stallion vs gelding

[kimlucky13]

I have a 4 year old blue roan stallion with beautiful white/blue eyes. I would love to use him for breeding, I have a filly on the ground and a mare due in June, that was bred to him. My problem is that he is such a big attitudal jerk alot of the time. There are times when you can handle him and times when you can't; for the most part you can't. I thought it might have to do with my "cycle", and it does to a point, of course he's much worse then, but in general he's just hateful. One time you can pet him and he's a happy boy, other times he rears up and bites at me, and sometimes he's fine for a few minutes of petting, then he rears and bites. During the summer my nieces could do things with him but as summer went on he got worse instead of better. I tried putting him out with the other horses like they say you should (so they're happier) but for an hour I ran around the field with a whip because he kept biting and chasing the mare and her baby. With the baby and the mare being pregnant I couldn't take the chance that eventually they would work it out. If I geld him at four years old and since he knows what breeding is all about, will it help? I don't want to get rid of him, but I can't take the chance on one of the girls getting hurt trying to pet him because they love the horses so much and want to give equal attention to everyone. My 17 y/o stallion acts nothing like this one, of course all guys mature with age. lol

 

[txminipinto]

My advice is to get a firm handle on him. Use a stud chain. At times, my own boys (and we have 5 at the house ranging in size of 31" - 44") have a chain in their mouth. I have found that to be very effective. Your cycle should have nothing to do with his behavior. I firmly believe that is an ole wives tale and can attest that my stallions behave no different if I'm "cycling" or not.

You need to be alpha mare and he needs to respect you. If you can't safely get his respect, geld him. I have seen previous breeding stallions go on to be respectiful geldings.

 

[Carolyn R]

While boys will be boys and horses will be horses, meaning they will walk all over you if you let them, part of the appeal of minis is their kind nature. I have come to the conclusion that there are so many stallions out there, unless they have an exceptional willingness to go with an awesome comfirmation, geld them.

If you are really questioning your handling then send him out for a month of training by a professional, if you do not feel they are making any headway with his challenging behavior, geld him. I only say this becuase then you know it is not you, it is the horse. It takes alot of consistancy with young hormonal boys, but sometimes the hormones really put them over the top when it comes to being head strong. On the other hand, if a trainer makes progress, you need to pay close attention to the way they are correcting the problem.

This is just my opinion, I know it takes time, good timing and consistancy when disaplinning a horse, I just believe there are way too many stallions out there.

 

[kimlucky13]

My advice is to get a firm handle on him. Use a stud chain. At times, my own boys (and we have 5 at the house ranging in size of 31" - 44") have a chain in their mouth. I have found that to be very effective. Your cycle should have nothing to do with his behavior. I firmly believe that is an ole wives tale and can attest that my stallions behave no different if I'm "cycling" or not.

You need to be alpha mare and he needs to respect you. If you can't safely get his respect, geld him. I have seen previous breeding stallions go on to be respectiful geldings.

I am new to the horse world and I'm not sure what I need to be doing. He gets told NO and if need be a tap on the nose. Can you tell me how to go about getting him under control? I find it so strange that he went from being so good to being a total terd. I have made him mind all along so it's not like he's been able to run a muck. It's like someone took my mini and gave me this little white terror.

While boys will be boys and horses will be horses, meaning they will walk all over you if you let them, part of the appeal of minis is their kind nature. I have come to the conclusion that there are so many stallions out there, unless they have an exceptional willingness to go with an awesome comfirmation, geld them.

If you are really questioning your handling then send him out for a month of training by a professional, if you do not feel they are making any headway with his challenging behavior, geld him. I only say this becuase then you know it is not you, it is the horse. It takes alot of consistancy with young hormonal boys, but sometimes the hormones really put them over the top when it comes to being head strong. On the other hand, if a trainer makes progress, you need to pay close attention to the way they are correcting the problem.

This is just my opinion, I know it takes time, good timing and consistancy when disaplinning a horse, I just believe there are way too many stallions out there.

so it is not true that if a stallion has been bred, gelding doesn't always help? I've been told you can wait too late for it to do any good.

