Handling a Stallion

[StarRidgeAcres]

I'm looking to hear from those more experienced than myself with handling stallions. There's still a lot I need to learn about working with them.

Specifically, I'm considering showing a stallion that has never done anything but breed. He's very well mannered in general. I took him to a clinic a couple of weeks ago (not to participate) and he was stalled in a HUGE barn with probably 60+ other horses, tons of people, etc. He was overwhelmed to say the least. He did a lot of talking and was very pushy toward me. I think I know how to work with him on not being pushy and paying attention to me and my space and what I want him to do. But what is the proper way to correct the talking? Unless he's with his mares, I don't want him screaming. But I have no idea what type of correction will work.

Thoughts please?

 

[ruffian]

This is what I do, but you always have to be attentive when you have a stallion at a show.

You need to get and keep his attention on you when walking. A chain over the nose, lots of circling to the right, pushing him around to make him pay attention to ME! I also do back offs - face him and make him back up until I tell him to stop. I stomp, pull the halter back, and hiss or bark at him.

The first night at any show the horses are usually pretty loud. Then they seem to realize that no one is going to mess with their space and calm down.

 

[Margaret]

It does require alot of your attention, and the trick is to arrive early, and let the stallion know that he needs to keep his mind on you.

The first thing he will think is Wow, look at all these mares that are all here for me! lol

So that will be your first goal to get out of his mind.

So alot of re-directing of his attention may be required.. So maybe a practice show or two?

And you will need to keep your focus on him, and making him mind you.

Several trips to the holding place and out again getting him used to all he smells and activity will de-sensitize him eventually.

Although some people use vicks on their stallions, I decided not to.

One thing that I founld helpful was the practice outdoor arena,-

was a good place to take my stallion in and lunge some steam out of him with a 20 foot lunge line..

It took the edge off of him, and made him realize we were not there for his initial intentions.

By the time our class was up, he behaved like a charm.

 

[HorseMom]

Great topic. I'm taking my stallion to his first show ever this weekend. I am a little worried as to how he'll behave. I only paid for one class in case I wasn't able to control him. I can always add more later if he's good. We are arriving the day before and will be able to lunge him a bit before the show the next day. Hopefully that will be enough. I am ready for any out bursts that he might make. Even at home he usually needs a good reminding that I'm in charge before he stops and listens, then he's wonderful. I guess that's what I get for buying a stallion that had minimal contact with humans for 6 years.

 

[targetsmom]

I am not very experienced at showing stallions, but here is what we did with our young stallion that we were breeding and showing (and still are).

Practice started at home. When we breed we use a special place, special halter, etc. We would have show ring practice in a different area of the farm, including the mare in heat that he bred the day before. We would make him stand and pose, lead him around, and in general simulate the show ring. He was then in his show halter. We only have the one stallion so couldn't practice with more stallions, but he is not a screamer anyway.

We take Vicks with us and we almost always forget to use it, so I wouldn't want to rely on it!

Good luck. Even with preparation and a pretty well-behaved stallion, it can still be a challenge. He has been the most trouble when travelling to the show next to a mare in heat (that doesn't show to us).

 

[wcr]

All of your training should begin at home. I insist on good manners at all times so by the time I get to a show my stallion knows what the ground rules are and when I say quit, it means quit.

I had a funny incident happen at a show while we were doing a walk through for in hand trail. I had tied my stallion to the rail for the walk through and I was half way across the arena when I heard a ruckus in the holding pen. I look over and it was Val rearing and screaming. From across the arena I yell, Val, Quit! He immediately stopped and was quiet. Everyone started laughing, the judges, other competitors, gate person. I got so many comments about that episode. He is totally convinced that when the alpha mare speaks, he darn well better listen.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I agree that alot of it has to do with what you do at home. When breeding with my stallion I put the chain over his nose and he knows then that it is ok to talk and breed, but once that chain is under his chin or else not on him he acts like any old horse. Another thing I like to do once in a while to get them used to other horses around when working on training, I tie a few mares and my other stallion up along the fence where I work them and make him stay focused on me. I cant say I have ever had him talk too much at a show even when we first got there. I also haul him in the same part of the trailer as his full sister who is almost always in heat for going to a show and he completely ignores her. Hope this helps!

 

[ruffian]

"Although some people use vicks on their stallions, I decided not to."

The problem with using Vicks is that they won't smell the mares, but they also won't smell the bait if you use it in the ring!! Been there done that!! Used it one time on a young stallion, and he wouldn't bait for nothing in the ring.

