Boarding a Stallion

[Shagya]

Hi all! I’ve run into a dilemma and wanted to see if anyone had good advice.

I recently sold my farm just south of Nashville, TN. My three mares are already at a new boarding farm. My problem has been with my stallion. NO ONE wants to board a stallion!

I am now located in Louisville, KY and am willing to travel a bit to board him at the right place. I want him to have SOME turn out (he was out 24/7 at my place). Anyone know of barns in KY that accept stallions or have any further advice?

Btw, he is a 14 year old, well-mannered Shagya Arabian stallion would is actively collected. He’s been in stalls around other stallions and mares with no issues but always turned out alone. I’d LOVE to find a place with a pasture all to himself but that seems to be a pipe dream. I’ve had several individuals literally laugh at me on the phone!

Thanks in advance!

[Bent_Hickory]

We had a competition stallion in training with an accomplished professional rider at the farm a few years ago. Always good around the barn, in the ring, in his stall, in the fields. By all accounts, truly a “perfect gentlemen” until…

He was left “unattended” in the cross-ties for “2 minutes” while the rider/trainer went to grab something out of the tack room. And during those “2 minutes” another boarder walked down the aisle and passed him while leading her mare out to the field. Stallion broke out of the cross-ties and mounted the mare (not certain whether she was actually bred). Thankfully it was a horse being led by another accomplished adult and not a child with her pony mare…

This is why people laugh. “Two minutes” ruined 2 years of otherwise “perfect” behavior.

[poniesinthenight]

You would be well advised to try and board at a breeding facility. They at least have some common sense around stallions and don’t treat them like pariahs. I have boarded stallions for many years and haven’t had the first bit of trouble. They were either out 24/7 with run-in or in and out as needed. Good luck, a breeding farm is the answer.

[Nikki]

[QUOTE=Bent Hickory;6993259]
We had a competition stallion in training with an accomplished professional rider at the farm a few years ago. Always good around the barn, in the ring, in his stall, in the fields. By all accounts, truly a “perfect gentlemen” until…

He was left “unattended” in the cross-ties for “2 minutes” while the rider/trainer went to grab something out of the tack room. And during those “2 minutes” another boarder walked down the aisle and passed him while leading her mare out to the field. Stallion broke out of the cross-ties and mounted the mare (not certain whether she was actually bred). Thankfully it was a horse being led by another accomplished adult and not a child with her pony mare…

This is why people laugh. “Two minutes” ruined 2 years of otherwise “perfect” behavior.[/QUOTE]

You don’t EVER lead a mare/gelding/stallion pass a stallion on cross ties for any reason! Shame on that mare owner!

[Laurierace]

[QUOTE=Nikki^;6993273]
You don’t EVER lead a mare/gelding/stallion pass a stallion on cross ties for any reason! Shame on that mare owner![/QUOTE]

You don’t EVER leave a stallion unattended on the cross ties for any reason. Shame on the stallion owner.

[Bent_Hickory]

[QUOTE=Nikki^;6993273]
You don’t EVER lead a mare/gelding/stallion pass a stallion on cross ties for any reason! Shame on that mare owner![/QUOTE]

Sorry, absolutely NOT the mare owner’s problem.

[Manahmanah]

[QUOTE=Bent Hickory;6993288]
Sorry, absolutely NOT the mare owner’s problem.[/QUOTE]

Disagree. Is there only 1 way out of the barn? Even if so, it only takes a very tiny little bit of common sense to find the person responsible for the stallion and tell them to move it. Though leaving a stallion in that situation was stupid, anyway. Lots of dumbassery going on. None of the parties in this situation are without blame.

[trubandloki]

[QUOTE=Manahmanah;6993303]
Even if so, it only takes a very tiny little bit of common sense to find the person responsible for the stallion and tell them to move it.[/QUOTE]

This is assuming the mare owner had a clue that the horse in cross ties was a stallion.

Right or wrong it is pretty much assumed that most horses at most barns are not stallions.

[magicteetango]

Agreed that we never leave stallions on the cross ties… No one should have to check between a horse’s legs to get across the aisle.

I second boarding at a breeding facility… I don’t have a stallion but if I did I am not sure I would feel comfortable with it at a traditional boarding barn, not because of the horse but because people are idiots about it.

[Shagya]

Thanks for the feedback.

So! Can anyone recommend any breeding farms in Kentucky? Obviously, we have many but they aren’t exactly open to the public.

[GraceLikeRain]

[QUOTE=Manahmanah;6993303]
Lots of dumbassery going on. None of the parties in this situation are without blame.[/QUOTE]

That’s a very big assumption. I am at a barn with a stallion at the moment. He looks VERY similar in size and coloring to several other horses on property at a distance.
I would be very upset if that situation happened and I was called a “dumbass” for not knowing from 20+ feet away that the barely visible nose in the crossties belonged to Stallion A instead of Gelding B, C or D.

The barn is owned by two experienced former breeders who have both the facilities, knowledge, and desire to safely handle a stallion. If you reach out to local breeders in the area they might have connections to farms that they have used for layovers or are run by former breeders.

