Eek, I've just bought a stallion!!!

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Foxfolly

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Bit of an on a whim purchase!!!

Flicking through the internet and found 4yo by Unbelievable Darco..

Description from ad..

16HH 4yrs fully papered/registered SHB Warmblood stallion. His sire is the Int Grade A "UNBELIEVABLE DARCO" and his dam is by Grade A "ZARLEQUIN". He is bred in the purple for showjumping and his bloodlines include ledgends such as: DARCO (Olympic SJ), GRANNUS, ZEUS (Sire of Michael Whitaker''''''''s – Midnight Madness). This is a lovely young stallion, totally unspoilt with his whole future ahead of him. He is loose jumping 1.30m in the pics and although green has bags of scope. He is unbroken at the present but has started to be broken, I have had tack on him and he has been sat up on and walked a few strides. He has an unbelievably calm temperment and is very kind, he is stabled next to mares, geldings and his next door neighbour is another stallion.

Mr Darco stable name Felix

Went to see him last night and he is lovely, really nicely put together, he moves beautifully and has a lovely temperament, which is most important to us, he pops the showjumps easily although he is green. Needs some serious grub as he is a bit on the poor side and probably has a bit more growing to do, but we have the land to be able to do that, so I pick him up saturday.

He will go really nicely over our cob mare next year to produce a nice PC/RC sport horse and hopefully something a little classier over our other mare who is very flashy and by a Grade A herself!!
Just need to crack on and get him finished off being broken and out over the winter doing some things!!

I'm nervously excited, as this is the first time we have ever bought a stallion!!!
Any advice would be greatly received eg.
Will he be OK to turn out with my failry sensible Gelding?
Will he be ok in a field with a footpath through it? (Obviously not the one with the bridleway!!!!!)
 
Have you ever had dealings with/worked with a stallion?
Personally i would be very careful when you bring him home. New surroundings, mares and competition and all that. Was he turned out with others where you got him from?
 
Is this him?


Stallion Ad

Sounds a gentleman. It's a whole new ball game having a stud around the place. Hope your 'girls' are ready for it!
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Just thought to add, be careful when you introduce him to his 'paddock' buddy. They may gel and be fine, but equally do NOT assume this. Introduce them in a safe controlled environment first. Over a solid stable door? Be prepared for him needing his own secure paddock, without equine company sharing it with him.

As for having him loose in a field with a public footpath running through it, if it were me.... NO WAY. You will be liable for any damage or injury he causes. If he hurts anyone or anyone's dog there could be hell to pay. A stallion is a stallion no matter how quiet and docile he seems. Once hormones take over they can be wildly unpredictable. Especially young ones.

 
He looks just like his dad! Good luck and have fun with him!!!

I would say that turning him out with a gelding would depend on a)how stalliony he is, b) if he’s been out with any other horses recently (or if indeed out at all) c)just generally what his temperament is like and d) what the gelding’s temperament is like – does he generally get along well with others or does he have to be the boss, etc. Personally I would wait till he is settled in and if anything turn them out alongside one another to get used to each other for a bit and then if all goes well then yes put them in together. At end of the day, stallion or not…he does need companionship, especially if he is not yet in full work, etc.
 
Again though I also second that you shouldn't have him in a field with a footpath - just asking for trouble if he starts being hormonal and territorial
 
