Getting my OWN stud

[mgranch]

I have had minis for a few years but sent my mares out to be bred. I paid a lot of money in stud fees and had no luck getting any foals. I finally decided to heck with babies I will just teach my mares to drive and have fun with them when along comes MR perfect!! A dear friend offered me a stud of hers that I just love for me to geld and use as my new driving horse but then I got to thinking!! I want to leave him a stud for just one year and see if I can get a foal. I so want my own baby!! So, here comes the questions to all of you. He is very gentle and mellow how do I keep him that way?? I have four runs from four little barns that are all in a row side by side. He will be in the farthest run next to a gelding is that OK?? He will share the barn with the gelding but it has a divider. Should he be farther away from the other horses?? I also want him to be my main driving and show horse so I want to make sure I do everything right so he will remain easy to handle. How best can I do this??

Thanks

Gina

 

[Katiean]

I would think he should be fine next to the gelding at the end of the shed row. He doesn't need to be kept away from the mares. Just not in the same pen. I am trying to be a bit more lax with my colt. I don't have a panic to keep him away from the mares. I have seen plenty of very calm studs that are turned out daily with mares (not for breeding) and they are not aggressive with the mares. I think this might be a healthier way to keep a stud (until I get an unexpected foal). At least I will know who daddy is.

 

[mgranch]

I would think he should be fine next to the gelding at the end of the shed row. He doesn't need to be kept away from the mares. Just not in the same pen. I am trying to be a bit more lax with my colt. I don't have a panic to keep him away from the mares. I have seen plenty of very calm studs that are turned out daily with mares (not for breeding) and they are not aggressive with the mares. I think this might be a healthier way to keep a stud (until I get an unexpected foal). At least I will know who daddy is.

Thank You, that was exactly what I wanted to know how to keep him part of the family but at the same time respect that he is a stud. Keep him healthy as you put it is what I want. I don't want a stud if he can't be with the family!!

 

[Songcatcher]

Stallions are different. Some will tolerate being next to or even in with a gelding and some will not. I personally would choose to pen him next to a mare rather than a gelding, but again, that depends on the stallion. No way would I consider putting a stallion in with mares unless you are content to have a foal 10-11 months later. Their cycle does not necessarily correspond to our calculations. Accidents can and do happen.

You mention that a friend gave him to you to geld. I would check to make sure it is OK with the friend to use him for a stallion and do not have any misunderstandings. People are sometimes willing to give away geldings but not stallions. Friendship is far more valuable than a stallion.

Regarding how to keep him sweet and gentle, use a firm hand and do not let him get away with things he should not. If he is allowed to develop bad habits, they will be hard to break.

 

[mgranch]

No, I'm sorry if I was confusing!! I am buying him from my friend. She knew I loved him so she offered him to me first!! WOW!! I wish she'd give him to me!! lol

 

[wildoak]

Has he bred mares before? Stallions can be very tractable in the off season, then when mares come into season and hormones kick in you have a different animal. As said, they are all different and some remain pretty easy going, but do expect a change in the early spring if there are mares anywhere near him. My stallions are both in big runs, each with a mare, and a run of geldings between them. Everyone knows each other and they rarely squabble through the fence. They are much happier boys with their mares than when I had them alone. Both are mature stallions who have mellowed some. I took Echo out last year and showed him for the first time in 5-6 years, and he was quite a gentleman (much better than as a youngster LOL).

Jan

 

[mgranch]

Yes, He has bred a little bit. He is only 3. So, I should keep a mare beside him?? I can do that!! I just want him to be happy and feel like he's one of the gang. I hate to see studs that are seperated from the herd and never get to be a part of things. That seems so sad to me!!

 

[SirenFarms]

where i train they have 3 studs. They have a band of about 15 mares and the mares all stay together. She has 5 pastures all lined up next to each other with a stud in every other one. she rotates them all every other day so that the studs get to be near the mares every 2 out of 3 days. her way seems to work as she only has one crazed stud as i call him. the other two are sweethearts. One of the 2 she wants to give me half ownership of! Woo! we shall see if that works out. i really hope it does as i love this horse he is a 35" few spot leopard appaloosa and man is he hot! woo!

 

[Miniequine]

Congrats on your new boy!

All stallions are different.

My stallion is really laid back at home. He has a stall and paddock,

and during the day, he gets to stay with the mares that he has bred.

My mares will not tolerate any 'horse play' from him!

He can not be put out with my gelding.

Happy Thanksgiving!

~Sandy

 

[Jill]

I think it really depends on the horse, and also the time of year.

My coming 3yo (mature early) stallion, DunIT, grew up with two of my geldings and got along fine until early this fall. I noticed he was just playing too rough. I almost think being with geldings brought out the agressiveness more than with mares would. The geldings would endulge the play to an extent, which I think just fed his agression (not mean, just overly agressive at play).

We had to put him in his own paddock. He has two weanlings on one side (including one he's very partial to, a maternal brother), and his brides on the other side. NEXT season, I do plan to let him stay with his wives.

I just hate to see a horse alone, but I actually had Sunny, my hoofed teddy bear of a gelding, run to me to get away from DunIT and that twisted my heart and ended DunIT's time with my show geldings.

 

[Margaret]

If he ends up "being good" with your mares, and not misbehaving like some do, keep in mind that some mares cycle in the very late to early months of the year...

( I ended up having a December filly last year )

Although all turned out ok, most folks prefer to control that "foaling out issue" to the beginning of the year.

 

[mgranch]

Thanks you guys you have all been so much Help!! Do any of you drive and show your studs too??

 

[wiccanz]

I used to drive and show my stallion, he's a gelding now, but he was so well behaved when driving, like a totally different horse. In halter, he like to show off a bit...

OH!

The young stallion I am showing now, will hopefully be my next year's driving horse. I can't wait to drive him.

 

[Jill]

Thanks you guys you have all been so much Help!! Do any of you drive and show your studs too??

Show, yes. One of them is trained to drive now and the other will be as well. Previously, my first show horse was a stallion I raised from a yearling. He was all around -- halter, driving, obstacle, showmanship and jumping. He was so awesome that when I got some colts I liked better as stallions, I gelded that one and love him even more now that I did then. There is NO reason why a stallion cannot also "do" fun things. He should have the disposition and discipline to DO those things, or he's probably not cut out to be a stallion in the first place.

 

[mgranch]

That's a very good point!! I want him to do all the fun things I want to do and he and I just drive and show and have a blast together!! Thank you for letting me know how good your stallions are for you I'm sure mine will be too!!