Am I nuts to consider a stallion?

[flyingfeet]

Quietly on the hunt for a new horse, and I also need to find a stallion for my mare for the season. I have found a 2 in 1, but am I nuts for even considering it?

I have my own farm, so its not a problem in terms of yard.

A horse is just a horse, and mares are entire. I've also come back from competing Stallions in Pakistan, and seeing 600 stallions on lines at a competition (but mares banned!) is pretty impressive.

That said I do like them out 24/7 where possible, but most stallions even abroad seem to be stabled for at least half the day.

Thoughts or even just tell me no??!

 

[Ilovefoals]

Totally would depend on temprement for me. My friend has one who is a saint. Covers his mares, stays out all day, goes to dressage and showing etc etc and is always a gentleman. No one ever realises he's a stallion.

 

[kc100]

Agree with Ilovefoals - if the temperament was right then there is no reason not to consider one. I always look at Carl Hester with Utopia, he's a stallion but so laid back that you wouldnt notice.

I actually think its nice to see a stallion in work, I hate seeing a lovely big powerful horse cooped up in a stable all day not even having any real work to do. And if I were ever in the market to buy a youngster it would be even better for me to know that the sire was successful in whatever the chosen field was, rather than knowing all he'd ever been successful at was making babies!

Definitely worth going to have a look at if you havent already, and if you have the facilities and his temperament is good then why not

 

[TarrSteps]

Depends completely on the stallion, your facilities etc. Just be aware that showing stallions in 'stallion only' like the Continental stallion shows, performance tests etc is a different proposition than actual shows.

I presume you intend to 'diy' live cover? Is the horse currently covering this way? Some cope fine with combining live cover and competing, others less so.

I'd also really want to know he was the stallion for the mare, not just the 'convenient' option and/or a horse I really wanted to ride. Is he currently standing and competing?

I've ridden and competed quite a few stallions - some of my favourite horses are entire but I'm rather of the opinion only the best should reproduce and I'd have to really consider having one of my own.

 

[sillygillyhorse]

I've ridden and competed quite a few stallions - some of my favourite horses are entire but I'm rather of the opinion only the best should reproduce and I'd have to really consider having one of my own.

To answer the original question then no, not nuts at all but TarrSteps sums it up well. I personally would not really want the responsibility of a stallion at a show, whilst I know my own ability etc to cope/awareness I can not be sure that other show goers are aware. In fact I did buy one horse who was entire as a 6yo but as he was not good enough to be breeding from had him cut.

 

[Jenni_]

I had one, and it was bloody hard work! He lived out with a companion gelding but bullied him non stop. Competing he was okish- but it was other folk not realising that could be dangerous.

On the other hand my friend has an arab stally and he's a proper gent!

Me... I like just being able to tie them up, get on quietly, and be able to potter about without having to be TOO careful.

 

[flyingfeet]

I think this one has both covered at pasture and in hand, and is reputed to be very quiet. I would like him to live as a herd either with the girls or geldings, although possibly not the geldings during competition season.

He has some nice blood lines, and I was specifically looking for a small TB for my mare, although would have preferred a different colour (this is a chestnut). I am breeding for my own purposes and temperament is key.

I loved the stallions I rode abroad, one in particular was like riding a "terrier", worked seriously hard, and even though smaller than the other stallions if allowed to look directly at them went into his challenge mode and stiffed. However listened to me and came back me (might have been the size of stallion he was eyeing up...)

 

[Zero00000]

My stallion lives out 24/7 in electric field which he respects, he isn't insanely horny, although he did have stage where he was on the look out for a quickie wherever he looked, since moving him, he is kept next to 2 geldings, someone ever very inconsiderately placed a mare in the field next to him, and he did nothing,

Temperament is everything,

That said, hes being cut at the end of the month!

I'm sick of the way people are around him because of being a stallion, he is nicer and calmer than my mares, yet because he is a stallion, you'd think he was wearing a monster costume and every little quirk a mare gets is because of the stallion!!!! dum dum duuuuuuuuuuuumm!

 

[Gloi]

I've had two stallions and I loved them. They were totally different though. I mainly showed them and just covered one or two mares.
The first one was totally ruled by his hormones. In winter he could have been a trekking pony, come March he was on edge all the time. He was best when he lived out with my mare who kept him under the thumb. He always had tons of presence in the ring though.
The second one was probably my favourite all time pony. He was extremely affectionate and had the most fantastic attitude to life. He could be out in mixed company without any bother at all even in the crush of a crowded showjumping collecting ring with other horses bumping into him. Besides showing I did some endurance, jumping and cross country with him. He was also a good driver and I eventually sold him to go in a pair doing weddings. I sometimes wish I'd kept him but unfortunately changing circumstances meant I lost my grazing for him and I would have had to keep him in all the time
Here he is at a hunter trials

 

[Firewell]

My old YO kept all her homebred chaps entire. They were graded hannoverians.
Tbh they were so well behaved. Her competing stallion was a babe and she even gave schoolmaster lessons on him.
The only thing was us liveries could have troubles leading our horses (especially mares) up the walkway past their fields. All the fencing was electric and very high but we were given permission to use water guns to spray them if they charged at the fence! The livery horses got used to it though and just used to ignore them anyway!

 

[TarrSteps]

Does the stallion live in a mixed herd now? Have you run mares and foals with your current group of horses.

I've ridden three stallions that lived with other horses - two with their mares and one with a few geldings he'd grown up with. It worked fine BUT they had all been raised in those situations. When I've worked at breeding farms we've usually had to remove entire colts when the majority of their group were gelded. I did ride a pony stallion that lived with a mixed group when I was a kid and even though they lived in a huge area he was pretty clear with the geldings and it caused much more friction than when he just lived with mares.

