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Regular
Posts: 52
Location: B-F-E | I recently bought a really nice 2 yo stud colt. He’s gorgeous and people are already asking to breed to him. I wasn’t planning to keep him a stallion but now I kind of am. How do I go about the breeding aspect, live cover or shipped semen? Then there’s contracts to think about...where would I take him to have semen collected? What training techniques do I use to be able to trail ride him with other mares safely? He was meant to be my husbands main trail horse. He’s very quiet and calm. You almost wouldn’t even know he was a stallion. Any information and advice would be appreciated. |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5101
 
| Live cover is less expensive than ai, unless you already have the equipment and knowledge to do it yourself. You could probably set up a breeding lab for ai for $10,000-15,000. With PC Lock N Frost, the vet would come to my place to collect and then process at his clinic. So there are lots of ways of doing it. Live cover isn't all bad. Be sure to have processes in place to reduce contamination and the spread of disease. There is always a risk of bringing disease into your ranch if you allow outside horses, and liablility. When doing live cover, I used a breeding chute. That way the mare was contained and couldn't kick the stud. It can be really exciting, but really expensive and stressful. |
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 Guys Just Wanna Have Fun
Posts: 5258
Location: OH | Not trying to say this in a degrading way in the least, but a lot of questions you are asking a person needs to know before ever trying to stand a stallion. It can be REALLY challenging. I am sure he is nice right now as a two year old but that can all change in the next year as he matures and especially once you go to breeding him.
I can give you a few suggestions to try and help. If you go to live cover him, a couple different things. Ride him first, bring him in and use a different halter--I prefer a heavy leather one with a chain over their nose at first---breed him and then ride him as soon as you are done. Let him know there is a difference and a time to be a stud and a time to behave.
When you go to breed--do the exact same process every time. I hold a stick across their chest, while it is there---they have to behave. Once I drop it---they can start being a stud. |
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 Champ
Posts: 19179
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | Mighty Broke - 2018-11-08 7:27 AM
Not trying to say this in a degrading way in the least, but a lot of questions you are asking a person needs to know before ever trying to stand a stallion.
This. ^^^ It's really a steep learning curve to know all you need to know and mistakes will be made. It's not all fun and games. In fact, it's hardly fun most of the time. The rare times it's rewarding is when something by your stallion and maybe o/o one of your mares wins something pretty big or over a long period of time. But it's a lot of hard work. You have to be mentally tough to withstand the heartbreak that comes with raising horses.
It also brings out the crazy in some people when they are in direct competition with you and your stallion. I try to never talk bad about another stallion. Anyone who does is put on my "don't do business with" in the future. I witnessed first hand how low some people will go when they have a stallion and so do you.
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12413
| OregonBR - 2018-11-08 11:30 AM Mighty Broke - 2018-11-08 7:27 AM Not trying to say this in a degrading way in the least, but a lot of questions you are asking a person needs to know before ever trying to stand a stallion. This. ^^^ It's really a steep learning curve to know all you need to know and mistakes will be made. It's not all fun and games. In fact, it's hardly fun most of the time. The rare times it's rewarding is when something by your stallion and maybe o/o one of your mares wins something pretty big or over a long period of time. But it's a lot of hard work. You have to be mentally tough to withstand the heartbreak that comes with raising horses. It also brings out the crazy in some people when they are in direct competition with you and your stallion. I try to never talk bad about another stallion. Anyone who does is put on my "don't do business with" in the future. I witnessed first hand how low some people will go when they have a stallion and so do you.
And you have to be prepared to hear the owners of competing stallions bad mouth yours without returning the sentiment. Which is hard when said competion has a poor conformation but outruns yours.
Most, not all by any means, young colts are well behaved. They haven't come into their real testosterone yet and haven't learned much about mares yet. MB noted a week or so ago a particular conundrum with a stallion - breed them young to get their get into the pen or wait until the stallion has performed well first?? If you breed them young you also take a chance at them kinda losing their brain for training. And if you wait your stallion will be in his teens before his get hits the pen.
And never forget for a moment, second, half a second, that it is a STALLION and they are unpredictable. You may not have noticed a mare giving him a look but be assured he has. And his reaction to normal commands will reflect that. I had my boobie almost bit off by a young stallion who had never offtered one moment of bad behavior before that split second attack, and has not acted anything except gentle and well mannered ever since. If I was shorter that would have been my shoulder or neck. |
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That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5101
| lonely va barrelxr - 2018-11-08 1:37 PM OregonBR - 2018-11-08 11:30 AM Mighty Broke - 2018-11-08 7:27 AM Not trying to say this in a degrading way in the least, but a lot of questions you are asking a person needs to know before ever trying to stand a stallion. This. ^^^ It's really a steep learning curve to know all you need to know and mistakes will be made. It's not all fun and games. In fact, it's hardly fun most of the time. The rare times it's rewarding is when something by your stallion and maybe o/o one of your mares wins something pretty big or over a long period of time. But it's a lot of hard work. You have to be mentally tough to withstand the heartbreak that comes with raising horses. It also brings out the crazy in some people when they are in direct competition with you and your stallion. I try to never talk bad about another stallion. Anyone who does is put on my "don't do business with" in the future. I witnessed first hand how low some people will go when they have a stallion and so do you.