 

[Riverdance]

This kind of behavior can be passed on in his genes to his foals. Something that you perhaps do not want. He is also young and perhaps just needs a firm hand.

I would use a stallion lead (chain and leather lead) and put the chain section through his halter and over his upper gum and hook it to the other side of the halter. Do not use it in his mouth as a bit, but over his upper gums.

I would gently lead him around and correct any bad behavior. Work with him for a few weeks. If you do not see any change, I would certainly geld him then.

 

[Marty]

Hi Kim. I have said this a million times that gelding a stallion is not a fix or a cure all for a bad ill mannered horse. It might simmer down the hormones, sure, but it will not put manners on your horse. Only you can do that with proper help.

You need a trainer plain and simple. You need a trainer to come to you and work with you to show you what you are doing wrong. You'd be surprised in your very first lesson how many things can be corrected just by being guided properly and lessons with a good trainer that you can connect with are fun. It surely is worth the few dollars you will spend. Your horse is acting up "because he knows he can" and get away with it. Look at Breeders Connect in your state and try to find someone in your area that can give you some pointers on ground school 101. You need hands on training.

I'm going to disagree respectively with my buddy Txminipinto probably for the first time ever and say that I would not put a stud chain in the hands of a newbie and also go as far as to say you shouldn't be running in the field chasing down a horse with a whip either. These are devices that should not be in your hands without the guidence of a professional trainer that can show you when and how exactly to use them if needed. Then you will be happy and your stallion will be happy and all your other horses will be happy and you will be in a very happy place!

Good luck in your future endeavors

 

[muffntuf]

No fair without pics!

Manners are everything, if the stallion can't be controlled properly??? I use a stud chain, I have 4 stallions in the barn. I hook mine through their halter under their jaw. When I think they are even thinking of acting up, I just tap the lead, it usually stops whatever they are thinking, puts them back in line.

For you - I would echo the suggestions - this has gone on for over a year and you need help to put him back in line. Get some professional help.

 

[kimlucky13]

Hi Kim. I have said this a million times that gelding a stallion is not a fix or a cure all for a bad ill mannered horse. It might simmer down the hormones, sure, but it will not put manners on your horse. Only you can do that with proper help.

You need a trainer plain and simple. You need a trainer to come to you and work with you to show you what you are doing wrong. You'd be surprised in your very first lesson how many things can be corrected just by being guided properly and lessons with a good trainer that you can connect with are fun. It surely is worth the few dollars you will spend. Your horse is acting up "because he knows he can" and get away with it. Look at Breeders Connect in your state and try to find someone in your area that can give you some pointers on ground school 101. You need hands on training.

I'm going to disagree respectively with my buddy Txminipinto probably for the first time ever and say that I would not put a stud chain in the hands of a newbie and also go as far as to say you shouldn't be running in the field chasing down a horse with a whip either. These are devices that should not be in your hands without the guidence of a professional trainer that can show you when and how exactly to use them if needed. Then you will be happy and your stallion will be happy and all your other horses will be happy and you will be in a very happy place!

Good luck in your future endeavors

Please don't misunderstand me when I say I was chasing him with the whip. I would never hurt any animal (as my husband will attest with all of the strays I have) I was using the whip to turn him away from the mare, and the noise would change his direction also. I think maybe part of my problem is that my guys know I'm a "softy" I tell them no, tap their noses, but they know ultimately I would never hurt them. The filly that I have on the ground that is his is a real sweetie! She will not eat unless I give her "lovins" first, she stands there looking at me like "uh, I'm not gonna eat until I get my hug and snuggle" she's a great girl. I do have a trainer coming this spring to work with me and the TWH I have, I do not ride (wish I did) and this gelding is just green broke. So come spring we all are going to learn some ground manners and go to school. This stallion just worries me, I've advertised him then changed my mind because he'll be good. I think he's just toying with me. LOL

I can't get pics to post. ughghgh

 

[Jill]

I would recommend a very firm handling of him and a stud chain UNDER his chin (never over the nose) and just demand he behave and stand still or he gets reprimanded (jerk of the chain).

Gelding will help a horse act less hormonal but it will not fix bad manners.