He sounds lovely.
We have had stallions for over twentyfive years and have had some mishaps along the way. ensure your turn out paddock has good high fencing preferably with electric along the top, as when the mood takes them they can easily clear a five foot gate or post and rail. Ours were all very wary of the tape fencing but would attempt escape over anything like a ditch/hedge.
Our old one lived happily alongside his mares, but this current one gets too stressed and runs the fence line for hours on end, we find it's best to jkeep him in overnight or vice versa.
We tend to treat ours as "normal" horses apart from the always being aware they are stallions, the worst you get is the odd attempt to nip a companion horse when you hack out if you have loose reins, and we tend to lead in a lunge line to always have some control if they stand on end. Ours both tied up quietly at shows, but our box is only three horse so travelling with mares doesn't work very well.
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I'm not sure re turning out. We turned our old one out with a gelding he got on with, but several times after appearing very settled for weeks, he would turn on him and inflict up to 60 bite marks, the second time we stopped giving him company. I should have said it's best if he can't actually touch any next door field horses, that makes for a peaceful life or you will continually hear squeals and shrieks..
Basically always be aware he is an entire and be on your guard.
Until they start covering they are ususally very easy to handle, but after that you do get a macho act now and then.
Do feel free to pm me any questions, we have a very low key set up here, just two of us handle covering etc and we have had to learn the hard way making mistakes along the way..
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im sure you'll love having your first stallion, i got mine last year and i would never not have one now, in fact id like another. you need to try and treat them as much like any other horse as you can but without switching off around them as they can be very hormonal and it only takes a second for them to do something. you tend to learn by your mistakes though, my boy is as easy to look after as any of the other horses on the yard yet the other day he decided to jump his stable door to try and get to a mare, whoops, seems he needs a higher door! as far as breaking him in goes ive never had an easier one to do. good luck im sure you are going to love it. i would personally put yours in a field on its own if you can, would be a shame for him to get himself hurt. and definately use electric fencing, the only time i loose jumped mine he jumped out of the school, but he has never tried to jump out of the field yet cos hes been zapped a few times.
 
Why would you want to breed from an ungraded stallion? If he was any good, he would not have been advertised for £1850. Or are you planning on putting him forward for grading? I know I am going to take some stick for this, and he is only being used on your own mares, but I feel uncomfortable. 1. Why would anyone even consider asking is it ok to turn out a stallion with a public FP running through it. 2. Is it ok to turn out with a gelding, well what has been his routine with Tracy? Was he used to being turned out with another horse? 3. What makes you think he will compliment both your mares? 4. Has he covered any mares before now? Why because some very quiet stallions have changed once they have learnt that side of the job!

I wish you all the best with him, I really do. I will now wait for the flack!!
 
I have to say the first thing that crossed my mind was "why would a well bred stallion be for sale for under 2k?"
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He does look a nice chap though, have fun with him.
 
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I have to say the first thing that crossed my mind was "why would a well bred stallion be for sale for under 2k?"
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He does look a nice chap though, have fun with him.

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i agree with the price being strange, especially when the stud fee is £800 for unbelievable darco, then looking after the stallion for 4 years.
 
He does look lovely, congrats on your purchase, good luck with him.

I bought an 18month old colt and planned to keep him entire, he is now just turned 7. I love him to bits, he really is my dream horse. I'd had horses for 30 years but never a stallion, it's been challenging but I never regret buying him. Things I have learnt that may help you. We don't turn him out with another horse, as Henryhorn says they are fine for several weeks and then for no reason can turn on the gelding. My stallion has contact both in the stable and over field fencing with his best buddy but they are seperated. I have my own place so can manage everything to suit, you do have to be on your guard, as much as he behaves like a puppy dog, which my lad does. When testosterone takes over you can have some moments when you don't get through they can become quite single minded! Working wise he is great, easily distracted but once listening I get far more out of the relationship than I have with any gelding or mare. Everyone who meets my boy says what a wonderful laid back temperament he has, but I never get complacent.
 
I did think that about the price however you can pick up a bargain nowadays with the market, etc. I would of course have him vetted though….and of course graded, if the intention was to either stand him at public stud or even in order to be able to get a decent price, etc. on the resulting offspring.
 
Whats the name of the dam of your stallion, because my boy's dam sire is also Zarlequin. He is an amazing jumper, but very quirky!

Congrats on your purchase!!
 
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I have to say the first thing that crossed my mind was "why would a well bred stallion be for sale for under 2k?"
crazy.gif


He does look a nice chap though, have fun with him.

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i agree with the price being strange, especially when the stud fee is £800 for unbelievable darco, then looking after the stallion for 4 years.

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and the dealer will be making her cut on top of what she paid for the stallion...

As long as you are satisfied that everything is in order with this horse... he certainly is hansome, lets hope that something that appears to be too good to be true actually turns out to be the bargain it appears to be on the outer wrapper... Good Luck, when I bought my first stallion I sat in the horsebox on the 3 hour journey home thinking 'have I done the right thing here and am I going to cope!'... I did, had a few hiccups along the way but I am still here and still have stallions...
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Sorry even with the economy the way it is, a horse with that breeding, potential would not go for 1850. Remember a stallion is an earner, if he is any good he can earn money unlike a gelding. If he goes out there and proves himself, then even a modest stud fee will go some way towards his keep. Tracy has her own place so her overheads are not in line with most horse owners. I do think it prudent to get him vetted, something that is not mentioned in the post.
 
