Problems with stallion on site

[Carcoco]

I purchased my first horse in two decades, an 11 yo QH mare. I had begun working with her for a friend and, after a month, fell in love and bought her.

I free lunged her in the round pen and continued ground work in the saddle. Wanting a place that had a ring, I moved her to another boarding facility nearby.

I noticed there was a stallion kept in the field, but figured with all the mares on site, it wouldn’t be a problem. We’ve been there all of two weeks as I write this, btw.

I immediately began having trouble with her in the round pen. She was wild. I chalked it up to acclimation and kept on. It finally occurred to me-and yes, I admit to being slow, but this is the first mare I’ve owned I my life…I’ve always had geldings-that it was the presence of the stallion, who is kept out in pasture in site of the round pen. I was always so hyper focused on her that I ever even noticed him. And apparently the reason no one else had a problem is due to the fact that-After two weeks-I’ve met one boarder, who stopped by to groom her horse. I’m there everyday. The person running the facility shows up to feed and turn the horses out and take them in to feed in the morning. There’s no one ever on site.

My question is how to approach continuing to work with her and maintain control? She may be in season but considering that’s a continuing problem, I’ve got to have a long-term solution, and a safe one at that. Today, she went ballistic, bolted through the round pen gate and tore the lead role from my hand and I injured my and trying to catch her. (Yep…she was hanging with the boy!) at 47, I’m starting to wonder if I’m just too damned old for all of this. Thanks for your responses.

[melhorse]

Welcome to mare ownership!
I have seen years of training go out the window the second a stallion was in the ring.

You have only been at the new farm for two weeks which is not a lot of time for her to really adjust to her new home. I would give her some time and continue to work her everyday. Use what you can to keep her attention, ask for help from a trainer and be consistent.

I would be more worried about boarding with a stallion when no one is ever around. Fences get jumped/pushed over and gates can be left open by accident by any boarder.

[WildandWickedWarmblo]

Some mare totally ignore stallions, even when the mares are in season. So the problems with dealing with your mare need to be addressed by a professional trainer. If it is the presence of a stallion, the trainer will tell you. And if the trainer is smart and honest, he or she will tell you if the problem is with you.

The best trainer is this area tells everyone that most owners are the problem, not the horses, mares or geldings or stallions.

[Lady_Eboshi]

Make sure they haven’t changed the feeding, too–sounds like more than one thing might be going on here. If they’ve started giving her alfalfa or more grain, that could make her wild too.

I agree this is an issue for a professional. Failing that, I’d move.

[exvet]

I too support the idea of getting a trainer who is good with establishing ground manners to assess your mare. Two weeks is a very short time and my suspicions are that there are more factors at play than just the stallion at issue. I will also admit to being a stallion owner and sigh heavily when the stallion is blamed especially if the stallion isn’t behaving badly or showing interest in the mare. That being said, I would want to know that there is someone overseeing things in a more hands on manner than just stopping by every now and then (meaning barn manager/owner/etc).

There are many aspects of this scenario that sound like an accident waiting to happen in addition to raging hormones. After you get a fair and objective assessment of the situation, you can determine whether or not you have the tools to move forward with the mare or need to make some tough decisions to be comfortable. This is suppose to be fun; and while it doesn’t sound like it is now, your mare may just need more time to get settled in and establish a routine or some serious fair yet firm training may be required.

Good luck…I love my mare and my stallion (and my geldings too) and am thankful for a rather harmonious situation at home despite rather close quarters but it took good planning, consistent handling and setting rules that are always followed…of course experience and confidence didn’t hurt but I think all of us start without either.

[sid]

Having stallion myself, I’ve seen this happen once in awhile when I used to board.

It’s only been 2 weeks. she may just need more time to get used the hormones in the air.

I’ve never know them never to settle down once the new exposure isn’t so new.

[arapaloosa_lady]

While you wait to see if she settles, I’d only work her with a trainer present. You don’t want her to learn bad habits, which she will if you don’t have the tools yet to handle her when she acts up. And you don’t want to get hurt!

