Stallions

[pistolpete]

To those that have ridden stallions. Best and worst thing about having them? I know the obvious but anything else? Looking at one tomorrow. He could be gelded but he’s 13. Not bothered about mare in next field as he’s never covered. Hacks out has been driven. Thoughts? Thanks.

 

[mariew]

I think a problem would be finding a yard who would accept a stallion and get any kind of decent turnout. I haven't really handled a stallion other than riding them so no other advice!

 

[hock]

Just hard work and if you want to move them finding a spot for them. Generally speaking everything is just a bit harder, there’s always exceptions to the rules though. There’s increased risks involved with gelding at that age too, general anaesthetic would be required.

 

[rabatsa]

I have known and ridden three stallions. One Welsh lived and ran with mares full time and was an absolute dude.

One TB, had been used for in hand breeding, stabled next to a gelding and 6-12 hours individual field turnout on a livery yard. He would get very shouty and show offy each spring but then settled and concentrated on his work, both alone and in company.

The third was a disaster waiting to happen. He was a cob that had been on a tether, all seemed fine until he found open fields. To be honest he would still have been a pillock even if he had been a gelding.

 

[I'm Dun]

Unless you have your own place or tons of money to throw at competition type livery then I wouldn't even try and do it. I prefer stallions over mares and geldings, but finding somewhere to keep them is nearly impossible.

 

[Orangehorse]

There are lots of stallions living and competing perfectly OK, but they are usually kept by people with their own land, who can manage the living arrangements. Just because they are stallions doesn't mean they are difficult or dangerous, it depends on how they were brought up and educated. My 14 year old daughter won a prize for a hack on a well known stallion, and we all went out together and he was the best behaved of the lot, even when all his wives came galloping over to the drive fence when we returned from our ride.

On the other hand, some stallions are OK at home but become difficult when out and about and can certainly be dangerous to other horses and their handlers and they are governed by their hormones.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Absolutely no problem on own yard without lodgers but can be a big issue on livery yards, often due to the other owners causing problems, hence why most average yards won't take them.

You can't usually take an entire to RC and never to PC activities.

It's difficult to arrange any stabling for riding holidays and you'll not be able to do most camps.

I'd have an entire any time, but with my current riding lifestyle I'd be very limited with what I'd do (couldn't do rc at all or camp).
Have had a good number in the past.

If everything ticked your boxes then I'd arrange to geld him for a much more easy and versatile life.

 

[Otherwise]

I wouldn't have one unless I had my own place, it can be a nightmare trying to find livery for them and even if you do they can end up leading very isolated lives at a livery yard. I've worked with a number of them, most you wouldn't have noticed they were entire, they would happily hack out alongside mares. A couple would have had much nicer lives as geldings.

 

[teapot]

Livery I think would be your biggest issue!

 

[Courbette]

I have ridden a fair amount of stallions and had one on part loan. The cons are that you are limited in what you can do with them. My loan horse was exceptionally well mannered (had never covered) and I still found people were reluctant to hack out with us and we were not allowed to take part in local riding club events, even those held on our own yard. Many livery yards won’t take them which reduces your options if you need to move or aren’t happy with your original yard.

The pros, I love riding and handling well mannered stallions and find them extremely rewarding to work with. I probably wouldn’t look to have one myself again as there lives can be very limited and the average yard is not set up to keep them. It was also very frustrating not being able to take part in some of our local activities but I know many riding clubs do accept stallions. If you like him and can offer him a good life I wouldn’t let it put you off ?

 

[coblets]

Not to hijack the thread, but people with experience of stallions, have you found stallions who've never covered a mare to be better or worse to handle in company? (Generally speaking)

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Not to hijack the thread, but people with experience of stallions, have you found stallions who've never covered a mare to be better or worse to handle in company? (Generally speaking)

Generally? No difference.
If they haven't been taught manners - as you would usually do with horses and ponies - then you'd be dealing with an ar5e, one that could very well cause problems.

 

[blitznbobs]

In general the ones I’ve ridden are lazy as xxxxx

had one that lived next door to a mare and never tried it on and another that needed double fencing and was a pain in the behind to turn out as he injured himself trying to get out… generally tho I find them very likeable.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I had one years ago would never keep one on livery ever again its just too stressful some people just do the most stupid things around them and potentially puts your horse in danger, and if anything happens the poor stallion gets the blame even when it's someone's stupid actions that has caused the drama.

 

[rara007]

They don’t need to cover to know what mare hormones are! Biggest con would be the laziness. I love him but when the going gets tough (genuine hard work, not ‘just’ doing a bit of dressage/jumping) he looks after number 1 first and there’s no convincing him to give his all. He has to preserve it incase you meet a girl around the corner!

 

[scruffyponies]

Agree with comments about own land vs livery.
I have found them to have a bit more personality than geldings, which can mean quirky (not necessarily in a bad way) or just really personable.
Currently have 2. One is regularly ridden by a 10 year old girl, and will do anything for her. Both are saints to handle and ride BUT were not always so. They both had their 'kevins'. Hunts and fun rides are no problem, and they'll ride out with anything, but PC will not normally allow them without a personal approval from the DC.

 

[Polos Mum]

As well as above I think local competing is a total pain (more through other peoples panic attack rather than anything the poor horse does).

I know of one who has impeccable manners and was lovely to ride when I rode him. He was treated like an alien with the plague when he when to a RC local dressage (he'd check in advance it was OK to bring him) hysterical behaviour from the organisers, literally screaming and panicking which put everyone off and he was generally made to feel unwelcome and miserable. If they had just gone and not mentioned it nobody would have been aware unless they happened to have a good look at his undercarriage.

 

[PSD]

As above, livery would be your biggest issue. I personally wouldn’t entertain one unless it was young and could be gelded. I wouldn’t bother gelding a 13 year old

 

[Gloi]

I've had two. The first was an utter Dobbin in winter when you could do anything with him but come spring he was hard work and full of hormones. That said he was full of presence in the ring and always did really well. He could be a pita though at times. I sold him to a showing home and he carried on winning.
The other one was the opposite. He had run with mares as a youngster and had learnt to be exceptionally respectful of them. He was fab to ride - forward, interested in the world a fearless jumper and always really happy natured and loved people.I took him to dressage and jumping ,working hunter and driving rallies and nobody would have known he was a stallion even in the busiest collecting ring. I loved that pony sadly had to sell due to work commitments and he went to work in a pair pulling a carriage for weddings. I'd have another like him any day.
I kept them on a yard that was also a stud.

 

[teddy_]

Not to hijack the thread, but people with experience of stallions, have you found stallions who've never covered a mare to be better or worse to handle in company? (Generally speaking)

Personally, after producing and owning a non-covering stallion, I can safely say he didn't really know he was a stallion at all . He could turn out next to geldings and mares with no bother however, that doesn't mean to say every stallion that doesn't know what it's about would be the same.

At the stud farm where I was based, there were some actively covering stallions who could be ridden in company and some that absolutely could not.

I don't think it's something you can generalise on. Stallions also tend to get more fruity at certain times of year... Naturally!

 

[The Irish Draft 2022]

Don’t waste your time op chances are the owner wants to keep him a stallion especially if he is 14. You be better off buying a gelding . Also with a horse that age you don’t just cut his balls off you have to get him flushed out. Most livery yard won’t take a horse that has only been castrated or cut late .