stallion attacking child

[Eagle]

Well hubby is home and I told him about our day and he was very understanding. He took Alberto aside and told him that Eagle had been naughty just like Alby and his older are sometimes and his punishment for being bad is that he won't be able to play with Alby for a while just like when Alby is naughty and gets sent to his room.

I have phoned the woman that gave me the new stallion on trial and told her that I won't be able to keep him, he should be leaving this weekend. Eagle will go back out with "HIS" girls and hopefully that will cheer him up.

Lots of you have mentioned gelding him, well luckily Eagle lives in Italy where boys nuts are sacred (hubby would never let me geld him) I only have a few mares and I don't breed them all every year so they can easily be sent away to breed. I will worry about that next year. the only remaining problem is my yearling colt that is up for sale anyway, I will bring him home and start to train him in the mean time.

As for Eagle and the kids I guess things just won't be the same again but I can live with that. We have had him 5 years now and I suppose we have just been very lucky until now. He really is an angel and I feel sorry for him and guilty for having put him in this position as he is obviously very stressed and unhappy.

Thanks for you advice.

Renee, Alby & Eagle

 

[LittleRibbie]

Oh Renee, I am so sorry to read this. How is little Alby feeling tonight...bet hes still pretty sore and Im sure confused about why his best bud acted like just such a mean bully today.

nick is my 1st stallion and he sounds very much like your eagle, back when Eagle was the only top dog in the yard. I have got to think that eagle has been stressing and stressing since you brought home your other little stud. Perhaps like you said, hearing breeding going on,different smells, pasture play time has decreased ( I think and aplogize if Im wrong).He's such a good boy he just kept all those feelings bottled in.....shake that soda can enough and it will explode. Poor Alby just happened to be around when the can exploded. Its just as possible that he would have quickly turned around to give you a little bite or kick...but as an adult,quicker and more knowledgeable would have stopped him in his tracks and you would have gotten "right after Eagle" for acting like a mean dope and that would be the end. It was just unfortunate that Alby was the one close by. But in the end I just really think that Eagle has been bottling up his feelings for awhile and he's sick of it and could very well do it again so now you know, Alby knows, Matteo knows, know one in Eagles stall w/o Mommy no exceptions. But I do not think ( and I may be reading your post wrong )bringing him up to your house will make much difference and it may make it worse. I dont even know if the extra attention or extra human cuddles will make a difference after all....most of that stuff is really only therapy for us humans cause we think its helping the horse LOL. I say, start embracing bay pintos,let Eagle run with a mare or two and he will settle right back down. If hes a good stallion personally I would not rush right out to geld. JMO. Give it some time. give your self some time! I also wouldnt rush to get rid of your other stallion yet. It sounds like he's relaxed some since you got him. Bottom line take a deep breath, relax and no need to make any quick decisions you may regret. Just make sure boys know there is no more free stylin in Eagles or any stallions stall.... but they can brush him when hes tied up under your supervision.

Get some rest honey, I feel so bad, as I bet your heads going a mile a minute, Wish I had a big huge hug icon for ya but I dont. Remember bay pintos are beautiful....feel free to send the next one my way! I understand too the liklihood may be greater w/a stallion but geeze this could have been a mare or gelding just having a bad day too.

 

[LittleRibbie]

We must have been typing at the same time....hugs my friend!!

 

[bevann]

I am so sorry about your child.I know he must be really upset that his buddy hurt him.My suggestion would be to geld Eagle since you are no longer using him.It sounds like he and Alby had a very special relationship until recently and they can have that again.Children are very forgiving and after you explain to Alby that Eagle was upset because there is a new kid taking over his very important job and Alby just was in the wrong place when Eagle has his temper tantrum, he may come around.I have gelded several older stallions and they have become awesome geldings.Geldings are great with kids.Hope things work out for all.

 

[Magic]

We have four stallions here, ranging in age from 15 down to two years old. The oldest one is actually the sweetest, though they are all quite good. But, the competition of having other stallions around does weigh on them. One of my stallions hates the sight of one of my mares, who has an unfortunate resemblance to one of my geldings, who he hates. Yeah, it's not just other stallions that they resent, but other males, especially those geldings that are somewhat dominant. Oh, and if those geldings are in with the stallion's mares, that makes it even worse. The two year old still lives with his two year old gelding buddy but he hasn't bred any mares yet; next year I'm sure it will be very different. I just try to keep the stallions as far away from each other as possible, and surrounded by mares so that they can feel that they each have their own. Everyone else has been so right, stallions operate on instinct and it's far different from what people are like (well, most of them, lol). A stallion's driving force is to fight off other males and retain and protect his mares. Reproduce. Food is a secondary need it seems.

