I am always interested in the threads where someone mentions a horse that they have, and wants to know what the experts here know about the personality of that horses’ family.
So, my question is, who are the studs with the NASTIEST, and of course, the nicest, personalities. Do/did they throw it? And, are there some nice that threw alot of nasty, and vice-versa?
Thanks in advance for sharing your stories of these boys…:yes:
I read somewhere that Ribot’s sire Tenerani was really nasty! I’ll see if I can dig up what I read.
What about the offspring of Private Account or even the Damascus line? We have a Private Terms mare that has ALOT of nasty attitude that has no problem throwing a swift kick if she isn’t happy or doesn’t get her way…the barn & pasture “witch” if you will and then there is our Eastern Echo mare, the sweetest thing you ever had the pleasure of being around BUT she is pushy and does put the Private Terms mare in her place whenever “witchy” starts.
We also have a Tom Rolfe & Hoist the Flag mares that are BEAUTIFUL! Sweet, loving, quite and always wanting please, what more could you ask for.
I know the question asked was about sires but has anyone considered the female line?
Dynaformer - very very nasty. His son Barbaro? Not.
You have to ask yourself how much of a mean stud’s temperament can be attributed to nurture vs. nature.
Sure, aggression can be a heritable trait. But look at how most studs for racing are housed: solitary confinement, perhaps staring at your competition all day, no direct contact with other horses but for the act of mating itself and even then those pesky humans still get in the way…I don’t care how much the brass is polished, living conditions like that can make for one helluva son-bitch.
You also have to keep in mind that a certain amount of natural stallion behavior --biting, rearing, just being rank in general-- stems directly from testosterone. Their daughters and gelded sons just won’t have the same 'roid rage fueling them.
To add: I had the honor of meeting Dynaformer in person this past May; though the chain-shank sewn into his halter gave evidence of his difficulty in being handled, not once did that stallion so much as flick an ear back the entire time he was being gawked at. He stood there looking pleased as punch with himself, waiting, just waiting, for someone to make the mistake of offering him a finger-food snack I suppose. Given his reputation I was expecting a full ears pinned flat back, mouth gaping open with teeth bared, rearing and striking display upon being approached by leering tourists.
I never met Barbaro, though I must say that he did display a certain kind of aggression on the race track, a trait that is most desirable in this industry: the attitude to win at all cost.
[QUOTE=trakama;2617705]
We also have a Tom Rolfe & Hoist the Flag mares that are BEAUTIFUL! Sweet, loving, quite and always wanting please, what more could you ask for.
I know the question asked was about sires but has anyone considered the female line?[/QUOTE]
I am SOOOO Glad to hear that! My filly has that line, her dam…nasty…but I believe that more to be due to a few very rough nasty years…
I’m pleased to see that the line seems to produce a nicer temperment. For the most Part Liv is pretty sweet unless shes in heat. Quite Proud of herself, and LOVES to look at herself in mirrors…
A friend used to work for Frank Whitley and said that Ruffian was NASTY!
I’m really not a big fan of the disposition stereotypes of offspring, as in my experiences they’re mostly a bunch of hooey.
But ironically, I just looked up the pedigrees of some of the meanest and most psychotic race horses I can remember handling. I was surprised to find either Dixieland Band or Kris S in ALL of their pedigrees.
Coincidence? Probably, because I really don’t think those stallions are known for being all that difficult. And I know I’ve met plenty of friendly and agreeable Dixieland Band and Kris S progeny to balance out the nasty ones.
P.S. Dynaformer is such a nasty PITA that they leave a chain attached over the noseband of his halter at all times so all his (brave) handlers have to do is snap on a shank. Ah… boys will be boys… but ironically, he’s another Roberto offspring. Yet Barbaro was definitely not unusually agressive for a 3 year old colt. He actually had a rather decent disposition and probably would have been an absolute lovebug in a more natural lifestyle.
[QUOTE=trakama;2617705]
What about the offspring of Private Account or even the Damascus line?[/QUOTE]
That’s funny - I have a Private Account grandson, and he is the absolute sweetest horse. 
I doubt there is one stallion that consistently produces evil horses 100% - but, who knows! :lol:
[QUOTE=Texarkana;2617898]
P.S. Dynaformer is such a nasty PITA that they leave a chain attached over the noseband of his halter at all times so all his (brave) handlers have to do is snap on a shank. Ah… boys will be boys… but ironically, he’s another Roberto offspring. Yet Barbaro was definitely not unusually agressive for a 3 year old colt. He actually had a rather decent disposition and probably would have been an absolute lovebug in a more natural lifestyle.[/QUOTE]
I heard that the chain shank was at the end of a broomstick! naughty pony!
