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Are stallions trouble?

9K views 78 replies 36 participants last post by  secret5 
#1 ·
I've wanted to raise a colt to become a stallion for a long time now, but I keep getting crap from my girl friend about having a stallion.

I am just wondering if stallions are really that hard to keep and deal with?

In my opinion especially if you raise it that it couldn't be as bad as my girl friend makes it out to be.

PS the horse pictured on the side is my horse.... I came this close
| | to saving his balls.. but my girl friend got to him.
 
#2 ·
I'd say "no".

As long as you care for the horse, socialize him well when he's young and manageable, and you work with him and train him, I see no problem with having a stallion. A stallion's just a horse with another name. I'd check out the bloodlines first though, because some bloodlines have stallions known for being hot-headed.

Otherwise, just train the horse well, don't leave him alone, and give him plenty of exercize, and you've got a great horse on your hands!
 
#3 ·
It would also be a very good idea to get a horse that is worth keeping as a stallion. There's no point in keeping a stallion if it's never going to be good enough to breed. Waiting for a performance record is one thing, but if it's got bad conformation it's never going to be the kind of sire that betters the breed.

You're going to have to make sure it's extremely well-trained and put in all the extra precautions that are necessary for your safety, your horse's, and any other horses he'll come across.
 
#5 ·
Unless your colt has exceptional breeding, conformation, training, and is registered, then the only reason not to geld him is ego. If your prospect is just average then why do you want to breed him? Market conditions today makes an average colt or filly worth very little if anything. Go to an auction and see what they bring.

Stallions need to be handled differently then mares or geldings. They can not be kept together and he needs different fencing. If you intend to keep him in the wire fencing as in your avatar then you are going to have a good deal of trouble at best and/or a lot of vet bills at worse. When it comes time for him to breed, he will do anything he can to get out and no one better be in his way. Are there exceptions? Of course, but it takes a lifetime commitment to his training, handling, and his potential as breeding stock not ego.
 
#6 ·
I am aware of the reasons to breed or not to breed... I just wanted to know how hard it was to keep a stallion. My horse scout does have good lines more so from his dad. His sire is Fames Sonata he is a true Homoyzygous Pinto stallion. He was tested and certified by the University of Kentucky for the tobiano pinto gene which means he is a 100% pinto color producer. He’s also SCID Clear.

“Sonny” has had two years of professional training for Pleasure Driving and Country English Pleasure and has placed as Champion, Reserve Champion and Top 10 in these disciplines and Halter. He is Triple Registered National Show Horse, Pinto and Renai and is a NSH Nominated Stallion. He is also a Nominated Stallion for the Show Horse Alliance. He could be Sweepstakes nominated.

Knowing that while my horse had his balls is why I was considering keeping them.
 
#8 ·
I don't think they're necessarily trouble, but you have to remember his personality is going to be different from your average mare/gelding. ;) I think with the proper training he can become a great horse. But remember some stallions can be high-strung & only care about mares rather than doing work. But it TRULY depends on the individual horse.
 
#9 ·
I have seen both kinds of stallions.  One that is kept totally by himself and not allowed to be near other horses are far more likely to cause trouble.   I have a sweet darling of a Stallion, he is gentle and easy to handle even when there are mares in season. but He is an exceptional stallion.   He is kept in a ajoining pen next to the mares and geldings. I don't need stronger fencing just higher or else an electric fence ..The only draw back that I see owning him is that he has to be in a pen by himself.  I don't have him running with the mares and geldings in the pasture, so have to feed/water etc. which makes him more work than the others.  I don't use him much anymore for breeding and at 20 I don't think gelding him would do much good. 
 
#10 ·
It depends upon the horse. I have seen stallions wilder than WILD!! I just bought a stallion, expecting him to be a bit of a challenge, but he is very laid-back, so much that people sometimes mistake him as a gelding!
Just test him. Begin training, and if he proves too much to handle, and you're sure its because of his manhood, chop 'em off!
 
#11 ·
iridehorses said:
Unless your colt has exceptional breeding, conformation, training, and is registered, then the only reason not to geld him is ego. If your prospect is just average then why do you want to breed him? Market conditions today makes an average colt or filly worth very little if anything. Go to an auction and see what they bring.

