"Meanest Stallions in History" thread ...

[DaniW]

[QUOTE=khall;7683369]
I worked on a breeding farm where most of the stallions were TWH. The worst one I handled was Pride’s Generator who was the top stallion in their industry at that time. He had put a groom in the hospital before coming to us and went for my face busting my lip after I put him in his stall after collecting. He hated humans and could care less about them. He did pass it on to some of his sons, one who stood there Generator’s Sundrop, but I got along quite well with him, no issues what so ever.

None of the other stallions I handled that were resident stallions were very bad to work with. We did have one come in to collect that took a bite out of me, trainer forgot to mention he did not like loading into a trailer. He caught me as I was loading him after collecting him, went for my face, got my arm instead I still have a scar on my arm to this day. Everyone asks if it is a burn.

Some stallions are bred because they produce not because they put nice handling horses on the ground. Me personally like the nice stallions, don’t like the ones who want to hurt you. I know the TB world is a different world, bred for production/racing not handling. No thanks![/QUOTE]Well, bold badgett an unraced tb stallion by Damascus was known for producing trainable horses and was very popular in ca until his death at 8 . I read that he threw a good percentage of hard working stakes winning horses- not top of the field but in the range of making $100,000 : sort of a race horse for the middle classes.

When I went to look for a rescue tb, I found tranquility farms and asked Priscilla to show me the nice ones:) she showed me three including this 3 year old unraced too cool for school gelding that had been born at the rescue facility. He was a bold badgett grandson and having read up on the stallion that was one factor in gambling on him. javie is a sweet trainable talented horse that i and his trainers love

[yourcolorfuladdictio]

I was always told, by a few ladies that would take pilgrimages to KY each year to visit the stud farms in the early-ish 2000s, that El Prado was nasty. The groom would go into his stall with an oar. On the other hand I was told his son, Medaglia d’Oro, was very pleasant to handle.

I’ve also known a double bred Pik that was absolutely miserable to handle. He was unruly and mean. He’d take a finger if you weren’t paying attention, would drag you into his stall and then turn on you with his snake face. If he saw fear he’d eat you for breakfast. He was a horse I’d consider just plain nasty. He was gelded late and had been bred before being gelded and while in training but was not properly socialized or handled throughout this time. He was also allowed to do what he wanted for long enough he thought he ruled the roost. He was one that behaved worst than most ornery stallions I’ve handled.

I think the only thing worse than him was the guy who had 10 Arab stallions ranging in age from 2 to 10 as well as a yearling colt. None had manners, none had brains. They got an hour turn out in a tiny dirt lot a day, at most. Some were nicely bred and some were a bit iffy. Two, maybe three, were broke to ride but hadn’t been ridden in months. They get pretty aggressive when they are all locked up with nothing to do.

[ChelseaR]

I met a couple Halo sons (can’t recalled the names now but they had ‘Halo’ in them) who were just nasty SOBs. Would charge their stall/paddock gate if anyone passed anywhere near by. In the stall they threw themselves at the door if anyone walked by in the aisle.
At least one I knew got plenty of turnout time etc but had chute to get from stall to paddock.
Was always handled by at least three grooms if he was taken out.

[Elles]

I saw El Prado while he was at stud but he did not give the impression of being mean.

[Erin_Pittman]

I went on a tour of Hopewell Farm in 2001 and they had Skip Away tied in his stall because they said he wasn’t a friendly sort. It was a BIG group of people - the Equine Science Society, with about 50-75 in each tour group - so maybe he just didn’t like big crowds. I don’t know, but boy was he handsome!

[Beaver_Breeze]

[QUOTE=Erin Pittman;7687335]
I went on a tour of Hopewell Farm in 2001 and they had Skip Away tied in his stall because they said he wasn’t a friendly sort. It was a BIG group of people - the Equine Science Society, with about 50-75 in each tour group - so maybe he just didn’t like big crowds. I don’t know, but boy was he handsome![/QUOTE]

Just nervous and territorial. Would stress out with people in front of his stall, but settled when tied to the wall. He’d clearly spent a lot of time there as a racehorse.

[Belle_Beach]

[QUOTE=khall;7683369]
I worked on a breeding farm where most of the stallions were TWH. The worst one I handled was Pride’s Generator who was the top stallion in their industry at that time. He had put a groom in the hospital before coming to us and went for my face busting my lip after I put him in his stall after collecting. He hated humans and could care less about them. He did pass it on to some of his sons, one who stood there Generator’s Sundrop, but I got along quite well with him, no issues what so ever.

