breeding new stallion

[Minimor]

Kay, I would have no reservations at all about buying a breeding from a stallion that has no foals on the ground, assuming that I like the horse and his breeding and I feel he has qualities that will cross well with my mare. I have, after all, acquired all of my breeding stallions as foals and so they have been unproven sires when I began breeding with them. If they didn't grow up the way I thought they would when I bought them then they wouldn't have been used for breeding. The only thing with paying for an outside breeding on an unproven stallion is I would want a contract that covers the possibility that the stallion is sterile & cannot breed mares, and I would want to know that the stallion handler is experienced with young stallions, to ensure that my mare will be properly handled and precautions are taken so that the stallion won't be likely to hurt her.

Certainly an untrained young stallion isn't the best choice for an inexperienced owner/handler but lack of foals on the ground wouldn't put me off of buying or leasing. ( After all, with Mini stallions especially, you can have a stallion that throws a fairly consistant type, and then on any given mare he comes up with something entirely different.)

 

[Matt73]

We have an awesome stallion. But we decided to lease a stallion to get new lines, Holy Molly!! He is as sweet as the come. But he is young and has not bred much. When we put him in with the mare he was trying to kill her. He freaked. He broke my husbands thumb and frac his wrist. What should I do. All my mare have foals by thier side. What is the best way to do this?? Or should I ust return him and cut my loss????

I'm assuming you're just turning him out with the mares. Hand breed him! A young stallion, IMHO, shouldn't just be turned out with mares; he's lucky it wasn't the other way around and HE wasn't attacked. If he becomes agressive with the mare, circle him -don't discipline by hitting...you may make things worse-. Keep circling him until he understands that he must "treat her like a lady" before he can mount. Once he sniffs and snorts, and she responds, then let him mount. Don't let him ravage the mares...you...or your husband or you are in for a battle.

No! Circling is a HORRIBLE habit for stallions to learn. NEVER circle a stallion, and if you HAVE to, do it in a very wide arc or to the RIGHT (aka with you on the outside). Never, ever, allow a stallion to circle you with you in the middle. Always circle to the right.

I will discipline with a chain or whip if they get aggressive or dangerous. He's allowed to be a stallion, to talk, nicker, jump around a little bit, nibble, strike, etc, but in no circumstances is he EVER allowed to savage (bite in an aggressive manner), kick, strike at a human or directly at the mare, circle, or EVER get butt-to-butt. If he's too aggressive, and if he's truely worth breeding, he needs to go to a professional.

As far as chains, EVERY stallion I handle gets a chain in his mouth, regardless of behavior. That's a signal to him that he's allowed to be a stallion. Its not a punishment, its a que. When the chain goes in, he gets to breed. Stud chains aren't a last resort, they are SOP.

Ummm. I didn't say anything about which direction to circle, Nathan. Furthermore, too much discipline WHEN NOT WARRANTED is a bad thing. They have to be allowed to "be a stud" when breeding. Obviously, they are not allowed to show aggression towards the handler OR the mare; that would warrant discipline. I have worked with some of the most famous Hanoverian and Dutch stallions in the world, hand-breeding and collection. I do know a thing or two about the topic. I always use a chain as well.

 

[zoey829]

He was not totally inexperienced and neither were we or the mare. I just dont know what happened. I am so upset it is like someone told me thier is no santa!! I researched and waited and I was so excited. My heart dropped when he got off the trailer

. He was awesome!

She is coming later to get him and even now he snuggles up and loves you but the next min he is nuts!!! My stallion looks at him in shame. Now I just dont know what to do!!

 

[ontherisefarm]

I'm sorry that you are having such a bad experience with this horse and that your hubby got hurt. I guess sometimes things just arent meant to be. Behavior can also be inherited so you wouldnt want that in your foals. I am sure things will work out for the best you just gotta believe..

Take care,,,

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

Aw, Lea,

I am so sorry that your husband got hurt and that this didn't work out.

He might be gorgeous, but at age 2, he can't have had a whole lot of breeding experience. But as a lease, it should NOT be up to you to teach him his manners or get hurt. His owner needs to be the teacher with the risks.

I have had only 4 stallions in 14 years. Each time, they were young and had no experience.

I only gave the colt two chances to be nice. The first time

he was bad, I walked him away from the mare and came back and tried again. The next time if he was mean to her, I took him away and locked him in his stall. After a few tries, it seemed to work out, as if he knew he wouldn't get to breed if he wasn't nice. After several successes with hand breeding, I place the colt out with an older experienced mare, and she taught him MORE manners than I ever could. Worked out well.

I never used a chain for fear I might hurt him but I do own one just in case.

Now, I will be starting yet another one next month. I have never had an experienced stallion, always had to start the colts all 4 times. I am not looking forward to it again.

Robin