Advice needed regarding stallion

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lupin

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Hi, I need some help with making decisions.
I have a gorgeous boy that is now 5 , Ive had him over a year and 1/2 now.He was a doddle and you wouldnt have thought he was a proper boy, in the spring I sent him away to be schooled and when I got him back in Augast he came back a rearer (I went to watch this person with him at a show and he went up , he delt with it by gobbing him and going over the top bashing him, so that made me take him back).He seemed to be doing it less and less I would try to avoid him doing it by growling and if he did go up id keep a light contact with his mouth but smack his bottom,At shows he hasnt done it the last 4 times and then its more of a bounce but now getting more frequant at home, norm riding past field of other horses etc those types of things trigger it. I feel this pony could do extremly9top class showing) well but feel prehapes he should be gelded but my questions are is he likely to still do it if i did anyway? Any ideas on how to stop it?I have heard of something called chemical castration can shed light on this? If gelded would he loose his a big part of what I love about him? Im also in the process of having the Chiropracter, saddle fitter etc but feel this is more to do with that he is a stallion.
 
Hard to tell if gelding will solve the rearing problem, although I agree that standing up is a favourite stallion-y thing to do. Unfortunately the only way to find out is to do it, and then if it doesn't work you then have a rearing gelding, with less presence and general "look at me" oomph. Far better, I would say, is to fix the problem. Horses shouldn't rear as an evasion, no matter their reproductive status.
 
I suspect the problem has more to do with the tit that 'schooled' him than his being a stallion.

There is absolutely no reason why a well trained stallion shouldn't behave like a well trained gelding, but any horse will go up if ridden by someone who likes yanking on the reins. :mad:
 
LittleBlackMule said:
I suspect the problem has more to do with the tit that 'schooled' him than his being a stallion.

There is absolutely no reason why a well trained stallion shouldn't behave like a well trained gelding, but any horse will go up if ridden by someone who likes yanking on the reins. :mad:
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This. As far as gelding goes, did you buy him with the intention of having him as a breeding stallion? Is he exceptionally well bred? Or have you just kept him entire because there hasn't been a problem yet?
 
I bought a two year old colt who would rear all the time I kept him entire until he was 4 and once done has never reared since, rearing is a stallion thing but as your horse has been treated roughly that may be the reason why his started doing it, I would wait a while and see if he settles now this person is no longer handling him, I always led mine in a stallion chain he never really frightened me as he did it from the off and was more an excitement thing with him not trying to get me or get away.

The only trouble is only I and yo could bring him out as he would terrify everyone else so it can be a pain, I still have him and he is just a bit calmer nothing else changed about him apart from the rearing, so I suppose you have to decide if it bothers you or not, I only had mine gelded as I thought he would be happier as a gelding and I was very limited in regards to livery many wont take stallions.
 
ridefast said:
This. As far as gelding goes, did you buy him with the intention of having him as a breeding stallion? Is he exceptionally well bred? Or have you just kept him entire because there hasn't been a problem yet?
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Good questions. The two issues may be connected, may not. Stallions can have a tendency to wave their front legs around if they feel challenged aggressively and are not handled correctly, that is firmly but always fairly. Perhaps this happened with the person you sent him to.

However the gelding is also an issue to consider in terms of lifestyle and future use. If you are experienced and all set up to keep a stallion, and have a reason to do so, then just try and sort the rearing. But if his being entire is not something you planned or need, then gelding may be a good idea, even if it has no effect on the rearing.
 
Thanks for the replies. I backed him and had him going nicely myself, hacking, first small show, light schooling.Im so angry with myself for sending him away, I should have more faith in myself but thought someone would do a better job 'polishing' him of but this man I trusted had a ego and treated him like a big bad stallion,if he got his winkle out he would bash it:(Im not a confrontaional person and the over the period I saw things that stressed me so I told him I had run out of money and took him back.
I brought him because he is a nice person and did intend to lightly breed from him but I adore him and just want whats best for him but it would also be a waste of his breeding and quality.
 
Not an easy answer here imo. I wouldn't rush into gelding him, I sold a four year old last year and the buyer wanted him gelding, I had and still have no problem with that, he will have a much better life as a ridden gelding than I could have offered him as a stallion. HOWEVER he has thrown me a fantastic colt this year his only offspring (Nantwood Unique) if he were still entire I would definitly have used him again. If you boy is a nice person I would persevere with him as with the correct handling he could come right. If not then geld him
 
Good advice from the last person ("Pec").

One possibility you might consider which hasn't yet been mentioned: if you think you'd like his genes at some point, but you find you can't solve his behaviour problem and have to cut him, you could collect and freeze semen first.
 
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