Most, not all by any means, young colts are well behaved. They haven't come into their real testosterone yet and haven't learned much about mares yet. MB noted a week or so ago a particular conundrum with a stallion - breed them young to get their get into the pen or wait until the stallion has performed well first?? If you breed them young you also take a chance at them kinda losing their brain for training. And if you wait your stallion will be in his teens before his get hits the pen.
And never forget for a moment, second, half a second, that it is a STALLION and they are unpredictable. You may not have noticed a mare giving him a look but be assured he has. And his reaction to normal commands will reflect that. I had my boobie almost bit off by a young stallion who had never offtered one moment of bad behavior before that split second attack, and has not acted anything except gentle and well mannered ever since. If I was shorter that would have been my shoulder or neck.
There is a story here locally about a very well mannered stallion that had been used hard on the ranch. One day one of the young kids of the family was outside and climbed up the panel of that stallion. The stallion reached over and grabed the 3 year old kid by the back of the neck, stallion tossed the kid across the paddock. They say the kid was dead before he hit the ground. You just never know, and can never trust them completely. |
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Regular
Posts: 52
Location: B-F-E | Thanks for the constructive advice. I swear, I posted something similar on facebook and all they did was bully me about all the horses in kill pens and how I should just geld him. I didn't realize how much went into breeding them. I was just trying to get more info about it. I've decided to geld him probably very early next year. Its a lot more than I feel like dealing with. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 900
| Plus to be on the cautious side, a woman should never handle a stallion while breeding when she is on her period. I found that out the hard way. |
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 Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2978
Location: Louisiana | partygirlbsu007 - 2018-11-09 1:55 AM
Thanks for the constructive advice. I swear, I posted something similar on facebook and all they did was bully me about all the horses in kill pens and how I should just geld him. I didn't realize how much went into breeding them. I was just trying to get more info about it. I've decided to geld him probably very early next year. Its a lot more than I feel like dealing with.
From personal experience, you've made the best choice for your sanity and wallet.
Even breeding a stud locally to a few mares is a lot of work.
My mom bought a stud prospect many years ago when I was a teen and it wasn't near as easy as she thought it would be. Once you own a stud, you realize just how many are out there and how much competition you have. He had the whole package, but we lacked the financial and professional resources to really promote him to a higher level.
Of the mares she bred, he really only had one go on to do anything in the barrel pen.
He ended up being gelded around 12 years old.
Edited to say:
The colts we buy now, we leave them intact until the first sign they realize what they are...my husband prefers the larger jaw and thinks they grow and develop a little more. So they usually stay intact until they're 3.
Edited by dashnlotti 2018-11-09 8:56 AM
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Champ
Posts: 19179
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | partygirlbsu007 - 2018-11-08 11:55 PM
Thanks for the constructive advice. I swear, I posted something similar on facebook and all they did was bully me about all the horses in kill pens and how I should just geld him. I didn't realize how much went into breeding them. I was just trying to get more info about it. I've decided to geld him probably very early next year. Its a lot more than I feel like dealing with.
If you want to keep your options open for a little while, you could collect and freeze some semen. You only have 2 years from the time you geld him to use it though. That way you could see what he would be like as a breeding horse. It might help you decide so you don't have regrets. |
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Champ
Posts: 19179
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | Sandok - 2018-11-09 6:39 AM
Plus to be on the cautious side, a woman should never handle a stallion while breeding when she is on her period. I found that out the hard way.
Bull. I don't believe that. I think it's an old wives tale. I know a LOT of women to handle stallions in all situations and it makes no difference. JMO |
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Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12413
| OregonBR - 2018-11-09 10:36 AM Sandok - 2018-11-09 6:39 AM Plus to be on the cautious side, a woman should never handle a stallion while breeding when she is on her period. I found that out the hard way. Bull. I don't believe that. I think it's an old wives tale. I know a LOT of women to handle stallions in all situations and it makes no difference. JMO
I was still fertile when Zan was young but well into menopause when Peon bit me. I never had Zan act any worse or better, interested in me or not, when I was still having a period. I do get embarrased because he gives me big stallion greeting screams when we're at big shows and I haven't seen him for a bit - but again has nothing to do with male/female stuff and everything to do with the bond of stallion/rider (owner/caretaker/etc.). |
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Defense Attorney for The Horse
Location: Claremore, OK | Sandok - 2018-11-09 8:39 AM
Plus to be on the cautious side, a woman should never handle a stallion while breeding when she is on her period. I found that out the hard way.
You need to be careful around a stud at all times, no matter what your gender.
As someone who handles a lot of young studs I’ve never seen the wives tale above to be true. |
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 Peecans
| If I were to ever have a stud again I would stand him at a facility where they do all the collection (collection training as well), shipping and onsite AI and mare care. No way do I ever want that liability and stress again of mares and foals on my place.
