# STUD COLT what to expect



## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

First question: Why keep him intact? 

Secondly: As he grows older, he will grow more dominant. I have no personal experience with stallions, but I have friends who do. IF handled correctly, they can be good citizens and trustworthy, well behaved. But you better know what you're doing with them, and it takes a LOT of handling to get them there.

I don't subscribe to the belief that all stallions are rude and dangerous - no more than I believe mares are all hateful hags and unworthy of doing more than being baby factories.


But.


The saying is:_ Ask_ a stallion,_ tell_ a gelding, _negotiate_ with a mare.

There's a lot of truth in that.

But back to my first question: Why keep him intact at all?


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> First question: Why keep him intact?
> 
> 
> But back to my first question: Why keep him intact at all?



See next answer, it came up twice sorry, I am still new to forums and I am learning as I go. Sorry!!


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> First question: Why keep him intact?
> 
> 
> But back to my first question: Why keep him intact at all?


One reason, he is a super nice colt, blood lines makes him a perfect prospect for showing and his color is blue roan. I have already had several people ask me, if they could bred their mares to him when he comes of age. I know that I said I haven't had any experience with stud colts myself but know people that had with little problems. I am hoping if I know exactly what to expect then I can prepare on how to handle the situation. He is such a nice colt, that I even thing I would like to get a colt out of him when the time is right. Depending on how challenging he becomes will help me decide what I will do. Right now, he has been very respectful, and easy to work with.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

whisper2myhorse said:


> I have a 6 month old stud colt. I have had him about two weeks. He has been very gentle and easy to work with. I haven't had any experience with with working with stud colt or horses for that matter. What can I expect from him? Will he become more assertive as time goes on? He hasn't dropped down yet. Will I notice a big change when he does? He is had of a great blood line and I am not sure if I want to get him cut yet. I may want to use him as a stud, at least have the option.
> 
> Need some advice on what to expect.....


I read this post prior to reading the one New to the Forum or Welcome to the Forum. The "I haven't had any experience with working with stud colt or horses for that matter" left me sitting here just staring at the screen in disbelief. I had no words. Then I came across your other post where you say you have 25 years experience with working with horses. Don't be surprised if you get a lot of advice suggesting the best thing to do is to get professional help because a totally green person with a growing and in-tack male is a recipe for disaster (or any youngster for that matter).

Is that the youngster in the avatar? He's beautiful. I have had colts...that quickly became geldings. Therefore, I have no advice on your situation except to enjoy the experience of raising a youngster to maturity.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

So. Next question is - do you have the appropriate facilities for keeping a stallion and breeding one? A regular fence won't do it, no matter how polite and well mannered they are. Can you afford the type of fencing you'll need? They type of stall you'll need? 



Do you have 25 years experience with horses and just none with colts and stallions? A little clarification would help.


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## rambo99 (Nov 29, 2016)

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> So. Next question is - do you have the appropriate facilities for keeping a stallion and breeding one? A regular fence won't do it, no matter how polite and well mannered they are. Can you afford the type of fencing you'll need? They type of stall you'll need?
> 
> 
> 
> Do you have 25 years experience with horses and just none with colts and stallions? A little clarification would help.


From. Post here sounds like poster has little experience with horses. 

Most studs make better geldings,just because they have testicles. Doesn't mean you should breed them.


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

Yes, sorry I had meant to put that I haven't worked with a stud colt or stud horse. Yes, I have worked with horses 25 years and have trained several young ones but they were gelded before I brought them on my property. I have had several people would ask me if my horse that I was riding at the time was a stallion because they would like to have a colt out of him. I had wished that I had waited before I had gelded him. I didn't want to make the same mistake. Yes, that is him in the avatar, his sire is awesome looking and very gentle. I am hoping that he will take after him. His dam is also beautiful and has a very easy going gentle disposition too. I spent a lot of time researching different stud colts before I purchased him. I know everything I can about his blood lines. I am looking forward to the experience of raising this youngster.


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## rambo99 (Nov 29, 2016)

whisper2myhorse said:


> I haven't had any experience with with working with stud colt or horses for that matter.


Then you need to have him gelded. Takes an experienced horse person to own a stallion,and use him for breeding. Save yourself some serious problems and geld him. 

Stallions and breeding mares isn't a green horns business.


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

Yes, I am lucky to say, that I have the appropriate fence and area when he realizes he is a stud. I had it done, as I was searching for just the right stud colt. Also, my stalls were build with this in mine. The inside of the stalls or made of solid oak and was built with being able to withstand the abuse of any horse. These are very good questions. I think about things for along time before I do them. Blue Streak , Lakota has been a desire that I have wanted to do for a long time. He will probably be my last colt I will be starting and am wanting to get him the best start and advantages I can possibly give him. I also have 4 other horses. They are well behaved, respectful nice gaited horses. In my younger years, I trained horses for people with horse camps, hunting lodges and a dude ranch in several different states and they have bought more than one. 

Just no experience with stud colts.....


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## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

whisper2myhorse said:


> Yes, that is him in the avatar, his sire is awesome looking and very gentle. I am hoping that he will take after him. His dam is also beautiful and has a very easy going gentle disposition too.


If you're iffy about keeping him as a stallion, why not just refer your friends to his sire? They can use that nice stud then, having seen his offspring, without you having to provide yours. Keeping him as a stallion just to let a few friends breed from him sounds like they're asking a heck of a favour. I'd just send them up the line by one generation!


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

Now, back to my questions. Right now this sweet little boy has been a perfect gentleman, is this normal or is it because he is too young to realize that he is a stud colt. There is mares in neighboring fields and he has brought them back into season and my own young filly came in. Has anyone had any experience with young colts that can give me some insight? I am very aware what they can do when they become a breeding stud but just not the first year or two. I am hoping that I can be ready for the situation when the time and situation occurs. What should I be watching for?


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## ksbowman (Oct 30, 2018)

I have a very good friend that has been around horses all his life and an extremely good horseman. He has a huge hunk missing out of one of his shoulders from a stud he trusted and turned his back on , then the stud bit him and shook him throwing him to the ground and removing a piece of flesh. He had handled him a lot and knew that at any given time they can go Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde. He has not kept a stud since. It takes a very savvy handler to work with and around studs. Please give this a lot of thought. A gelding can be very forgiving and a very good partner.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

whisper2myhorse said:


> Now, back to my questions. Right now this sweet little boy has been a perfect gentleman, is this normal or is it because he is too young to realize that he is a stud colt. There is mares in neighboring fields and he has brought them back into season and my own young filly came in. Has anyone had any experience with young colts that can give me some insight? I am very aware what they can do when they become a breeding stud but just not the first year or two. I am hoping that I can be ready for the situation when the time and situation occurs. What should I be watching for?


