My new Stallion

[Eagle]

A good friend asked me if I could have 1 of her stallions for a while as she is having a few problems and hubby jumped at the chance and told her that if we like him we would buy him. Well I don't like him! I am spoilt rotten with my Eagle bc he is such an angel, apart from wanting to kill my dog I treat him like any other horse and he is always easy going. This new one is totally different. He is so hyped up he is like a nutter! he screams constantly and in the stall rears up and tries to jump out and when I lead him out to the field he tries to bite my knees

His name is: Pat van Malois aka Pat

he is a mini Shetland and stands at 29,2"

I have been waiting to take a photo bc he is a bit of a mess right now and so are my fields. I really need to cut back the weeds as the horses can now hide behind them they are so tall

I seem to spend most of my time watch complete strangers horses on cam

 

[lucky lodge]

nice little fella how long have you had him for and what did the previos owners do with him.He will defferently need some training if hes like that.....Oh how old is he?

 

[cassie]

how long have you had him for Renee? maybe he might settle down? if not, hopefully his foals won't carry that hyponess (don't think its a word but it works LOL)

he looks cute! that mane is massive LOL.

but if he doesn't have the right temperament for you then...

 

[AnnaC]

From what I can see, he looks kinda cute Renee! How's he bred and what about his age and height?

I think you are very lucky with Eagle, and if Pat carries the blood lines and conformation that would suit your mares, then you should give him a chance?

Biting your knees, LOL!! sorry had to laugh! It seems that our poor knees are at just the right height when they swing their heads down for a quick grab!

But what do you know about exactly how he has been handled etc? Give him time to get settled in and lay down a few ground rules and you will soon have him sorted.

Our little Dragon took ages to settle in after we imported him, but it just took time finding out what made him happy and how we could work that in with our routine. He used to stand up at the boarded sides of his stable trying to look over, but never at his door that he could see through. He also runs the fences at this time of year. But we soon realised that he just loves company and also needs to know where EVERYONE is. He is now very happy with our colts sharing his fence line and the mares in a field across the way, where he can view them and watch over them! If we bring all the mares into the barn, he immediately runs the fencing, screaming his head off. Once we fetch him in, he stops in the doorway, sniffs the air, looks round as if making sure they are all there, and happily relaxes in his stable!! Boys are so funny, but it is often a question of working WITH them to creat a happy and peaceful medium! LOL!!

Yesterday morning he was curled up in the corner of his stable, fast asleep, (daughter was hidden in our lorry mare watching) suddenly he leapt up, screamed, and rushed to the front of his stable to stand and look round the barn, counting the girls, decided all was well and went back to his corner, laid straight down again and fell back to sleep!

Anna

 

[Eagle]

I am sure you are right Anna, he has only been here a week. I guess I am just very lucky with Eagle. He is 14 years old and for the last 8-10 years he has just been used as a stud. He was born in Belgium.

 

[bannerminis]

I agree with Anna he might just need time to settle in - new home, new smells, new lady smells etc.

He also knows you are new in his life so is probably going to push your buttons to test how you will respond to him.

I hope he settles down for you and you get to enjoy him. Love his colour by the way.

 

[Eagle]

I was told that stallions aren't fertile when they get moved, is this true and for how long does it last? Thanks

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Never heard the infertility thing- I used to show Rabbit all through the breeding season and so he was constantly moved but he was so fertile it hurt!

Nowadays he tends to just stand around and moving him needs a bit of persuasion

I think your boy is just behaving normally- Rabbit was always a head case, and so is Carlos (at the moment Carlos is making sure no bears invade the pasture by patrolling it shouting at every corner- so far we have not had one bear on our fields so he is doing a good job!)

Even my yearling colts are pretty hyper.

The bit that is sheer bad manners can be easily solved by using (for a short time only) a stud chain on his halter and carrying a short riding crop- I do not need to explain what to do, do I?

A short sharp lesson or two and the knee biting and all the rest will stop, he has just been led to believe it is OK to act like that.

Good Luck with him, he should settle down a bit in the next two to three weeks, and if it is possible to get him out with a couple of mares he will settle even sooner, but do not hold your breathe over his becoming like Eagle, sorry!

 

[weebiscuit]

Any time a horse is moved to a new location it's going to be nervous and "looking" for his lost pals. We got a stallion once who was supposed to be the sweetest tamest thing on earth, but when we got him he ran the fence line and screeched, and then two days later the farrier came and he reared up and bucked. I was appalled! But the farrier laid him down on the ground and slapped his sides with his hands, and once the stallion got back up he was a gentleman. And it took a few months, but that horse really did settle down and become just a treasure! Give Pat time!

Maybe Pat can "smell" some mares and it is breeding season! I'm just betting more on his being scared a bit in being in a new place. Can he see other horses from his location? I would never separate horses so much that they couldn't see each other. They need the presence of another horse or two to reassure them that they are not totally alone in the world.

 

[Eagle]

Thanks for the great advice and the laughs

you guys are amazing. He can't see the others in his stall at night as I am worried he will jump out and go to fight with Eagle but he goes out in the morning until 13.00 and can see everyone. I have asked hubby to make a grill so that he can see out so hopefully tomorrow that will be sorted.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I got a new GELDING last fall and he was like a fat little alligator when he came. I couldn't pet the end of his nose without dodging a bite and harnessing was awful, he was chomp chomp bite at me an anybody near his head. I think he didn't much like change and he missed his former owner. Now he is snuggly, loves to be petted and has settled down nicely with lots of handling and training. He is stll a little stinker when I am getting the food ready he bites the gate and acts like a grouch winging his head around just like your boy is doing at the fence. The other horses give him plenty of space when I am dishing up the food.