I WILL use it if hauling multiple stallions/mares in a trailer for a long distance - like on the way to nationals from Michigan. It makes for a much quieter ride.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Well we have a screamer and we did our homework at home with mares right outside his training area and he pays great attention at home BUT that said he trailers with the girls who almost always go into flaming heat the day of a show and he doesnt scream on the trailer but get him to the show grounds and he screams before the trailer wheels stop turning. That is all he is a screamer. He wants the world to know hes there. We tried Vicks and that was a disaster. He ended up sick that day because he senses his environment using his sense of smell and without it he became nervous and almost unmanagable. He was petrified he would lift his head to smell and when he couldnt smell anything he would nearly panic. So Vicks is out for him. He still screams but no where near as much as he used to Jodi just tells him quit and most of the time he will until he leaves the ring then he talks all the way back to the trailer. the other thing we did was make a bigger stall in the front of the trailer for him and when he returns from his classes he goes back on the trailer until his next class. That has also helped. We take him off about two classes before his next class and let him scream until shes ready to go and then she tells him quit and most of the time he does well. In fact last fall at his last show our club members wanted to know if he was alright as he was quiet most of the day. It has become a joke that everyone knows when Roy arrives.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I appreciate all the great responses! I do know I have to control him and be the alpha mare, but what SPECIFIC tactics work when their screaming? You know, the ear-piercing whinny that gives everyone in the barn a headache!

 

[Watcheye]

Great topic!

 

[Sandee]

I appreciate all the great responses! I do know I have to control him and be the alpha mare, but what SPECIFIC tactics work when their screaming? You know, the ear-piercing whinny that gives everyone in the barn a headache!

The only cure is just what everyone else has said. Work at home and establish your dominance over him. If he respects you at home and listens, it may take a blown class or two or even a show but continue insisting that he listen and respect and do as you say.

I have a real easy guy to deal with but we started with him at on 1 1/2 yr old. He was a sweetheart at home but the first time we went to the trainer's barn he reared and screamed and was out of control. The trainer told us to NEVER let him get away with those actions. If he reared we were pull sharply on the lead and try to pull him off balance. It was to let him know that "up in the air" he loses control so he would learn not to rear up. Then after we had him where he'd set up properly and listen and stand for periods of time, the trainer brought a gelding and later a stallion and worked on keeping his attention on the handler.

I can take him in an arena and have no problem. I can walk down the show aisle and tell him "quit it" ( and maybe a little tug on the lead) and he calms right down. My daughter tried showing him last year and found that he doesn't have the same respect for her just yet. He had to scream his arrival at the arena of every stallion halter class he entered. She'll learn - we hope!

 

[icspots]

I guess I read the post as not how to get him to behave in the ring, but how to make him shut up in the stall? I'd like to hear that too! Most of my little studs are so well behaved that you don't know they are a stud, but I bought one that is a SCREAMER, and you are right it is ear piercing and gives a headache! He doesn't scream when on the lead, but back in the stall he is noisy, yes I can scold him and he will shut up until I turn my back and walk away and then right back at it. So is there a cure for the stall screamer??

 

[disneyhorse]

Sorry, icspots, but when a stallion is in his STALL he should be able to do pretty much whatever he wants. That is his home, his comfort zone. Once you enter, he should of course snap to attention and be a good boy but there is no way you will be able to get a horse to be quiet! He is a stallion, so stallion behaviors go along with that. It's his nature to announce to any mares within earshot that he is there.

Andrea

 

[Echo Acres]

This is a great topic. I too am showing a stallion for the first time in a couple of weeks and was worried about the topic. I have been working on it at home and it is going well.

Icspots...I understand your concern. Especially at the first show you and I will be at. The stalls are open with them being able to see all the other horses. Last year I remember a couple stallions screaming a lot until they put tarps up around the stall so they couldn't see the horses next to them. I agree at home that they are in their environment in their stall, but it is very annoying at a show to hear a stallion screaming at the top of his lungs constantly!

I guess we will know in a couple of weeks if we all loose our sanity and go deaf, or if we can make them behave.

 

[Sandee]

Guess I didn't see that the question was about screaming in a stall at a show. Yes, it's annoying and the only thing that I've found that works was already stated....tarps so they can't see each other. Then they will still snort and try to smell that other "varmit" out!

 

[Coventry Lane Farm]

Our stallions are taught manners from the get go no matter what... starting with no biting, striking or any bad behavior with breeding or any other means. And they learn this is the time when we breed and this is when we show and they learn the difference and it takes time and work.

We do not put up with bad manners here and they do get corrected and learn respect. We have shown our stallions that do breed during show season and they listen. You should use Vicks the nose also, that helps.

Our black leopard appaloosa stallion "Bissel Mounds Monte Carlo" can breed and a mare and then actually be shown without turning into a idiot in the ring from breeding, same goes with our pinto stallion named "Little Wee Lord of the Ring".

They will test for what they can get away with and you just have to get it through their head that this is what we are going to do. As far as the screaming part, we usually correct him with telling him NO and like when you are correcting a canine and it seems to work for us.