Stallions can be more difficult to handle but they can be trained and taught manners. They can drive, jump, do obstacle and showmanship, etc. They just need to be handled firmly and consistently.

 

[disneyhorse]

There is a reason most stallions are geldings. They are unpredictable, dangerous, and difficult to handle. They are absolutely not for someone new to the horse world.

That said, since you are new, if you would like to be fair to your horse I suggest either gelding him or getting professional help. Following advice from typed word on a public forum is not going to suffice for hands-on experience.

Most people are suggesting you reprimand your horse, which IS needed, but this is why I am suggesting you get a professional to help you. You need to be consistent and fair when you reprimand a stallion, let alone any horse. A stallion acts the way he does because that is his nature. He has a fragile ego and you can either break it by incorrect discipline or you can anger him and make him more violent by incorrect discipline depending on his character. Only a trainer who is EXPERIENCED with STALLIONS should be employed to help correct your horse.

You say it is "so strange" that he went from normal to a jerk, but it is not strange. YOU MADE HIM THIS WAY from your inexperienced handling. It is NOT the horse's fault. He MAY be a jerk due to his personality, and in that case should be gelded to prevent passing on a poor temperament to his foals, BUT it might be YOUR fault he is the way he is and in that case he just deserves some rehabilitation by someone who can understand his perspective and try to repair his attitude. Gelding may or may not "fix" mental and handling problems.

Sorry to be harsh, but I find stallions often get the wrong end of the stick when placed in the hands of the inexperienced. This can lead to injury to his handlers as well as detriment to his character.

In response to the stud chain issue, it can be a helpful tool to provide you more leverage, or incorrectly applied it can cause scarring, injuries, and mental fears. I have seen many horses that flip out at the sound of a chain rattling because it was applied too forcefully or incorrectly.

Riverdance suggests applying a "lip chain" in which the stud chain is run under the upper lip along the gums. DO NOT use this method as a newbie, and DO NOT use this method to lead any horse. This is a method that should be used as a "twitch" to restrain a horse while trying to perform something on him such as administering an injection to a resistant horse. This can cause a LOT of damage and pain to the animal if the pressure is not applied gently and consistently.

Soooo, that's the advice I have to give, for the safety of both horse and human. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, I hope it is not a heartache and struggle.

Andrea

 

[txminipinto]

I guess I didn't read into this post as the OP as a newbie. But regardless, a chain through the mouth is much easier to apply than one to the gums in my personal opinion. And having a stallion that exhibits this exact behavior, I have found that a chain in the mouth is much more effective than one under the jaw or over the nose. A chain, bit, whip, or spur is only as brutal as the hands that hold them and I would hope that most would use common sense in their application. But I realize that many things are interrupted here incorrectly and applied even more incorrectly with diastrous results.

To clearify my application of the chain in the mouth: I run the chain through the halter just as I would if I was applying it for showmanship or obstacle, with the exception of instead of the chain being under the chin it's run through the mouth just as a bit. Just like when leading a horse with a regular halter, I apply the same pressure provided the horse is moving forward. At any time, should the horse begin to behave in a manner that is inappropiate or dangerous, I give a sharp tug and release immediately. This "tug" is immediate and lasts only a second with immediate pressure release of the chain. In most cases, horses only take a few tugs before they associate the tug with the behavior and the lack of tug with a more appropiate behavior (ie walking calmly). The stallion, at home in my own barn, that routinely is handled in this matter can be lead between mares tied to trees, to and from the barn, and past other stallions without so much as a nicker which his head down walking calmly and alertly.

It is so important that individuals becoming involved in minis and ponys realize that these animals are not large dogs, but horses. And just like their larger cousins, can inflict serious injury to their human handlers if the correct training and respect is neglected. In my circumstance with my own biting, striking, kicking stallion, I am a very experienced handler with lots of years experience and STILL had great difficultly obtaining the right results. It is only now after almost a year and half of ownership and CONSTANT training that I feel I FINALLY have a handle on him. Of course, now, the 2 yr old stallion is going through the same stage and causing the same problems. It's a constant battle when dealing with overly confident stallions to keep their respect. And it's never a bad idea to geld one that you feel you can't control or may cause injury to a loved one.