By the time he shows you "what he can do" as a stallion, you could be dead. Handling intact males is at the very least an exercise in logistics. Where can I let the mares out? Where can I turn him out so he won't tear down the fencing to get to a flirty mare? Should I bring him in to the barn first or is it better last? I've had several stallions and have one of the most laid back fellows you can imagine, but the logistics of having even 1 can be a pain. Now, if that colt decides to be fractious (because if he's close enough to tease a mare in, he's close enough to be a BIG problem if he acts up), you are very soon going to have a real problem on your hands. If the colt in your avatar pic is him, he's very pretty, but pretty & color don't make a good stallion. Training makes a good stallion and a willingness to put him back in line for every little infraction of the rules. I can look at mine and say, "WHAT?" and point at him and he'll back off. Not every stallion will be that good natured. And when they're not.......Holy Cow.....it can be awful. I have worked with trainers who had multiple stallions in one barn and not one was what I would call, of the temper to be a stallion, and handling those boys......I got hurt more than once. Pretty much put me off stock horses for years. Wouldn't even look at one. 

And trust me when I say, as soon as he becomes a stallion and you put a price on his swimmers, all those friends who want to breed to him today? They'll disappear or try to get you to waive all the fees for them. Geld him, enjoy him, send them to his sire or one of his brothers.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

He can breed your mares right now, for starters. At 6 months, he can get the job done. And he can tear down a fence to do it... or get hurt trying. Exhibit A, a sneaky neighbor colt that bred my best friend's Streakin' Six mare at 6 months old. He tore down the fence to get to her. His owner said he couldn't possibly be the horse in her pasture - he was too young - and refused to come get him. She had to tell the owner the next step was a bullet to the colt's head. Suddenly the owner came and looked and golly gee wiz. That was his horse. And he did get the job done. She lost a chance to breed that mare to Dash with Perks that season because of it.


This same friend has owned a magnificent palomino stallion that I grew up with. She said she'll never own another stallion again... she could ride him in parades, she had his respect, but the variables and logistics of it all were a massive PITA. There was no room for error. She prefers mares and fillies and leaves the stallion ownership to others.



And once the 'grown up' horse hormones kick in, he will get more aggressive and you're going to know how to maintain his respect and correct him like any other horse, but he may decide to escalate the issue when you correct him. You're going to have to spent a fair amount of time with him to keep that respect. Once spring gets here and the real breeding season is on, you're going to have your hands full. Are you going to be able to make him your main project for a while?


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

rambo99 said:


> Then you need to have him gelded. Takes an experienced horse person to own a stallion,and use him for breeding. Save yourself some serious problems and geld him.
> 
> Stallions and breeding mares isn't a green horns business.


I have to agree with you. I am very aware that stallions and breeding mares isn't a green horns business. I have 25 years of training horses off and on. It has been a long time since I have trained a horse about 15 years. But, I have been riding horses all this time. They are trail riding horses and I did train them myself but they are getting older. I am at a new stage in my life, I am getting ready to retire in about 2 more years. At this time, I am going to start showing Tennessee Walking horses. I am hoping that these sweet boy will be the show prospect that I am looking for. If he becomes the horse that his bloodline has produced in the past, then he will be worth a lot more money to me as a stud in the future. Since there is no guarantees, I am willing to chance it and learn how to deal with a stud in the hope that he will become a known show horse. I hope I am making sense. I am willing and am right now able to deal with the serous problems that comes along with a stallion. I am around people that ride stallions on a regular basis, they are well behaved and all business when the bridle is in their mouth. They have a certain routine that is expected of them when it is time for them to bred and they do know the difference. 

I may be answering questions out of order, this forum thing is all new to me.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

https://www.horseforum.com/horse-breeding/stallion-owners-lament-810213/

And that's only ONE mare owner that's got me chewing on my tongue and breaking my fingers so I won't say anything rude. I've actually had way worse.


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

The stud is 4 hour drive away. They may not be able to afford room and board for their mare. Also, the expense of the stud fee since he is a proven stallion. I forgot to mention, that this colt is to be a show prospect. I don't want to hear your beliefs about the show ring and Tennessee Walkers unless you have been apart of are currently have horses in the show ring. 

This has been a long desire for me and my kids are grown now, and I am currently at the time in life where I can do this. My husband, who also trains horses is saying some of the things about how dangerous it could be and all the problems that comes with it. He also worries that one movement and he could hurt be bad and are kill me. As I read over the different comments, I am rethinking this. I just see him now and how calm he is and how eager he is to please. Out of the seven horses that I have personally trained with out my husbands help he has been the second easiest to work with. This maybe due to him being so young. I guess it just got my hopes up. I will slow down and think about it a lot more. I will know more by spring, I will keep an open mind about it. I just need to know what to expect now.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

A lot depends on the temperament of the colt. A while back I had a 2 ur old Dartmoor colt that ran with another 3 yr old colt. The 2 yr old was a beggar and knew there's was more to life than just gazing and growing. The other you would never have known he was intact. 

I have handled a lot of stud horses. A couple I handled were difficult in their temperaments, mouthy, pushy and one thought in mind and it wasn't anything to do with me to being ridden. 

I was consistent in my handling of them. I *insisted* on total manners. I also worked them (riding them daily) a lot. This wasn't just in an arena but out and about. One, a TB was one of my best Hunt horses, he would stand quietly holding a gate open, I could lead other horses from him, including mares, and he would stand with horses all around him. Many didn't realise he was a stallion. 

I always kept a stud bridle for when he was covering mares, different to his riding bridle. When I first started handling him to his mares he was so excited he would rear and buck going to them, thismwas firmly and fairly corrected so by the end of his first season he was walking politely to the mare. 

On maturity of most males a lot of their brain cells migrate south, it is up to the handler to keep their mind engaged and occupied then they flourish.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

You really don't want to hear anything you don't want to hear. I'm not going to try to tell you what to expect from a horse, stallion, I don't know. That's a good way to get you hurt/maimed/killed. If you have to ask, you need a pro.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

whisper2myhorse said:


> The stud is 4 hour drive away. They may not be able to afford room and board for their mare. Also, the expense of the stud fee since he is a proven stallion.


