# First time Stallion Owning



## danicelia24 (Jul 16, 2013)

You could also buy him and just make a gelding out of him then you do not have to worry about what could arise and liabilities that go with owning a stallion. Do you have any pictures? How old is he? Is he already broke?


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

It isn't fair to keep a horse a stallion without plans to breed him. They are going to urges they can't act upon and that is going to lead to a whole lot of frustration! Do you know anything about his breeding? Confirmation? Show record? His temperment? 

Some things to think about... MANY shows won't allow stallions. Most barns will not allow stallions. Many stallions lead lonely lives because they can't be pastured with mares (obviously) and may be to agressive towards geldings. 

If you think he would be a good horse for you GELD HIM. then he will be a GREAT horse for you!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Why is he still a stallion?
Has he done something to make him breed worthy?
If you don't want to breed from him and he's got nothing that makes him worth breeding from anyway then if you like him buy him and have him gelded - much easier life for you both


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## ridingirishjumpers (Feb 20, 2015)

I do not know why he is still a stallion, though that is a good question! I'll make sure to ask. He is an OTTB that has had 6 months of let down and been restarted into saddle for a little bit. I wasn't originally planning to stand him at stud but if it will be better for him I'll consider it, and I'll consider gelding him. I want to go see him and see what his temperament is like before I make any final decisions


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

Stallions are still horses, there isn't a huge difference as far as that goes. If you a firm and consistent handler there shouldn't be major problems. However, horses are a massive learning curve and if you're not on top of it a stallion can make things more risky and dangerous.

The difference is going to be the management and care you have to take to protect him and other horses. This means ensuring an absolutely secure paddock with appropriate fence buddies, choosing an appropriate location for him, and ensuring that he doesn't impact other people with his possibly aggressive behaviour. 

Unless you have a full set up standing at stud would not be great. You'd have to register as a business and get insurance, have a good set up, and why would you breed with him? Is he absolutely exceptional?

I would never get a stallion. Not because they are inherently bad but because it's difficult. It's not fair to keep them alone forever, but many don't get along with other geldings, or only a limited few. Most agistment places won't take them, some riding clubs won't accept them and people in general avoid them. Then there is the risk of them getting loose at a show and injuring or impregnating a mare - something that you may end up being liable for. 

OTTBs are a dime dozen. There are literally thousands of them out there. Why is this one so special?


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

As someone who recently bought a stud colt and had to make this decision I can say you will probably be most happy with him as a gelding. There were quite a few questions I asked when making the decision (other than simple things like his personality, breeding, conformation, etc): 

1. Am I suited for a stud? (Be it beginner, first time horse owner, no stud experience, personality, etc.) 

2. Will a stud suite my purposes? (Am I going to have a stud for breeding/showing or do I want a horse that I can go on trail rides, throw anyone on, take camping, etc, etc.)*

3. Do I have my own place? Is said place set up for a stud? (Most barns will not have stallions on board, and having a stud who tends to eat more, take up an entire paddock by himself and having the unfortunate talent of escaping to 'do the deed' makes owners ever vigilant.)

4. Do I have the right insurance? (Are you prepared for if/when your boy gets out and impregnates a mare, or six or seven. Are you prepared if he gets hurt doing so or if you end up with six or seven foals on the ground by accident?) 

5. Do I have the time, money, effort and will to market him, show him, and do various breedings throughout the years? (This was a big clincher for me as the stud owners I work for spend at LEAST ten hours a DAY marketing their studs and planning their careers/breeding them.) 

I work around stallions and it's a whole different ball game compared to owning one. When you own one it's on your head if a mare gets pregnant and it's a lot harder to sell/relocate them to a different barn should you need too. My boy is an amazing stud colt. He never sets a foot out of line even around mares in heat. However, he still has some stud moments and I am very wary about his fencing and which horses he can get too. In a month I can guarentee that I'll be much more relaxed, and he'll be a lot happier, with the family jewles gone and those urges mostly cut out. 

*A clarification on #2. I realize that some stallions are able to do these things just as well as a gelding. My point was that it will never be as unstressful as any owner will have a small worry over their stud's reactions to the mares and wouldn't necessarily be able to throw the reins down and let the guy walk them home.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

If you have plenty of horse experience go get a horse.

If you don't have plenty of *stallion* experience don't get a stallion.

Yes you could geld him, but I wouldn't bother and lots of gelded studs retain the study behavior.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I had a beautiful chocolate buckskin stud that I raised from a foal. His was conformationally correct, his personality was calm and responsive, he could be put out to pasture with the geldings (my old man gelding informed him that he was not now, nor ever would be boss, and my colt was good with that). I could walk him through the barn full of mares, and he wouldn't turn his head. I could trail ride on him in a mixed group, and he was all business. He was a good stud.

One bright sunny day I was taking him out to the big turn out to let him buck, fart, and play. About halfway there, he turned away from me, pulling the lead from my hand. He reared up, pawed at the sky, and bellowed to let the world know he existed. When he came down, he turned toward me, literally placing the rope back in my hand.

I put him out in the exercise run, walked into the house and called my vet. A week later, he was gelded.

As the vet said, "He was a really good stud. He's going to be a terrific gelding."

And he was.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Where are you planning on keeping him? The vast majority of boarding facilities will not accept a stallion.

If you're going to stand him at stud, he needs to be breeding worthy. If you don't know anything about breeding, it's probably best to not get into it like that. It can be time consuming and expensive. You will also have to market him well - which means lots of advertisements, shows, training, etc.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Yes the are the legal/boarding issues as well.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

As everyone already stated, this is a no brainer. If you really decide to buy this horse, then have him gelded
There is only one reason a stallion should stay intact, and that is if you plan on having a breeding operation, and the horse has the demand to attract mares

Right now, he might have a race record, but if it was outstanding, they would be keeping him a stud. Are you palnning on raising race horses?

