# Stallions vs. Geldings...



## inaclick (Jun 6, 2010)

Testosterone.
It's the hormone providing in all males, including humans, the following:
- sexual interest 
- various from case to case agression or boldness
- property instinct: My mares, my pasture (stallion), my girlfriend, my car (humans) 

Or, more bluntly said, the saying "he's got the balls to do that" actually comes from a quite anatomic perspective.


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## CopperPennyPony (Feb 14, 2010)

Hormones, the need to have sex and be dominant and just downright crazy... geldings are so much better!


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## sorelhorse (Feb 16, 2009)

inaclick said:


> Testosterone.
> It's the hormone providing in all males, including humans, the following:
> - sexual interest
> - various from case to case agression or boldness
> ...


yup pretty much exactly this


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

AngelWithoutWings54 said:


> I know that a gelding is a castrated stallion, but I was wondering what it was about a stallion that makes them so much more "hot" than a gelding.


They are not "hot". They have "other interests" that need to be replaced by training and work. Some stallions are in fact very laid back.



> All the stallions I have ever seen have been very lively and hot tempered, whereas most geldings are much more laid back and calm.


If the stallion was acting like this with an in heat mare and they are being bred at the time then they better be "up" and ready for it but they are still under control by their handler. A stallion with no desire is not a desired stallion at all.

A stallion acting like this in any other situation is either not well trained or has a temperment that most responsible mare owners will not find desirable.




> So is there like a chemical inbalance or something going on there?


Since testosterone is a normal chemical found in stallions..no there is no imbalance and a well trained even tempered stallion that does its job when asked is in perfect harmony with its chemical output.


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

Straight from the mouth of my old vet 

"Having a Stallion and trying to work him around mares is like locking a man in a room full of women with no clothes on and telling him he cant look or touch"


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

It all depends. Some stallions are alot worse than others, just like some geldings & mares are alot hotter than others. The only difference is that stallions are alot harder to handle if there is a mare around as she will distract him &they'l try & scrap with any other male (stallion or gelding) if an in-heat mare is _anywhere _nearby.
It all has to do with hormones (kind of like guys before they reach puberty lol). Guys with alot of testosterone tend to be jerks lol. Same goes for horses.
Now this isn't to say that they can't be ridden or can't be handled with ease. It just takes alot more patience and a much firmer hand because they do tend to want to show dominance & like previously said; they get distracted easily & can be dangerous.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

corinowalk said:


> Straight from the mouth of my old vet
> 
> "Having a Stallion and trying to work him around mares is like locking a man in a room full of women with no clothes on and telling him he cant look or touch"


See, I dislike that train of thought. It's just so untrue. With proper training and handling, stallions (much like humans :lol: ) can be taught to get a grip on their urges. Think about most badly mannered domestic studs you know - they DON'T act like that in a herd. They'd never survive. We create dangerous monsters by not only failing to train them properly, but by then isolating them to themselves.

Yes, you have to be careful around a stallion, but I've worked with a GOODLY amount of studs that were just as easy to handle (and easier) then some geldings.

It's absolutely NO different then rearing or bucking - of COURSE they're going to do it if you let them get away with it and they learn they can get their way.

It can be controlled and the only excuse for a badly behaved stallion is a lazy owner. Because if any stud of mine was NATURALLY that bad behaved, you bet your neuticles he wouldn't be a friggin stud anymore!


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## Strange (Jan 11, 2009)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> See, I dislike that train of thought. It's just so untrue. With proper training and handling, stallions (much like humans :lol: ) can be taught to get a grip on their urges. Think about most badly mannered domestic studs you know - they DON'T act like that in a herd. They'd never survive. We create dangerous monsters by not only failing to train them properly, but by then isolating them to themselves.
> 
> Yes, you have to be careful around a stallion, but I've worked with a GOODLY amount of studs that were just as easy to handle (and easier) then some geldings.
> 
> ...


I completely and totally agree. 

Any horse I work with better be paying attention to me and only me when I'm working them. I don't care if it's a mare, gelding, stallion, or purple polka dotted monster horse, it's going to listen to me and do what I ask. As soon as it's turned back out/put back in a stall it can whinny, paw, or do whatever, but not while it's being asked to do its job.


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

I believe his point was that it was unfair for us to allow them to keep the hormones but not allow them to act on their totally natural urges. 

I agree that a badly behaved horse is a badly behaved horse...stallion or not. My gelding has studdy behavior and I dont tolerate it. Hes never done anything under saddle though...in the field, he is his own man.


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