Tracey does seem to have a lot of cheap horses. Even if it didn't work out keeping him entire if you got him gelded you would still have a nice cheap well bred youngster.
 
i agree with diesel dog. as long as there is nothing wrong physically with the horse you are never going to lose money on it, you only have to look at horses advertised for sale, you can buy something very average for four times that amount. i think its well worth a try, even if the nuts do end up having to come off.
 
yes worst way is you can have the nuts off i have a yearling colt that im selling, and a 2 year old colt that im keeping but if i ever sold the 2 year old i would never have another male at my yard far too much hassle typical males think with whats between there legs!! lol
 
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Why would you want to breed from an ungraded stallion? If he was any good, he would not have been advertised for £1850. Or are you planning on putting him forward for grading?


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Like Majic, don't want to rain on your parade but there are three vital questions you need to consider:

1Did you get a full vetting for freedom from hereditaruy disease done before you bought him? This is different from a normal 5-stage one and all stallions (even NTR Section VII ones) have to have it if they are to be eligible for grading.

2 Has he ever been put forward for any grading and if Yes what was the result? If he failed grading why was it (the studbook that failed him should be able to tell you). He has super bloodlines (mostly from the Light's breeding) so one does wonder what the background hostrory is.

3 Is he tested EVA clear -- if not get him tested immediately and keep him out of contact with all other horses (esp mares) until the results come in as EVA can be spread by other ways than sexual transmission.

Remember, you always get what you pay for and this is especially true in stallion buying.
 
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I have to say the first thing that crossed my mind was "why would a well bred stallion be for sale for under 2k?"
crazy.gif


He does look a nice chap though, have fun with him.

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i agree with the price being strange, especially when the stud fee is £800 for unbelievable darco, then looking after the stallion for 4 years.

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ditto this and add have you had a vet look at him, and check your insurance RE: Stallion ownership and members of the public!!
 
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Why would you want to breed from an ungraded stallion? If he was any good, he would not have been advertised for £1850. Or are you planning on putting him forward for grading? I know I am going to take some stick for this, and he is only being used on your own mares, but I feel uncomfortable. 1. Why would anyone even consider asking is it ok to turn out a stallion with a public FP running through it. 2. Is it ok to turn out with a gelding, well what has been his routine with Tracy? Was he used to being turned out with another horse? 3. What makes you think he will compliment both your mares? 4. Has he covered any mares before now? Why because some very quiet stallions have changed once they have learnt that side of the job!

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Ditto; ditto; ditto!!!!

No-one in their right mind sells a 4 year old stallion with this breeding for £1,850 unless there's a very REAL problem!! Maybe she's over-stocked but hell - that horse was worth £1,850 when he hit the ground! In fact, he'd already cost at least that when he hit the ground. Even in today's economic climate you don't need to discount a GENUINE horse of that calibre so much!!

There are all sorts of reasons he might have been sold so cheap and none of them are good. Even if he IS a genuine bargain, your problems are only just beginning! Covering mares with a young stallion is NOT for the faint-hearted. KEEPING a young stallion - for someone with no experience of stallions - can be problematic enough! And the costs of keeping a stallion to cover just two mares - totally not on unless you plan to compete him, grade him, and stand him publicly later on.

It's done now - and I hope I'm wrong. But first thing you need to do is get your vet to go over him with a fine tooth comb. I would be particularly concerned about whether both testicles are decended (a cryptorchid is useless as a stallion and very expensive to geld - would be one reason for selling him cheap!)

Echo what others have said about turning him out with ANY other horse unless that's what he's been used to - and even then it would require VERY careful introductions. I have a very laid-back pure Irish Draught colt - aged 2 - who has been running with 2 geldings without trouble since weaning. But it's unlikely to continue much longer as he's starting to harass the geldings!
 
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He will go really nicely over our cob mare next year to produce a nice PC/RC sport horse and hopefully something a little classier over our other mare who is very flashy and by a Grade A herself!!


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Are the mare's registered or graded? I supposed if they are not it makes no difference if the stallion isn't graded either.