That proves my point exactly. If they can't afford the stud fees, the mare care or shipping and AI fees, then they have no business breeding and the minute you put a fee on your horse, it's going to be too much. 

A person who is serious about breeding will not complain about a 4 hr trip (heck I drove to LA to go see a stallion I was considering), and may flinch at the stud fees and costs involved but realizes that this is totally a luxury game. And they'll realize it's a crap shoot. You can breed the best to the best and still get a cull. It's cheaper by far to go buy a youngster that is exactly what you want and raise it up and train it than it is to breed for something you may not get.


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

I am seeing very quickly how this forum works. I am taking to heart all the information that you are giving me. I promise, I will take the time and think this through. I work with this colt daily. I want him to learn respect, and personal space. My neighbor would love to have the colt jump the fence and she would get a free colt out of this blood line. She is one of the ones that is wanting me to breed her mare to before I have him cut. I say this light heartedly because this got pretty sticky quickly and I realize this is not a joking manner. You don't know anything about me or my experience. I have had training with Pat Parelli and worked closey with another professional trainer for several years when I was young. I am very confident about my training abilities and maybe that is why I felt that I could handle a stud. My husband says is not my training abilities that he is worred about it is my age and the fact that I am not as quick on my feet as I use to be. I will talk with some other people that know me and my abilitiy. 


I just see great blood lines, a lot of possibility and yes future horses from my horses. I am wanting to bred him to my mare which has excellent bloodlines for show prospects. To say that I researched and picked out just the right dam and sire.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

Look. We're being honest. A lot of people don't like that. But to be less than honest is a disservice to people who come here and ask for advice. There's no malice intended - just concern.

If you're coming here to ask about something so general as to what to expect out of a colt maturing into a stallion, then it tells us all we need to know: You have no business leaving him intact.

If your friends can't make a 4 hour drive to have their mares bred, that also tells us all we need to know - they broke and want to get free breedings from your horse, at your expense and peril.

It's okay to have a lifelong dream and I get the temptation of wanting to keep a handsome colt intact, but I'm also a realist. There are a lot of red flags in your replies and original post, and that's where the concern is coming from here. 

Whatever you decide to do, get a real life mentor and be aware your husband is 100% correct - there is no room for error when dealing with a stallion.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

I think most of the posts above cover the concerns of owning a stallion. I want to put something else out there. I worked for a trainer while I was in college. He trained and boarded 3-5 stallions at a time for different owners and we had mares in to be bred. One of the things he mentioned a lot was the liability of owning a stallion. If you decide to keep this horse a stud and stand him at your own property please look into liability insurance with your insurance company. I know that my farm policy specifically states that I cannot bring other peoples horses onto my property with the intent of profiting.(I don't know the specific wording) You may need to up your liability insurance. Also, you could start research with a good reproductive vet. I think your post said you were in KY- depending on your location you may find that you have mares to breed for a year or 2 and then it falls off as your colts prodigy hit the ground and the locals decide to mix other blood into their herds. In order to be a truly successful breeder you will need to be able to ship semen - read the ads on the different Facebook groups and on MeWe a lot of people as for shipped semen.

Right now "roans" are in style. I know you stated you researched blood lines and purchased with the intent to show - if you truly want a stallion that is marketable to the show crowd I am guessing that you will eventually send him to a trainers to be trained for the show ring - and then probably sent back yearly for a refresher. Depending on which type of show horse you plan on making him (Big Lick or Plantation) you are determining the market your horse will appeal to. Personally, I think the best thing you can do is continue to research. Talk to people who are currently standing stallions, talk to those on the show circuit to determine what they are looking for a in a stallion. Your colt is very young - yes, some people may want to breed to him specifically in hopes of passing on that roan gene - do you know his genetics enough to state what percentage of roan foals he would throw? - Right now education is your best friend.

I say all of these things as a TWH owner who has spent the entire summer researching stallions for the possibility of breeding my daughters mare in the next 2 years. I have some show experience (local level) and some training experience (worked for years for a trainer, have trained my own horses and have also given lessons at different times) and the money, time and dedication it takes to make a truly wonderful stallion is something a lot of people are not truly prepared for.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

whisper2myhorse said:


> I am seeing very quickly how this forum works. I am taking to heart all the information that you are giving me. I promise, I will take the time and think this through. I work with this colt daily. I want him to learn respect, and personal space. My neighbor would love to have the colt jump the fence and she would get a free colt out of this blood line. She is one of the ones that is wanting me to breed her mare to before I have him cut. I say this light heartedly because this got pretty sticky quickly and I realize this is not a joking manner. You don't know anything about me or my experience. I have had training with Pat Parelli and worked closey with another professional trainer for several years when I was young. I am very confident about my training abilities and maybe that is why I felt that I could handle a stud. My husband says is not my training abilities that he is worred about it is my age and the fact that I am not as quick on my feet as I use to be. I will talk with some other people that know me and my abilitiy.
> 
> 
> I just see great blood lines, a lot of possibility and yes future horses from my horses. I am wanting to bred him to my mare which has excellent bloodlines for show prospects. To say that I researched and picked out just the right dam and sire.


Then when he's old enough to breed, say around 4 years old, collect him and freeze the semen to use on mares you choose very carefully. That way you can geld and breed without the hassle of keeping a stallion. 

And we call 'em like we see 'em here on the forum. The thing that is making those of us who handle stallions tell you to geld is not that you can't train or haven't trained other horses. It's the questions you are asking about THIS horse and your total lack of experience around stallions. I've grown up around breeding horses and handling stallions my whole life. I'm now in my 60's and not as nimble as I used to be. If I thought for one minute that my stallion would hurt me, I'd geld him tomorrow. I trust him with my life daily, and I NEVER turn my back on him. I also try to have someone around, at least within eye shot, when I'm handling, riding and absolutely when I'm collecting or breeding him. And as you get older, it's less likely the stallion that's going to hurt you or kill you, it's the young ones who don't have a mean bone in 'em, but who decide to test you or want to play with you. Testing you is what they do, how they learn. One wrong hoof, and you're a dead duck. It's nothing against you that's making us say, "Geld", it's lives of experience and knowing just how badly and how quickly things can go to absolute cr*p on you. 

There's a saying about stallions and geldings, "A good stallion makes a great gelding.". It's true.

