Horse Connection

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If you remember the February 2006 issue of Horse Connection, you may recall an article entitled “The Secret Life of Stallions: Fathers and Husbands.” The purpose of the article was to convey the fact that stallions, when allowed to socialize normally among other horses, can live peacefully within a herd environment and nurture relationships with the mares they breed, and their own foals.

We visited Dogwood Sport Horses in Mansfield, Georgia, where owner Sherry Smith stands four-year-old Freedomhall, her magnificent black registered Westfalen stallion. Freedom lives full time with the mares he breeds in an idyllic, lush pasture with its own lake. In that article we told the story of Freedom and Future, the 18 year-old chestnut Thoroughbred mare owned by Sherry’s sister, Monica Flynn.

Until Future and Freedom came together, Future was pronounced barren. Monica had spent several thousand dollars trying to inseminate Future artificially, and all attempts failed. Monica was very disappointed since she had been hoping Future’s superb athleticism could be passed through her foals. Monica and Sherry finally turned her out with Freedom so he would have her constant companionship when clients’ mares were taken home. Future’s former owners were apparently not aware that she had Caslick’s sutures in place, and at that time she had the traumatic experience of having a stallion whose frustration got the best of him, try to breed her with the sutures intact. Even years later, she understandably seemed afraid of the breeding act. But Freedom courted Future for nine months without pressing her, and she fell in love with him. Finally, they came together.

When we left Future with Freedom last year, Monica was hoping against hope that the 18-year old, barren mare would conceive with him. And she did. Future is expected to foal as we go to press with this issue.

Wildlife and range ecologist, and equine behaviorist Mary Ann Simonds has studied wild horses in the field for 30 years, and comments that there is a 100% fertility rate in wild mares because they live with and know the stallions. She believes that when stallions and mares know each other and “pasture breed,” the equine conception rate is near 100%. Simonds suspects that many domestic mares are infertile to one degree or another because they haven’t been able to bond with the stallion before breeding takes place. Not only that, they are often subjected to unpleasant medical procedures or forced copulation with an unknown stallion; cross-tied, hobbled, maybe even twitched—sometimes sedated.

Monica reflects “It’s true that what man, with all his science and tools of the trade could not accomplish, Freedom could. Living with his mares in a herd environment, Freedom knows instinctively when a mare is approaching estrus. He caresses and woos her, but lets the mare tell him when she is ready. As her most fertile time approaches, he may feign attempts to mount her, but always from the side. If she is resistant or unreceptive, he has put himself in no danger. If she is ready, she will swing her hindquarters toward him, and he will move into breeding position. Imagine an 18-year-old maiden Thoroughbred mare, and a young, inexperienced stallion only three years of age, just doing what comes naturally.”

“The lifestyle of the stallion and mare together is very relaxed,” Sherry adds. “They graze side by side, go to water together, sleep next to each other. Freedom’s manner is so quiet that he might as well be a gelding. Freedom grew up in a pasture with geldings and another young stallion before he discovered mares at two and a half years. In fact, once again nature took its course! A 14 year-old maiden mare in another pasture, who had never even been around a stallion, broke out of the pasture and swam the lake to get to Freedom. It was amazing.”

While Future is getting bigger and bigger, Freedom has work to do, like any husband. Despite the assumption, by many people, that a performance stallion would not focus on his work while being enjoyably distracted by living a natural life, Sherry and Monica do not find this to be the case. For several months last year Freedom left Dogwood to go off to begin his work under saddle. He left calmly, gave his all in training, and his return was joyful for Freedom and Future both. Freedom is actually ridden in their pasture, quietly standing ground-tied to be tacked up “even with Future milling around him,” as Monica says, “vying for attention.”

“Freedom takes everything in stride. At all times, Freedom’s work ethic is a 10 plus He is not distracted, but focuses completely on his rider and her demands. He is calm and secure. Everyone comments how well adjusted he is. When Freedom comes into contact with other horses on his outings, he is not fractious nor does he exhibit any inappropriate stallion behavior. He does not call or challenge as other stallions sometimes do. We feel strongly that Freedom’s opportunity to live as he was created to live, to the extent we are able to provide him with this privilege, positively impacts his life in every way.”

Mare owners who are open to the possibilities of stallions and mares cohabiting have contacted Sherry to have their mares live with Freedom to be bred. The sisters have such faith in the method that they plan to cultivate another stallion for pasture living with mares as they did Freedom. One of Sherry’s mares is in foal to the famous European jumper, Voltaire. An ultrasound was done at about 55 days, and the vet feels there is a likelihood that the foal is a colt, who if all goes well, will be the second stallion. “We will put this colt in with mares sooner,” Sherry comments, “so he learns even younger what the appropriate behavior is around them.”

Sherry notices that Future seems to be more dependent on Freedom’s presence these days. Future is following Freedom during his mounted training sessions more, and when his trainer Erin canters him off into the pasture, Future runs to catch up. If Erin takes Freedom down the road a bit, Future calls for him and watches intently for him to return. In contrast, Erin reports that Freedom doesn’t call back or become upset to be out of sight of her.

As the birth approaches, Monica and Sherry have stabled Freedom and Future near the house, and have bought a birth alarm to alert them when Future’s time comes. A small, neat barn houses stalls and adjoins paddocks for both horses. The 12’ by 24’ foaling stall connects to a partially covered paddock. Future has the option of foaling in the stall, in the small paddock with hay as bedding, or in a larger 40'by 70' grass paddock outside the barn. Sherry adds “It is healthier for the foal to be born outside in the grass paddock anyway, which is lighted at night. We suspect that is where Future will choose to foal. We handle all our mares in this fashion....when they are approaching the actual birth, they get more active and often like to walk around, even lying down and getting up often or rolling to position the unborn foal. We think giving them plenty of space is an important part of keeping everything natural.”

How Freedom will be involved at the time of birth will depend on him. If Future were an experienced broodmare, they might consider letting her foal in the field with him, but they are not sure yet how protective Freedom will be. The sisters are concerned that if he is alarmed, he might not let them approach her to help. “Future belongs to him in his mind,” Sherry asserts. “Recently in the pasture, we went out to give Future a shot. Freedom quietly put his body in between her and us. Monica was able to go to him easily and lead him away while I gave Future the shot, but it could be an issue. With his two foals born last year, the people who were already interested in buying the foals at their birth did not want them to run out with Freedom. So this is new territory for us. And because Future is eighteen and giving birth for the first time, we are not sure if we want her rebred on her foaling heat, or even a month or so later, depending on her condition. We have to see how it goes.”

“Of course, the adventure continues,” Monica muses. “We never cease to be amazed at the wonder of Creation and the beauty these lovely creatures bring to our lives. Humbly, we are the students…and they are the teachers.”

Photographs by Sherry Smith
www.dogwoodsporthorses.com

Contact Kip Mistral at newhorsearts@hotmail.com