Anonymous:
Last year my mare had a foal, which I’m very happy about. Before the foal was born, the mare and stallion lived together, but afterwards I had to separate them since the stallion tried to mate and the mare defended the foal. Later, at 13 months, I also had to separate the foal from the mother to avoid insemination. I would love to keep them all together, but mainstream advice is usually castration (stallion or foal), rehoming, or permanent separation. Castration is the last thing I want to do, though safety is important. Are there other solutions for keeping them together, or insights on what my role/mirrors are in this situation?
The Seer:
To find a solution other than castration or separation, you will have to think outside of the box. The sex drive in the males, and the attraction of females, can be medicinally reduced under the strict guidance of a veterinarian. We found the following based on research: “Treatments exist to suppress reproductive activity by acting on the hormones that regulate it, but these are complex and require veterinary oversight.”
Interesting. Thank you for sharing.
I had a cat once and had to castrate. It’s unpleasant for the animal and the owner. So I sympathize with your sensitivity to behavioural proclivities of the animals in your care.