None of the other stallions I handled that were resident stallions were very bad to work with. We did have one come in to collect that took a bite out of me, trainer forgot to mention he did not like loading into a trailer. He caught me as I was loading him after collecting him, went for my face, got my arm instead I still have a scar on my arm to this day. Everyone asks if it is a burn.

Some stallions are bred because they produce not because they put nice handling horses on the ground. Me personally like the nice stallions, don’t like the ones who want to hurt you. I know the TB world is a different world, bred for production/racing not handling. No thanks![/QUOTE]

Interesting as if you trace this TWH stallion pedigree, he goes back to Mambrino, who was known also to have a nasty attitude, from what I have read.

And a ASB stallion known to be mean, got a hold of his trainer in the stall by biceps and whirled him around almost tearing off his arm, grooms couldn’t get in to stop it, he went back to Mambrino too, Oman’s Desdemona Denmark was that horse.

Old thread, but was researching some of the stallions known to be mean, and came across it. Well worth a Gold Star.

[sketcher]

[QUOTE=Maryanne Nicpon;4517128]
I don’t know what people are thinking when they donate these animals to a teaching facility. Another Trakehner stallion with a well documented history of throwing Wobbler was donated to Cornell a few years after that. [/QUOTE]

They are donated so they can be used as a tax write off. When I worked at Tufts (decades ago) an absolutely stunning TB stallion came in with a bad bow. He had been donated. I tried to adopt him to get him the surgery and geld him but nope the owner wanted the big write off so they donated him to Tufts so he could be euthanized and used for the students to dissect, then his bowed tendon leg would be used for further training.

[ASB_Stars]

I’ve had two TB breeding stallions, four ASBs, hackney, and an Egyptian Arabian. One of the ASB studs was a tough three year old when I got him- he’d come at you with his ears back, and his mouth open, and he wasn’t kidding. He is 18 this year, and he gives the best kisses- really! The other ASB stallions were kind as could be, and peaches to handle- but, they were well handled from birth.

The Arab stud was a nice guy, and one of the TB stallions, who, ironically was a grandson of Ribot, was a doll.

The worst of the lot was a TB stallion that I think I mentioned earlier in this thread- by Round Table, out of a Nashua mare. Evil and stupid.

I’ve had horses with Oman’s Desdamona Denmark up close, and they were gorgeous talented horses, but tougher. I’ve had others from that family that were wonderful, but not easy. I had always heard that ODD had a tough childhood.

My experience has been that if they are raised right, they are generally solid citizens. Then you have a few that just were never going to be easy, and they make lovely geldings. Of course, you have the ones whose breeding was so awesome on paper that someone leaves them a stud, and they have very little else to recommend them. Not so good.

[khall]

I handled (actually it was two of us handling him) an 800 lb racing Arabian stallion that came into the clinic for collecting. He did not go after people but he would try to savage a mare. At that time we were jumping off of live mares not a phantom, it was quite harrowing to get that sucker to do his business and leave the mare alone.

Personally the stallions I have handled that have been pasture bred are the best ones to handle. They are respectful of the mares and easier for the handlers.

The only TB I handle was an OTTB and he was a peach.

[Willesdon]

One of the best displays of horsemanship I have ever seen was at a stallion parade in Newmarket, UK. The horses were each lead into the covering shed - so they were expecting to find a mare - and were then stood for a large audience to look them whilst a commentator talked about pedigree and racing success. Unsurprisingly most were a bit on their toes, shouting and dancing and some going up on their hind legs. One chestnut boy came in and every time he even just thought about misbehaving his handler simply raised a finger and the horse instantly subsided into good behavior again. I doubt that most of the audience noticed but I was totally impressed! So calm, so quiet and just lovely to watch their relationship.

[Doctracy]

[QUOTE=Daydream Believer;4517479]
Year’s ago we saw Foolish Pleasure when he was at stud. We were also warned to stay well back from the fence as he was known for being vicious and had hurt several people badly we were told.

I would not put up with any aggressive behavior. Off would come the nuts and if that didn’t help, they would be in a hole. No horse is worth risking someone’s life to deal with.[/QUOTE]
Would you be that determined to geld a stallion worth millions in stud fees?

[Doctracy]

[QUOTE=CAH;4518137]
Cure the Blues (TB) was no box of chocolates.[/QUOTE]

Hmm. I worked for a guy with a QH stallion, Cure For the Blues,could also be difficult.