He has no performance record. Do you feel capable in re -training and showing a stallion under saddle, in order to maybe verify him remaining a stud that will attract mares in whatever discipline you chose?
Then, there is the fact that you are boarding, thus would need to find a place set up to keep a stallion
I have shown several stallions over the years, that we owned, and certainly it can be done. We had a breeding program, and besides outside mares , had some of our own
However, stallions are work, you have to always beware that you are riding a stallion, and not just remain alert concerning you and that stallion's attention, but to other people around you.
If something happens, even if someone runs the butt of their mare under your stallion;s nose, and he reacts, it is still your fault, far as any consequences
If you wish to have just fun, showing, geld him.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

With stallions you will always have problems with logistics. I have my own place, he's super laid back with the geldings, behaves himself around mares in heat, pays attention when we're working, in short is everything I could possibly ask for in a stallion. But, I always have to keep in mind that he's intact and be careful which stall I put him in, which horse goes next to him in the barn, girls ok one week, not the next. Will he or another stallion tolerate proximity to each other? Or do I need an empty stall between them? Is there one or more mares coming into heat on any given day? What about the neighbors? Are their horses geldings or mares? Or do they have a stallion, who maybe isn't as nice as my stallion? 

I've never had a problem with stallions not being allowed in training barns, but many charge more because stallions just ARE extra work. Never had a problem about taking him on the trail, they just reserve the right to ask us to leave if he turns into a pig. He's been ridden at shows in mixed classes with no problems but I never let my guard down and try to keep extra space between us and another horse, especially if it's a mare. 

I love him, trust him with my life but at the same time I never trust him completely. I never turn my back on him all the way, always have one eye on him. Love him to death and I'm prepared to geld him every single day, should he forget himself. 

Since most TBs tend to be fairly good sized to downright BIG, a bit hotter temperament wise, and my experience with TB stallions says they also tend to be kind of a PIA to keep weight on, especially during breeding season, whether you're breeding them or not, I'd say if you buy him, geld him.


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## Rosebit78 (Mar 26, 2014)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said it very well.
I also have a stallion whom i LOVE to death. He is one of the best riding horses I have ever owned and even though i rarely breed him, when he fathers a colt they have always had amazing personalities and builds. 

I can take him to a trail ride no problem and he can be fence to fence with about any horse with no trouble. 

However he is still a stud and is also very dominant so if he meets a horse he does not like I have to watch him. He is super sweet and gentle but he is still a big male horse and has every ability to be a problem if he really wanted to. 

So even though he has never done anything to make me not trust him, I still never will completely let my guard down with him. 

If I were you i would A) get him and geld him.
or B.) If you don't want to geld him i would get another horse.

I wont be getting anymore stallions myself for quite a while past our guy we have now, because even though i can handle a stud just fine, it is just a whole lot of headache and maintenance to deal with that i don't need.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> With stallions you will always have problems with logistics. I have my own place, he's super laid back with the geldings, behaves himself around mares in heat, pays attention when we're working, in short is everything I could possibly ask for in a stallion. But, I always have to keep in mind that he's intact and be careful which stall I put him in, which horse goes next to him in the barn, girls ok one week, not the next. Will he or another stallion tolerate proximity to each other? Or do I need an empty stall between them? Is there one or more mares coming into heat on any given day? What about the neighbors? Are their horses geldings or mares? Or do they have a stallion, who maybe isn't as nice as my stallion?
> 
> I've never had a problem with stallions not being allowed in training barns, but many charge more because stallions just ARE extra work. Never had a problem about taking him on the trail, they just reserve the right to ask us to leave if he turns into a pig. He's been ridden at shows in mixed classes with no problems but I never let my guard down and try to keep extra space between us and another horse, especially if it's a mare.
> 
> ...


Yes, good for you, BUT you are also an experienced handler with stallion experience are you not? Sounds like the OP is not.

We all know not all stallions have the temperament or training yours does either (nice to have such a gentlemen!)


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Yogiwick said:


> Yes, good for you, BUT you are also an experienced handler with stallion experience are you not? Sounds like the OP is not.
> 
> We all know not all stallions have the temperament or training yours does either (nice to have such a gentlemen!)


No it doesn't sound like the OP has much stallion experience and that's why I made sure to point out that logistics is always a problem when you have a stallion and that my suggestion would be to geld the TB _*IF*_ she decides to take him.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I completely agree with you but as I said in my previous post there is no guarantee that gelding him will make him a "normal" horse as many geldings retain stallion behaviors, some more than others.

That is my biggest concern, that the OP will buy him geld him and then be stuck with an ex stallion that still thinks he's a stud. Gelding is rarely a complete on/off switch.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I'm guessing he's about 3 years old, because she says he's OTTB and had about 6 months off the track and been re-started under saddle. Sounds like he didn't run, so maybe 3-3 1/2 years old. If he's anything like the one I got straight off the track he was or is, skinny, over grown feet and the owner feels he's spend enough without gelding. Even if he ends up being 5, he wouldn't be all that old and doesn't sound like he's been used for breeding, so probably wouldn't retain much if anything of his studliness. My stallions that I gelded at 7 years old had both been used for hand breeding and they are a piece of cake, only difference as geldings is that they no long care if the mares are in season. They both were quiet as stallions and are still quiet as geldings, can be handled and ridden by anyone.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Definitely agree that the specific horse is key.

I got the impression the horse was a little older, but not sure why I felt that way lol.

IF the horse is young and has not been bred/used as a stud I wouldn't be as concerned. However, I would question if even as a gelding it would be the right "first horse" in that situation.


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