Yards accepting stallions?

[Rollin]

Out of interest how many forum members use yards which do not accept stallions?

We have two stallions on this farm and only electric fencing, except roadside which is post and rail.


All of the trainers we use in France have mares and stallions on the yard. If we are on holiday, I can find stallion livery at numerous centres. I know that even a really good dressage centre in the UK will only take mares for winter training because they have stallions on the yard. Yesterday our Shagya mare went for her weekly SJ training session, as she came off the box a stallion started shouting for her. This yard has several stallions. When the owner was working with my Shagya stallion, aged four years, the owner's groom worked a mare in the arena at the same time.

Why do UK centres have such a problem with stallions?

 

[ihatework]

I don’t think UK training/competing centres do have an issue.
We regularly compete and train around stallions.

The ‘issue’ is that there is a huge leisure culture in the UK. With the majority of leisure/hobby riders utilising DIY yards or similar. These yards generally aren’t suited to stallions because of a combination of facilities, routine and experience of the other liveries.

 

[milliepops]

Agree with IHW ^

I regularly see stallions competing in the same classes as me. But I can't think of a single "average" livery yard that I know round me that would accept one. The place where I am now would have a complete fit if I wanted to keep one! Different for those stabled at more professional set ups or at home.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I struggled to find decent livery when my horse was a stallion a lot of them just didn't have a turnout set up for stallions, and a lot of liveries would say they didn't want there horses turned out near a stallion, so I think a lot of yard owners just don't have them for an easier life.


My horse was kept in a field at one yard with a normal height electric fence with geldings and mares all turned out nearby and he never once tried to get out and never caused any issue, most of the issues I had were other liveries doing stupid things around him with there horses.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I show stallions and my ponies are never an issue. It's the complete and utter senseless morons around you that are the problem! I keep mine at home but I would be worried about them on a livery yard because of what other people would do and how they would react.

There is a big taboo about stallions in this country. They are very rare kept as pleasure animals and are seen as wild and dangerous. But it's the people around them that make them that way. A lot are secluded away and live very lonely, solitary lives which is why they behave like pita's when they do go out and about in company.

Mine live with other colts/stallions/geldings. If they have been with mares they spend a week by themselves to sort their heads out then they go back out with their mates. They are really clever, pleasant ponies to deal with.

 

[Kaylum]

Our riding school use to be on a stud farm. No problem whatsoever next to the stallions.

 

[Mule]

Isn't it more common to keep them stabled year round on the continent? If they're not out roaming about in herds then there's no bother with fencing, etc

 

[PapaverFollis]

Having been on a yard with a resident stallion and watching some particularly stupid behaviour by other liveries with their mares I can well see why the average DIY yard wouldn't want to have stallions on.

 

[KittenInTheTree]

Our yard allows them, with the caveat that the owners are responsible for sorting appropriate fencing, etc.

 

[Chinchilla]

Most of the yards around me do not accept stallions and several won't take anything under 2 either.
I am not sure why, but most also don't offer DIY livery, only part or full, so maybe it is to do with not being able to find staff with the relevant experience.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I used to take entires for production and backing, as EKW says, it's not the horses generally but the mindless idiots around that either cause issues, or flap about squeaking 'it's a stallion, it's a stallion'.

Never ever had a problem with the boys, but did eject a couple of Muppet livery owners, for not sticking to yard rules, one who even let her mare sniff over a young lads door, as 'she wanted to make friends' and thrn she screamed the place down when the lad started huffing....... argggghhh! Eejits!

 

[Arzada]

I used to take entires for production and backing, as EKW says, it's not the horses generally but the mindless idiots around that either cause issues, or flap about squeaking 'it's a stallion, it's a stallion'.

Never ever had a problem with the boys, but did eject a couple of Muppet livery owners, for not sticking to yard rules, one who even let her mare sniff over a young lads door, as 'she wanted to make friends' and thrn she screamed the place down when the lad started huffing....... argggghhh! Eejits!

It works both ways. Been on two yards each with one resident stallion. One yard the binder twine 'securing' the gate of the stallion's field was not tied so he roamed = two livery mares 'covered'. The follow up vet visits weren't pleasant for the mares or their owners. Other yard stallion tied up outside mares' stables with grill walls ...

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

It works both ways. Been on two yards each with one resident stallion. One yard the binder twine 'securing' the gate of the stallion's field was not tied so he roamed = two livery mares 'covered'. The follow up vet visits weren't pleasant for the mares or their owners. Other yard stallion tied up outside mares' stables with grill walls ...

I get that, but this was (still is) my own yard, with everything secure and safe.
When you have people who are so thick/rude/obtuse that they go into a secure area where they were banned from taking horses, cause an ugly scene and then moan, it's time to call it a day with such eejits.

 

[TheMule]

We run a full liveyr yard and have our own stallion, have some in for training sometimes and would have another on livery if it was a nice horse. It's just about being aware of potential situations so mares aren't led past the stable and people know to take care when riding together

 

[Arzada]

I get that, but this was (still is) my own yard, with everything secure and safe.
When you have people who are so thick/rude/obtuse that they go into a secure area where they were banned from taking horses, cause an ugly scene and then moan, it's time to call it a day with such eejits.

I get that - we called it a day on both yards because we couldn't trust the owners like you couldn't trust your liveries ...

 

[Annieryan]

I was on a liberty yard where there was one. The owner didn’t have a clue and became a dangerous situation for my horse to be in. The owner got very friendly with the ym hence why I left

 

[Gallop_Away]

Our yard has two. The owner breeds section Ds and has her own stallion. Another livery also has a stallion on the yard. The one belonging to the livery is one of the most well mannered horses you could ever meet!

