Q: My friend has a 14-year-old gelding who was gelded late (I'm not sure how late, but he did sire some foals) and is pastured with a 23-year-old mare. Last spring they were fine pastured together. This spring, however, she started her heat and he bit her severely all along her lower crest and withers and chased her around to the point of soreness and exhaustion. The horses have now been separated. Will he settle down as spring progresses? Should we medicate him in any way? What do you suggest for managing these two "pasture buddies" again?

Samantha

A: Your friend's situation offers a fairly common, but tough, challenge. Glad to hear they were able to separate them for the meantime. Separation was a good choice, and it might be the simplest and most effective strategy whenever the mare is in estrus.

A good percentage of geldings retain enough stallionlike behavior to be problematic when kept at pasture with mares. As might be the case with this gelding, some often seem tough on mares, causing even more wear and tear than an intact stallion might pose. These geldings tend to chase and herd relentlessly, and they mount and mount and mount. Since most appear slow to ejaculate, or might not ejaculate at all, they can appear to spend a lot more time pestering and trying than an intact stallion that would satiate and give it a break