# How young can a colt cover a mare?



## cat1823 (15 June 2014)

Hi all, A friend of mine has just bought a 11 month old colt. At the moment he is in the field with 3 mares. She is planning on having him cut in a few weeks but I was wondering if could breed with the mares now and be fertile? He's not showing any interest in them but can't be watching him 24/7 and don't want any unplanned pregnancys. Thanks


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## Fides (15 June 2014)

They can - mine did when he got through the electric fence after my OH turned it off  He may not, but he could. He may not be showing interest as he has already covered the mares and they are now pregnant and no longer receptive...


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## Spring Feather (15 June 2014)

A lot depends on how the colt was raised.  If he was raised in a large family herd type situation then it would be quite rare for a colt to cover mares at this age.  I keep my colts with my fillies until they are castrated at around 1 year old.  They have grown up with the fillies and many mares so my little colts generally know their place (which is at the bottom!).  I have only had one over the years that I started seeing pay a little bit of interest in the girls so I had him castrated slightly earlier than I usually do.  Colts are fertile at this age and can cover but you would get notice if you spend time with them as the behaviour shows quite readily and frequently if they're like this.


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## Alexart (15 June 2014)

Yes they can, they're technically fertile from 6 months old onwards, even if you don't see them interested in the mares, they maybe doing the deed at night when it's cooler!!  I would separate the colt ASAP, get the mares checked to make sure there are no accidents next year, he needs to be in a bachelor herd to learn manners and as it's too late to cut him now because of the flies I'd get him done in autumn.  He also needs to stay away from the girls for 6 weeks after gelding to make sure all swimmers are dead!  I had a little colt who was randy as hell and was actually reaching the mares at 5 months old, we gelded him on the mare, we usually do it though as yearlings but they are kept away from fillies for their first winter as that's when they start cycling.


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## Char0901 (15 June 2014)

My colt was gelded when he was about 10 months old.
His best mate was/is a little filly and after weaning the two of them were turned out with a 3 year old nanny mare. He showed no interest in either of them, probably, as spring feather said this was his little herd.
It was actually the filly that started showing interest in him!


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## Feival (15 June 2014)

Asking for trouble I'm afraid, I wouldn't risk it.


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## RamblingRosa (16 June 2014)

I have a nine week old colt who is trying to cover his mother! She ignores him, hopefully if he tries it with the other mare she'll tell him off. He will be gelded as soon as flies go.


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## Fides (16 June 2014)

RamblingRosa said:



			I have a nine week old colt who is trying to cover his mother! She ignores him, hopefully if he tries it with the other mare she'll tell him off. He will be gelded as soon as flies go.
		
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That's perfectly normal and does not mean he is actually trying to cover her.


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## mandwhy (17 June 2014)

I've definitely seen colts not much older than that doing it 'fully'... Thankfully no pregnancy resulted but it was careless of the owner and asking for trouble so I would separate them from mares.


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## thewonderhorse (18 June 2014)

RamblingRosa said:



			I have a nine week old colt who is trying to cover his mother! She ignores him, hopefully if he tries it with the other mare she'll tell him off. He will be gelded as soon as flies go.
		
Click to expand...

Yes that's normal for a young colt, he's just learning at that age. No danger that he will cover.


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