[NCRider]

I’ve always assumed that best practices would dictate that you don’t walk in close proximity to unattended horses on cross ties at all. Even a gelding can reach out and bite.

Most people don’t like to leave their horse unattended on the cross ties, so I’ve always just yelled out or waited until they got back which is almost always within a minute or two.

[ahf]

Back to the original question…

Perhaps I’m naive, but I would think there are quite a few small TB breeding farms in KY that would board your stallion. They have a farm managers association. Perhaps start with them. They may even have a BB like this one.

Bridlewood Farm in KY stands several warmblood stallions.
http://www.bridlewoodhanoverians.com/

Call Dr. Schmidt and ask if she would board him for you - and if she says no, ask for ideas.

[FineAlready]

[QUOTE=Bent Hickory;6993288]
Sorry, absolutely NOT the mare owner’s problem.[/QUOTE]

Honestly, yes, it was the mare owner’s fault. I won’t lead ANY horse past an unattended horse on cross ties, stallion or not. The mare owner could not have waited a second? What the heck?

[FineAlready]

Regarding boarding a stallion - I agree with others to look for places that already house at least one stallion. I’ve boarded with stallions before, but all of the stallions were owned by the trainer/owner of the barn. There were never any problems with them. I shared arenas with them while ridden, etc. They were all well-behaved and competently handled.

Besides breeding facilities, perhaps look into farms that might have some upper level competition horses (many of those are stallions) in some discipline. The place I mentioned above had a grand prix jumper stallion and then a few younger stallions that they were bringing up the ranks.

[Bent_Hickory]

[QUOTE=FineAlready;6993548]
Honestly, yes, it was the mare owner’s fault. I won’t lead ANY horse past an unattended horse on cross ties, stallion or not. The mare owner could not have waited a second? What the heck?[/QUOTE]

Absolutely NOT folks. As a horse owner, I have a duty of care with regard to MY horse. I am responsible and potentially culpable for what my horse does. I have absolutely NO DUTY or responsibility for anyone else’s horse’s action. PERIOD. Is it prudent to be careful of an unattended horse? Sure. Am I obligated to be careful of an unattended horse? No way.

The first and only duty that was breached in this case is the stallion owner leaving the stallion in the cross ties unattended. You can reference all the “best practices” that you like, but the fact remains that the mare owner has no duty to be careful of the stallion.

[JWB]

http://www.wingaitmorgan.com/services.html This is a morgan farm that also offers stallion board.

[JWB]

Try River Run Farm. 502-762-0112
They specialize in OTTBs but also offer layup board and stand a stallion, so they’ve at least got stallion experience.

Also try Moser Woods. Sport horse breeders, trainers, boarding, etc.

In regards to the other off-topic thing, this is why most boarding stables do not board stallions. Sorry, but I believe the responsibility of the stallion falls to the person handling the stallion. Assuming that everyone else in the barn should know to take extra care around him is asking for trouble. I would certainly resent not being able to walk by the grooming bays because it might set off some unattended stallion. I’ve worked in a mixed situation (lots of stallions, lots of mares and geldings too) and it was the stallions who were handled differently. We didn’t expect everyone to have to check to make sure a stallion wasn’t out before they proceeded by with their mares/geldings.

[sid]

[QUOTE=JWB;6993704]
Try River Run Farm. 502-762-0112
They specialize in OTTBs but also offer layup board and stand a stallion, so they’ve at least got stallion experience.

Also try Moser Woods. Sport horse breeders, trainers, boarding, etc.

In regards to the other off-topic thing, this is why most boarding stables do not board stallions. Sorry, but I believe the responsibility of the stallion falls to the person handling the stallion. Assuming that everyone else in the barn should know to take extra care around him is asking for trouble. I would certainly resent not being able to walk by the grooming bays because it might set off some unattended stallion. I’ve worked in a mixed situation (lots of stallions, lots of mares and geldings too) and it was the stallions who were handled differently. We didn’t expect everyone to have to check to make sure a stallion wasn’t out before they proceeded by with their mares/geldings.[/QUOTE]

I wholeheartedy agree with you. If a stallion is being boarded at regular boarding facility, the handler is responsible for the stallion at all times. The whole place should not have to “stop and check”.

That said, I did a bit of boarding years ago, and was standing 3 stallions. There were times that I had to give them priority when it was a collection day in getting them down the aisle without another horse standing in crossties.

My boarders were stellar about that. They knew I was a breeding facility first when they pursued me to board their horses here (I didn’t NOT put my shingle out…I was just asked if I could do boarding). I made it clear if they wanted to board, there might be times they may find themselves inconvenienced for a moment or two.

It was never a problem because that communication was clear and we were all on the same page.

That said, if I boarded as stallion at a non-breeding boarding facility…I would not expect anyone to make concessions, unless specifically asked a time or two in a special situation.

Agree. Get your stallion to a breeding facility. I would not want any of my stallions, no matter how much of a “gentleman” they may be boarded at a place that has no experience whatsoever. You’d regret that, I can almost guarantee it.

[crosscreeksh]

[QUOTE=Bent Hickory;6993288]
Sorry, absolutely NOT the mare owner’s problem.[/QUOTE]

Maybe not, but in the “real world” ALL people should use common sense!!