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Amen, Maggie
I have gelded probably more than my share of stallions. In fact, one 
month I actually had 10 gelded. Even Mark was walking around with a 
athletic protector--- afraid he'd be next!
I have had many outstanding athletic colts, but unless the colt has 
something that truly sets him apart, and I have the time, energy and 
funds to stand another stallion, there is really no reason to keep him 
in a state that doesn't allow him total freedom to be with the herd.
I do still him three stallions and a colt now-- I must say I love their 
majesty. Two are together and are my outcrosses for my Halynov 
daughters. Riverdance is Hal's legacy (almost a clone of his dad) and 
the jury is still out on Romanov as he is only 6 months old. The only 
thing stopping me from cutting him now is that he looks like he may 
reach 16 hands, like his sire, he has terrific conformation, action, and 
a great disposition. And even with all that I have to decide is it truly 
worth the extra effort is takes to maintain a stallion. As there are not 
many tall Arabians with good movement and type, he may miss the knife. 
We shall see--- but the point is I am a breeder and still have a tough 
time justifying NOT gelding a colt.
I would definitely not keep a stallion who was not a specific breed-- 
even  Saddlebred-Arabian crosses have to be registered as National 
Showhorses in order to have value as breeding stallions. Something to 
think about.
Bette

Maggie Mieske wrote:

> Jessica,
> What are your reasons for keeping him a stallion and not gelding him?  
> Is there a market for Morab stallions at stud?  Stallion keeping is 
> not easy but I would not do it just for the sake of being able to have 
> and ride a stallion.  We have two...one is getting gelded very 
> soon...I am hoping for some cooler weather as I have decided I don't 
> really want to wait til fall.  It had always been our intention to 
> promote Malik as an endurance stallion.  We had never intended to keep 
> Mykal as a stallion but he was soooo sweet.  He still is except that 
> this year, he has turned into a blooming idiot around mares!  Not sure 
> why.  That's why he didn't go to Kentucky with us....not taking any 
> chances!  And he doesn't really produce the best babies...Malik's 
> foals are superior in bone and body.  Mykal produces foals better 
> suited to the show ring.  I think he will make a fabulous gelding.  
> Just be sure you do it for the right reasons because it is NOT easy 
> though it CAN be done.  Just because Malik is such a good boy doesn't 
> mean my work is ever done with him.  :)  So, please don't be offended 
> but I wanted to be frank with you.  I'm afraid I gush too much 
> sometimes about Malik and I don't want anyone to get the impression 
> that it was/is easy...it's been a long 4 years with him and we have 
> many more to come... we still occasionally have big disagreements 
> about what constitutes appropriate behavior....fortunately, mostly at 
> home and not very often anymore.  :)
> Hope to see you at Wolverine and I'd be happy to visit with you more 
> about stallions then if you'd like.  Take care!
> Miles of smiles,
> Maggie
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     From: jspoone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:jspoone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>     To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>     Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2003 2:15 PM
>     Subject: Re: [RC] Stallions
>
>     I just wanted to chime in and say THANKS! to everybody posting
>     about their stallions. I am about to buy a gorgeous Morab colt to
>     use for riding and breeding and this thread has calmed my nerves a
>     lot! Most of what has been said on this board about stallion
>     keeping and riding has held true to my own beliefs about them. A
>     lot of the people I have consulted have been telling me i can't
>     ever ride him in public, can't take him around mares or he'll go
>     crazy, etc etc. He is about to turn a year old and has been
>     pastured his whole life with mares and geldings so I'm going to
>     try and keep tat arrangement at my place. He's a very laidback boy
>     so I'm hoping it works out. Any suggestions for fencing, training
>     when he comes to breeding age, etc would be VERY welcome. Thanks
>     guys (and gals)!
>      
>     Jess (oh no! my herd is increasing again!)
>     www.magickmorning.com <http://www.magickmorning.com>
>
>         ----- Original Message -----
>         From: Mel Sherman <mailto:entirelyrisky@xxxxxxxxx>
>         To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>         Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2003 11:08 AM
>         Subject: Re: [RC] Stallions
>
>         At Tevis in 2000 I was sitting at Fransisco's with several
>         other horses waiting for a trailer ride out, one of the horses
>         was a stallion, and I ride a stallion...the trailer was a tiny
>         side by side, and none of the other riders wanted to put their
>         horses in a trailer with a stud, so the gal on the other
>         stallion and Willie (my guy) got voted to the end of the
>         line...The other rider and I watched one horse after another
>         refuse to get in the little trailer--pushing their owners
>         around, lunging backwards at top speed, etc...finally everyone
>         had to concede that she and I should get a turn to try to load
>         our horses, too...we looked at each other and walked our
>         stallions into the trailer cheek to cheek--they both travelled
>         up to Auburn without so much as a single squeal.
>         When I started breeding him last year, I looked up just a TON
>         of Heidi Smith's advice, and followed it religiously...Willie
>         now refuses flatly to breed unless all the elements are
>         perfectly in place--seriously--He is always pastured with
>         other horses, geldings and/or stallions, at various times,
>         and occasionally pastured with the (theoretically bred)
>         mares...he'll tease them, and if one comes into heat, he'll
>         run to the gate and yell at me to come catch and breed
>         them...I dunno if he thinks he CAN'T do it by himself, or just
>         what--but following strict breeding protocols WORKS...I have
>         no worries about what happens if he dumps me at a ride...he'll
>         probably yell at me till I get up and back on...
>          
>         Mel
>
>
>
>         Mel Sherman
>
>         Wild Heart Horses
>
>         Goldendale, Washington
>
>         www.wildhearthorses.com <http://www.wildhearthorses.com/>
>
>         ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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--
Bette Lamore
Whispering Oaks Arabians
Home of 16.2h TLA Halynov
who lives on through his legacy
Hal's Riverdance!
http://www.arabiansporthorse.com

Always remember: "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." (George Carlin)





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