Stallions on yards...

_MizElz_

_MizElz_

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What is the 'norm' for keeping a stallion on a yard where there are mares and geldings? Both in terms of stabling and field arrangements...

Over the years I've come across several set-ups that have surprised me - I always thought that stallions had to be kept well away from mares and geldings - but when I did some work experience at a very well known and prestigious yard, I was shocked to find a stallion stabled next to a mare (and subsequently often tied up beside her), and turned out with geldings - and also ridden in a ride with both mares and geldings by a complete novice.

A couple of years ago when we were looking for a livery yard for my girl, we went to one place that seemed lovely, but were put off when we were told that although there was individual turnout, a stallion was turned out right next to both mares and geldings with only a single strand of electric fencing separating them.

Another place I know of also has individual turnout with a stallion turned out among both mares and geldings, although he cannot actually touch any other horses and his paddock is fenced with the 7/8ft high multi-stranded electric fencing.

I have to admit that all three examples surprise me slightly, but am I just over reacting? I was always of the impression that stallions had to be kept well away from other horses, but is this just a misguided view?

I'd be interested in people's thoughts on all three of the scenarios I have described....
 
Basically our set up is a massive hedge on either side of the stallion paddock and then a double row of fencing between the front of the paddock and the track


Hope that makes sense!

Editied cos it's stupid and wouldn't let me do my diagram!
 
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My stallions over the years were stabled next to mares and would travel together to shows etc, no problems there, also ridden with mares and geldings - if they have manners this is not a problem at all.
Turnout is a bit more complicated, but as long as fenced high enough, it should be ok.
Mine had their own paddocks, shared with a gelding or 2.
 
My friend had a stallion on my yard a couple of years ago and it wasnt a bit of bother. She has one stable for her two horses, the other was a mare. The stallion was in during the day and the mare in at night, never any issues with sharing the same stable and he was stabled next to the others. Admittedly the stallion went out on his own, but that was because it was my boys that were the problem! They all decided to play stallions and charge about bucking and rearing. The actual stallion just muched away on his grass. The fencing was just bog standard post and rail seperating them. TBH you would never have known he was a stallion, he was so well behaved, docile and loved having fuss. My friend used to lie in the stable with him when he was asleep!
 
The stallion at our yard is treated pretty much like any other horse. I think it's when you start treating stallions differently that they start acting differently... obvious a certain amount of care has to be taken, but if you treat them normally from day one, they are easy to manage and no problem at all.

The stallion on our yard is kept in a stable on the end of a block, but on the block are both mares and geldings. He is turned out in a secure paddock and the fields (indivudual turnout) are often arranged so that there is minimal risk of him escaping to get at a mare, but he is allowed to be turned out in view of other horses. He's also ridden regularly with mares, in show rings, and he isn't a problem.

The only time there is an issue is occasionally one horse might particularly wind him up. Like at the moment we have a newly cut gelding in who is still displaying stallion tendancies, and the stallion was box walking, so the little gelding got put around the back in another block of stables, and everything was fine again. And if we were to have another stallion on the yard, that would wind him up so he would have to be stabled accordingly.
 
Sometimes it really depends on the stallion, IMO it is really nice to be able to keep a stallion as naturally as possible, think of the lonely existance they must lead if completely segregated. That said, you obviously still have to be sensible.

A friend of mine has a competition stallion, he stables by mares, he travels in lorry by mares and he has mares in sight when turned out (he has a paddock by himself and she keeps geldings adjacent).

One of my horses is currently turned out with a colt as it's friend/nanny which I think is lovely for the colt.
 
I have found the norm to be a stallion kept as a bit of a freak, not turned out etc..this is on big competition or showing yards (where I have only ever come accross stallions)

The happiest stallions I have seen are my friends native, who is turned out all day every day next to horses but with proper stallion fencing and electric (row of electric, then stallion fencing) and he is as happy as larry.
Same goes with my friends beautiful 16.2hh coloured stallion.

The happiest stallion I know is the one who runs with about 20 vanner mares in the paddock close to my yard, he is a big softie, no pent up aggression, and sex on tap!!
 
Our friend has a competition yard, with a stallion of his own, one on training livery and frequently has stallions/colts in for schooling.

It's down to common sense really - the 'boys' are on the same yard as mares and geldings, but the mares are not led past them unless unavoidable.