 

[conniegirl]

our livery yard does not allow stallions, however the rules can be bent for people that the yard owner considers to be sensible and who will teach thier stallion manners!

I was considering a colt and she was more than happy for me to have him on the yard but has said no to others in the past.

 

[Equi]

My yard has brood mares so enevtiably has colts sometimes and they never cause an issue. But I’m not sure they would actually take a stallion livery.

 

[Nasicus]

Why? Because a lot of people who own stallions should never be allowed near a one, let alone own one. People who coop the poor sods up 24/7 except to be ridden because they didn't bother to consider if anywhere around them have the facilities for a stallion, make a massive fuss over the stallion being OHMIGOSH STALLION, putting the wind up everyone else and making them think the stallion is the problem. The ones who come suddenly thundering down the yard, being dragged along by a prancing stallion in a chifney with his head up and tail high, all the whilst screeching 'GET OUT THE WAY, STALLION COMING THROUGH!'. I've had some interesting experiences, can you tell?

The best behaved stallions I know are the ones with owners who understand that yes, he is entire, but do not let him use that as an excuse to be rude and obnoxious. The ones who find suitable turnout arrangements and where possible, suitable company for him. The ones where you wouldn't know it was a stallion in it's day to day life unless you asked (or looked hah!).

 

[Ddraig_wen]

I think only one maybe two yards round here will take stallions or colts. When I took liveries I didn't mind them at all as long as the owners were sensible. There's still 2 here but I won't take any more unless the owners have a brain.

I have my own stallion and have had them in to back and produce and have had more problems with liveries with mares being silly than anything else. Standing mares outside the big lads box for a brush. Opening the top door (weaving grill on just in case) to say hi without permission then screaming and shouting that he's trying to get to the mare and various other silliness.
They were asked to leave.

I'm lucky Ive got the space and far away enough from other horses that they can be out 24/7 if they want / need to be and they have a friend or friends.

 

[HeyMich]

The yard where my mare came from had a stallion there as a livery, and I felt so sorry for him! He was in an isolated box but right by the barn door, so all mares (whether in season or not) had to walk right past his stable to be turned out or ridden. He squealed and kicked out for them all!

Then, when he was (very occasionally) allowed out in the field, he would regularly jump gates and fences. The YO never really knew or admitted which mares may have been accidentally covered either!

For the first 11 months after I bought my mare, I was never 100% sure that I wouldn't end up with a surprise addition...

 

[Sophire]

I think as others have said it boils down to the culture of the yard. I'd be livid if my YO allowed stallions on our yard because it's half full of numpties who don't have a clue and would put themselves or the poor horse in danger. Both of my mares have been on yards with stallions for short periods of time in the past. One when she came to work and then uni with me and the other again went to work when I was house-sitting. It was never a problem for any of the horses involved as the yards were all well managed and people/ liveries very aware and sensible.

 

[pennyturner]

A well socialised stallion can behave just like any other horse. In much of the world it is a stallion which you will see pulling a cart or ploughing a field. Sadly most livery set-ups in the UK are leisure yards with bored, underworked horses standing in for much of the day, which just isn't appropriate. Entire horses need either turnout and socialisation or lots of hard work. Ideally both!

 

[LaurenBay]

I have never been on a yard that accepts them.

When I did some work experience at a stud for a year, I worked with all 3 of their stallions and they were lovely. Some of the mares however were downright rude to handle! There was a particular stallion there that used to be William Funnels Showjumper and he was so sweet and gentle, even when mares were next to him.

 

[Inda]

Currently we have 6, ranging from 26yr to a few months old. Two of the stallions run with their own breeding herds, the livery field which is currently mostly mares between them. The 26yr old is taken between his field and stable for his evening feed with just a lead rope round his neck.

The others are running in a separate herd with a couple of geldings and two barren mares.

We have no issues, apart from one of the stallions not liking a particular sheep. I don't know if it's due to them all being PREs. the YO swears the PRE stallions are just like handling a mare.

 

[Pinkvboots]

The yard where my mare came from had a stallion there as a livery, and I felt so sorry for him! He was in an isolated box but right by the barn door, so all mares (whether in season or not) had to walk right past his stable to be turned out or ridden. He squealed and kicked out for them all!

Then, when he was (very occasionally) allowed out in the field, he would regularly jump gates and fences. The YO never really knew or admitted which mares may have been accidentally covered either!

For the first 11 months after I bought my mare, I was never 100% sure that I wouldn't end up with a surprise addition...

this really upsets me when stallions are kept locked up if I think if they cant cope with living a normal life around other horses they should be gelded its just not fair on them, at previous breeding yards I have been on if a colt starts jumping out or acting dangerously they were cut end of.

 

[SO1]

We have 3 on our yard. I think the problem is most yards do not have suitable turnout for stallions. They can't be turned out next to mares & most people don't want a stallion in with their geldings. This means you need individual turnout not next to mares & maybe not next to another stallion either or turned out in a field next to the school.

In other European countries where horses are stabled more then it might be easier to accommodate them.

 

[Blazingsaddles]

It’s to do with the facilities. If you can keep the mares/fillies & the colts/stallions in separate barns with separate turnout there shouldn’t be a problem. Most yards aren’t set up for it though. As the owner of mares, I wouldn’t be happy if some randy colt made a play for my mare due to inadequate stabling/paddock arrangements.

 

[Chinchilla]

The thing that horrifies me about this thread is the things people are saying the mare owners are doing! Get it into your thick skulls that every single mare on the planet is an absolute tart, and doubly so if she's in season, so therefore keep her away from the stallion!? Not to mention teach them to behave omg.

Oh. My. God. *facepalms*