[SuzieQNutter]

I agree to see what feed has changed.

One of the problems I see in your post is that you are free lunging.

You don’t say what riding or discipline you are doing. But with free lunging she is not doing any ‘work’. You are only doing the warm up so as she can be worked and then stopping before the work begins.

This leads to a horse who is fitter, which leads to a horse that is full of humour and playful which leads to her running through gates and playing with others even if a stallion is not nearby.

If you don’t know how to lunge properly do not lunge without being taught.

It is not side reins that injure and kill horses. It is side reins being used incorrectly that injure and kill horses. JMHO.

[TrueColours]

Ive had as many as 3 stallions at my facility (8 stall barn) and the rest are my own mares or mares coming in for breeding, foaling out, etc

While the stallion(s) were very much aware of them and the mares aware of the stallion(s), I never had the kind of behavior you are describing and experiencing. Some of the mares were well handled and well mannered and some were downright jerks. If they chose to be jerks, they got a chain over their nose, they were taught REALLY quickly what “WHOA!” and “BACK!!!” meant and I kept at it until their focus was 100% on me and nothing else. If I needed to reinforce if by carrying a dressage whip and using it on them, that’s what happened as well.

The stallions all knew the program. 99% of the time they were well mannered and unless they were in breeding mode knew that they walked beside me like gentlemen, they didn’t try and pull me anywhere, they didn’t scream or drop or exhibit any kind of breeding behavior. When they were in their own paddocks and their own domain they were free to strut and call to their hearts content

Even with any of my mares or visiting mares in full blown heat, they were all expected to act like ladies being handled and led around and if they had a problem with that, they were disciplined

Im no spring chicken. Im pushing 60 right now, but life’s too short and all that. They all know where the line is, if they choose to cross it, there are ramifications and then they are asked to come forward again nicely and if they still have a problem with that, they are disciplined until its perfectly clear that I make the rules here, they don’t, and that will never change

Good luck with your mare

[goodhors]

I am with the others, fix the mare’s lack of true obedience instead of blaming the stallion or her hormones. You probably need a visiting trainer to work with mare and you in your boarding situation. This is where you will be doing any training, daily riding. She needs to be obedient in that location!

Chain over her nose can be an aid to keep her focused on YOU, not be ripping the lead thru your hands again.

[Where_sMyWhite]

I used to board my mare at a place with a stallion. The only time I had issues with her behavior was when she was in season and they were breeding the stallion. She could hear, smell, and sometimes see the activities and pretty much lost her mind.

Once she was out of season, her behavior mellowed out again.

Not one of my more memorable boarding barns (for other reasons…)

I was much happier when I moved her someplace else. Where she lives now, not a stallion in sight/sound/smell

[sid]

Wow…personally, I think some of you are going way over the top on this.

I would give her a month to settle in and get used to stallion sounds and smells instead of trying to force her normal sexual responses out of her. This is New!!

It’s important to remember the differences between physiology and disobedience when it comes to hormones. Punishing physiological drives seldom is successful without loss of trust.

Poor thing has probably never been around “the man” and just has go get used to it.

I swear, give her a month so she can regain her brain, then you can get back to work.

To me this is a huge over reaction. But then maybe, there is something that is dictating not just letting her settle into this boarding situation and get over love in the air.

I think patience would be a virtue in this situation. Eventually, she will bore of him. Most women do when they get over the crush. :lol:

I’m no milktoast when it comes to horse behavior. I demand it and train trust, obedience, confidence, partnership and have for decades with stallions, mares, foals, youngins.

But were I you, I’ll just let her settle in and what seems exciting now will pass.

[Foxtrot_s]

I’d be more worried about you - alone, working with this mare and the possibility of getting hurt.

[China_Doll]

I would talk to your vet. They can have a tumor on overlies that make them act unruly. This is not normal behavior for a mare. I’ve worked at many stables with stallions and mares didn’t act any different.