I'm so sorry that your son was hurt, and glad that it wasn't worse. I hope that it doesn't turn him against horses. I would explain that it isn't that Eagle doesn't like him anymore, it's that Eagle is upset and was confused. I too would consider gelding Eagle since you plan on keeping him. He would be SO much happier, and in time, safer for all of you. I realize that he's been a model of decorum up until now so I really think that having another stallion on the place, plus the colt, and perhaps likely has ulcers as well, are all affecting him. Gelding him would help immensely. Some of my colts that I've loved I've simply gelded so as not to be pressured to sell them. *grin* LOVE my geldings. I love my stallions too, but they do have an added risk for sure. Especially for kids.

I was typing at the same time too. I like the way that your husband explained things to Alby, and it sounds like a good idea to let the "on trial" stallion go home.

Alby learned a hard lesson but I hope that it benefits him in the future. I hope he's feeling better!

 

[LittleRibbie]

I dont know if its an Italian as much as a male thing....my hubby is the same way with all our male dogs, all of which still have all their parts...b/c hubby thinks its cruel to remove. Crazy

 

[RhineStone]

Why would it be any more cruel than circumcision?

 

[chandab]

I dont know if its an Italian as much as a male thing....my hubby is the same way with all our male dogs, all of which still have all their parts...b/c hubby thinks its cruel to remove. Crazy

I'm pretty sure its a man thing, but what I don't get... My husband is a rancher and he comes from a ranching family, so 99% of bull calves are castrated and 99.9% of colts are gelded; but don't even think about neutering the dog (they might miss them you know).

 

[Eagle]

Diane your poor Tommy, he looks so sad in the photo too. Thank goodness Alby wasn't that bad.

Hugs Renee

 

[Helicopter]

Just want to say I hope Alby is feeling better now. Poor little guy must have been devastated to think his best buddy didn't love him any more. On occasion my ponies do things to hurt my feelings (like ignore me) and it really does hurt (and I'm a big girl) so my heart goes out to him,.

As others have said it sounds like Eagle just reached his breaking point and Alby happened to be there at the time. He'd lost his position, he'd lost his girls............................

I hope you, Alby and Eagle are soon back to normal.

 

[rimmerpaints]

OMG im so sorry I hope Alby is ok! I cant help ya thats never happened with our stallion. But if a mare is in heat near by he can be hard to handle. I did have a stallion many years ago pen me in a stall but i thought it was cuz he didnt know me i was feeding for a friend and this stallion cared me to death.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Its a stallion... people forget that even small stallions are still stallions. NEVER TRUST A STALLION!

 

[CharlesFamily]

Poor Alby! And poor you! I'm so sorry this happened. I do agree with the others - I think Eagle is unhappy and I think you have come to the right conclusion about what to do. We only have geldings, and they are wonderful kids' horses. That said, last week was our fair and two of our miniature geldings went. Toy is my youngest daughter's horse. He is fantastic, but he doesn't see Maddy as the boss - he sees me as the boss, although he is starting to listen to her better. After her show last Tuesday, she was putting him away. It was very hot, there was a lot of commotion, and I think he was just cranky about being kept in a stall at the fairgrounds when he was used to being turned out everyday. Whatever it was, she took off his lead and turned to leave the stall and he bit her on the shoulder - left a pretty good mark, too. This is completely out of character for Toy and Maddy was hysterical. Of course, I ran right in there and Toy had his first "come to Jesus" talk that I'd ever had to give him. I am pretty sure he thought his world was ending, but I'm also pretty sure he understands exactly why this " boss mare" was giving him what for. So while geldings are typically more predictable than stallions - they are all still animals with deep instincts that we can't always predict. We just have to do the best that we can, and I think you have!

Barbara

 

[HGFarm]

I am so sorry that happened- and for the simple fact that he is a stallion and there is now another male there, doesnt surprize me.

Also wanted to make note that stallions dont know the difference between another stallion and a gelding. A male is a male and they are all competition- and can surely make them cranky.

So glad your son was not injured any worse than he was and hope he wont be scared of the horses now.

 

[Mominis]

Eagle, this is merely my opinion, but I think that maybe your son is too young to be able to notice the subtle signals that a horse gives off before he is aggressive. It may just be a posture or a look in their eye, a twitch of the ear, or a tightening of the jaw, but those simple signals that an experienced horseman like yourself would immediately interpert as "something is up with this horse," may be beyond the grasp of your young son.