 

[Riverdance]

There is a reason most stallions are geldings. They are unpredictable, dangerous, and difficult to handle. They are absolutely not for someone new to the horse world.

That said, since you are new, if you would like to be fair to your horse I suggest either gelding him or getting professional help. Following advice from typed word on a public forum is not going to suffice for hands-on experience.

Most people are suggesting you reprimand your horse, which IS needed, but this is why I am suggesting you get a professional to help you. You need to be consistent and fair when you reprimand a stallion, let alone any horse. A stallion acts the way he does because that is his nature. He has a fragile ego and you can either break it by incorrect discipline or you can anger him and make him more violent by incorrect discipline depending on his character. Only a trainer who is EXPERIENCED with STALLIONS should be employed to help correct your horse.

You say it is "so strange" that he went from normal to a jerk, but it is not strange. YOU MADE HIM THIS WAY from your inexperienced handling. It is NOT the horse's fault. He MAY be a jerk due to his personality, and in that case should be gelded to prevent passing on a poor temperament to his foals, BUT it might be YOUR fault he is the way he is and in that case he just deserves some rehabilitation by someone who can understand his perspective and try to repair his attitude. Gelding may or may not "fix" mental and handling problems.

Sorry to be harsh, but I find stallions often get the wrong end of the stick when placed in the hands of the inexperienced. This can lead to injury to his handlers as well as detriment to his character.

In response to the stud chain issue, it can be a helpful tool to provide you more leverage, or incorrectly applied it can cause scarring, injuries, and mental fears. I have seen many horses that flip out at the sound of a chain rattling because it was applied too forcefully or incorrectly.

Riverdance suggests applying a "lip chain" in which the stud chain is run under the upper lip along the gums. DO NOT use this method as a newbie, and DO NOT use this method to lead any horse. This is a method that should be used as a "twitch" to restrain a horse while trying to perform something on him such as administering an injection to a resistant horse. This can cause a LOT of damage and pain to the animal if the pressure is not applied gently and consistently.

Soooo, that's the advice I have to give, for the safety of both horse and human. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, I hope it is not a heartache and struggle.

Andrea

This is why I recomended be GENTLE with the lip chain. Something that is used all the time in large horse stallions, and they do use it to lead a horse around. I have shown with some top Morgan Horse Farms and they all use the lip chain on unrully stallions and colts.

BUT, you can not jerk it around to cause pain. Just to be used as a guidence. He will think twice before acting up. It is a tool and like all tools needs to be used with caution. It should NEVER be used to cause pain!! Lots of gentle talk and steady tightening of the lead if he starts to misbehave. If he starts to panic, it can be released quicky.

I agree that if she is a newby (which I did not get in her note) that perhaps a trainer would be best, but sometimes one can not afford a trainer. I find that the chain under the mouth they ignor more and thus can cause more trouble and damage, over the nose could cause you to cut off their breathing. A horse can not breath through its mouth and so they will panic if you cut off their ability to breath. You can also use a chain through the mouth like a bit, but I find I get better results over the gums. Through the mouth a horse can clamp down on the chain with its teeth, rendering the chain usless.

Either way, gelding will help with the hormones, but will not help with missbehaving.

 

[Keri]

Yep, as most said, a stud chain should fix most of your problem. He's just walked over you too long that he doesn't care. I carry a small hand whip around sometimes. I have the theory, if they bite you, bite back. They won't do it much after that. They realize their action comes with a consequence.

As far as chasing your mare around, my stallion did that (just days after he was gelded). After he lost that testosterone, he pastures just fine with them and no one gets chased. I would suggest you geld him. Many other nice, more well mannered stallions out there. Why put yourself though the heartache unless he's just an exceptional stallion for breeding??? JMO though.

