Info needed on stallions

[Mrwdaw]

I have asked questions before as I'm relatively new to the mini horse world. Our minis are 2, 2 and 3. Our stallion's behavior is changing and I anticipated it would as he matures. I guess what I want to know is will he get aggressive when the girls are in heat and calm down when they're bred or will he stay this way?

 

[Standards Equine]

I don't own a mini stallion, I've only had horse stallions. But I can give you some of my perspective.
The biggest benefit I gave to my own warmblood stallion as a young stallion was to let him be in a herd. I let him be in a herd of geldings when he was young. He learned to get out of the way and that he wasn't the big man on the block.
When he's home live breeding, I will always have a couple of mares in with him to pasture breed. I put them in COLD, not in heat. They have no trouble telling him to get lost and be a gentleman until they're interested in breeding.
The fact that he's learned to be a HORSE in addition to being used for breeding sometimes has made him the world's most wonderful stallion. He's broke, broke, broke, amateur friendly, great at the barn and is even more reliable and trustworthy than a lot of spoiled mares and geldings I know.

The best thing I could have done for him as an owner/trainer is keep things very consistent for him. My expectations are always the same, the rules don't change. We only ever breed at home in his paddock - not at the barn or arena. There's no calling (whinnying) when I'm with him and although he is always aware of what's happening in his surroundings, he is expected to always be attentive and take direction from me. He's 12 this year and my daughter, who just turned 13, will start riding him this summer.

I hope that helps some with your situation. Best wishes to you!

 

[Taz]

Agree, the best thing you can do for him is let him be a horse and have a herd all the time. Stallions are not aggressive. Most stallions are kept alone and they are not happy or well adjusted that way. You need to know that stallions are different to work with than mares or geldings, they have more to their personality, even the quiet ones. If you know what you're doing training wise, and I don't mean force or intimidation, stallions are no problem. If you aren't experienced then you shouldn't have a stallion. Why are you keeping him as a stallion? Are you planning on breeding? If he is in with your 2 year olds there is a good chance they will have foals next year, 2 is normally the first year they will breed. Do you mean he's being aggressive with the girls about breeding or he's being aggressive with you? A good herd stallion learns the mare is in charge of breeding and is not aggressive about it but your girls are too young to stand up to him and teach him manners, they need to grow up for a couple more years.

Edited....I'm tired and that came out differently than I meant it. I'm not trying to tell you you don't know what you're doing or shouldn't do it, the you is more like a royal we, talking to people in general.

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

This is excellent advice, and I agree.

I learned from an old-time Arabian breeder, and I've treated my minis just like any horse. When with me, we focus on whatever the task is. He has approximately 22 hours a day to do as he pleases, so he can behave while being fed, handled, worked, etc.

We, as well as others I respected, did as Standards Equine suggested: in with geldings while young, or other stallions during winter if they get along. There was something about being in a bachelor herd that allowed them to well and truly relax. Some breeding stallions never get along with other males. You need to assess this for yourself.

We, as well as others, often kept the stallions with a small group of cold mares too. Nothing like a swift kick in the chest to get an over-amorous male to understand that "no means NO."

There were some instances, however, where this wasn't possible. So stallions stayed in a stallion barn, and mares in a mare barn.

As the owner, it's your responsibility to be aware of whether or not your horses have enough space to get away from each other if there are disagreements. The only significant injuries I ever saw were between horses where one was cornered.

One last thing, and it's a nifty trick I learned from the above-mentioned Arabian breeder: he wore a frilly, 1950's glamor style apron when it was time to breed!! Even while cleaning genitalia, he was dressed normally. One the stallions saw that apron come out and get tied around the waist...wooooo weeee did things change!! The fire-breathing, snorting, blowing, manes and tails flagging stallions came to life! It was a nifty trick and has served me well over the years.

Edited to add because Taz was posting while I was: what she ^^^^^^ said, too.

 

[Mrwdaw]

Agree, the best thing you can do for him is let him be a horse and have a herd all the time. Stallions are not aggressive. Most stallions are kept alone and they are not happy or well adjusted that way. You need to know that stallions are different to work with than mares or geldings, they have more to their personality, even the quiet ones. If you know what you're doing training wise, and I don't mean force or intimidation, stallions are no problem. If you aren't experienced then you shouldn't have a stallion. Why are you keeping him as a stallion? Are you planning on breeding? If he is in with your 2 year olds there is a good chance they will have foals next year, 2 is normally the first year they will breed. Do you mean he's being aggressive with the girls about breeding or he's being aggressive with you? A good herd stallion learns the mare is in charge of breeding and is not aggressive about it but your girls are too young to stand up to him and teach him manners, they need to grow up for a couple more years.

Edited....I'm tired and that came out differently than I meant it. I'm not trying to tell you you don't know what you're doing or shouldn't do it, the you is more like a royal we, talking to people in general.

For me being agressive is trying to occasionally bite or nip. He's very good. We have him to breed the two girls. I have seen him mount both.
Here's my other question: once they're bred, will he stop trying to breed them. My only experience is with goats and sheep.

 

[Standards Equine]

One last thing, and it's a nifty trick I learned from the above-mentioned Arabian breeder: he wore a frilly, 1950's glamor style apron when it was time to breed!! Even while cleaning genitalia, he was dressed normally. One the stallions saw that apron come out and get tied around the waist...wooooo weeee did things change!! The fire-breathing, snorting, blowing, manes and tails flagging stallions came to life! It was a nifty trick and has served me well over the years.

Edited to add because Taz was posting while I was: what she ^^^^^^ said, too.
[/QUOTE]
Yes!! I have a specific breeding halter too. It's the ONLY time I put a chain on him. But the only place we breed is at home in his paddock. Again - consistency helps stallions thrive.

 

[Taz]

For me being agressive is trying to occasionally bite or nip. He's very good. We have him to breed the two girls. I have seen him mount both.
Here's my other question: once they're bred, will he stop trying to breed them. My only experience is with goats and sheep.

He should stop breeding them when they are not in season. Again, he's young and so are they, if he's trying to breed them now when they aren't in season he will probably keep doing it if they are In foal unless they kick him upside the head. Older experienced mares are the best for teaching a stud how to behave.