Stallions need to be handled differently then mares or geldings. They can not be kept together and he needs different fencing. If you intend to keep him in the wire fencing as in your avatar then you are going to have a good deal of trouble at best and/or a lot of vet bills at worse. When it comes time for him to breed, he will do anything he can to get out and no one better be in his way. Are there exceptions? Of course, but it takes a lifetime commitment to his training, handling, and his potential as breeding stock not ego.
I COMPLETELY agree!! Thank you!! :D:D

Please read my thoughts here:
http://www.horseforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=13655
 
#12 ·
JustDressageIt said:
I COMPLETELY agree!! Thank you!! :D:D

Please read my thoughts here:
http://www.horseforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=13655
You do appear to be on a mission here JDI. :lol:

I had asked on the other thread who owns a stallion on this site but I fear anyone that does would be fearful of raising their hand. :?
 
#13 ·
How did this ego thing ever come up? I never thought of keeping him a stallion because of my ego... I wanted to keep him a stallion to breed him because his dad is an exceptional horse as well as his mother. All I wanted to know is if they were hard to handle or if people made them out to be harder than they really were.
 
#14 ·
'His mom and dad were good horses.'

Not a reason to breed a horse. There are PLENTY of nice horses, that can actually do something.


"He was tested and certified by the University of Kentucky for the tobiano pinto gene which means he is a 100% pinto color producer. He’s also SCID Clear."

Also, plenty of these. Color is NEVER a reason to breed a horse. Ever. This is why SO many nice paints are being shipped to mexico. 'He was homozygous!' ...so? There are plenty of colored babies.

"“Sonny” has had two years of professional training for Pleasure Driving and Country English Pleasure and has placed as Champion, Reserve Champion and Top 10 in these disciplines and Halter."

In... what? 4H? I'm not trying to be mean, but in what? Unless the show is a BIG DEAL, then it DOESN'T MATTER.

"He is Triple Registered National Show Horse, Pinto and Renai and is a NSH Nominated Stallion. He is also a Nominated Stallion for the Show Horse Alliance. He could be Sweepstakes nominated."

Also, not reasons to breed a horse.

This is the problem: Exceptional means exceptional anywhere, not just in your town or your state. This is why we have so, so many horses going to slaughter.

Not saying your boy is necessarily bad, just that the reasons you stated... none are worth 'keeping his balls'.

With that being said, yes stallions can be a pain. But it's not their fault, it's the handler's fault--you have to be a GOOD horse trainer to handle most stallions. If you get them 'professionally' trained by someone else... then you better hope he's good-natured, because he won't be in a while after he comes home from that 'professional trainer!'
 
#16 ·
also.. if those are not good reasons to breed a horse... I'd sure like to know your reasons.

And to those people who do breed... if there are so many horses going to "mexico" for slaughter then they in the heck are people breeding to start with..

please don't talk to me like I'm some hill billy breeding horses for no reason.

"you don't know me"
 
#17 ·
I think a more direct answer to your thread topic is, yes. Stallions are trouble.

I don't think anyone is accusing you of being a BYB hill-billy. Breeding is a sensitive topic. My thoughts are that if your horse is not seen as "fantabulous" (thank you Van Morrisonby :) ) by the highest standards, just geld him. I also agree that breeding for color is closed minded.

God, there are just so many unwanted horses in the world. If I were in your shoes, I'd be concerned about potentially contributing.
 
#18 ·
I don't think breeding for color is close minded... if you want a paint you want a paint... you want what you want... The horse I have now Scout my avatar is a pinto when I was looking for a horse to buy... I was really interested in only a pinto/paint... I don't see anything wrong with that.


Not to mention I bought him from a lady who didn't want him anymore... for 500 bucks... so if you ask me I bought one of those "unwanted" horses.

And for the people who keep COMPLAINING about the rest of the country breeding horses should mind there own Business. The world is not perfect so why should all of the horses be?
 
#19 ·
I don't know enough about American shows to say whether or not your horse is of breeding quality, so I'm not going to make a judgement about your stallion.

But while a nice colour can improve a horse with good conformation and a strong performance record, it's not going to fix sickle hocks or an inability to perform. Colour on its own can't improve the breed; it has to be the icing on the cake.