The stallions have three paddocks that are separated from the mares paddocks by the arena and are not led past the mares. They are led in a headcollar with a chain if needed.

But they are expected to work in the arena with mares and behave themselves - I was even asked to work my mare with the trainer while he schooled a 3yo colt so that he could learn some manners.

In our discipline, stallions are mares frequently compete in the same classes and have to work in some small warm up areas, so it's essential that they can be trusted.
But these are happy, well adjusted stallions that lead a normal life and can be handled by anyone with a bit of horse knowledge.
 
At my old yard the stallion was kept in a yard with mares, but was not stabled or tied up directly next to them. He was never turned out properly, only put in a round pen. He was expected to ride with/past mares.
 
There are several colts at the yard (racehorses) I keep my horse on, all are between 2 and 3yo. They are stabled next to mares, go on the walked next to them, are exercised with them and are turned out next to them when they have their summer holiday.

They don't seem to cause any problems for our livery geldings or mares. They also sometimes enter the various competitions our YO puts on (SJ usually) so they work in with other horses with no problems.
 
I kept my pre entire for the first 6 months not a dot of trouble, only got him cut as I dont have anyone to help me with him at shows etc. He was out every day next to geldings with post and rail fence and a row of high electric fencing. It makes a happier horse if they are out I think the brits can be a bit anal about stallions sometimes its how they are handled, if people are scared of them then they will be dominent. Nice to read such lovely posts.
 
I went to the mendip stud in somerset (a western stables and QH/Appy stud) with my uni riding club, everything was kept in one big american barn, stallions, mares, youngstock (lovely big area with older foals in!) and visiting mares. Even the covering area was in the same building. I think there were 2 stallions in there at the time and they were just the same as any other horse. One of them was even in our demo and was tied up next to mares and the most well behave out of all the horses!
 
The stallion i took my mare to lives out most of the year with mares and geldings, mares he has covered, older baren mares, older horses and youngstock
I think its best to treat them just as you would any other horse, within reason of course
We also have a 2yr old colt covering 2 ponies in the field with a baren mare and 3 big geldings in too, they all get along just fine :)
I think also that when you start treating them differently they get the stereotypical problems people associate with stallions :/
 
it depends a great deal on the stallion. When I kept all my ponies/horses at my friends yard we had up to three stallions on the yard at one time. There was the resident stallio, mature, used regularly ridden and shown. He was stabled between two mares - one of which was a veeeery squirty mare! He was very well behaved, still a stallion, but good. He travelled in a trailer with mares and geldings, and was turned out overnight - the others generally coming inat night. He was turned out with his mares to cover too.

Another long standing resident was a Welsh - slightly less well behaved that the other one, but had froma youngster and turned out with another native gelding all his life, and with electric between them and other horses and ponies.

The older one did once jump out into the neighbouring farm but this was high spirits rather than malace - no horses there at all!

Often stallions get bad press but some of them should never be allowed to keep their bits!

Also, worked at a Dressage yard, which had a stallion, stabled on normal yard, within mares and geldings and turned out in a field on his own but within sight of others, with normal fencing.

No incidents at all with any of these arrangements over a period of several years.
 
I guess it depends on the stallion himself. If it is calm and 'normal' thn why not let it out in the field with geldings? However, th stallion i have seen on the yard where i am was a bit tapped up there! and subsequently had to stay in. Not nice for him. So, had to be cut, but i think it really depends on the horse!
 
where i trained there were a handful of stallions. they had boxes with a nice view of the whole yard, some stabled next to mares others geldings depends on the stallion. they would work around other horses most days or hack with mares if needed and there was a stallion paddock with super high fencing and hedging. obviously the younger ones took a bit of handling but once they got used to it they were spirited but OK.
 
I had a gelding who thought he had all of his bits. He was an absolute nightmare - we couldnt have him in the large fields with all the other horses!
 
We had an Arab Stallion who lived at ours for a year. He belonged to some friends who lost their yard.

He had extra high double fencing around his field, and his paddock was next to other geldings. In the stable, he was at the far bottom of the barn, and the other geldings were next to him. The mares were stabled at the top of the barn, so as far away as possible.

There were never any problems. If the mares were in the stables when he was being led out of his, then someone would stand by the mares to make sure they didn't sniff him as he walked past!
 
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