I don't blame your stallion or your son or yourself for this situation. However, I think when reintegrating your son with the horses after his accident that you may want to spend some time with him and teach him the language of horses. Let him watch them in their herd and when a horse gives a sign of aggression or submission, dominance or subserviance, point it out to him. Then, after a while, have him tell you that, "Eagle is upset that Fluffy is at the hay pile," or whatever the case may be. Learning to read the horses' moods and explore their language, both in a herd dynamic as well as in horse to human relations will serve him well growing up on a breeding farm. It may also help him to associate with the horses again without fear or timidity.

That's my two bits.

 

[Eagle]

Thank you Mominis that was wise advice and you are right, he is a little young but we can start. Alby was not at fault as he was just walking passed the stall but Eagle obviously didn't want him there.

Today I turned him out with the herd leader to sort him out in case he got crappy with the girls too and he sure did. He flew up to her screaming and ramping until she turned and gave him a double barrel in the belly he then tried to herd her but she stopped dead and reared at him so he lifted his head and trotted off.

Peace is restored

 

[billiethekid40]

Since you have the boys home on holiday and they must be in the barn with you (and of course you must enjoy sharing that time with them anyway so leaving them out of chore time isn't an option you even want to consider!) can you look into some kind of wire mesh door to keep Eagle from being able to come "over" the stall door again? This would at least keep the youngsters out of harms way just being in the barn and walking past the stall. I wouldn't enclose the stall in a way that he can't see out, only in a way that keeps him from being able to reach over the walls and door. You can leave the top door of the stall open when the kids aren't around if you design it right.

 

[mydaddysjag]

I agree, can you make a "dutch door" top thats something like a cattle panel framed in 2x4's? Im doing this for our shed row barn, so at night I can shut my top doors but the horses can still see out and get fresh air. I wouldnt have them at all, but we occasionally get coyotees in our area.

 

[DiamondShadowRanch]

I too own multiple stallions and do not fully trust any of them ( although i'd love to ) ....but I am trying to piece the things that are happening together...and look for reasons for his behaviour. But until he "tells" us what is going on we may never know.....

1. He was majorly sick recently, and lost weight.....Ulcers? Our horses work off their stomachs. He may be prone to ulcers for the rest of his life, and that would make him unsettled if something was brewing.

2. When he recoverd from his illness he hated your dog ( read this small live being)....Could he possibly be seeing your son as another small live being?

3. A new stallion has come into his space. He may be trying to protect ALL his space now, from anything he may "See" as competition.

Just a few thoughts from the heat of Cape Cod.....

If he was sick recently, maybe some work to show who's boss, and some time alone will help.

My Arabian mare got incredibly sick in '09 and she almost didn't make the night. We never found out what it was, either colic or clover poisoning. She lost quite a bit of weight, and we had her out with a QH 3-year-old filly after the vet gave her the OK to come home. My friend and I went to go catch them both, to bathe them and give my mare some food the vet reccomended, and my mare kicked my friend, scraped the skin and gave a big bruise. She, all her life, has been a sweet mare, always the first one to come galloping across the field to her name, and tolerated us teens being idiots with her. When I got her home, she also threatened to kick me, so I gave her about 5 minutes of running around her pen before I even considered feeding her. After she was huffing, I gave her a pet and a hug, and gave her some food. After that, she's been perfectly fine. Photo is a year later with my friend being, well, an idiot

. To this day, she's still perfect and back to her old self.

 

[Sandee]

Hope your son is ok by now. His Dad sounds like a good reasonable person.

I have to comment on all the comments about "never trusting a stallion". I keep telling people these are HORSES - just because they are small does not mean that they are in anyway not a horse! They are an animal and you can never tell EXACTLY what they are thinking. My 34" mare that I have raised from a baby who does EVERYTHING I ask of her (drives, obstacle HOF, jumps etc.) has pinned me against the wall of her stall because she doesn't like the stall fork. I believe she thinks it's going to steal her hay from her.

My 23 yr old gelding who hates to move most of the time; reared and bucked off our 6 yr old granddaughter because she wanted him to walk and he was cold and wanted to trot. I have the pictures to prove that he had all four feet off the ground and then the front two pawing the air. She didn't blame him and wanted to ride the next morning.

I also have a stallion who is lazy and sweet as can be. But I've seen him go after the gelding with pure hate in his eye and I don't give him the opportunity to bite me.

I vote for the reason your stallion went after your son as the hormones and how upset he must be for being away from his mares. My stallion has just this year become more unpredictable since I let him try to breed my mare. We bred outside mares before but never was he allowed to go near her. Now that he has bred her, he's become a fence runner and insanely jealous everytime either one of them is out of their stalls.

The only other solution to your situation might be to split your herd and give each stallion his "own" set of mares.