Fritz and His Harem

Several of the mares are in heat - the first strong spring heat.  Misty, who has had two foals, has particularly strong heats - she only wants to talk to a stallion (or to a gelding, which is the best she's going to find around here).  For the past several days, she and Sugar, and Dawn until today (she's no longer interested), have been hanging around by the fence line between the dry lots, doing much displaying of their interest.  We have electric on both sides of the fence line, so contact is limited.

Fritz has been taking great interest in the mares - acting quite "studly" - prancing, snorting, tail swishing and parading up and down the fence line.  I'm not sure he or the "harem" ate any hay yesterday, they were so busy conversing.  He's also been doing some other stallion-like behaviors that aren't normal for him.  Yesterday I saw him charge at Scout at a full gallop from half-way across the dry lot, with ears pinned and teeth bared.  I guess he thinks Scout is the only credible rival in our otherwise senior gelding herd.  He drove Scout, who kicked out and then, in his confusion at this unseemly behavior by Fritz, galloped at high speed 3 or 4 times around the dry lot, giving bucks from time to time.  On one other chase, Fritz slipped and fell down in the hay next to the round bale holder - he was uninjured.

As a result of these antics, Fritz came in last night with cuts on both forearms - I expect from kicks.  We cleaned these up - they were mostly superficial.  This morning they were weepy in a good, wound-healing way - I hosed them clean.  Only one is at all deep, and we'll keep an eye on them.