Just isn't stallions I think. If I got a horse I thought was dangerous though... that would be different. Best wishes.

 

[dgrminis]

Wont give advice as you already got that but wanted to say he is VERY pretty. Hope it all works out if you decide to buy him

 

[wingnut]

I think he's a lovely looking fellow!!!

We brought home two new mares...2 years old....in April. I was in for a shock as I was used to my well behaved girls (of similar age) and had some 2nd thoughts when I realized how different our new girls. How much work they would need to get them to the place our original girls are. Then you add in the trauma of being moved (only their 2nd time in a trailer), leaving what they had known for 15 months, new herd mates, new humans, etc. I realized I would have my work cut out for me but cut them some slack.

Now, 2.5 months later, they are much better behaved though the littlest one can still be a troublemaker (she's the most likely to kick at me or rear up at me) at times.

Obviously being an intake stallion puts a different spin on things, but I'd give this boy some time to settle and learn some manners.

 

[cretahillsgal]

I was told that stallions aren't fertile when they get moved, is this true and for how long does it last? Thanks

Nope, cant be true. LOL

When Spirit came here to SW OK from Missouri he bred and settled 12 mares within the next week and a half.

 

[Marty]

I've had my share of stallions good and bad. I've had them rear and charge me, bite me and strike at me, the whole nine yards. At one point I had one that was so bad I got to where I dreaded going to the barn because he was there. If after a reasonable period of time with good daily handleing, a good training schedule they insist on acting like an idiot, I pack their bags. There are way too many good stallions out there than to have to put up with a screwball.

Nick was the best stallion by far I have ever known.

 

[Riverrose28]

I don't want to sound like a negitive Nellie, but I'll give my opinion anyways. It takes a while for any horse to acclimate to new sorroundings. But if after four weeks he is still a handful, he should not be a breeding stallion. It doesn't matter the pedigree or how good he looks, if he doesn't have the disposition, he should be gelded. His previous owner was having problems, does she think it will be any different at you expense? some horses just should not be a stallion, period. There are many great ones out there, and too many crazy ones. Please be careful and don't turn your back on this guy if he is testing you and still not responding to correction take heed, he may not be a breeding stallion for you, he may pass along some unwanted traits. Just a heads up, take it or leave it, but in my experience the bad ones do much better once gelded.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I do so love listening to our neighbors over the sea talk horses! A nutter. What a perfect description!

Yesterday morning he was curled up in the corner of his stable, fast asleep, (daughter was hidden in our lorry mare watching) suddenly he leapt up, screamed, and rushed to the front of his stable to stand and look round the barn, counting the girls, decided all was well and went back to his corner, laid straight down again and fell back to sleep!

:rofl

He sounds like that fluffy white dog in the insurance commercials around here. He sees an article in the paper about a "cat burglar," pictures a threatening kitty on a fence, then races to his dog house and spends hours trying to hide all his stuff with no success until he finally trusts Insurance Co XYZ to protect all his stuff against loss.

Must...count...the mares! One might have gotten away while he slept, you know.

I was told that stallions aren't fertile when they get moved, is this true and for how long does it last? Thanks

Tell that to all the mare owners who understandably panic when a stallion gets loose at the shows.

I'm sure that stress and insecurity affect sexual health but a few thousand sperm instead of a few million would still be more than enough to get the job done. It only takes one, after all. Sounds to me like an old wives tale.

I think your boy is just behaving normally- Rabbit was always a head case, and so is Carlos (at the moment Carlos is making sure no bears invade the pasture by patrolling it shouting at every corner- so far we have not had one bear on our fields so he is doing a good job!)Even my yearling colts are pretty hyper.

Good boy, Carlos! I can just picture that.

Eagle, set the rules you expect him to live by NOW. That way he knows from the start what the behavioral expectations are at your place and it won't be a rude shock when suddenly the rules change down the road. I find that's usually the easiest way to do things as then they take any differences in handling as just part of the new place, not a sudden inexplicable switch in expectations.

Leia

 

[Ashley]

He sounds like a pretty normal breeding stud, especially one that is away from mares. He may not be used to a stall either.

 

[Eagle]

Thanks everyone. He is settling down now a little, he prefers to go out in the morning and once he has been out for a few hours he is fine. He won't stay cross tied though, he does tiny rears constantly and he owner said that he has never liked it, any ideas? I love my horses to stay tied up whilst I fuss around them or maybe whilst I clean their stall. Apart from the babies I have only ever had 1 horse that I couldn't tie but he would stand perfectly still if the rope was touching the ground, he was just terrified. Pat just seems to be having tantrums as he doesn't try to pull back or anything. I will video it tomorrow.

Thanks and sorry if I am picking your brains too much lately.

Renee

 

[FoRebel]

My advice is give him some time to settle down and settle in. We had a stallion that did the same thing and he's a completely different horse now, I love him to death but in the beginning I would've rather not dealt with him. It took him about 3 weeks to settle in and figure out that he needed to behave. As for the biting. I would curb that right now, maybe keep a whip or the end of the lead in your hand and swat him every time he does that. JMHO.