Day In The Life Of A Stallion

The correct management of a breeding stallion is essential not only to the horse’s well-being and state of mind, but also for the safety of those who are around him and handling him on a daily basis.

Legrande is a 16.2hh, 6 year old buckskin Oldenburg stallion, who was purchased as a yearling from Germany by the Lynaire Sports Horse Stud. He is a stallion that is both competed (BSJA and BD) as well as used during the breeding season for stud duties. We feel that the most important aspect of his daily routine is that all parts of it are in black and white; there are never any grey areas that might confuse him or make situations dangerous for those around him.

As a youngster, before being backed, he was treated like any other baby. He was given time to grow and strengthen in the field, he was not over handled and lived out all year round with other males. His playmate during this time was the 20-year-old gelding Borane III, a retired ex-international show jumper. This gave him a daily dose of equine companionship, which is so vital in those early years; it also gave him an equine understanding of respect, boundaries and manners. Horses, regardless of their gender, are herd animals and therefore contact with other equines is vital to their well-being. We, personally, do not agree with segregating stallions from other horses as it most certainly does lead to behavioral problems, although of course common sense and precautions should always be top of the list when a breeding stallion is around.

Legrande is stabled on our main yard, along with all the other competition horses. He goes on the horse-walker every morning and has horses both in front and behind him while doing so, one of which is quite often our 11-year-old, Welsh Section B stallion. During the breeding season there are very few changes made to his routine. However, the small changes that are brought into effect give him his cue to what will happen next. A different bridle is always used when he is covering and also he is prepared, bridled and handled solely by our breeding manager, Martin Hellier; Claire (his rider) never goes near him when it is covering time. He has learnt that if Claire is tacking him up, it is work as usual, so he walks quietly our of his box into the arena, and he knows that we will not expect anything more of him. He is regularly hacked out alone and in the company of other horses, both male and female.

Legrande is also allowed free turnout in our stallion paddock, when competitions and weather permit. One rule we have in place in the yard is that he is NEVER hand fed. The hand feeding of treats to young stallions (any horse really) is a big no-no in our books; it certainly encourages them to nip and invade your personal space and it is not necessary. Horses do not associate the giving of treats as a reward like a dog would, grass does not run away, their mothers did not bring back food for them to eat, it is not part of their thinking. We have also never encouraged him to be too familiar with his handlers as a baby; so many youngsters have no respect for personal space due to over-handling. He was taught his boundaries and we expect him to maintain them - this is where the black and white really comes into play.

This routine has made him a happy, well-adjusted horse; he is a pleasure to handle and enjoys himself while out at competitions, and he gets to see all that happens at the shows. Taking on a breeding stallion is a huge responsibility, not only for the mental and physical well being of the horse in question, but also for the happy, safe running of the yard on a day-to-day basis. There is nothing worse than having to rearrange your schedule around one horse and it is when this is the case that accidents happen.

Lynn Al-Redha

Lynaire Sport Horses