 

[kimlucky13]

I am trying to be fair to my horse which is why I'm asking questions. I am not totally blaming the horse, he has an attitude issue and I am inexperienced. I am not aggressive with the horse, I am not abusive, I pet him when he allows it and I give him his space when he doesn't. I am not saying he is a bad horse he needs gelded! I am asking if this is typical of stallions and what I can do to fix this problem without having to geld him. I do not want to geld him; but I would like to be able to pet him without having to worry about when he's going to turn in the middle of petting and try to bite. When I'm petting him nothing has changed, I'm petting him so why in the middle of his petting does he rear and bite at me? If I thought this was HIS problem and HIS alone, I would geld him, but this is OUR problem and since I'm the only one capable of researching the problem to get a solution that is what I am doing. And it's hard to explain on the forum what has been going on the last 4 months to explain how this horse has changed. I partially think it's because of the winter, you naturally don't work with them as much due to the cold and the shorter daylight hours, plus they seem to stay in the barn more, so maybe he has pent up energy. I am looking forward to spring when I can get out there and put a lead on everyone and just work with them. my filly needs a lot of work, at the end of the fall she was walking great on a lead rope, which I'm sure we'll have to start all over, but that's part of the fun.

I'd like to remind some of you that all of you were where I am at one time; New to the horse world and trying desperately to learn everything, and full of questions. Everyone has a different method of training I'm open to everything that doesn't injure the horse; and see which one works best for this particular horse. Horses are like people/children some things work well on some and not well on others.

 

[Riverdance]

I am trying to be fair to my horse which is why I'm asking questions. I am not totally blaming the horse, he has an attitude issue and I am inexperienced. I am not aggressive with the horse, I am not abusive, I pet him when he allows it and I give him his space when he doesn't. I am not saying he is a bad horse he needs gelded! I am asking if this is typical of stallions and what I can do to fix this problem without having to geld him. I do not want to geld him; but I would like to be able to pet him without having to worry about when he's going to turn in the middle of petting and try to bite. When I'm petting him nothing has changed, I'm petting him so why in the middle of his petting does he rear and bite at me? If I thought this was HIS problem and HIS alone, I would geld him, but this is OUR problem and since I'm the only one capable of researching the problem to get a solution that is what I am doing. And it's hard to explain on the forum what has been going on the last 4 months to explain how this horse has changed. I partially think it's because of the winter, you naturally don't work with them as much due to the cold and the shorter daylight hours, plus they seem to stay in the barn more, so maybe he has pent up energy. I am looking forward to spring when I can get out there and put a lead on everyone and just work with them. my filly needs a lot of work, at the end of the fall she was walking great on a lead rope, which I'm sure we'll have to start all over, but that's part of the fun.

I'd like to remind some of you that all of you were where I am at one time; New to the horse world and trying desperately to learn everything, and full of questions. Everyone has a different method of training I'm open to everything that doesn't injure the horse; and see which one works best for this particular horse. Horses are like people/children some things work well on some and not well on others.

Your problem is right here in your response. "I pet him when he allows it and give him his space when he doesn't"

You need to let him know that you are the boss. That you are top stallion in this herd and he had better respect you. Right now you are letting him tell you that he is boss. As long as he feel he is boss, you will never get past this problem.

I am not telling you to be abusive, just firm. Watch a top mare in your herd and see what she does to the other mares to make them respect her. If you put him out with a mare that takes no nonsence, she will put him in his place.

Also another stallion would put him in his place. In the winter I put my stallions together so that they can just be horses for a few months. But, I notice as we get closer to March and mares possibly coming into heat, they interact with each other differently. The top stud will let the subordinates know their place.

If this were a full size horse, it could become a deadly situation.

You need to let this stallion know his place too and NOW!!

 

[kaykay]

If he was mine (and i have had plenty just like him) I would start from ground zero and train him from the ground up.

This means starting with feeding (teaching him to respect you even when you are feeding)

Then i move to handling, leading. I start like they have never been halter broke (because they probably havent) We work on walk trot whoa. Once they have that down we work on standing tied quietly and learning patientce.

But you must BE CONSISTENT. Every time you handle him it has to be done properly. Because every time you are with him you are teaching him something so make sure you are teaching him something good. Even when you are out petting him you are teaching him something!

