Does anyone have a list of the tail ribbon colours used for various horses? I am going to be hunting a stallion this year and although he wears stallion tags, people coming up behind can’t see them. I know red for kicking and green for young horse, but I am sure there is one for stallions. He’s very placid and most people forget, so an extra reminder would be good!!! And if it’s a colour no one knows the meaning of, they’ll ask and then gradually everyone will get educated!
Oooh Boy. It seems stallions can wear any colour lol!!! Some pieces say yellow, some say blue, a few say white and others say red, white AND blue. Great!!!
What is your concern with the horse? Is he aggressive toward other horses?
If you just want people to stay away from him, just go with the red. Everyone generally knows that means that the horse kicks or may need space. Other colors aren’t quite as known, so maybe people would avoid by default, but you never know.
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The horse is fine, but I don’t want people crowding him. People tend to forget he’s a stallion, and that could lead to problems.
I don’t want to put red on him, because he doesn’t kick and I don’t want people thinking he does - not good for advertising, future stud fees etc.
Yellow. It stands for caution and IIRC translates to “He’s a stallion, so give room.”
Yeah, I get that for future advertising. I would then go with yellow as mentioned.
We typically don’t mark our stallions in crowds/public, but they are Iberian horses (PRE) and stallions are quite common as the Spanish here typically don’t geld their horses as much. Stallions behave just as any others, but I have noticed that the “culture” around stallions is different in the US. In my experiences anyway. That’s not saying that you (general) shouldn’t exercise caution and safety measures.
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Same in Brazil. Stallions are for riding; mares for breeding; geldings are virtually unknown. If you do see one it’s because they were cut due to temperament issues. If that doesn’t do the job they get eaten by something.
They also, like the PRE folks, TRAIN their stallions to behave. It’s not a “PC” or “touchy feely” process. It’s also not brutal or cruel. To me it cruel to NOT train a stallion so they end up being euthanized or as a main course.
Interesting how different horse cultures view the same problems.
G.
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Seems like the biggest difference is more the lack of riding mares, than the training…
Potentially a factor. They do ride some mares.
It is mostly the training though. I have actually experienced a few different horse cultures and the Spanish are much better at creating a responsive obedient horse than others. Not saying other places in Europe or the US don’t generate well trained stock, but it is their training. Not to mention that a lot of these stallions leave Spain and go to boarding barns or other stables where there are riding mares or they are stabled next to them.
Sorry to hijack, OP.
Although, “stallion culture” can he interesting.
I get the “stallion culture” thing. There are a lot of places I am not allowed to take him. He has to wear red S badges on his bridle or halter at all times. He is meant to be in a yard seperated from other horses, he has to have someone with him at all times etc etc. If I didn’t put the badges on, no one would know he is a stallion. He travels with geldings and mares in the truck. He ties up alongside geldings. I’d happily tie him up alongside other stallions who are as well mannered. He lives out in the field with a mare and their foal. Basically he behaves like any other horse. But people do stupid things - like park their in season mare right under his nose. And with him doing his first season hunting, I don’t want him run into and end up getting grumpy with other horses, and have that blamed on him being a stallion, rather than the people that have run into him. If all else fails, I might just do a green ribbon. Although I did see some yellow and green tape recently!!!
Yes, I completely understand. Some geldings can get “studish” or grumpy toward other horses but it’s not nearly as big of a deal to some people because, well, it’s a gelding. Stallions are already ostracized enough, but usually it’s the people around the stallion that create that environment and behavior. Some the things that you don’t want done to your horse (crowding, mares in heat, etc) is common courtesy on the hunt field that should be practiced around ANY horse, but we don’t live in the ideal state and crap happens. It’s great that you are looking to set your stallion up for success in the hunt field. Also nice to see responsible stallion (or just horse in general) owners.
Let me say this as someone who has tried different colors to denote x: USE RED. People are idiots. It’s nice that you think people know what the different colors are, but they really don’t. But everyone knows red means WATCH OUT.
Put a green or a blue or a yellow or a pink and purple polk a dot ribbon in a tail and people think it’s an ornament.
RED.
And even then be prepared to tell people to be careful.
Here’s me, at a CSI: Hi, can you move? Because I came all the way over here by the porta-potties where no one was because my giant stallion would like to have sex with things. Also he has a giant red ribbon on his butt.
People are idiots. Use red.
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I rode my stallion at a George Williams clinic. We were waiting till the previous rider finished their lesson, so we were standing quietly in a corner.
I had a well-known dressage judge riding a very in-heat mare run into us as we tried to shrink further and further away.
But I understand…my horse was so well-behaved I had a vet actually palpate to check for testicles when I said he was a stallion when drawing blood for a coggins.
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I agree with the red ribbon- even if they don’t know what it means, most people should associate RED with STOP- as in, don’t come any closer 
We use it on one of the moodier ponies and still have to educate every time.
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I think blue ribbon is for stallions but who would know that? Use red. If I’m at a joint meet or know I’m going to hunt with a bunch of thruster I put a red ribbon in my horse’s tail even though she doesn’t kick. Just to keep them off my butt. I’ve had horses who wouldn’t kick start to do it when people hunted so close their horse was nudging my pockets. A kicker can be created.
Have to say, when I’ve worked cattle (and I suck at it, only there with my husband) have heard Cowboys say they would never want to see a mare there. Stallions and geldings are okay, but no mares. Weird to me.
