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Re: [RC] Stallions - Kristene SmutsLONG - DELETE IF NOT INTERESTED Bette said : >>It would be interesting to find out just how many breeders/riders on ridecamp have stallions that they rarely breed and how the stallions behave.>> Bette, I have one full-blown stallion, Ibn Shah, and 2 up-and-coming colts. When I got Ibn, he had been bred, but I had no idea how many times (he was just under 7yo at the time I got him) and the then owner wouldn't tell me how many babies he had on the ground - don't know why, but Ibn later showed me many things about this man. Anyway, while I was busy getting his mind sound, he never came into contact with any mares - there was a little herd of 4 Welshies in the field next to his which he used to visit about once a day, otherwise he was off on his own. The first time I introduced him to a more social situation - proper boarding, after just over a year on the farm - the MARES almost climbed over the fences - 4 sturdy paddocks separating him and the nearest one. He never even looked at them. He would pull his belly up and arch his neck if we walked past their paddocks, but that was it. He was boarded for just under 2 years and in that time, we would pass the mares on several occasions, with only a nicker and flared nostrils - they were not as ladylike! In the time he was boarded, he got out twice, due to Lexx (gelding) being the master gate opener - the first occasion the two of them were found grazing peacefully just outside the paddock and the second, Ibn was standing dozing outside the one mare's stable - leg cocked and bottom lip hanging. A vicious, sex starved stallion? Methinks not! Heidi said : >>Usually the WORST breeding for every stallion any given year is the first one>> and >>And personally, I really wouldn't care to USE a stallion for breeding that DIDN'T have the kind of disposition that he can be managed not a lot differently than a gelding.>> Since coming to me - just over 3 years ago - it was Ibn's first time breeding this past summer - he bred 2 mares. The first time I took him out for a walk after breeding the first mare, he was a pain in the b-hind. But I expected it and accepted it as part of the "job". After breeding the second mare a few months later, he was much better and I could actually ride him without fuss again. The main reason for my decision to breed him is his temperament. He's well put-together but has his fair share of faults as well, but his personality was the kicker in my decision making. After all that was done to him and all he went through, to come out the other side with that temperament, is remarkable. Will I breed him again? Who knows, time will tell. And about the other two colts? Well, time will also tell. On paper they're both excellent breeding prospects, but time will show which way to go with those two. Temperament-wise they're wonderful and I'm hoping they stay that way. IF they do prove to be breedable, they will find the joys of the flesh only at about age 6 or so, even later. An oh yes, they are all in paddocks adjoining each other - the 2 youngsters are in with the older brood mare who doles out discipline as and when needed. Ibn still gets the baby mouthing from the 2 colts, even at age 2.5 from the older one, which I'm happy with. Heidi, maybe you want to re-think this statement you made ;-)) Sex is not like air and food. It may be fun, but life CAN go on without it.>> Actually, life can't ............ ;-)))) Have a good one! Kristene =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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