Righto, i have just had an interesting session with my horse.?

Question

okay. he is a gelding, who has this weird fantasy that he is still a stallion. you see, he has sired a few colts, and the mare that was just takn out has been put back in. and she is in heat. i dont own the mare, and there is anoother mare in there too, but she isnt in heat.and romeo was going nuts. you see he was convinced that this is HIS mare and noone elses. and there is a clyde stallion next door but far away. i dont think he will be able to smell the mare though. when we finally got to the hitching post hewas actingextremely dagerous.he was totally unresponsive to mum who was handling him,rearing pawing the ground, trying to break away from being tied(he also does this when extremely impatient)and had his nose to his chest and was pawing so low to the ground his bely was about two inches from the ground. (he looked so beautiful though;p) how can we control him? we havebeen thinking about getting a stud chain, but we are not sure how to use. it what would be the best suggestion?

Answer 1

Get A Stud Chain Now.  Run it ring to ring under his chin, then up to the ring near his off side eye. Make sure you have a thick soft cotton, or leather one.

Do NOT allow him to act stupid, when he does Jerk Hard on the chain.

Get a bottle of Vicks Vapor rub.. or Menthol chest rub.  When you know there is a mare around in heat. rub a bit on his nose to help disguise the smell and head off his being ramish.    If the behavoirs keep up,  I'd bet you have a proud cut ( all the t******l material wasnt removed)  Or a Crypt.   Contrary to popular belief, crypts can be fertile if its only one t******l retained, and I've seen unscrupulos breeders put a sterile crypt to a mare to test for estrus and not risk their stallion being hurt.  That would cause the behavior your seeing in your boy too.

Answer 2

Could he be proud cut? I can only think of distracting with feed or a jolly big smack. Sorry not very help full....I'd definitely be calling in a expert handler.

Answer 3

First of all stallions can smell mares from a long way off!  I worked on a stud farm and all the stallions went very noisy when a mare came into season.

Second, how long ago was your horse guelded?  It could be that his hormones are not quite right yet.  It takes about 6 months to be sure.  He could still be capable of siring foals.

Only a blood test could ascertain whether this was the case.

Also there is a possibility he could be a rig, whereby one of his testicles did not descend properly and there is still one deep inside his abdomen.  Rigs will display stallion behavioural carachteristics but due to the heat inside he is not able to sire.

This again would need checking out with the vet and possibly re-operation.

If the mare is the same one he has covered before, then of course the poor chap is going to be confused.  He has had his wicked way with her before and sees no reason why he cannot do so now.

Do not turn him out with her, and if possible do not touch her while she is in season before you touch him - I dread the consequences.

A chiffney bit would be a solution.  It is a circular bit which attaches to the head collar with an "upside down" tongue groove.  It is an anti-rearing bit which only comes into force when the horse goes up.  He should never be tied from it though.  

When tying up give him a small haynet with small holes so it takes him a while to pull hay out to keep him occupied and make sure that the net is tied up very well incase he gets his legs caught.

Good luck.  But do call the vet for advice.

Answer 4

well here is the number one reason why people shouldn't breed stallions that they plan to geld. i would suggest getting a rope headstall, an anti rearing bit or a chain, the saddlery you get it from can teach you how to use it...also further ground work to re-establish connection. probably get him checked by the vet as well to make sure he isn't a rig or a proud cut gelding.

whatever you do do not feed him until he has calmed and behaves himself otherwise he will learn that this type of act gets him food.

Answer 5

there is a supplement that you can buy that is supposed to help with "studdish" geldings. I am not sure if it works for not, or maybe another type of calming supplement. But sorry I am not sure what else to do though because I really have no stallion experience

Answer 6

You should never allow any horse to rear when on halter.  That is a huge safety issue and can easily get the handler killed even if the horse doesn't mean to.  

This horse could very well begin to mean it.  Many such geldings do not start off rank but turn that way.  In nature it is natural for a stallion to challenge for dominance with a fight.  The rearing is just a start of a challenge.  Use a lunge whip across his shins when he does that and do not be squimish.  If you are squemish about doing that then you have no business with this horse.  

As far as the stud chain...GET ONE NOW! There are several ways to use them.  

The least harsh method I know of is to take the chain though the side ring of the halter (the one beside his nose), over the nose back through the other side ring, under the chin and then back to the stud chain where the lead rope snaps on.  

Another way is same as above except the end of the stud chain needs to come back to the ring that the chain first passes through.  You need the longer version of the stud chain for the above two.  I always get the longer version so that I can try various methods to see what works best for the horse.

Other options whick can take a short one(but you can use the long one this way too) is to run it through one side ring and attach it to the other.  This can be done either over the nose, through the mouth, or under the chin.  Of the three I like under the chin or through the mouth.  Through the mouth is the gentlest (believe it or not my stud tries to get me to put the chain in his mouth and if enough slack is left in it he gets it in there and then sucks on it like a pacifier).

I do not like the over the nose version and you must be careful because I have seen horses with ridges on the top of their nose from stud chains.  Also never tie a horse with the stud chain.

To use the stud chain give it a jerk everytime he fails to pay attention to you.  This includes if he is walking faster than you or looking off at who knows what.  He attention must be focused on you.  The jerk is just a one hand jerk to tighten the chain.  Once the horse calms down you can reach up and loosen the chain again.  Tthis must be done since the chain will often catch and not provide full release until the halter is moved a little, thus teaching your horse that you will release him when and if he is calm enough to wait.

BTW many geldings act like that for up to two years if they have not been bred.  Since he has he may never get over it.