# Critique Lusitano Stallion



## EpicApple (Oct 19, 2014)

This is Divino, my 6 year old Lusitano stallion. He was born in Mexico, but I imported him to the United States about 3 months ago. He has never been bred, and we didn't purchase him with the intention of breeding him. He behaves so well that we didn't see the point on gelding him. I'd like to know what you guys think about him. Here's some pictures of him. 

Divino as a 3 year old 









Divino in March








Divino December 2014


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

Beautiful. 

Is the second pic, from March, after you bought and got him home?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

very handsome and maturing nicely. he has a hint of a capped hock, right side.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

he is pretty. It does look like a capped hock. he also looks to be really straight / up right in the back legs as a 3 yr old and the bottom pick his hind legs are stretched out .


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

He is a bit fat but I like him. A lot.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I think he is beautiful and would take him any day of the year. My favorite breed.

I just took a visit to your barn and decided that I need one or two of your horses. LOL


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

If not going to breed why not geld? That way when needed he can get turned out with other horses especially when retired. If is very frustrating for them to have the desire to breed and not get release. Gelding an older horse comes with more health risks.


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## LoveTheSaddlebreds (Jul 9, 2009)

churumbeque said:


> If not going to breed why not geld? That way when needed he can get turned out with other horses especially when retired. If is very frustrating for them to have the desire to breed and not get release. Gelding an older horse comes with more health risks.


I second this. If the animal is not being used for breeding, you should geld ASAP. Having a stallion is just way more of a headache (if he gets out and covers a mare?) and there are many more behavioral and health risks that come along with it. He may be fine now, but a couple years down the road, he may become frustrated.


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## EpicApple (Oct 19, 2014)

LoveTheSaddlebreds said:


> I second this. If the animal is not being used for breeding, you should geld ASAP. Having a stallion is just way more of a headache (if he gets out and covers a mare?) and there are many more behavioral and health risks that come along with it. He may be fine now, but a couple years down the road, he may become frustrated.



While I do agree completely with your point of views, I'd like to add more background information about the reasons we haven't gelded Divino and why I disagree in this particular case. 

We have a decent sized breeding operation where we handle stallions that are constantly being used to cover mares (at least 2 times a week.) I’ve grown up working with them and I am quite aware of the potential danger they could become to others, or how they could develop bad behaviors quite quick if not handled properly.

The facilities where Divino lives are very stallion "friendly." There's surveillance 24/7 and everything has been built with “security” in mind. I did revise his new home and talked with the boarders and staff prior to bringing him, making sure everyone knew and was fine with the fact that my horse was a stallion. So I am completely aware of the complications that their "instinct" might bring along. But again, I personally don't mind. So if he ever gets out, the chances of him covering a mare in these facilities are pretty much slim. 

Stallions character varies completely, while some might get “frustrated” when there’s mares in heat, other simply don’t. Divino is one of the later. Also, depending on the stallion, some stallions can be with other stallion or geldings without any issues. Divino used to have a gelding as a pasture buddy back in Mexico. 

We did consider gelding him for the same reasons you guys mentioned, but we did not really see an issue in this particular case. This does not necessarily mean we keep all of our horses stallions. We are all about gelding anything that is not breeding quality or that has a horrid temper despite proper handling/training. So no need to be alarmed if he still has his jewels, is in a responsible home, but is not being used for breeding.


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## EpicApple (Oct 19, 2014)

anndankev said:


> Beautiful.
> 
> Is the second pic, from March, after you bought and got him home?


Yes, right after he got off the trailer. He has this thing for trees, he used to be a giraffe in his other life. Forget about rolling or stretching. Food comes first.


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## EpicApple (Oct 19, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> very handsome and maturing nicely. he has a hint of a capped hock, right side.


Thanks, I did think they looked swollen. His left side looked similar, but vet never mentioned anything when I pointed them out. I do think he does have what you mention though. I was reading about them, and it says if they are still soft they can go down in size with ice and water. His are still soft and mushy, but he's had them like that since I can remember.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

EpicApple said:


> Thanks, I did think they looked swollen. His left side looked similar, but vet never mentioned anything when I pointed them out. I do think he does have what you mention though. I was reading about them, and it says if they are still soft they can go down in size with ice and water. His are still soft and mushy, but he's had them like that since I can remember.



is he stall kept or pasture kept? I mean, where does he sleep? it can influence this, so I've been told.


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## EpicApple (Oct 19, 2014)

He's been mostly stall kept with daily turnouts. He hasn't really been worked too hard either until recent. Could conformation play a role? Like someone mentioned, he is slightly straight at the hocks, also cow hocked.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Capped hocks are from repeated trauma such and laying on concrete or hare ground and banging the point of the hock on stall walls and so forth. 

I would love to see a photo of him from behind. I doubt he is cow hocked. He may toe out a bit behind and that is 100% normal and desirable.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I think MY hocks are capped! from repeated trauma on a hard table. (oh, I mean my elbows)


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## my horse (May 23, 2013)

Beautiful conformation!


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

He is tall for a Lusitano. Very handsome, and yes very fat


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

If he really fits the description that you give in your barn, it seems that he would be worth more as a stallion than as a gelding.


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## Tihannah (Apr 7, 2015)

Beautiful! That's all.


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