I think you're a bit crazy buying a stallion on the spur of the moment, I would have thought long and hard about buying one due to the fact they are not easy to sell on, not easy to keep at livery and not always very easy to handle.

Having handled a stallion before (not my own, it was the yard owners)I see no reason to have one unless you intent to breed from it, alas you do intent to do this. I hope you get him graded before breeding from him and if he doesn't make the grade you make the right choice to geld him asap.
 
Yes I was surprised at the price.

He was kicked as a 2yo on the hock and had a bone chip which has fused back on, so now has a slightly enlarged hock which appears of cosmetic significance only. Although will probably get arthritis in later life. To be honest if we bring him into hard work and it causes problems I'm not bothered as his conformation, movement and jump are so nice that as long as he can still cover our mares that is what we want him for.
If he doens't work out as a stallion we would get him gelded and so long as the hock wasn't a problem he'd be sold as a nice youngster, or I might even keep him myself to play with... I have bought him with my inheritance from my Gran who died last year, so there will be a bit of a sentimental bond there!!

We aren't getting him vetted as at that price if we get a couple of nice foals from our own mares he has paid for himself!!

Magic104 I see your points but I really think you ought to be a bit more tactful about the way you put them, you don't know me or anything about me and you are coming across as looking down your nose at me!!!
I thought this forum was useful for advice, that is why I asked the questions.... before I got him home!! I did point out that we were 1st time stallion owners!!!!

Once we have got him fed up and looking nicely rounded I will definitely consider getting him graded and use him at public stud. But I would be keen for him to prove himself in the ring too, he will do some stuff over the winter and see what he excels at so we can market him accordingly, obviously everything points to SJ but you never know!!

He has been turned out on his own but with other mares and geldings in ajoining fields without having any problems
 
Bearing all this in mind I do think that once he is home you should still get him vetted as, as Ciss has said, this something that will be 100% necessary if you intend to put him forward for grading at a later date. He might well pay for himself with your own foals, etc. but for peace of mind in your own mares as well as if used on outside mare’s then at least if he’s vetted and swabbed clear on all counts then you will know there is reduced risk of passing on anything….

Also, take care with feeding him up…as with any youngster, especially if being broken in now, feeding them up will definitely make him look fab (which you undoubtedly want) BUT it will also potentially make him harder to handle, not only when being ridden but when on the ground as well…and this is where in a big strapping young horse and in his case a stallion…the control will be the biggest issue…especially as being a new owner and indeed as you said, a 1st time stallion owner, that you guys will be getting to know one another and him learning to trust you. Personally, at this stage, as long as he is well in himself and healthy, I would lean towards keeping him a bit lighter (remember as well that being a stallion he might not keep weight on as well as a gelding due to testosterone, etc….I know I couldn’t keep any weight on my boy when a colt and when gelded he turned into a porker…:) ).
 
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He will go really nicely over our cob mare next year to produce a nice PC/RC sport horse and hopefully something a little classier over our other mare who is very flashy and by a Grade A herself!!


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Are the mare's registered or graded? I supposed if they are not it makes no difference if the stallion isn't graded either.

I think you're a bit crazy buying a stallion on the spur of the moment, I would have thought long and hard about buying one due to the fact they are not easy to sell on, not easy to keep at livery and not always very easy to handle.

Having handled a stallion before (not my own, it was the yard owners)I see no reason to have one unless you intent to breed from it, alas you do intent to do this. I hope you get him graded before breeding from him and if he doesn't make the grade you make the right choice to geld him asap.

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No mares aren't graded, can't grade the flashy mare I don't think as she is unlevel due to arthritic changes in her foot from a fracture befrore we got her (Correct me if I'm wrong)We will not use him til next year as he has maturing to do and the winter to prove himself under saddle.

I said a whim but that doesn't mean not hard thought through as we had been looking earlier in the year, but hadn't found anything so both are mares are currently away at stud!

I think I answered all other concerns in my post that I was writing when you posted!!
 
Magic104 I see your points but I really think you ought to be a bit more tactful about the way you put them, you don't know me or anything about me and you are coming across as looking down your nose at me!!!

Fair comment Foxfolly & I did not mean it to sound like I was looking down my nose at you. I do know that the dealer concerned, as do others who would be very careful in taking anything said with anything but a pinch of salt.
 
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