A Question and A Happy Dance!

[wendyluvsminis]

Well, I have got my driving mare that has the 2 1/2 month old colt beside, driving again! She was first trained last fall and seems to remember everything!!!! We either tie the colt to a fence (with hubby right there and watching him) or who-ever is not driving, walks baby around. We have tied baby to the harness, but just for ground driving. I'm afraid the cart would run over "Wills". The mare, Blu, is doing just great! We will take her to drill team in a couple weeks, a trail drive the end of the month (might have to tie baby to her for that...Eeeeee!) , and a show the second week of August!

The question: does anyone drive and breed a stallion the same season? Our little driving stallion was fabulous last winter and before we started breeding him in June. Now, he's a total nerd!

He often rears, and walks on his hind legs while pulling the cart! A trainer said it's his teeth. We had his teeth done, but the vet thinks it's more his testicles than his teeth (!!!!) , and that we shouldn't try to breed and drive at the same time. He has been running with a little herd of mares, and I think he has them settled. We use a mullen bit on him. I tried a martingale on him, thinking it would keep him from going up, but it didn't. His favorite habits, when not breeding or driving, are standing on his hind legs (he's very athletic) and screaming! Now that we have both of our driving mares going again, I am tempted to take him away from the mares, and not drive him till later in fall, or even next spring.... And maybe not bred him next year, just drive. I don't really want to geld him, (we breed blue roans with him...) and probably could alternate driving/breeding years with him. He was driven to school by Amish children for years before we bought him. When he is good, he is very good, but when he is naugthy...Suggestions, please!

 

[RhineStone]

Stallion behavior should only be tolerated when breeding, not any other time. Mary Ruth Marks has a stallion that has been paired with his sister for CDEs, and he is all business except when she comes for him with his special halter. He knows the difference. Rearing should only be tolerated for mounting a mare. Otherwise, pound on his head!

Myrna

 

[targetsmom]

I didn't drive our stallion and breed him at the same time but I did show him in halter and halter obstacle and breed him when he was a 2 year old. Once we got past May, he was fine. He was taught there is a time and a place - and yes, a halter! - for everything. We would do show practice with him in our sand ring (not where we breed) with the in-heat mare, on the days when we were not breeding her. We worked him like he would in the show ring, in his show halter, and kept the same distance you would in the show ring. They are pretty smart - not only does the stallion recognize the special breeding halter but we realized that some of the MARES do too!

BTW, our stallion won his Open Pinto Championship by the time he was three and then was retired from the show ring!

 

[wendyluvsminis]

Stallion behavior should only be tolerated when breeding, not any other time. Mary Ruth Marks has a stallion that has been paired with his sister for CDEs, and he is all business except when she comes for him with his special halter. He knows the difference. Rearing should only be tolerated for mounting a mare. Otherwise, pound on his head!

Myrna

Maybe he needs to hand-breed, not pasture breed then. After he reared his way thru a driving class at a mini show recently, (driven by my hubby, who is recovering from back surgery! Ouch!), a trainer did give him quite a lesson! We haven't driven him since, because he just had his teeth done. We will try soon and be ready to pound him, if necessary! What the trainer did, was tap him on the right shoulder (to say "BAD"!) and a short pull on the left rein to bring him down on all four again. After a half hour of this, he was acting like a little lamb! Thanks, Myrna!

 

[wendyluvsminis]

I didn't drive our stallion and breed him at the same time but I did show him in halter and halter obstacle and breed him when he was a 2 year old. Once we got past May, he was fine. He was taught there is a time and a place - and yes, a halter! - for everything. We would do show practice with him in our sand ring (not where we breed) with the in-heat mare, on the days when we were not breeding her. We worked him like he would in the show ring, in his show halter, and kept the same distance you would in the show ring. They are pretty smart - not only does the stallion recognize the special breeding halter but we realized that some of the MARES do too!

BTW, our stallion won his Open Pinto Championship by the time he was three and then was retired from the show ring!

Great advice! Our boy is already nine, having spent his youth with the Amish. He acts like a young horse.

Here is a picture of "Boones Little Buckeroo Fancy Pants, " sticking out his tongue in a color class. No pictures of him driving at the show, and now hubby's camera is broke! I'm having a friend/photographer come soon to shoot pictures though, and will post some of the little man in the near future...Oh, my hubby, who is much slimmer, drives this little man...

Thanks!