Cost is a significant factor when you stand a stallion. I have spent upwards of $75K in ONE YEAR to promote my stallion on the show circuit. Think about that for a bit. The ads, the training, the showing, the hauling, the hotel bills, the restaurant bills, all the costs of promotion add up very quickly and if he's not the Stallion du Jour? It may be for nothing.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

You've gotten lots of advice.

It sounds like you are hoping to make money with this stallion. I can speak to that.

I have friends that breed sport horses of various types. And one friend that has a Quarter Horse legacy operation.

Over the years, I've seen them all work hard to campaign their stallions to increase the horses' worth as a breeding candidate. So, assuming you can train him in a worthwhile discipline, and have the time and money to promote him, them it can be profitable and fun. And even safe. If you know how to educate a stallion.


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> That proves my point exactly. If they can't afford the stud fees, the mare care or shipping and AI fees, then they have no business breeding and the minute you put a fee on your horse, it's going to be too much.
> 
> A person who is serious about breeding will not complain about a 4 hr trip (heck I drove to LA to go see a stallion I was considering), and may flinch at the stud fees and costs involved but realizes that this is totally a luxury game. And they'll realize it's a crap shoot. You can breed the best to the best and still get a cull. It's cheaper by far to go buy a youngster that is exactly what you want and raise it up and train it than it is to breed for something you may not get.


I am the one that is serious about breeding and you are right a 4 hour trip is nothing, I have been a lot farther and paid a lot of money purchasing just the right horse. The one that I am talking about is a dear and old friend. She doesn't have that kind of money or means. I have been blessed with a super husband that works very hard and has a lot of the same interest that I have. We have worked together and very hard I should say to go after things that we want. 

Yes, I know that it isn't something that is going to be easy to deal with a stud colt, but believe me I am truly aware of it. I have worked with and had to retrained horses off the show ring that was breeding studs but was cut right before I got them. I had to deal with the hormone change he had to go through as well of his memories of breeding and being right off the show ring in speed racking class. Yes, that was a challenge and it took me three years to do it. I can ride this horse on any trail with any horses and he does exactly what I ask of him. In fact he will be my granddaughters horse when she is able to ride. This is the closes experience I have had with a stud at this time. But, I am told by professionals that in his mind he was still a stud. He did things like fight the gelding around him, even mounted a mare with someone own his back, that is why he was brought to me and silly me I bought him. I could go on and on about the experience I had with him but I won't. He was ten years old and was bred a lot before I got him. 

For the comment it is cheaper by far to buy a youngster that is exactly what you want and raise it up and train it is exactly why I bought him. I feel like his breeding and my know how will get me want I want. I much rather break a horse myself than to retrain someone else's mistakes. I have had to do that a lot for others. 

Also, for your other comment where your said then to bred something that you may not get. I am wanting to have the satisfaction of saying I was able to breed to just the right dam and sire and looked what I got and that is where it really pays off. Yes, I am that conceded. 

I have had people come from many miles from word of mouth to buy horses that my husband and I have trained and they didn't go cheap.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

whisper2myhorse said:


> I am the one that is serious about breeding and you are right a 4 hour trip is nothing, I have been a lot farther and paid a lot of money purchasing just the right horse. The one that I am talking about is a dear and old friend. She doesn't have that kind of money or means. I have been blessed with a super husband that works very hard and has a lot of the same interest that I have. We have worked together and very hard I should say to go after things that we want.
> 
> Yes, I know that it isn't something that is going to be easy to deal with a stud colt, but believe me I am truly aware of it. I have worked with and had to retrained horses off the show ring that was breeding studs but was cut right before I got them. I had to deal with the hormone change he had to go through as well of his memories of breeding and being right off the show ring in speed racking class. Yes, that was a challenge and it took me three years to do it. I can ride this horse on any trail with any horses and he does exactly what I ask of him. In fact he will be my granddaughters horse when she is able to ride. This is the closes experience I have had with a stud at this time. But, I am told by professionals that in his mind he was still a stud. He did things like fight the gelding around him, even mounted a mare with someone own his back, that is why he was brought to me and silly me I bought him. I could go on and on about the experience I had with him but I won't. He was ten years old and was bred a lot before I got him.
> 
> ...


Are you able/willing to cull those that don't come out exactly what you wanted?


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

carshon said:


> I think most of the posts above cover the concerns of owning a stallion. I want to put something else out there. I worked for a trainer while I was in college. He trained and boarded 3-5 stallions at a time for different owners and we had mares in to be bred. One of the things he mentioned a lot was the liability of owning a stallion. If you decide to keep this horse a stud and stand him at your own property please look into liability insurance with your insurance company. I know that my farm policy specifically states that I cannot bring other peoples horses onto my property with the intent of profiting.(I don't know the specific wording) You may need to up your liability insurance. Also, you could start research with a good reproductive vet. I think your post said you were in KY- depending on your location you may find that you have mares to breed for a year or 2 and then it falls off as your colts prodigy hit the ground and the locals decide to mix other blood into their herds. In order to be a truly successful breeder you will need to be able to ship semen - read the ads on the different Facebook groups and on MeWe a lot of people as for shipped semen.
> 
> Right now "roans" are in style. I know you stated you researched blood lines and purchased with the intent to show - if you truly want a stallion that is marketable to the show crowd I am guessing that you will eventually send him to a trainers to be trained for the show ring - and then probably sent back yearly for a refresher. Depending on which type of show horse you plan on making him (Big Lick or Plantation) you are determining the market your horse will appeal to. Personally, I think the best thing you can do is continue to research. Talk to people who are currently standing stallions, talk to those on the show circuit to determine what they are looking for a in a stallion. Your colt is very young - yes, some people may want to breed to him specifically in hopes of passing on that roan gene - do you know his genetics enough to state what percentage of roan foals he would throw? - Right now education is your best friend.
> 
> I say all of these things as a TWH owner who has spent the entire summer researching stallions for the possibility of breeding my daughters mare in the next 2 years. I have some show experience (local level) and some training experience (worked for years for a trainer, have trained my own horses and have also given lessons at different times) and the money, time and dedication it takes to make a truly wonderful stallion is something a lot of people are not truly prepared for.




