Donkey and aggression

[Chic]

My mini stud donkey is showing aggression to my pony gelding. They were together all winter in the same pen and got along fine. Ever since spring Rocky (the donk) has been trying to beat up the pony. We finally had to separate them because Rocky latched on to Skip's neck so hard it left bite marks. I've also seen Rocky take down Skip to his knee's. Even now he tries to fight him through the fence when ever Skip gets close enough. The pony defends himself by kicking but the donk fights dirty.

Question is: Will they ever be able to go in the same pen again? I'm not really set up to have two herds. I only have two pastures and this has really ruined my rotation pattern. Neither pasture has much grass right now.

[iris_surreal_euphoria]

I hate to say it but in my expirence... No. An intact male will not get along with another male, gelded or not. Now, some may find differently but this is what I've gathered.

We don't even leave our jennys and jacks together because the testosterone gets in the way and someone could get hurt.

How old is the donk? My suggestion would be to seperate them.

[BarnBum]

They use donkeys for gaurd animals b/c of their aggression........ I wouldn't be putting your pony back in there. Esp since he has "already taken the pony down to his knees" That would be enough for me right there !!! Hope everything works out.

[Chic]

Rocky is about 6 yrs old... he had been in a pen with two gelding ponies and a gelding horse for over 6 months without showing that much aggression. They have been separated since May because of the aggression problem. We've had Rocky since he was about 1 1/2 yrs old. He still gets along with the gelding horse who is much bigger than him. Maybe that has something to do with it. Rocky is 32" and the pony is 44"...

I have been thinking about gelding him... he's had a jenny in with him for around 12 months now and so far we haven't seen the deed done and as far as we can tell she isn't pregnant. He dropped kind of late and it makes me wonder if he will ever breed at all. We bought the jenny in the hopes of having a baby donk one day but I'm not sure this aggression toward other horses is worth the baby donk.

If I get him gelded will the aggression lesson?

[iris_surreal_euphoria]

Well, it's hard to say. We have a gelding that is very young. He was gelded about 6 months ago. We kept him in his own pen for over a month. (Vets orders to make sure he couldn't get anyone pregnant.) and now he is very gentle with the Jennys, he does, however, pick fights with the other jacks through the fence.

I think it could go either way really. It may just be hormones causing it since you said he used to be fine. Six years old is late for one to blossum, never really heard of it all starting so late. Is he fully descended?

I think there is a possibility you could geld him, give him some time and have good results. It sounds more hormonal to me rather than his nature. Perhaps it is soon enough to nip the behaviour in the bud.

[Chic]

He dropped at about 2 or 2 1/2 years of age. He is fully decended. For about 3 years the only companion we had for him was my mare. He had tried to mount her a few times but the mare was never interested. (Plus she was way taller than him) About a year ago we bought the mini jenny. We sold the mare, and I bought a pony for my son and a gelding for me. Plus I had another gelding pony I rescued. During the winter I bought another mare (this one in foal). Everyone eventually went in the same pen. Rocky had a problem with the other gelding pony at first but I introduced them gradually and eventually they got along. The aggression with Skip didn't start until this spring so I was wondering if the jenny being in season had something to do with it and was hoping it would go away once the jenny got pregnant. However, she is still coming in season so I don't think she is preg. yet and since they have been together for so long... who knows if it will ever happen.

DH was really hoping to get a Rocky offspring... and I'm sure he's not going to be in favor of gelding (if only in sympathy) but that may be the way to go.