Do Stallions pass on temperament?

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Louby

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I read something the other day about my horses Sire and how his progeny were very intelligent but potentially difficult, needed a job and were primarily competition horses that you needed to be one step ahead of. This seems so true with my horse and maybe the fact why I have struggled so much.
Do you think this is a load of rubbish or do horses inherit things like this?
 
I've been told this too - I plan to send my mare to a TB stallion that people have told me the progeny do not suffer fools, so it's left me feeling unsure as temperement is so important.

My current TB cross is a delight with temperement and manner so like her mums.

I think you can get around most temperement attitudes with sensible handling as babies. Manners are far easier to instill when babies.
 
Thanks for replying. When I found this out, I googled to see if there was any more and there was, saying the same thing. He is a quirky boy with great manners, its when you are on him. He isnt a loony, just sharp and often drives me to despair with his imaginary monsters when I know he isnt really scared.
Im coming to the conclusion hes probably a bit too smart for me :eek:
 
I think temperament of the parents is an important factor.... I have a 3 year old who is a pig and i wish he`d had a better handling as a baby to try and control what he given by his sire who I have recently found out was also a pig and downright dangerous...oo the joy of responsible breeders :rolleyes::D
 
I think that stallions can pass on temperaments to progeny - but to what extent I don't Know.

With my current horse's sire progeny tend to not be mentally or physically developed until around 7 years old and therefore can be quite difficult before this age. This has turned out to be pretty true.

My previous horse was trully awful. Would bronc at the sight of a x-c jump or field for that matter, bolt out hacking and the list goes on. The sire has produced all his foals to be the same, unfortunately.
 
Nope, very true. You always get about 5-10% of progeny that buck the trend but generally they inherrit more of their fathers temperament.

The TB stallion Dancing High was known for passing on his very highly strung streak and of all of the horses I have known by him only one is a joy to do. The rest take a good few months to break before a human can get on, then a few more with said crash test dummy on before they get the idea to carry a rider. THey then turn into sharp little feckers with a tendency to explode at any given moment. They aren't for the faint hearted.

Selkirk again passes on a slightly highly strung streak into his offspring. Alflora's will take you anywhere and do anything so long as you keep your leg on to tell them that there are no monsters in the bushes. Diktats tend to be a bit buzzy. Roslier's were true honest horses. Saddler's Hall horses have no guts when it comes to a fight, when they win they win easy but put them in a scrap with another up the home straight and they wimp out. And then you had Sadler's Wells who not only passed on his white markings and talent he also passed on his easy going nature for the most part.

Every horse is different but yes, sires do pass on alot of their qualities. Sometimes some of the mares side comes through but I tend to find that only in females.
 
Some stallions seem to be very dominant in their genes, and throw the same characteristics such as Jazz, cavalier royale, primitive rising etc. Other stallions may not be so influential with their genes, but I'd say all foals have an element of temperament passed from their sire.
 
Thanks everyone for replying and to cuppatea for the word I was trying to think of ..... personalities :D:D:D
I actually feel a bit relieved that it may not be all my fault for the way my horse can be :)
 
They certainly do, my mare = cowbag, stallion = dude, foal = dude :D

Have been there for a few other foals by my foals sires births and seen lots of since these foals and his older foals, they are all cool, friendly, brave laidback little things regardless of their mums temperaments, then went to see a foal by different sire, difference was incredible! :eek:
 
Stallions absolutely can and do pass on temperament.

Although I don't think any scientific studies have been done with horses, a genetic study has been done with silver foxes which showed inheritied temperament quite independent of how they grew up
 
A lot of stallions seem to have reputations, so they do contribute to temperament imo. Baloubets are said to be sharp, Cruisings are quirky etc. Of course horses are individuals, but there are similiarties!
 
It should be even stevens as equal number of genes are passed on from both parents. It's just that some are dominant (and therefore more likely to be evident in the offspring) and others are recessive. My mare has a full brother and their personalities are the complete opposite! She is very touchy feely and the most affectionate horse I have met in my life. Her brother will launch himself at anyone who comes near his stable. Both had the same home until age six and seven. Home bred. So even with the same mother and father they are like chalk and cheese. Having said that, if choosing a stallion, temperament is my number one consideration.
 
50/50. I think it is the same as any pairing of anything that breeds, some display inherited traits that are unmistakable.

My stallion is totally laid back, lovely nature. He can be a bit mulish at times, but is one of the kindest horses I have ever known.

His colt and filly out of a rather highly strung arab are beautiful, lovely horses usually very calm temperaments, until you ask them to do something they don't want to do, or don't quite understand, then they throw all their toys out of the pram - just like their dam. Lola is terribly sweet but can be a real diva and is quick to get worked up, definitely a mare you ask and discuss the pros and cons with.

Two colts out of a horizontal Paint mare are sweet natured, willing to try, slow to catch on, possibly not the brightest stars in the sky. If they don't understand, or don't want to do something they are just like their sire, they plant and switch off, whereas the half arabs would argue that black is white if they felt like it.
 
The sire of the chestnut in my siggy was actually gelded in the end he was so difficult and clever with it. He had a huge sense of humour and knew he was very important lol. So did she....but I adored her anyway, you just had to stay one step ahead of her plotting and put up with being made to feel wrong footed at times. She was a naughty, spirited madam, but somehow you knew it was all just a huge laugh to her!

Her mum on the other hand was a darling, but didn't pass on many of her temp genes!
 
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