How do you keep your Stallions?

I may be entering into a trade with someone and I was curious as to how they keep their stallions. They own at least 3. They keep them all in a large pasture together (I think at least 58 acres) and have the mares at other properties. When it's time to breed the stallions are transported to the mares. At first, I liked the sound of this arrangement but I wonder, wouldn't the stallions be aggressive towards each other? If not, it sounds like a fairly ideal set-up for the stud. Much better than a small, dark stall I think. Any opinions?

Well now, that depends entirely on the studs. If your studs are all good natured they generally won't fight unless there's a mare around to compete over. Some studs are just naturally cantankerous and don't get along with anything they can't breed.

Thanks for the info.
I would imagine they get along well enough or she would have to make other arrangements.
Still, I did not think it was a normal way of keeping multiple studs but I don't know. I guess,
like everything else, it depends on the situation and the personalities of the horses. And I do
like the idea much better than a box stall or small dry lot.

Oh, I totally agree. I've never liked the idea of keeping horses stalled, I'm a firm believer in keeping them as close to "natural" as possible. Kirby was a very easy stud to keep - stayed with the herd and didn't fight.

Bot my studlings were fine in the herd too! Rascal spent the winter with the mares in pasture and Mudpie has been with the babies until about a year old and we figured it would be best to be safe and put him up til we could get him gelded. He never really showed any typical studly behavior. I find that Rascal is much harder to deal with if stalled. When turned out to pasture he's just like any other horse! My friends tell me they think stalling a stallion makes them mean. I had to use that Icon because I just saw it and cracked up. .. That one too..lol

I never had any trouble with two studs together with the herd - until I decided to geld Chili. After that, he and Chip fought like bitter enemies - not good for Chili, a half Arab only 14.3 and 850 pounds. Chip was 16.0 and 1200 pounds. I finally had to confine Chip in my stud pen until I leased him out and then sold him.

Sometimes stallions and geldings just don't mesh...

Spotted Face wrote:

I never had any trouble with two studs together with the herd - until I decided to geld Chili. After that, he and Chip fought like bitter enemies - not good for Chili, a half Arab only 14.3 and 850 pounds. Chip was 16.0 and 1200 pounds. I finally had to confine Chip in my stud pen until I leased him out and then sold him.

Sometimes stallions and geldings just don't mesh...

The remaining owner of our appies when we bought them told us a tale of a particular stallion that nearly killed one of their geldings when he got out of his paddock and in with two riding geldings. That poor horse had to have a couple of hundred stitches if I recall his story. That is why I was asking about them. We have decided not to do the trade after all and will geld instead. It feels good not to have to worry about it. I'm a terrible worrier by nature. I thought that particular trait would ease with age and experience but I swear I think it has only gotten worse! Thanks for the info though. Always good to have at hand.



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I think as well as was said , depends on the stallion . Drea Fires Shoshone stays at home in his own paddock . He isn't real mean to the other geldings when we run him with the mares but he would not let them around the mares at all , he would definately run them off . On the flip side my wife rides him with other mares and just recently she rode him with another stallion present on the ride . Very good natured horse but his mares are his and only his therfore we feel his paddock is his and we bring the mares to his place to breed