Question: Can I pasture my 5 year old mare (and her soon to be born foal) and my 12 year old gelding together? They’ve been pasture mates for almost 3 years now and get along well.

Answer: The answer is maybe. In the situation you describe, it is quite possible that your gelding will act as playmate for your foal, taking on a stallion-like role in the foal’s upbringing. However, you should be aware that your gelding may not tolerate a foal or that your mare will not tolerate your gelding being near her foal. I believe it is quite possible to keep all three horses together, although I suggest a series of steps to test their compatibility before turning them all out together.

I am going to make a few assumptions about management here: that the mare and gelding are turned out together during the day, and stalled separately (though probably in adjoining stalls) at night. I am also going to assume that as foaling becomes imminent, you will be around to watch her (i.e. she won’t be likely to foal out in the paddock with the gelding right there). You might want to refer to my signs of foaling post for some tips on what changes take place in your mare’s behavior prior to foaling. 

The period right after foaling (when the mare will clean the fluids from the foal by licking) and for the first two weeks are very important in the mare-foal bond. For more on the mare foal-bond, see my previous post about the topic. I strongly recommend leaving the mare be while she foals and while she begins to clean her foal. It is suggested by some that you also leave the placental membranes in the stall for a few hours to help reduce the risk of foal rejection, although you will obviously want to check it or save it in a bucket for your veterinarian to look at before it becomes trampled (or eaten, some mares will eat the placenta, though this is actually rather rare). I normally remove the placenta about an hour after expulsion, although I have removed it earlier if I suspected that it has not all come out. Ask your veterinarian if he or she wishes to see the placenta and whether you should put it in a bucket of water, in the fridge, or just in a bucket for them to view if they will be there the same day for a healthy mare and foal check.

This said, I keep my mare and foal stalled for the first 12 - 24 hours so I can keep an eye on their health and nursing, and to allow the mare to rest. I will then turn the mare and foal out into a small paddock by themselves for a short time period (half an hour to an hour, depending on the weather). Be forewarned that your mare may not be easily caught after foaling when she and her foal are turned out. Maiden mares (and some multiparous mares) will consider you a threat to their foal and may be difficult to catch or may act aggressively toward you. Most mares are just fine if they are easily caught under normal circumstances.

During the first few days, I would keep your mare and her foal separated from your gelding by a sturdy fence. Introduce the gelding to his new pasture mate by using adjoining stalls (with sturdy stall walls of course) or a sturdy fence that adjoins your mare’s paddock. Watch how your mare and your gelding behave. If your mare responds aggressively to the gelding while her foal is with her, they are not ready to try turnout time together. The same is true if your gelding pins his ears at the foal, kicks at the stall wall or otherwise acts aggressively. Introduce your mare and foal to the gelding as if you were introducing him to a new horse entirely, as your mare may behave quite different toward him than she did prior to foaling. By allowing him to be close by the mare and foal, but separated by a fence or stall wall, they can become accustomed to one another while the mare also settles into her role as dam. When you first place your mare and foal in with your gelding, make sure they have plenty of space for your gelding to escape from your mare if she decides to chase him away and to prevent your foal from becoming trapped between a conflict of dam and interesting new horse (gelding)! You can use this same method for turning out pairs of mares and foals together.

I also suggest turning your mare and foal out with your gelding for short time periods (half hour to and hour) for several days, with you keeping watch in case it becomes evident the mare or the gelding is not settling into the situation. You can progress to longer time periods as it becomes evident that both adult horses are comfortable. It shouldn’t be long before your gelding and foal are playing together under the watchful eye of your mare, who will intervene if she feels her foal is threatened. In my experience, most geldings (or mares without foals, such as a ‘grandma mare’), end up in a babysitter type of role fairly quickly and it will often be the foal who instigates a play session. As the foal ages, the dam will become more accepting of allowing her foal to play with another horse, and it may only be a few months before it seems like your foal spends more time near its playmate (the gelding) than its dam when it’s not nursing or resting. Good luck and send us a photo of your foal when its born!