Yes, on the sire side is the roan gene and yes they have been DNA to throw roans. I have researched horses for the last 5 years seriously and know about the show ring. I haven't decided what discipline with him yet, until he is order and I can tell more. Yes, I have already been in contact with trainers and work closely with the one I hope to be using. Yes, it is very expensive hobby and hope that I will be able to go all the way is a big challenge, but great reward if that is what you really want to do. I have not made of my mine yet. I have talked with my vet and he feels that since he hasn't dropped yet. That I can wait to March to make up my mine. I am truly thankful for the comments and I am taking it all in. I just find it hard to give up on a dream that I have been preparing for since I was 25 years old and now in my 50's. This is not something I have taken lightly.


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Are you able/willing to cull those that don't come out exactly what you wanted?[/QUOTe
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

You seem to have your heart set on what you want and have thought long and hard about how to get it. He's a beautiful colt. 

Now this is coming from someone who has never raised a stud colt and very minimum of stallion handling. I have watched others handle colts and stallions successfully and have seen accidents that could have been prevented. The ones that have been handled successfully have been with strictness (don't deviate from the rules that are set) and fairness. In my observations, I been left with the notion that stallions do not tolerate bullying very well. The boys seem to like to play the biting game as well. It's a game to them but not a good habit to let them get into. There is a pretty good Warwick Schiller video on youtube about handling nipping and biting.

I don't think that anyone here means any harm, they just know that having a stud can be a PITA. Something that is worth it if this is what you have your heart set on and go into with eyes wide open. 

I would ask acquaintances and horse friends that have the experience to guide you. They're is also a lot of good videos to give guidance as well. One of my favorites that I have mentioned already is Warwick Schiller. I like his relaxed and thoughtful attitude towards the horses that he works with.


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## ksbowman (Oct 30, 2018)

ksbowman said:


> I have a very good friend that has been around horses all his life and an extremely good horseman. He has a huge hunk missing out of one of his shoulders from a stud he trusted and turned his back on , then the stud bit him and shook him throwing him to the ground and removing a piece of flesh. He had handled him a lot and knew that at any given time they can go Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde. He has not kept a stud since. It takes a very savvy handler to work with and around studs. Please give this a lot of thought. A gelding can be very forgiving and a very good partner.


 Mr. Murray ( man in the quote) always said the second most dangerous in North America next to an adult grizzly is a stallion with a bad attitude. What will set him off depends on the day. He told me if the stud hadn't backed off after the bite he could have killed him, just stomping him into a bloody mud hole.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

ksbowman said:


> Mr. Murray ( man in the quote) always said the second most dangerous in North America next to an adult grizzly is a stallion with a bad attitude. What will set him off depends on the day. He told me if the stud hadn't backed off after the bite he could have killed him, just stomping him into a bloody mud hole.





I really like DreamCatcher's suggestion that they collect from him and store it since OP just wants one baby out of him to keep, and then geld him. That's a win-win, IMO.


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> I really like DreamCatcher's suggestion that they collect from him and store it since OP just wants one baby out of him to keep, and then geld him. That's a win-win, IMO.


I like that idea too, I have already called my vet to find out what I need to do and if he was able to do it. The secretary said that it was his wife's specialty she is also a equine vet and that she will have her call me when she gets in she was on a farm call. 


So, I guess that he will be gelded after we have some sperm collected. :Angel:


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

whisper2myhorse said:


> I like that idea too, I have already called my vet to find out what I need to do and if he was able to do it. The secretary said that it was his wife's specialty she is also a equine vet and that she will have her call me when she gets in she was on a farm call.
> 
> 
> So, I guess that he will be gelded after we have some sperm collected. :Angel:



Really seems like the best option. You get what you want - to breed your own baby out of your own 'stallion' while not having an actual stallion to have to deal with. And if he turns out to be a horse you'd rather not breed, then you've not slogged through a few years of Stallion Problems. No harm, no foul.


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> Look. We're being honest. A lot of people don't like that. But to be less than honest is a disservice to people who come here and ask for advice. There's no malice intended - just concern.
> 
> If you're coming here to ask about something so general as to what to expect out of a colt maturing into a stallion, then it tells us all we need to know: You have no business leaving him intact.
> 
> ...



I wasn't thinking that it was such a general question. I was looking at it more like what to watch for as he is maturing and becoming aware that he is a stud. Right now, he is gentle, quiet and wants to please. He is NOT dominate toward people and is easy to handle. I am hoping that he will stay like that because his dad had the same disposition when I went to check him out. They are able to ride him in the field with other mares with no reaction. I was hoping that even though he hasn't dropped yet that he would stay quiet, easy to work with and well behaved I was hoping that people who have been around young colts would be able to give me some pointers about when they start to change. 

I have not owned a stallion but have rode with people that were riding stallions. I had to retrain a 10 year old horse that was a breeding stud that they could know longer show because he still thought he was a stud and was uncontrollable. He was cut when he was brought to me. I decided to buy him, it took be over 3 years to get him like I wanted him to be able to ride him on trails and not have to be on pins and needles what he might do to the other horses. He is find now, and people find it hard to believe he is the same horse that seen him when I first got him.


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> Really seems like the best option. You get what you want - to breed your own baby out of your own 'stallion' while not having an actual stallion to have to deal with. And if he turns out to be a horse you'd rather not breed, then you've not slogged through a few years of Stallion Problems. No harm, no foul.


Your exactly right!! I am looking forward to working with this young baby, whether he becomes a show horse or a super nice smooth trail horse. He has already stolen my heart.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

whisper2myhorse said:


> I wasn't thinking that it was such a general question. I was looking at it more like what to watch for as he is maturing and becoming aware that he is a stud. Right now, he is gentle, quiet and wants to please.
> 
> *He is NOT dominate toward people and is easy to handle. I am hoping that he will stay like that because his dad had the same disposition when I went to check him out.*
> 
> ...



Underlined: Ah, but see, that's a very broad and general question - because with all things equine, almost every situation is fluid and can change any given second. What you're asking? The answers are going to depend on so many variables someone on the internet who doesn't know you, doesn't know the horse, doesn't know his bloodlines, doesn't know anything about his sire or dam, can't answer that. We can just tell you once his junk drops, his brain is going to go POOF... and with you having mares on-site, you have a double issue - Mares that know there's a handsome hunk of uncut Grade A TWH Roan on the place. Their behavior will change as well - just an FYI.

It's impossible to give you much more information than that (That information being: He's going to become a PITA sometime in the near future, and you're going to have to know what you're doing for his sake and yours) because there are so many unknown variables.