But there are 4 great places quite close to me so that does make it easier to do that. I could take him back and forth and ride / breed my own mares.
I have been casually stud shopping and pondering my goals and plans and that's pretty much what I have decided if Mr. Perfect trots on by. |
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Location: USA | OregonBR - 2018-11-09 9:34 AM partygirlbsu007 - 2018-11-08 11:55 PM Thanks for the constructive advice. I swear, I posted something similar on facebook and all they did was bully me about all the horses in kill pens and how I should just geld him. I didn't realize how much went into breeding them. I was just trying to get more info about it. I've decided to geld him probably very early next year. Its a lot more than I feel like dealing with. If you want to keep your options open for a little while, you could collect and freeze some semen. You only have 2 years from the time you geld him to use it though. That way you could see what he would be like as a breeding horse. It might help you decide so you don't have regrets.
I tried this with our 2 young studs. The one wouldn't mount the dummy. We spents thousands hauling him to a vet clinic, but he was too shy to mount the dummy. So we tried the other colt. Low and behold, he was a rockstar at mounting and collected him within minutes. Well, get his spem under the microscope,and his sperm is terrible. The vet starts talking to me about options, I didn't waste her time.I said I am gelding him! I wished I had just gelded him right off, as he took almost a year to get over his studdiness. Anyway, that was the shortened version.
I grew up on a breeding ranch. And like you say,few rewards. Lots of headaches. You really need a special facility, and don't expect to go anywhere from February to July if you get any decent number of mares LOL
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That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5101
| della - 2018-11-09 3:02 PM If I were to ever have a stud again I would stand him at a facility where they do all the collection (collection training as well), shipping and onsite AI and mare care. No way do I ever want that liability and stress again of mares and foals on my place. But there are 4 great places quite close to me so that does make it easier to do that. I could take him back and forth and ride / breed my own mares. I have been casually stud shopping and pondering my goals and plans and that's pretty much what I have decided if Mr. Perfect trots on by.
Totally agree. I would never do it again myself. If I can't pull 30+ mares a year to justify standing him at a facility, then I'd just breed my own. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 12809
Location: Texas | OregonBR - 2018-11-09 9:36 AM
Sandok - 2018-11-09 6:39 AM
Plus to be on the cautious side, a woman should never handle a stallion while breeding when she is on her period. I found that out the hard way.
Bull. I don't believe that. I think it's an old wives tale. I know a LOT of women to handle stallions in all situations and it makes no difference. JMO
Yeah I collect stallions as part of my job and I could not imagine telling my male bosses that I had to sit this one out because I'm menstruating. Not going to happen. |
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You get what you give
Posts: 12809
Location: Texas | Whiteboy - 2018-11-09 3:59 PM
della - 2018-11-09 3:02 PM If I were to ever have a stud again I would stand him at a facility where they do all the collection (collection training as well), shipping and onsite AI and mare care. No way do I ever want that liability and stress again of mares and foals on my place. But there are 4 great places quite close to me so that does make it easier to do that. I could take him back and forth and ride / breed my own mares. I have been casually stud shopping and pondering my goals and plans and that's pretty much what I have decided if Mr. Perfect trots on by.
Totally agree. I would never do it again myself. If I can't pull 30+ mares a year to justify standing him at a facility, then I'd just breed my own.
I have always dreamed of having my own stallion and standing it.. but honestly IDK anymore. I don't see myself having the $$ to spend in all the incentives and all that. I kind of feel that if I do ever have a colt who is nice enough to be a stallion, that I may just keep it small and do my own thing. Enjoy my stuff. IDK. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 37909
Location: *Seguin TEXAS of Course* | della - 2018-11-09 3:02 PM If I were to ever have a stud again I would stand him at a facility where they do all the collection (collection training as well), shipping and onsite AI and mare care. No way do I ever want that liability and stress again of mares and foals on my place. But there are 4 great places quite close to me so that does make it easier to do that. I could take him back and forth and ride / breed my own mares. I have been casually stud shopping and pondering my goals and plans and that's pretty much what I have decided if Mr. Perfect trots on by.
Della I never knew that you were standing a stud, what is his name I would love to look him up, how long did you have him? |
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Peecans
| Southtxponygirl - 2018-11-09 3:50 PM
della - 2018-11-09 3:02 PM If I were to ever have a stud again I would stand him at a facility where they do all the collection (collection training as well), shipping and onsite AI and mare care. No way do I ever want that liability and stress again of mares and foals on my place. But there are 4 great places quite close to me so that does make it easier to do that. I could take him back and forth and ride / breed my own mares. I have been casually stud shopping and pondering my goals and plans and that's pretty much what I have decided if Mr. Perfect trots on by.
Della I never knew that you were standing a stud, what is his name I would love to look him up, how long did you have him?
He passed away too young and very unexpectedly 7 almost 8 years ago. I can grab photos of him later if you really want to see.
Im looking for the perfect boy for my mares though Im tired.of running back and forth and shipping semen lol |
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How to keep a stallion