There is so much to training a horse and it simply cannot be typed here. The problem too is many people newer to horses dont know how to lead a horse properly. They do the death grip on the lead which in turn will cause a horse to act up and makes them walk on top of you which leads to another whole set of problems

See if you can find a mentor that lives close by to come help you. Offer to buy them lunch or dinner. I know this always works for me LOL. Have them come out and give you a few lessons

The thing is you can send him to a trainer but if you arent handling him right when he comes back he will revert right back to where he was. You need help for both of you

The bonus is you will have a ton of fun while you learn to handle and train him better

Wishing you so much luck and please email anytime

oops just saw you are in Ohio!! You are welcome to come here anytime and I can show you what I mean!

Kay

 

[kimlucky13]

thank you. That was the point of this question to begin with, "what do I need to do? Or should I geld him?" With the exception of a few responses, I got my answer. Now I have to figure out the best way to do that. I just didn't want to do the wrong thing. And I got some ideas from several of you, I'll start off slow and easy and if need be i'll bump up my reaction. I just didn't know if this was typical stallion behavior so I was asking. Thank you everyone for your suggestions, I got a few that I'm going to try.

I'm head mare at home and I will be in the barn too!

I am trying to be fair to my horse which is why I'm asking questions. I am not totally blaming the horse, he has an attitude issue and I am inexperienced. I am not aggressive with the horse, I am not abusive, I pet him when he allows it and I give him his space when he doesn't. I am not saying he is a bad horse he needs gelded! I am asking if this is typical of stallions and what I can do to fix this problem without having to geld him. I do not want to geld him; but I would like to be able to pet him without having to worry about when he's going to turn in the middle of petting and try to bite. When I'm petting him nothing has changed, I'm petting him so why in the middle of his petting does he rear and bite at me? If I thought this was HIS problem and HIS alone, I would geld him, but this is OUR problem and since I'm the only one capable of researching the problem to get a solution that is what I am doing. And it's hard to explain on the forum what has been going on the last 4 months to explain how this horse has changed. I partially think it's because of the winter, you naturally don't work with them as much due to the cold and the shorter daylight hours, plus they seem to stay in the barn more, so maybe he has pent up energy. I am looking forward to spring when I can get out there and put a lead on everyone and just work with them. my filly needs a lot of work, at the end of the fall she was walking great on a lead rope, which I'm sure we'll have to start all over, but that's part of the fun.

I'd like to remind some of you that all of you were where I am at one time; New to the horse world and trying desperately to learn everything, and full of questions. Everyone has a different method of training I'm open to everything that doesn't injure the horse; and see which one works best for this particular horse. Horses are like people/children some things work well on some and not well on others.

Your problem is right here in your response. "I pet him when he allows it and give him his space when he doesn't"

You need to let him know that you are the boss. That you are top stallion in this herd and he had better respect you. Right now you are letting him tell you that he is boss. As long as he feel he is boss, you will never get past this problem.

I am not telling you to be abusive, just firm. Watch a top mare in your herd and see what she does to the other mares to make them respect her. If you put him out with a mare that takes no nonsence, she will put him in his place.

Also another stallion would put him in his place. In the winter I put my stallions together so that they can just be horses for a few months. But, I notice as we get closer to March and mares possibly coming into heat, they interact with each other differently. The top stud will let the subordinates know their place.

If this were a full size horse, it could become a deadly situation.

You need to let this stallion know his place too and NOW!!

i may take you up on visiting

come spring i'm starting from scratch and i'm the boss.

If he was mine (and i have had plenty just like him) I would start from ground zero and train him from the ground up.

This means starting with feeding (teaching him to respect you even when you are feeding)

Then i move to handling, leading. I start like they have never been halter broke (because they probably havent) We work on walk trot whoa. Once they have that down we work on standing tied quietly and learning patientce.

But you must BE CONSISTENT. Every time you handle him it has to be done properly. Because every time you are with him you are teaching him something so make sure you are teaching him something good. Even when you are out petting him you are teaching him something!

There is so much to training a horse and it simply cannot be typed here. The problem too is many people newer to horses dont know how to lead a horse properly. They do the death grip on the lead which in turn will cause a horse to act up and makes them walk on top of you which leads to another whole set of problems

See if you can find a mentor that lives close by to come help you. Offer to buy them lunch or dinner. I know this always works for me LOL. Have them come out and give you a few lessons

The thing is you can send him to a trainer but if you arent handling him right when he comes back he will revert right back to where he was. You need help for both of you

The bonus is you will have a ton of fun while you learn to handle and train him better

Wishing you so much luck and please email anytime

oops just saw you are in Ohio!! You are welcome to come here anytime and I can show you what I mean!