*Bold:* He won't. He's going to become a hormonal, horny 1000 lb teenager. That doesn't mean he's a bad horse or mean. Just means he's maturing and if you have no former experience with how to handle him through this stage.... (proceed to next paragraph)

_Green_ .... you won't have a stallion like his father. A stallion like his father isn't a unicorn. They're out there... but they are owned by people who grew up around breeding stock/horses, and have handled stallions extensively. You can raise a stallion like this - but you have to spend a LOT of time with them, day in, day out, every single day, no matter the weather or how they're feeling on that day or how you're feeling. Likewise, we can't tell you when he'll start to 'change', because it's different for every horse. I'd say start keeping an eye out for challenging behavior now.


Stallions are a LOT of work and they are unforgiving. The storage option is the best one, IMO, and I'm glad you're considering it. You get what you want, he gets snippy snippy and you get (hopefully) to keep that sweet, willing colt you have right now (Meaning his personality should remain the same without hormonal fluctuations or dangerous breeding/dominance behaviors).


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

Thank you for your comments. I have been doing a lot of thinking about your points. I am hoping now, that I want see any of that behavior before we are prepared to snip him.. Right now, I am wanting to wait until he drops, get some sperm and then cut him. Pray for the best.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

whisper2myhorse said:


> I like that idea too, I have already called my vet to find out what I need to do and if he was able to do it. The secretary said that it was his wife's specialty she is also a equine vet and that she will have her call me when she gets in she was on a farm call.
> 
> 
> So, I guess that he will be gelded after we have some sperm collected. :Angel:


I think that's a great idea, too and I wish you and your colt the best.

:cowboy:


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

boots said:


> I think that's a great idea, too and I wish you and your colt the best.
> 
> :cowboy:


Thank you, I will start a journal about his progress soon.


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## RHANDIE (Apr 12, 2019)

Well if he’s like my 6 month old colt he’s going to soon be a little monster 🤪


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Here is much advice given here. 

You sound an experi nced horsewomen. Continue with the colt (and he looks like he could well be stud material) see how he progresses. 

Collection is always an option as is gelding should he suddenly turn into a raging killer horse. 

As I said earlier, I have had much experience with stallions, yes, they do have to be watched and respected but if their brains are occupied with work they are not so different to other horses. 

The first stallion I ever had anything to do with was a show jumper and way back then very few stallions had a job of work show jumping. He was totally manageable. He could travel in the horsebox next to mares, be tied next to a mare and yet he had the reputation of being hot and dangerous. The 'hot' came from the fact he was mostly jumping speed classes, slightly lower than an open class, because he was doing stud duties through the spring and early summer. 
People saw him in the arena and how he would be galloping and turning fast, they didn't look to see him stood quietly watching with other horses around him outside the ring. 

Bad news always travels faster than good. It is the same with stallions, there are more out there that have never savaged their owner/handler than have yet it seems everyone has a view that they are ALL going to attack. 

When I was working with racehorses out of (race) training we had a horse called Little Wolf, he had won several group races and was never studish. He was retired and stood at stud and refused to cover any mare, he just wasn't interested! Nothing physically wrong with him, just not interested. He returned to us to get fit to go back into racing, come early spring we had a pony mare who was desperate to get in foal. I suggested to the trainer and owner that I put the pair together. That mare seduced him and he got the idea of what life was meant to be for him. He did cover other mares but always took his time over the deed! 

I say continue with him as he is, play the wait and see game.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

You've gotten quite a bit of advice and all of it needs to be considered. You seem to be taking it all in and thinking things through. They've covered aging (yours) and reaction times, experience, experience with a stallion, housing, fencing, liability, insurance, costs to promote (which I understand is not your intention - but covered), breeding concerns (mare owners and expectations) and benefits to castration. 



I am going to throw a wrench in the works but it needs to be brought up. I claim no expertise but having had repro classes (equine) and an continued interest which means I've tried to keep up with research and techniques along with working in a breeding barn, having close friends that work in the equine repro specialty (that I can and do discuss the topic with) and having breeding stallions it is a topic I follow.



The topic of castration and then harvesting and storing for later use has come up fairly often. There are significant considerations that go into the decision as they effect the likelihood of successful insemination. It became something I considered when I suddenly lost one of my stallions and the service was offered through CSU. I am not aware of any other clinics offering the service but at the time Colorado State was where the collected testicle with epididymus including a significant portion of the vas deferens intact and sutured closed then properly cooled and shipped went. The cost of collection, prepping, shipping, container rental (for initial shipping), processing upon arrival and epididymal semen freeze was over $1500 then you have to pay for them to store the collected semen. There are no guarantees that a pregnancy will be viable using that stored semen and it is a limited quantity so there are only so many cycles that can be covered. At that time it was $25 a month. I had two mares bred for foaling the next year that would have been the only two at that point I would have considered rebreeding based on the cost of the entire AI process (which also has to be considered). That would have meant $300 in storage on top of the other costs. Just breeding one mare would have been about $1000 and that is with me owning the semen and not paying for that cost. Added to the cost for the stallion and I'd be looking at spending close to $3000 for one breeding. This was with an 8 year old proven stallion. A stallion I had lab values on and knew that it could be a viable option if I chose to go that route. The only thing I was lacking was testing to see how freezing effected his samples.



Keep in mind that not all stallions have sperm suitable for freezing. That the recommendations for epididymal freezing are for those stallions 3y.o. and up. Collecting in the situation you are in the recommendation is to wait until the horse is at least 2y.o. The older the better. Sexual maturity in a stallion (for repro purposes) is the age that a stallion is producing 50 million sperm with >10% motility (using motility as a determining factor for viability). That doesn't happen typically until sometime between 18 and 24 months. It isn't until around 20 months that testosterone levels have risen enough to support viable sperm production. Between 24 and 36 months the repro tract is mature enough to produce samples that can be considered worth the time and associated costs for storage and that is through collection not epididymal freezing which lowers the percent of viable pregnancies resulting. Under that age and the numbers are lower, the hormones aren't there to support maturation of the sperm and sperm that is produced is often not structurally normal. Full sexual maturity and best practice is for collection to occur on a stallion over the age of 5 and in his prime. 5 being the age full sexual maturity is considered having been reached.


All of that is something you will want to talk to a repro specialist about and do your own research as well. I chose not to. We had just started fitting him for shows and had no promotional worthy photos so really the only use would have been for personal use and perhaps one or two others that had mares that had asked about breeding. We did not know COD but it was later determined that it was likely a mutation related to HYPP (He tested N/N for HYPP but went back to Impressive in multiple lines). I was glad I hadn't when we lost his daughter under the same circumstances a year later. There were further tests done on her but we did not go far enough to make a concrete determination as we had spent quite a bit between both deaths to determine cause. It was not a form of a contagion (rabies, encephalitis, etc.), poison or other known genetic cause. 