I had a Ribot grandson…
Who was a stud. He was as kind as kind could be. Was it Nasrullah or Ribot who ate a furrow in the ceiling of their stall? Stood on their hindlegs and chewed, I remember reading.
I do recall thatRibot could not stand to be able to see another horse, when turned out. His paddock fencing was high, and solid, or so I read.
Nashua was a self-mutilator- wasn’t he? :sigh:
Ribot was insane – he stood on his hindlegs and chewed on his stall and was pretty dangerous to everyone but his personal groom. He was on loan to Darby Dan from Italy, but when they came to take him back, he was too dangerous to move, so he died at DD.I don’t think Nashua was a self-mutilator, I think it was Round Table. When I visited Alleged, he had two shanks hanging at his paddock gate because he had to be led by two handlers. I did pat him, however and left with all of my appendages. I have a mare that is out of a granddaughter with some other firecrackers in her pedigree (Crimson Satan, Nijinsky II, etc.) and she is incredibly intelligent and sensitive but certainly not mean. She is easy to handle, just likes to be treated with kindness and respect (like I do!). I also had a Jig Time (Native Dancer) daughter who was a very sweet mare, but could be a handful at times. Jig Time would bite, strike, kick, etc. I have a stallion out of that mare that is a piece of cake. I have ridden him through a dressage test at home bareback with just a halter and leadline. Nearco was also pretty crazy and dangerous, only handled by his groom. I also had a groom at Clairborne tell me that Raise A Native held a grudge against someone that he had a confrontation with and got off a mare he was breeding to go after them. Buckpasser was a kind horse and Swaps could be ground tied. Who knows? It’s all relative I guess.
PennyG
Unbridled was one of the kindest stallions I’ve ever been around. Same for Sham, Secretariat’s rival. I have met a lot of Sham babies who are jumpers/eventers and they are all really sweet.
I’d be interested to know if anyone ever met Relaunch? I have one of his (gelded) sons and he is a doll. People always comment on what a gentleman he is and trust me, I had nothing to do with it! 
I heard Sunday Silence was a bit unruly. Didn’t he bite off his groom’s finger in Japan?
I’m very opinionated when it comes to these discussions and believe temperament is likely to be passed on. On the other hand there are exceptions to every rule !!! For eventing, I wouldn’t take a Storm Cat for free. They tend to be very spooky. I love Buckpasser, except through Spend A Buck. The SAB’s are very attractive, but “tough”. Silver Ghost is the meanest stallion I ever saw in person. Lived in his stall with halter on, and had a muzzle hanging on his door that was put on every time he was taken out. AND, he almost always had 2 handlers. I read several articles about his offspring (TB Times and The Chronicle) that emphasized how talented, but difficult, they are. I currently own the meanest, laziest TB I’ve ever dealt with. I’ve had no prior experience with his parents, so if anyone has an opinion let me know. He’s by Horse Chestnut (Sadler’s Wells) out of a Caveat mare. As prolific as he was I’ve had many Northern Dancer descendants, so don’t believe it has anything to do with him.
I have a gelding son of Dynaformer who is the biggest love and easiest horse to work around. Definitely didn’t get his daddy’s temperment!
Re Round Table being a self-mutilator: When I saw him at Claiborne, he wore a neck cradle; I didn’t ask about it, but I figured that’s what the deal was.
One morning, while at Ashford Stud, I witnessed a groom go into Southern Halo’s stall with a baseball bat. When I asked him if that was really necessary, his response was “Woodman is worse”.
This is a fun thread!
I met Sunday Silence before he went to Japan. He didn’t seem nasty, but he was full of himself and extremely mouthy/bitey (even more than most racehorses I have been around). So I wouldn’t be surprised if he bit off someone’s finger. 
On the same visit to Stone Farm, I met Gato del Sol and Northern Baby. They were both nice. Halo was there, too. He seemed odd. The grooms said he could be very tough and he was not to be trusted.
Then I went to Three Chimneys Farm. Slew o’ Gold and Chief’s Crown were both sweethearts. I don’t know what Danzig was like, but Chief’s Crown and Hard Spun (who is also supposed to be nice) are both by Danzig.
Cozzene is nice and easy to work with. Raja Baba was very kind…children could go into his pasture and lead him around. I have also heard that Street Cry (sire of Street Sense) is a kind and gentle horse.
re: Sadler’s Well get
I have known personally one Sadler’s Wells offspring and heard of another
through the friend that I watched ride the one. Both were crazy, one went
airborne with my friend, out on a normal hack, nearly crashed a fence, also
went bucking down a hard topped road for about a quarter of a mile. Not me, no sir.
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