Sure, the world's not perfect, but if you breed only the best horses, you a) cut down on the massive equine overpopulation problem the US has and b) make it so that even the cheapest horses are sound with good conformation and temperaments. There is no need or demand for ugly, badly-put-together horses.
 
#20 ·
Well the biggest problem for most people with "other" people breeding is... some people will just never be happy. I could breed a great horse with another great horse and produce another great horse, but john doe down the road still might think I was ignorant for doing it. As far as breeding goes sure I agree only people who know what they are doing "should" do it... but this is America and that is not going to be the case. Unless your horse is going to mexico I don't suggest telling other people they shouldn't breed there horse.
 
#21 ·
I see absolutely NOTHING wrong with keeping a horse a stallion even IF you're not planning to breed.

And sure... a lot of people have problems with breeding horses that aren't exactly world championship winners. Let me say something to them:

As long as you're not breeding two completely and utterly ugly and extremely sick horses, and you're not overbreeding, why CAN'T you want a foal!?? What is so bad about it?

Sure... overbreeding is happening a lot in owners who really don't know much about horses, and just want a cute foal around (until it grows up). There's the same problem with puppies. What do you do? Encourage to spay and neuter, or, if people really do want that, be RESPONSIBLE.

The biggest problem is responsibility, not the fact that you're breeding a stallion to a mare. And if people are responsible, why can't they breed?

Seems to me like a lot of you on here assume that stallions are trouble, and the horse has to be a world champion if it's to be a stallion.

My word to you ScoutRacer is this: If you want a stallion. Get a stallion. But just don't be stupid.

My words to everyone else is: As long as he's not hurting the horse, or being "stupid" as I said before, MIND your OWN business. If he wants to breed his stallion once or twice, that's his business. Not yours. It only becomes your business if he's being "stupid".
 
#22 ·
Mind your own business? C'mon, if this is a forum, and if these topics are brought up , then it is OUR business. These kinds of discussions are good, and I'm glad we're having it.

Just because we live in "America" doesn't give us the right to use that as an excuse to be cocky and so sure of ourselves. This country is built on theory, not practice, and we sure as hell aren't a "free country". Please stop using "America" as a way to back up your point.

Of course, anyone who is breeding anything is going to go ahead and do it no matter what. Some people want to breed MORE animals. I do not approve of any breeding of animals that don't have purpose, or are over populated. Like I said in another thread, I wish I had a bumper sticker that said "Spay, Neuter, Geld".

If you want to breed your $500 stallion for color (and for his other "top of the line" qualities), then of course, no one can stop you. But keep in mind, if you attempt a topic like this on a forum, HUNDREDS of people will read it and have a reaction. Breeding of any animal is a heated topic. Be prepared for some criticism.
 
#23 ·
I had never used "america" as an excuse. I may have lived the first eight years of my life the States, but I no longer live there.

OK... so breeding's a heated argument. And I don't see why.

If we never bred, you'd never have that pony in your backyard. I'm not saying that we need to go out of control, but if someone feels they have a decent horse, and the horse is getting older, and they want to keep the lines going, why can't they breed?


Like I said before, it seems to me like a lot of people are saying that the only horses that can be bred are world champions. And you want to know something? Some people dont' want a world champion. They want a sweet horse that they can raise on their own.
 
#25 ·
Sure. I never said that there was any lack of horses. I'm just saying that some people want the horse that they already own. Or their offspring.

And a stallion is still a horse. So please stop all your bigotry of them.

You guys can debate the breeding as much as you want. I'm out of that part of it.
 
#26 ·
thank you vet girl. I agree with you. I was starting to feel like I was the only one that felt that a stallion does not have to be a world champion to be bred. I don't see why it would be wrong for me to mate my $500 dollar horse with another $500 dollar horse... even if there are to many horses in the country. I also don't see why breeding has to be such a hotted topic with people. Why should they care if I'm breeding my worthless horse what does it matter to them. As long as I take care of it and do what I'm supposed to...

More than anything I think the people who have the problems with people breeding are the people who are stuck up. Like Vet girl said not everyone wants a world champ, and not everyone wants a perfect horse that costs 10,000 dollars.
 
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