Kay

 

[tagalong]

Your problem is right here in your response. "I pet him when he allows it and give him his space when he doesn't"You need to let him know that you are the boss. That you are top stallion in this herd and he had better respect you. Right now you are letting him tell you that he is boss. As long as he feel he is boss, you will never get past this problem.

Whoa. The part I bolded says it all.

When he allows it? Give him space when he doesn't? NO.

You are the one to decide when something is to be done. You call the shots.

In a wild herd - there is a boss MARE that decides where they go and when... the stallion is defence. He does not call all the shots.

You need to be that boss mare. He needs to give YOU space and respect you. Always.

I care for a stallion here who was a pussycat until he started breeding... in fact - prior to breeding he was waaaay too dull in the show ring - lovely to look at but no fire, no sparkle. Now he has plenty o' fire - too much. He hates most of the other horses... he goes nuts if one of the geldings or the other (older, calmer, easy to handle) stallion goes by his stall. Sometimes he gets so wound up he will pace himself into a lather. He is the Energizer Bunny - he never stops. I can count on one hand the times I have seen him stretched out on his side, sleeping... ceasing his constant vigilance for a few minutes...

I try to keep him entertained. He goes out into a nice grassy pen or one of the pastures - unless he gets too wound up - then he can be in the arena and watch the daily comings and goings. He tends to be calmer there. He goes for walks. He gets toys. He gets one on one attention. I have pastured him with a couple of older mares - all went well at first and then after a few weeks a switch went off in his head anf he started to run them savagely... he had one of the most ornery, toughest, bossiest mares on the place running into the fence in terror and squealing and peeing in fright.

No more pasture mates. Ever.

And he gets more than a tap on the nose and a NO! when he acts up. Occasionally he might still rear up in defiance - and he will instantly seem to think - oh crap - bad idea!! - as I will correct him... immediately. Firmly but fairly.

He knows that when I come into his stall or to his gate - he must back off and give me space until he is invited closer. He is NEVER hand fed treats. I AM THE BOSS MARE - and he knows that. He is never to turn his butt to me. He is one of only 2 stallions (out of the many) I have ever worked with - from Warmbloods to Thoroughbreds to QHs - that I have felt the need to always keep an eye on and read his every ear twitch, his every glance. The other was a 16.3 HH Thoroughbred - not a 34" mini. I would never let any little kids near him. Or inattentive adults, for that matter. He may take advantage of such situations.

And please no - no lip chains or mouth chains should be used by anyone who is inexperienced... it may only cause a wreck and/or make a bad situation worse.

I agree with those who suggest that you need to call a trainer in to help you....

 

[txshell]

I don't want to step on any toes here being that I just came out of the lurking stage and all. I have preached for years in the horse world that it is better to have a great gelding than a so-so stallion. The majority of horse owners do not have any business with a stallion. I have owned and ridden horses for over 40 years and have had very few stallions, as I can do what I want to with a gelding just as easy. If I want to breed one of my mares I have alot more to choose from than if I had my own. A gelding can go out to play with the girls and other geldings where most large horses and some little ones can't. I currently own a caspian stallion that is scheduled to get cut here in the next month. I know there are only a few of this breed here in the US but he is just not the quality that I feel should be a stallion.

I seem to see alot of inexperienced mini owners that have stallions and do just fine. I have also seen some really unruley boys out there that have no life because they do not know how to behave and stay stuck in a pen. These are still horses just in a smaller package and can still do damage. I say geld the boys unless they are spectacular..

 

[Riverdance]

Good for you Kim

Anytime you have any questions, you can always PM me or anyone else. I had one really bad stallion who I bought and he stepped off the trailer a real brute. Kicked, bit, struck and litteraly could have killed me if he were a full size horse.

It took a lot of work, but I turned this stallion around. You can turn yours around too. Just remember who is boss!!

Good luck and again, any time you have questions feel free to PM me.