Riding / competing stallions

[juliehannah58]

Wondered what your views are on this subject....

I rode my trainers stallion on Saturday, he was excellent and very straight-forward, albeit getting a bit noisy and excited when a group of mares were lead past the arena. He's only 4 BTW.

This was the first time I have ever ridden a stallion, but I mainly ride mares which my trainer seemed to think was a good base for stallions...We are looking to start competing him and I wondered if anyone has found any specific problems or has tips for competing and riding stallions in general? In warm up's etc?

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts, at the moment I think the biggest problem will be his attention span if there are any nice looking mares around.....

 

[PiaffeRM]

I've competed a few stallions in the past with very little problem. the only thing that sticks in my mind is to keep your distance!

easier said than done sometimes in a crowded warm up.

 

[henryhorn]

We've competed two and have a few basic rules. they always started off having a different bit at home for covering so they knew there was likely to be none of that when their other bridle was put on.
You should nver leave them outside the box unless they have two leadropes on, one to a piece of string, one to the ring, so that if the first breaks, at least you have a chance of keeping them. It goes without saying you have to stay around..
We use a dead electric fence and four posts round the stallion tied to the box, this is because although he is well mannered, idiots have a habit of bringing their in season mares to stand next to him otherwise.
We always tell the collecting ring steward or XC starter because if you fall off, it's trouble. CCJ fell off twice, once he ran away and she called him and the daft horse turned round and came back to her, the second someone grabbed him quickly.
The worst bit is usually the collecting ring, where people will even run into the back of you to stop.
You have to wear stallion bridle tags at all aff comps, but we do anyway even PC HT's, it's not fair not to warn people and give them the chance to keep their distance.
Travelling ours both travelled happily with geldings, neither would with a mare.
Ours is only a three horse box so better in a huge one which would give you space between them.
We did try Chocx with Layla, he got out at the other end having smashed the window guards , climbed half way over the partition and was an absolute bastard to handle all day.. We didn't try that again, tho apparently stuffing vic up their nostrils lessens the excitement factor..
You are always safer on board than leading, and we always lead in a bridle , C stays on him after the Xc right back to the box for that reason, she needs to be in control so dismounts back there.
Stallions are only as good as the people handling them, the trick is treat them as ordinary horses but with firmness and awareness that they can literally fire up sexually in seconds.. so the handler should always know where other horses are in relation to the stallion and don't go grazing in a headcollar and leadrope, always use a lunge line.
To be truthful it's normally people with mares that have problems, it's tactical to go and ride next to your rival mare in a jump off in the collecting ring, that soon put the mare off!!!! (joke...)
As for attention span, make it very clear from the start he has to concentrate, otherwise you're stuffed..