Is it a good idea to keep a stallions Coverin @ 11

[tanadoman]

i have 1 or 2 things like but main one is i have got 16yrs experince round horses and all tht crap n 3 yrs experince wi stallions as and i got a stunning 15.3 thoroughbred stallion but pervious owner wants too keep him servicin mares and ive been told that at his age he shud be castrated but am a lil confused on what too do i no i got the experince in all the areas wi servicin and with many otha things just dont think at his age it will change his attitude towards life and calm him down! has any1 got an opinion or any advice to help me on this? pls if do mail me asap

[Karon]

11?! That's no age at all. Why on earth should he be castrated now unless he's a problem?

[cbc]

If you can give him enough ridden work to keep him mentally happy you should be fine. He shouldnt present a problem to you if you are experienced and give him a job to do (as with any horse, but TBs especially )
I know this horse, he is a nice enough lad.

[tanadoman]

its just the fact that ive been told he shouldnt be entired no more as hes too old but ive had experince with stallions iv ad the worse of stallions to deal wi but i just a lil confused on what to do i no it sounds daft but i no i av the experince but hes surrounded by mares and i no he dus behave but its jus always tht worry in back of my mind as i had a lesson on him and he was fantastic thn he strted gettin jolly becos of mares guin past im

[pd]

Hi, they way you post makes me query where you're from and whether you are very young? Are you just typing in "texting language" or are you not an English speaker? You come across as someone too green to be an owner of a stallion and all the responsibilities that brings with it.

Is the stallion you are asking about owned by you? If so you can decide what to do with him regardless of what the previous owner thinks, however depending on your own personal experience you should ask for professional advice before taking the unreversable step of having him gelded. A good stallion can go on serving into very senior years and may never need to be gelded if his training and temperament are sufficiently good.

[varkie]

I'm confused. Is he your stallion, or does he belong to someone else? Is he going to continue to cover mares in the future or not? Is he well behaved as a stallion or is he a problem? If he is not covering, can he be turned out with geldings/other stallions?

If his future is to be a covering stallion, 11 years is not too old to be doing that. If he is not covering, and will not be, and he cannot be turned out with others, and his behaviour is a concern, I'd be considering castrating him.

Any chance you could put some punctuation in your posts, and not use text speak? There are quite a few of us on here who struggle to read it, and you will get less replies if you don't - people will not make the effort if it's hard to read.

[tanadoman]

sorry its just how i am use to, hes on loan but i am trying to find out more background before buy as i have got the experince with stallions but not thoroughbred stallions as hes alot more to cope with its just something i am considering hes servicing next year but thats the last 2 i am aware of but thats all i no off....am just confused

[Liz]

I've read your thread a few times and I really don't think this is the horse for you. Sorry, tanadoman, I don't wish to seem rude and may be wide of the mark but I simply don't think your 16 years experience is likely to be the right sort. 11 is certainly not old for a stallion to be covering but has he had much success with his progeny? If not, should he continue to be used for breeding?

I have known an older stallion being castrated when his owner lost her stud facilities but he was ridden and competed a lot so had other things on his mind as well as sex!! However, he NEVER lost his stallion tendencies so unless you have really good facilities for him, you may well encounter management problems.

[tanadoman]

hes on brilliant facilities ect and hes been very successful in covering and seen his offspring ive been having lessons but its just the doubt in back of mind but ive dealt with stallions a reli moody (evil) thoroughbred and a very laid back irish draught and both rideable and tanny has been competed but hes bin out of work 9/10 months i new from strt hed be a challenge i rode for a stud farm in my local area and gained most my experince there but its just getting it all back togetha again

[specialsparkle3]

I find this a very frightening post. If you even have to ASK the opinion of a Discussion Group, you are certainly not the right owner for a Thoroughbred stallion, who is accustomed to covering mares.

This is either a wind up ( I sincerely hope, for the horse's sake) or you do not have sufficient knowledge or experience to even contemplate the idea.

Please look for another, more suitable horse.

Edited to say, that although you say you have had 16 years experience, around horses, that means you were 2 years old when you started dealing with them ------------------------I don't think a great many of those years actually count in this case.

[suewhitmore]

In my opinion, entires should not be kept at livery. Too many accidents can happen to *other* people's horses. Can you get liability insurance? And how would you feel if your entire got loose and ripped some tiny pony mare to shreds trying to cover her?

Entires should be kept in studs or in working competition yards, not privately. The welfare of the mares is actually a more difficult job, requiring more skill and knowledge than the management of the entire. Most of the people replying to you here are stallion owners and breeders, we have nothing against stallions, we *love* them, but we quail at the thought of them being owned randomly. We (the breeders I know here) have selected our entires with utmost care to fit with our breeding decisions, not acquired them through happenstance.

Even those of us with the easiest breeds to handle, like mine, spend many hours ensuring that our stallions remain mannerly at all times. You need to be constantly alert but never scared and never rough.

I would urge you to buy a gelding - there are are thousands of very cheap off-track TBs available if you want a TB, and there will be more next year, who could do with a loving and experienced home.

[mags]

SS3 beat me too it. I was just about to say this is one thing where if your asking having a ask the question geld the horse

[varkie]

Wot SS3 & SueW said.

And I am one of those stallion owners mentioned. I have currently one stallion & four colts. I certainly do not demonise them, and I actually love my entires - they are my boys. But they have been picked/bred for their temperament as well as conformation, paces, bloodlines etc, hence they are generally a joy to be around & well behaved & well handled.

I think this (assuming this is a real situation) is a very different thing. If you are determined to have this horse, geld him. But I think you'd do better to buy a gelding from somewhere else.

[honey]

umm it sounds as if your uncertain about the stallion and a little scared of his actions, i know all new horses are strange but especially stallions at that age are set in there ways, especially if he has covered quite a few mares if hes left entire he will be expecting the mares. if i was you i would geld him or look at another more suitable horse. as for stallion on livery my stallion was kept on livery for two years with no problems but hes a very good stallion thats not used to servicing mares, and every stallion needs treating individually.

[Tuppence]

"what the "? I have known a TB stallion still covering a limited number of mares in his twenties! The greater risk would be to castrate an animal of that age! OTOH maybe the greatest risk of all would be for someone inexperienced to have the care and responsibility of an entire???

Sheer craziness. Echo SueW Varkie and SS3.