Newsgroups: rec.equestrian
Subject: Re: Stallions
From: Kathie Robinson <KROBIN@MIAMIU.BITNET>
Date: Tuesday, 22 Dec 1992 12:35:23 EST
Organization: Miami University - Academic Computer Service

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>I'm afraid I disagree with you here.  Stallions can be dangerous because
>they are stallions.  Here in my state there is a law that a stallion can

Absolutely!

>> in the long run than to instill proper discipline.  Stallions
>> aren't monsters, they are just horses to the nth degree.

And you can't ever forget that fact for a moment.

>something will trigger them and they turn crazy.  One breeder I know says
>her stallion is absolutely a sweetie until the young colts get about six
>or seven months old.  Then he rages his stall, wanting to get out and kill
>all the potential male rivals.

Mine wants to kill geldings with alot of white on them (go figure).

>The woman I know who was kicked in the head by her 24 year old stallion
>had never had a moment's trouble with him before.  And she had had him all

My first stallion was about 24 when he first displayed a momentary lapse
in good sense and snapped at my face (he missed).  It was spring, mares in
the barn were in heat; my fault for letting my guard down.  The punishment
fit the crime - I never had another problem with him (but I learned MY lesson
too - never relax when handling a stallion).

>As a BREEDER who has two stallions, plus an 'ex' (gelded at 12), my
>question is this, why, unless you are a breeder, do people have

This is also a mystery to me.  If I had one horse, it would never be
a stallion.  I have brood mares and I will not have another stallion
after this one is gone or gelded.  I can breed to good bloodlines from other
breeders.

Having a stallion means never truely being able to relax unless he's confined.
If I take Gus trail riding, I have to be on alert for myself and for every-
body else.  If he is in hand, also, I have to be on alert for myself and for
everyone else.  You have to have a secure turnout; secure stall; competent
handlers.  If you are a small breeder or a single horse owner, it's just not
worth going through the hassles of stallion management.

>Some people keep colts entire until they are old enough to have proven
>themselves as performance horses (or not).  And, some people have an

I don't know, but if I wanted to develop a performance horse, I would
feel like I had one less obstacle if that animal was gelded.

>should keep a stallion except a breeder.  That's *IF* they are
>willing to make sure the horse is handled properly and posess the

IMHO, unless your stabling situation is ideal, you are doing a dis-
service to your riding animal by keeping him entire.  If I was still
in a boarding stable, I would have gelded my stallion along time ago.
One of the reasons I bought my own place is because I wanted a place
where I could keep a stallion without committing him to a lifetime in a
12X24 stall.  The first time I turned him out in his own beautiful big
paddock (full of GRASS, that he could eat without negotiating a lead
rope, all by himself, to pick and choose) he ran and ran and ran.  I'd
known this horse for 11 years and realized he'd never had enough room to
run - I was very moved by the whole thing.  Another immediate observation
was that the grass tickled his feet (I couldn't figure out why he kept
lifting each foot up by turn; he'd barely touch it to the ground and he'd
jerk it back up as though the ground was hot!).