That’s a bit biased. Not all stallions are bad people. Some of the ones I know are like big puppy dogs. Some aren’t. But also some geldings and mares can be completely difficult to handle as well.
It is biased, but it is also not - it is very unlikely a mare is going to break down the stalling partition just to get into the other stall, and get frisky with the other mare :winkgrin:
Stallions… on the other hand… when there is a will (and there is always a will…) there is a way… I love stallions but don’t love how destructive they can be.
I shall have to use this phrase. When other people ride my mare I tell them of course she spooks sometimes, but it is very comfortable when she does!
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He’s a total marshmallow spaceship. It’s the only way a 16hh horse could make my leg look like I’m on an 18hh horse. <3
Exactly…
And that “premium” ain’t cheap…and then people are afraid of them, don’t know how to handle the stallion…yada…yada…yada. BTDT.
I’m not saying anything about the stallions. Just that many barns charge more for the associated additional husbandry that is required no matter how polite they are, for the protection of other boarder’s horses.
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It isn’t about the horse. It is about the barns, the barn owners the other boarders and the people you will run into as a stallion owner.
At one barn I boarded at, (a private barn) the barn owner decides to breed her mare. Instead of getting vet to palpate her mare, she uses her gelding as a teaser to tease, in the barn with my stallion nearby.
My horse is be best behaved horse in the barn, but another boarder was having a cow and freaking out because my horse was not cross tied, but instead was ground-tied, head down, minding his own business while I was tacking up.
My horse was an exemplary citizen…a vet did not believe he was a stallion and had to check when he pulled blood for Coggins. At a barn I trailered in for a lesson, the owner liked my heorse because he was so well-behaved then freaked out because I had not told her I was bringing a stallion on her property.
There are other stories…I could go on, but finding a knowledgabe place to board when you own a stallion is not easy.
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All horses are destructive. The worst I ever had here - I kicked her out - was a filly. She kicked with precision - fences, walls, other horses. At the next facility, she kicked out the arena wall mirrors. My two stallions were the least destructive horses I’ve ever had. An area trainer leased one of them for several years - he was one of her favorite horses ever. I don’t think destructive is specific to stallions!
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Of course not…it’s about the barns and people NOT the stallion. But that context is still something stallion owners have to consider.
Id also like to add that the canter depart of my PRE is like a bird taking flight. I love Iberians.
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I ride a Lusitano/QH in dressage and the judges love him. He is incredibly smart - almost to a fault and is an overachiever. Just showing first level on the Gold circuit but his trot lengthenings, lateral work and stretchy circles are where he shines. Such a cool little horse!
One of the stallions here is a paso fino and he’s so mellow, you’d have to look between his legs to have any idea that he was a stallion. He stays safely in his stall with a partial gate. I’m sure if he really wanted out, he would find a way out.
The younger, bigger guys do have to be more gated in their stalls and we take more precautions with them, how closely they get cross tied to mares, etc.
The mare here though… well she is on depo.
OP, I saw a pretty nice ad last night on facebook that made me think of what you were looking for. If I run across it again, I’ll PM it to you.
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I’m envious of how beautiful and clean he is. My girl has decided that playing in the water trough in her paddock is a lot of fun and discovered how muddy she could make herself with it.
As with stallions, 99% of them I’ve had either for boarding, training or owned, have been exceptional citizens. They wouldn’t have kept their gonads if they weren’t. Unless you’re a pro and the stallion is crazy well bred, there aren’t a lot of people who will put up with a badly behaved stallion. Even then, some pros will simply say freeze his semen and geld him. It’s not worth the hassle.
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Several of the Andalusians (and part-) I know are very athletic, but have trouble staying fit without a lot of regular work (that tendency toward roundness, and generally being barn potatoes when not forced to exercise). Unfortunately they tend to use their athleticism to try and get out of the work… Make sure their current workload is compatible with you, the smooth trot may not compensate for having to do hill sets 3 days a week.
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Tell me about it! I was just discussing this with my trainer yesterday during a lesson. We’re working on changes with one of mine and really emphasizing canter quality. It takes so much conditioning for him. He’s built well, he is capable, but the fitness is the hardest part. He loses it so quickly and takes way more conditioning than my prior horses (WB and TB’s). I am actually going to start conditioning him and galloping on a race track. Quite silly to see a PRE on a track, but long straight lines and speed! We have hills but many are too rocky to exceed a walk. Walking is still good, but hard to find a good place for gallop sets. Then the ground is so hard and dry in the fields at the moment. He needs the cardio. We can work on strength all day long, but the speed and forward workouts help. It’s something other than ring work or hacking and he truly needs a well rounded fitness regimen to keep him not so well rounded. :winkgrin:
On the other hand, there is another PRE here that is more lighter built than him, a tad more sporty and less baroque style. He seems to maintain fitness a little easier. I also have to treat aforementioned horse like he’s metabolic due to his very easy keeper status.
If I go on holiday for more than 3 days, I also make sure someone can exercise him. He was also totally fine lounging in a stall for a few days during icey weather. So yes, barn potato.
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