Everyone starts somewhere when it comes to keeping a stallion. Temperament of the animal is paramount. Temperament of sire and dam as well. So is the temperament, experience and consistency of the handler at all stages. You have done your research, realize your limitations, have in your opinion prepared your property for housing and containment. You are confident in your ability to train an animal that is reliable for the intended purpose sold for. You have been made aware of other considerations. Go through those carefully and consider how they apply to you and your situation. Do you have a mentor and trainer available to work with you? Are you confident of your ability to read an animal? Are you physically up to the challenge of keeping and training this horse? You aren't expected to answer here but welcome to as sometimes having more eyes on your answers helps refine your decision. You have said you are intending to only breed him to your mare. Why not look at his sire or another relation that has been bred to similar mares (conformation and lines) and see what they are producing. You may find it much less costly even having to pay for the semen itself.


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

When I bought my yearling stud colt, I had recently attended a Paso Fino horse show. I was astounded at that time to see 30 intact stallions in the ketch pen waiting for their class with 30 four to six year olds on them. These stallions were crammed in together in the ketch pen with toddlers sitting on them. Those stallions were all standing quietly with their little riders waiting for their class.

I had worked with stallions for many years and was familiar with how they needed to be treated. I had researched Pasos before I bought my stud colt, and knew that Pasos are bred to be quiet docile stallions because Hispanic men prefer to ride stallions.

So, I got my little stallion, hoping that he would be one of those docile quiet ones. He was a little terror from the day I got him. I worked with him daily and it was certainly interesting. I gave up after a year and had him gelded at age two. He is a beautiful, loving, gentle, kind, calm gelding now. 

My point is: I wanted a stallion and hoped he'd be gentle. I had an open mind that it might not work out. He wasn't all that bad, but he was more than I wanted to fool with. He was not a gentle calm kind stallion as many Paso Finos are, so I had to geld him. Oh well. C'est la vie.

I think you have the same attitude as I had. I hope your stud stays calm and kind. Some do. If you want to see some quiet stallions, go to a Paso Fino, a Peruvian Paso, a PRE, or an Andalusian horse show. They are there. I wish you all the best.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

QtrBel brought up some good points but I was not talking about post-gelding semen collection and storage. I was talking about having the horse collected, tested & stored before castration, once he reaches maturity and breeding age (about 4). Here the process would probably cost me around $1500 for 1000 straws and storage is about $25/mo. I have 2 places that do it, OSU and Reproduction Enterprises. I would take the stallion to them, they'd collect and we'd come home. They do the testing, determine whether the horse is viable for freezing and determine which extender is best with that horse's semen, then put it in "straws" and put the straws in the cryo storage. Once I'd reached the number of "straws" or doses, then we'd do the gelding. Very easy and relatively inexpensive to the stallion owner. 

In KY I'm sure you have at least 2 different places you could take your horse to have him collected. Rood and Riddle is in Lexington and has extensive services available. Even if they don't offer the service, I'm sure they could direct you to someone local who does.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Dreamcatcher she mentioned cutting him in the spring.


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

ksbowman said:


> I have a very good friend that has been around horses all his life and an extremely good horseman. He has a huge hunk missing out of one of his shoulders from a stud he trusted and turned his back on , then the stud bit him and shook him throwing him to the ground and removing a piece of flesh. He had handled him a lot and knew that at any given time they can go Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde. He has not kept a stud since. It takes a very savvy handler to work with and around studs. Please give this a lot of thought. A gelding can be very forgiving and a very good partner.



I have also had friends that were around geldings, mares and ponies and they got hurt too, they were bucked off, kicked, bitten and ran over. That doesn't make me quit riding. I am always cautious, anything could happen at any time. I also had a friend that had a very gentle season horse that got spooked my a deer, she hit the ground and broke her back. She is paralyzed from the waist down. She had to quit ridding but she does still goes around in a buggy. 

I also have broken my leg twice and from my femur all the way down and I am literally held together with screws and bolts in that leg. The first time I broke my leg was teaching a Crisis Prevention Class to teach people how to restrain other people that are out of control. I got hurt. I didn't stop teaching the class but it took me two years to get back in shape for it. The second time I broke the same leg, I fell down the stairs on my back porch. I was laid up in bed for 6 months on both situations and had to learn how to walk all over again both times. The first time they thought they were going to amputate from the knee down. I am saying this because there is risk and dangers in life that we all have to face daily. I can't live my life in fear. Yes, I can be cautious, not take chances that will put me at risk. 

As I was working with this sweet young baby, that is 415 pounds right now and 13.1 hands, I feel that I can wait to make this decision. I am not having any trouble putting him with the other horses right now. I haven't put him with my young filly yet, because I believe that she would chase him around and maybe hurt him right now. She is 16.1 hands and probably close to 1400 pounds. I don't think he could reach her to bred her but I don't want her to tease him either. 

I think I will take one day at a time for right now. The vet said that if we cut him now being as cold it is here that it would be harder on him. We were talking about March or the first of April when I am on Spring break. :faceshot:


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> QtrBel brought up some good points but I was not talking about post-gelding semen collection and storage. I was talking about having the horse collected, tested & stored before castration, once he reaches maturity and breeding age (about 4). Here the process would probably cost me around $1500 for 1000 straws and storage is about $25/mo. I have 2 places that do it, OSU and Reproduction Enterprises. I would take the stallion to them, they'd collect and we'd come home. They do the testing, determine whether the horse is viable for freezing and determine which extender is best with that horse's semen, then put it in "straws" and put the straws in the cryo storage. Once I'd reached the number of "straws" or doses, then we'd do the gelding. Very easy and relatively inexpensive to the stallion owner.
> 
> In KY I'm sure you have at least 2 different places you could take your horse to have him collected. Rood and Riddle is in Lexington and has extensive services available. Even if they don't offer the service, I'm sure they could direct you to someone local who does.


Yes, I talked to my vet and they would be able to collect the semen for me. We haven't went into details yet. I haven't researched it yet, but finding it very positive solution. Will know more after Christmas when I have time to research and talk to my vets about it. They are Equine Specialist and I trust them.


