ooook.....so.....since my last post regarding my 3 year old TB, which stated he was wacking "that thing" all over the place at the show in June.....he has been better. I have been taking him places, friend's houses, or other people's farms to ride, and specifically to a local arena where one of the trainers gives group lessons once or twice a week. Its been good for him and he's done great....until yesterday. There were 6 other horses, one was a gelding, one was a 4 year old that had just been gelded a couple months ago, and then 4 mares. I could NOT Keep Jeopardy's attention...we'd be trotting and the second we'd pass another horse, or another horse would pass us, he'd scream his head off, head would go up and he'd prance around. it would take only but a few seconds to "get him back" but every time another horse came to sight I'd lose whatever we had. if we were trotting he'd break to a walk, if we were cantering he'd break to a trot, if we were walking he'd try to sidepass or trot off towards the other horse (mind you it was ANY of those horses, specifically the gelding for some reason....but the mares also were of interest) towards the end he started to drop. it was not fully erected but it was erected....and so I worked him. I WORKED THAT HORSE on a 20 meter circle ON the bit, at a WORKING trot, bending, counter bending, we were WORKING and he would NOT put that thing away!! I could hear it smacking around down there....gross! aye. finally (after probably 20 circles) he'd bring it up and I'd stop him (I had people telling me when he drops, when its up, etc) and walk him. then he'd drop again....baaaaack to trot. it was so frustrating. and then at one point I was getting so tired so I tried to make him canter....yeah, well, he cantered...with it down...of course started kicking himself and then got angry and started trying to buck. aye.
I also did try to backing method--actually I tried that first. we backed ALMOST the ENTIRE length of the arena which has got to be between 250-300 feet long. yes, THAT LONG....probably got within 50 feet of the end of the ring before he just got tired of backing and started to try to turn, walk thru my hands, etc.
The trainer there said he wasn't bad, which he wasn't. I mean he didn't try to dump me or kill me or take off after another horse...but the whole erection thing was hard to deal with. ANY advice? other than that he was a good boy.....everyone keeps telling me to just give him time. he's still young and he doesn't understand he's a stallion and when is the proper time and place but still...everyone also told me to work him because a stallion cannot have an erection and work at the same time...MINE CAN!!!! aye!
try posting this on the stallion forum on msn groups. There are a lot of stallion owners there that have delt with these issues, and gelding isn't the first answer. I don't have the link to post but google msn stallion forum and it should come up. Hope to see you there. M
Laura, It has been a long while since I've delt with a working stallion issue such as yours. Any such, years ago, there used to be a "stallion ring" that some would use on show stallions when out. I have NO IDEA if it is still used these days, or even acceptable. If I remember, it was a simple ring that was placed at a certain position on the penis....and made it a bit uncomfortable if he started getting erect...therefore stopping the unwanted behavior. Like I said, I am not up-to-snuff on this, but did know of breeders who would use it on their young stallions at shows (years ago). Worth asking about....from someone who knows more than I do at least .
Stallion rings (and "brushes", aka "guards") are still available and used by some, despite having been clearly shown to be essentially tools of torture, not particularly effective, and likely to result in abberant behaviour.
Let's look at it slightly differently:
If you take your teenage son to a football match, and he gets an erection watching the cheerleaders, you would probably distract him in some way so he loses focus on the girls. OTOH if he starts yelling "take your shirts off" at them, then more drastic measures are called for - but you're still probably just going to take him by the ear and say "listen son...", and possibly not take him to another football game until he gets things under control, rather than resorting to putting some sort of a device on him to actually cause pain if he gets an erection!!!
There's no need to take any different attitude with a stallion...
Jos, Many thanks for the clarification (I knew you'd pull through!). I've not had any experience using rings, but have know those who did. It has been some years ago though.
I've always thought your analogy of stallion/boy was exceptional. You've brought it up in the past and it always makes me want to pass it to others. Keep up the "educating". Heather
Thanks you guys for all your help. Gelding him is not the answer right now. For one, he's not being "bad"...he's not trying to buck me off, rear, go after other horses...he's actually just being a very typical 3 year old who has never been out of the barn....the only problem is he has some extra plumbing thats getting in the way! lol JOS I took what you said with a grain of salt from day 1.....I have not punished the erection however I have tried to change his focus and make him work. That thang has a mind of its own!! LOL My friend's trainer who is there when we go ride really thinks he's being a good boy--she's seen stallions before that were out to kill, rearing up on the rider, practically uncontrollable. I mean Jeopardy nicely (very nicely I might had) was on a 20 meter circle, on the bit, relaxing his jaw, doing a beautiful working trot, bending and counter bending, listening to everything I was telling him....with his penis swinging back and forth the entire time. Its not that he's being bad, or acting crazy, he just won't "put it away!!"
I will look into the MSM stallion site, thanks Lori. I just believe there are a lot of stallions out there that should be gelded for tons of reasons (conformation, horrid temperment, etc) but Jep I feel deserves a fair chance. He's a really nice horse.
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