to help cut back on the waste.

It sounds like she just wants to play but can't tell unless I was there to see them.
You know your horses though and should be able to tell if this is play or some form of aggression on the mare's part.

If the gelding is too lame to handle the situation then he should be in a stall of paddock by himself until he is better.

Some older horses have to be kept away from younger horses because of bullying. If this is the case you might have to find your old gelding another older companion closer to his age if this horse is in his say... mid to late 20s... and not able to stand up to this mare.

[Horsebrat20]

I don't know if he's capable of handeling himself. He's not dead lame, he's just sore in one foot, and is off. But he's got arthritis too and i don't know if it incopasitates him enough where he can't buck to get her off him (she leans all over his butt and pushes and nips) Last year we had a young gelding (big Irish draft thats now seperated and is leaving soon) who would bully him unmercifully. I think thats part of the reason he's lame to this day becasue thats when it all started. My gelding is approximatly 20 years old. So theres nothing i can do except seperate them? I don't think it's that bad though, i just don't like seeing such a sweet guy cranky all the time cuz she won't leave him alone. About the hay, we have hay racks and they get 7 flakes of hay together during the day. Should we cut back on that amount? I think thats a bit much but my mom says other wise (she spoils em). Anyway, thanks for the advice!

[horse_crazy]

We too have an older horse. Although she is a mare....and 23 years old. She had a baby this year and is bred back. We put her in a big pasture with another pregnant mare. Sh eis on MEds. for the arthritis....but still LIMPS ALOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its actually to the point now...where she will fall asleep and fall to her knees! We will be having a vet out soon to look at her!
Hmm.....Do yo have the horse on meds. for the arthritis? Do they get grained? Our horses on average get about 5 flakes each...maybe more. Id separate their hay or separate them! If you can just divide the pasture in half, so that they stll can see each other, but not have any contact. Or put up a pasture near the current one. If the mare will not lay off him....and he is limping Id keep them separated...for the health of the gelding. Yes exercise for him is good, but too much isnt good! is there any other horse(s) that you could put the mare and/or gelding with to get them off of each other?Or is it just those two horses?

[spyro1]

I too, agree with seperating them. If he is cranky all the time because of her *playfulness* and he can't get away from her, it is time to seperate them he will feel oh so much better when he can relax and munch out wihtout your mare trying to play with him, he is over that stage in his life and needs some R&R Cooler weather always makes younger horses playful and the older ones more sore. You could always try putting them back together in teh spring when the temps warm up and see how that goes, but for now, I would def. seperate them.. wink

[Open_the_Gait]

about the hay
could they be wasting it cuz some of it is bad?
like weeds or mold?

[Horsebrat20]

Ok, i will try seperating them if this doesn't stop (cuz it just started) when we sell our other gelding. I don't want to seperate them though becasue they both really love each other. They always groom each other and stand together, but since she's now starting to do this we may have to. When we sell our other gelding we might get another to board at our house (depends if the deal falls through for this other horse)He's also 5. So we might put the other gelding with our mare and just keep the older gelding seperated. I just don't want the older guy feeling bad.
About the hay, they don't eat it cuz it's course and has canary grass in it. They don't like that kind but we can't help it becasue our hay has a lot of variety. Thanks everyone!