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## whisper2myhorse (Dec 8, 2019)

RHANDIE said:


> Well if he’s like my 6 month old colt he’s going to soon be a little monster 🤪



He looks like he may be a little frisky, right down my colt is still very calm and doesn't get to excited about much. He seems to have a good head on his shoulder. I continue to work with him daily and go through the same routine. I walk into his stall he neighs, I ask him how his day is going as I pet his forehead as he greets me from his stall window. He moves back as I open the door, and stands in the center of his stall as I rub all over him with his halter from his butt to his head. Then I take his head into position and put his halter on. He follows me to his stall door where I pick up the lead rope and rub it all over his butt, legs, stomach, shoulder and up to his head in a back and forth gentle movement talking to him in a soft voice the whole time. He stands there quietly. Then I hook the lead rope on him and walk him to the cross ties. This is were I curry him, brush him, head to hoof and back again with the dandy brush and then a finishing brush. I even use the finishing brush to brush his ears outside and in the ear. He really likes that I think it feels good to him because he lean his head toward the brushing. I pick up all four legs as if I am cleaning his hoofs and tapping on them. I put them back down gently. He continues to stand very still taking it all in. I spray him with a special spray that has a blend of oils for his mane and tail. I brush his mane and tail with a special brush. Then we go outside passing a lot of objects, boats, golf cart, wheel barrel and other things that are stored in the barn. Outside he has several things set up for him to pass as I take him to his pasture. He does very well passing them, walking behind me. I open up the gate, rub him all over again, take his halter off. He stands there while I rub him again before I step out and let him play. He runs over the joining fence with the other horses are waiting. He then runs the fence line with his tail high in the air with the best natural rack I have ever seen in a young colt. He sure is a sight to see. I am proud of the progress we have made in two weeks.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

whisper2myhorse said:


> I have a 6 month old stud colt. I have had him about two weeks. He has been very gentle and easy to work with. I haven't had any experience with with working with stud colt or horses for that matter. What can I expect from him? Will he become more assertive as time goes on? He hasn't dropped down yet. Will I notice a big change when he does? He is had of a great blood line and I am not sure if I want to get him cut yet. I may want to use him as a stud, at least have the option.
> 
> Need some advice on what to expect.....


Having trained a few horses over the past 48 years I'm going to give the best bit of advice a I can for both the horse's sake and yours.

Either find someone else to train him, pass him on to someone with more experience, or have him cut and find someone to help you train him (for the love of heaven and the horse DO NOT use any of these "canned" training programs put out by the, so called, "natural" horse trainers that sell you a bunch of tricks, but don't teach you how to train horses....like Parelli, etc.

You having never trained a horse a colt is the wrong thing to start with for so many reasons. For one thing he will take longer for all his joints to mature so add 6 months (as a rule of thumb) to the time before you can actually start him under saddle (forget all that riding at 2 years of age crap). A non stallion (all things being equal) will have it's leg joints finish maturing at about 36 months (foot to scapula), but for a stallion it will be longer. The back joints on a non stallion will finish maturing (when it's safest to start them under saddle) at 60 months. For a stallion it will be 66 months (an possible more depending).
Those are just develop reasons (new trainers tend to get impatient with doing ground training while waiting for years to start them under saddle).

The rest has to do with the "nature of the beast". Stallions are hard wired by nature to do two basic things, breed and fight, and there's nothing you can really do about that. Their function of 10 million years was to breed and defend their herd. The do not lead the herd. The herd will not normally follow a stallion (that's the lead mare's position), but they will fight predators, etc... This is how nature designed them to be. I tell you this, because more so than any other horse a stallion will need good training, that is continuously maintained and enforced throughout pretty much all of it's life. Now a good, well trained stallion is an incredible animal. If a gelding can give you 100% then a stallion can give you 200%. No other horse is going to out work a good stallion unless it's an even better stallion. By the same token no other horse will kill you as quick as a bad.y or poorly trained stallion. They are bigger and stronger than their non stallion counterparts. They are driven by hormones (you haven't discovered that joy yet).

I remember vividly the first colt I ever trained. I'd started training my first horse (an early Christmas present) almost 4 years early under the watchful eye of my grandfather who was very experienced. There is nothing I can tell you that will adequately prepare you for training a stallion if you don't have the experience with less challenging horses. I say stallion, not cold, because if you do it right, by the time you swing onto his back he'll be a stallion (over 4 years old). I made the mistake of bringing my first stallion (my father's horse...I was just training him) from my grandfather's place to my father's. I failed to think about the situation. Just wanted him there for starting to get him used to being saddle and then the 50 lbs of weight I'd add. No thought of the fact that I kept my mare there and had only the one divided field to keep them in. I had to lock him in a stall and then scrap that idea and take him back where I'd brought him from because my mare was in heat and he was in the very real process of tearing down the building to get out and to her.

Just trust me. if you don't have experience with training horses then you do not want to start with a stallion. That sweet colt might become a wonderful horse to ride in the right hands, but he could more easily become an explosive and dangerous animal if not dealt with properly. There is no way for me to cover everything you'll need to do in his training and need to deal with in order to have a good riding horse. Stallions should never be taken on by a novice.

I'm a long way from being a novice and I've trained them before. Personally I love a well trained stallion. I use to ride my father's all over (a Tennessee Walker and one of the smoothest riding horses I ever trained, but never could get him to hold a trot....he hated trotting and wanted to either walk, canter, or do the "running walk" gait). Yet, today, even with my experience, I don't, and won't, own anymore stallions. I could have gotten on when I bought my last mare, but I know the work that it involves to train any horse and I just don't feel up to working with stallions anymore. If there is any horse you cannot afford to make a mistake with, it's a stallion.

That's my 2 cents worth. All that being said...it's your horse and you can do whatever you want based on whatever you like.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Too many horses in the world, too many needing good homes, for me to think anyone should keep horses to breed without very good reason, without extremely good, and tried & tested breeding material. As you are new to horses, don't have much experience with them, not experienced training or with stallions or breeding, he's way too young to find out how good he is at... whatever, you aren't even sure if you want to breed, for all of those reasons, I could only recommend getting him cut.


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## secuono (Jul 6, 2011)

Expect the antics to start in the spring. At least that's when mine started noticing my mares going into heat.
He was a hyper, easily distracted butthead that didn't know what to do about his newly found hormones. Easy enough to correct him. 
Just treat him as a horse, like any other, that must behave well all the time.


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