My gelding has started to throw his head and chase me and my mare while in the pasture what is his problem?

Question

This behavior has started about a week ago. He charges and throws his head constantly at my mare. They have been together for 4 years. Today he charged me and started to push me in the back. A corrective pop on the nose stopped the pushing but not head tossing. I had to put a halter on to control him. Today I used a curb chain, which I hate to use and walked him for 10 minutes, as well as, a 30 minute ring workout. He had his head down and tossed it in a way to disguise the movement. I don't think he has gum problems but lately I have been having problems with foxes and coyotes around the pasture. I need to correct this behavior quickly.

Answer 1

Is your mare going through any odd changes? Sounds like your gelding is a "proud cut." Meaning, he's just acting like a stallion. What I find strange is that the behavior is new. How old is he? Usually geldings don't show late dominance, but have you done anything lately with your mare that is unusual or strange. I would make sure everything is okay with her and him medically. Stallions in the wild toss their head to show dominance and to show force or dislike. A frontward throw would indicate so. A side to side throw would indicate something else, usually nothing but friendliness or greeting. I have a horse who throws his head from side to side and knickers and squeals when I come home from school during breaks and he sees me. I would have him checked by your vet, he may need a float. Was he toying with his bit? If he starts grinding his teeth I would definitely have someone with more experience come and check him out. He may get more aggressive with you if you don’t try to correct the problem. It may just be a heat or something with your mare. It may also be warning in reference to the coyotes and foxes in your pasture. Horses have ways of telling us things but we often misinterpret them for behavioral problems. If your mare is contributing to odd behavior this is probably the case. It may just be a phase though. I hope you can find the answer to your problem, I don’t think any of us here on Yahoo answers has it! I wish I could help you more but that's all i've got. Best of luck!

Answer 2

Well at my yard we don't separate ours and have never had any problems- we've had every different type of mare and gelding and just chucked them in together, and if they didn't get on then they had to lump it. That has been the system for 20 years or more and in all that time there hasn't been a single thing go wrong that was the result of having a mixed sex heard. We don't allow stallions in the main herd for obvious reasons, but we have had two rigs and many just-gelded youngsters. The more dominant geldings do get a bit frisky in spring but the mares just kick them if they're not interested. I've found that in separated herds the geldings just mount one another anyway so separating doesn't really stop that. I'd say put him in! Make sure they have enough room to fight safely and to run away if it gets nasty. If you strip graze, open up another strip so they will be too busy eating to want to fight. Keep an eye when you first integrate them but it should be fine- horses will fight regardless of sex. I don't see anything in the world wrong with mixed-sex pastures. It's natural and it keeps the ponies happy so I'm all for it!

Answer 3

if they have been together that long and he just started this, then something must of happen..... he may be in pain or confused from the problem with foxes and coyotes... i would take him to the vet and get him checked out... i dont know what u can do bout the pest problem cause that depends on what state ur in. some states wont allow u to protect ur animals from certain predators. i would talk to a local sheriff to see what u can do bout that

Answer 4

he's being protective of the pasture and his herd mate. someone is a bit pasture sour. time to seperate them for a while. head tossing is just a way of trying to make himself look bigger and badder to someone or something that he thinks may be a threat. as soon as you put him back in his place he was all done. the cooler weather will too make them feel a little springy, work him more, less grain and a stall. that will fix a bit of his attitude!! good luck

Answer 5

I would recommend separating the two horses for awhile, and see if his behavior stops. If it persists with more than one mare, I would call a local veterinarian to see what's wrong.
Or, you can take at least an hour's observation on the two of them.

Answer 6

i'd watch your gelding for a while. pain often causes behavior like this...could be chiropractic, maybe something's out of wack. wouldn't hurt to have a chiro out.