# What is stallion behavior?



## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

One of my favorite "stallion" behaviors is one I have seen on almost all the stallions I have shown.

The stallion will see a poop pile

The stallion will sniff said poop pile

The stallion will poop on TOP of that poop pile

The stallion will then turn around and inspect the new poop pile to make sure his signature cannot be missed.


This is how stallions mark their territory to warn other horses away. Most stallions will have a particular place where they poop, which makes cleaning their paddocks so much easier.


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## Ladybug2001 (Mar 15, 2011)

Haha. I've seen that one too. In fact, kind of what brought on this question. My six month old colt did this, I wasn't sure if he was marking his territory, or what. Also noticed him sniff a pile of poop and then curl his lip up at it like a stallion normally does when smelling a mare in heat.


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## FeatheredFeet (Jan 27, 2010)

Stallion behaviour, can be anything which would not be normal or common in a mare or gelding.

Stallions will often push down or jump fences, to get to mares in heat. 
Stallions can often be 'bitey'.
Stallions can often be loud.
Stallions can be harder to handle than a mare or gelding, by the average horse owner.
Stallions will often 'fence-run' when seeing mares in another pasture. This can make them lose weight rapidly and not be interested in eating.

Lots of other things, make stallions very difficult. ALL colts should be gelded after weaning, unless bred by a very knowledgeable breeder, who might want to run one on to see if he might mature as stallion quality. Few are!

Very few horse owners, should own a stallion. They can be dangerous and difficult. Colts kept whole, should have very careful and serious training, from early life. They can become difficult and dangerous, very quickly, upon sexual maturity. 

No children should be allowed around stallions. 

Anyone keeping a stallion, should have extremely solid, safe and high 'stallion' fencing. Many lead a lonely life and will try their best to escape. 

Poor quality and grade stallions are much more likely to end up in slaughter houses, after the owner can no longer handle them. Very difficult to sell a stallion, unless of very good quality.

GELD EARLY!

Lizzie


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## Red Raiders (Aug 15, 2012)

Allison Finch said:


> One of my favorite "stallion" behaviors is one I have seen on almost all the stallions I have shown.
> 
> The stallion will see a poop pile
> 
> ...


This is a great example of some basic stallion behavior


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Unlike Feathered Feet I have had good experiences with my 3 stallions.
A stallion is ready to breed any mare in heat near him.
They do announce thier presnece and talk to mares.
You do need to be able to handle one and need to be wary of his movements and the other horses around him.
He prances and is very alert when he sees other horses and all the mares I own are His so he thinks.
He is consatnly alert and aware of his suroundings. More so than any mares or gelding I have ever owned.
One of mine did attack a gelding and scraped him up pretty bad when he got out. Now we all constantly checking gate latches.
He is now enclosed in a 6 foot high 3 acre pen made of steel pipe.
That pipe cost a dollar a foot.
They can be bothersome and trying at times but they can also be rewarding. Shalom


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

The lip curl is called a "flehmen response" and lots of horses do that, geldings and studs alike. I've not seen it in many mares, but I haven't had a whole lot of mares in my barn other than customer horses...and I normally don't just stand around and watch them do their thing, we're normally busy.

Other fairly typical stallion behavior that can also be seen in geldings and mares is walking up to a new horse with a high-stepping prance with the neck arched. They'll sniff noses and the stud will usually squeal and often paw.


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## FeatheredFeet (Jan 27, 2010)

dbarabians said:


> Unlike Feathered Feet I have had good experiences with my 3 stallions.
> Umm - who said I had not had good experiences with my stallions? I didn't say that anywhere. Actually, I have never had a bad experience, with the few stallions I have owned. However, they were trained very well, handled properly and housed properly.
> A stallion is ready to breed any mare in heat near him.
> They do announce thier presnece and talk to mares.
> ...


Lizzie


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Lizzie that was the most serious injury to a horse that I have ever encountered in the 46 years I have owned horse.
It was bloody but did not require stictches or bandaging no real harm was done. Except to the geldings pride.
It was an accident thats why I paid thousands of dollars to make sure he could not do it again.
However anyone can handle him.
Children ride him.
I assumed from the tone of your post that stallions were not to be trusted , that they bite, and are hard to control.
I have not experienced this. Shalom


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## FeatheredFeet (Jan 27, 2010)

The question was, "What is stallion behaviour?"

I answered the question, and listed several types of stallion behaviour and some ideas of how not to allow it to start in the first place. Obviously one or more or even none, might be the behaviour of different stallions.

Lizzie


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Lizzie, no one was having a shot at you. Take a deep breath and walk away.


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## FeatheredFeet (Jan 27, 2010)

I really didn't think anyone was having a shot at me. I did feel though, that dbarabians somehow thought I had had bad experiences with stallions of my own. Was really just giving examples.

Lizzie


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

I was not offended by anything Feathered feet posted and I hope she was not by mine.
I think we were both explaining our post.
Posting on the internet we do not have the full realm of communication that we enjoy person to person.
I have no problem with Feathered Feet she seems very knowledgable and reasonable. Shalom Lizzie


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