Hi there! I don’t know if this is exactly the place to post this question, but I figured that all of you lovely folks would certainly have had experience with quirky stallion issues, so I thought I’d give it a shot.
I very recently, just 2 weeks ago, found myself the proud new owner of a 10 year old Andalusian stallion. He has been shown dressage to second level, is an absolute rock star under saddle, and he is actually an all around wonderful guy. However, I firmly believe he should have been gelded long ago. He is not and never has been a breeding prospect, he has always been very talented in the show arena, and he will not be bred. So we have a sweetie pie of a guy, who is extremely affectionate to both humans and other horses, who has been effectively sentenced to a lifetime of lonely singledom. He goes out alone, and he is currently pastured within sight and sound of a herd of 5 mares. He would like nothing more than to be out there with them, and will call and run the fence if they go in or if he is taken where he can’t see them. I obviously would expect a stallion to react that way around a herd of mares, but he is the same about the gelding herd on his other side. He can’t get close to either herd, but he just calls and runs until he gets tired, and then he gives up and just stares at the other horses longingly all day, lol. I was actually quite surprised that he never tries to jump the fence, or break through, he is extremely respectful and just a very good boy generally.
So, long story short, I am, of course, going to geld him asap. Long term, I would love to be able to get him a turnout pal and let him be a real horse, he’s earned it. I realize that gelding him at ten years old may not change any studdish behavior, and he may never be safe with other horses in turnout, but it’s certainly worth trying. But in the meantime, I was thinking about maybe getting him a friend of another species. Like a goat, or a mini donkey, or maybe even one of those cute tiny cows, lol. However, if I do go that route, I want to do it as correctly and thoughtfully as possible. I want to assure the safety of the other animal, of course, and i would also like to avoid creating a circumstance where he has never had a friend before, then bonds HARD to some poor goat, who now can’t even leave his field for a trot around the farm without the horse losing his proverbial shit, lol. He could certainly come with us to horse shows, and anywhere else we go, but I can’t be having a situation where the pair is so bonded that I can’t go in the ring without him screaming for his cow buddy. So, if anybody has been through something similar, or just has any advice to offer, I would love to hear it. I am not a stallion person, I generally don’t believe that people should have them unless they are actually experienced breeders, and I feel like a lot of stallions lead lonely lives even in the best of circumstances. I certainly never intended to end up with one, but, best laid plans and all that.
Anyway, thx in advance!!
I know stallions that live with geldings and late gelded horses that are indistinguishable ftom any other gelding.
I am very hopeful that we end up with the gelding process making him just any other gelding, for sure. That would be a perfect outcome, since then he could be slowly introduced to turnout friends and he would get to experience a normal horse life. But I don’t want to assume that I will see a huge change in behavior, I have been warned several times not to expect too much from the gelding of a ten year old. And I suppose that i could possibly try to integrate him with a gelding, but I feel like I would be too worried about that, since he has always been alone. I am hesitant to risk it. I could see how he does in a field closer by, and continue to move closer if all is well. Thx!
Every stallion I’ve personally known went out with geldings. Currently, I know of one who was gelded at 12 and always kept on solo turnout. He has integrated into a herd of geldings beautifully. Tossing a horse into a herd is an unnecessary stressor. There are ways to incrementally acclimate him and assess if he can figure out how to play nice with others. I think it is more atypical than normal for a stallion to not be able to go out with others.
Stallions aren’t space aliens, they’re horses. My gelding lived out with a stallion for awhile (stallion moved away due to owners job) and that was a fine combination. My gelding was gelded at 4, so not very late. The stallion he lived with was about 15 at the time.
When that stallion left we tried my horse with another one, but he was too playful. Nothing to do with being a stallion, the stallion was 3 and just played like a youngster. Mine was interested in playing, but tired of it quickly. So we found the young stallion a more playful younger gelding.
Could’ve happened if the stallion were a gelding too, nothing to do with him being a stallion, really.
There are geldings that don’t get along with other horses, and not all dynamics work regardless of sex. So your horse could be fine with another horse or herd pre or post gelding. Some stallions are actually quite wimpy and some are quite macho in the herd, it depends.
I don’t always think pairing one animal with another type is fair, and only do it as an absolute last resort.
My gelding was kept isolated when he was a young stallion and it led to self mutilation. It was a horrible life for him. He’s now a social (and middle of the pack) horse. I’d never keep him alone again. He can cope better now, but why make him.
At competitions or wherever, he’s also fine alone.
So you’ve just got to try and use your best judgment/try to come up with the best pairings and methods.
A lot will depend on the individual. I’ve known late gelded horses who were fine out with other geldings and even some who had never been bred and were fine in a mixed herd after gelding. I would geld first and see what you end up with before acquiring a non-horse buddy.
I have gelded multiple stallions late in their careers including a breeding stallion at the age of 12. All have been integrated with a gelding or a group of geldings very well. The 12 year old even ended up going out with mares without incident though he was close to 22 by that time. Like any other situation you will need to assess their social structure and make sure you don’t pair him up with someone that is more likely to go after him which could be a factor in so much that too many people are always afraid of what the [former] stallion might do. I gelded a 6 year old stallion (also a breeding stallion) who has since only been turned out with geldings. This guy has always been the bottom of the totem pole. I’ve even had to intervene and separate one gelding from the main gelding group because he would stalk this guy. The aggressor was a recently gelded 3 year old (never been bred) and the ‘victim’ a 9 year old former breeding stallion twice the weight of the 3 year old. They are now back all out together because another gelding started sticking up for the picked on one…social hierarchy can and does change but the point is most gelded stallions do just fine with other geldings once the hormones are out of their system (I’ve even had stallions turned out with geldings as long as mares weren’t close by that did very well).
My stallion currently lives out alone in a paddock by himself, but before he started breeding he has been out with another older gelding and was happy to have company. He has lived next to another gelding over the fence (run out stalls), and next to his yearling son. I would often find him and the yearling colt down napping side by side on each side of the fence.
However, during breeding season he gets territorial and prefers more distance (he will pace, pin ears, and lunge over the fence at other gelding). Paddocks with a lane between makes him happier. Once fall comes around, he is happy to share a fenceline again.