 

[lindsayH]

My stallion lived out with my geldings 24/7. I don't know if he'd done this before I got him or not. I do think it very much depends on the horse and if they've spent most of their lives isolated/stabled and unable to learn how to interact properly with other horses. You could always geld him further down the line if you needed to.

 

[flyingfeet]

Thank you, I'm a bit surprised by the number of positive comments! So I think it all comes back to attitude and temperament, I'll keep everyone posted!

 

[paddy]

Also consider what you want to do. If you want to compete BS, they make it about as difficult as they can to compete a stallion (sorry, jaundiced view but had a real PITA with them several years ago).

Competing stallions in Pakistan is a bit different from dealing with stallions day to day in the UK, particularly if, as is often the case in places like that, someone else looked after them day to day, tacked them up etc.

Despite the adage that you 'ask' a stallion, I've always found that you need very clear boundaries, and you can't completely switch off, no matter how well behaved your chap.

People in the UK often react badly to stallions - I once had a horse whisperer out to look at mine who almost fainted when she got towards the back end half way through treatment and realised he was entire (he'd not put a foot wrong throughout, but she needed reassuring to continue).

Competing can be a nightmare - it's bad enough getting through/ past the collecting ring amblers by the entrance to a ring on a gelding or mare, but when you're on a stallion it's a different matter altogether.

If you need to sell, you've a much more limited pool of potential purchasers, and I would always be very careful to ensure that any buyer was up to the job.

Neighbours can be a disaster - one neighbouring yard 'reported' us to the BHS because we didn't have 6' fences and our stallion was out next to their horses - there was no problem with the fencing, they were simply reacting to the fact he was a stallion. Another fellow livery then threatened to report us to the RSPCA because the stallion was turned out with our gelding (their stallion got to go out on his own in a small turnout paddock, away from everyone else). I know whose horse was happier.

Stallions in the UK often haven't been brought up in the same way as those abroad. I've been to see stallions kept with the top door shut and anyone entering taking a stick (despite this horse being the sweetest thing). Often they're kept away from other horses, and once they're older and set in their ways, it can be difficult to teach them there's a better way.

This all sounds pretty negative. I've owned and competed stallions off and on since I was 14. It can be incredibly rewarding and I've formed amazing bonds with my boys. But it's also a huge tie and responsibility. Life's a lot easier and often more fun with a gelding.

 

[flyingfeet]

Thanks Paddy - this is more of what I wanted, as I need to know the drawbacks

Yes BS do seem to make it difficult especially when you own a TB, as you'll need to get them graded by another association and do a ridden assessment. Personally I don't fancy doing a course at 1.20m so might give that a miss!!

Fortunately I am looking really at the polo market, so BS are irrelevant!

Sadly the village is bereft of other horsey people (and horses). So just my lot to deal with and no liveries.

 

[RCP Equestrian]

Not nuts at all!

We have a stallion at the moment kept on our livery yard. If we didn't tell anyone he was a stallion then no one would know! Anyone can handle him or do anything with him. He stands tied on the yard next to mares or geldings and wouldn't think twice about doing anything. The most he will do is a few little wickers but if you just tell him no he soon stops.

He is no issue at a show either, he's competed up to the highest level SJ in France since a 4yr old so he knows his job and again, apart from he has to wear ribbons at a show, no one would know he was a stallion!

I went to a livery yard that also had a stallion and ponies were being moved and everyone parted like the red sea when they were told the stallion was coming through, I couldn't believe it! Its when they're treated like this I think they're more likely to become a problem.

Its definately all about how they are brought up and I believe too many people treat them like they're some wild animal. Mares are also entire but they don't get any special treatment and neither should a stallion. All horses should be taught manners whatever their sex or breed. Obviously there is slightly more added risk than a mare but as long as you are a aware of that then just continue with them as normal.

TBH my gelding is just as bad and cant be turned out with mares as he mounts them and can get really aggressive. He was cut late/not done properly and I think he has done it before as he knows what he's doing so he gets very "riggy" and a pain in the butt at this time of year, more so than the stallion

I think you're in a perfect position to own one having your own place so I wouldn't think twice about getting one. Go for it!

 

[TarrSteps]

Sorry, I don't agree that it's just how the horse was brought up. I've worked for multiple breeders and competition stables with more than one stallion and some are definitely more ruled by their hormones than others, however well trained they may be. Many horses have been cut well after the start of their competition careers simply because they could not cope with the twin demands and not all stallions can continue to compete successfully after their breeding careers start in earnest. Courses for horses.

I also had a very "studdy" gelding who mounted mares, postured to stallions (and they reacted to him as if he was entire), would jump out and was generally a giant pain on that front. He was a lovely, lovely horse and a great competitor but it was hard work. I used to joke I should rent him out to people who thought they wanted to have a stallion!

My comments were to the fact that stallions are not "bad" and it is perfectly possible to manage ones with the right temperament, and I do certainly know ones that live in herds, compete, etc etc.

BUT it's hard work! And if it doesn't go well your options are very limited. I presume the stallion under discussion is already living in the manner planned for him and competing as the OP wants him to with no problems. That is completely different from just having a random stallion. (If this is not the case it may still all work out wonderfully if the horse is right for the situation, although that's not a given.)

I'm interested that they will allow you to play him. My experience has been that most polo clubs are not keen on stallions, given the number of mares playing and the fact that horses have to travel etc in such close proximity. I presume it is different here.

Otherwise yes, as paddy says, check with whatever other disciplines you want to compete in (as you said the point was for him also to be your competition horse). BS is particularly onerous with regards to "qualifying" stallions to compete but other disciplines are easier going.