We've been in the morgan horse industry for over 40 years and raised morgan stallions. We knew nothing about raising or handling a stallion of any breed when we started.
So, I did my homework and watched and observed owners of stallions at various shows and at their facilities. We had young kids at the time so #1 importance was the stallion
had to be safe around our kids. We'd watch some stallions of various breeds come out very flashy and entertaining the crowd but was that really a stallion that would be easy
to handle and friendly and safe with our kids?
Well, I am not shy so I went investigating. I presented the question of manners to a morgan stallion owner whose was placing really well. He smiled at me and said after the next
class I want you to visit our stable area and find the stallion. I thought that was a strange answer because I figured that would be easy, the stallion would be the one calling
aand making a scene.
Nope I couldn't find the stallion right off and that was because he was the quietest most well-behaved horse in his stable. So, my next question was how did you do that?
He is a totally different horse then out in the show ring. "TRAINING!". Handling at a young age. Teaching manners. Knowing when he was allowed to be a stud and when
he was supposed to be well mannered with any age group of people.
Well, I needed to see more stallions like this so I went to other breeds and talked with stallion owners. I got the same response. I also got various reasons why
stallions didn't behave like these stallions.
After all that research we knew what we wanted as far as manners and training:
- *Quiet for our kids to be around
- *Animated for when he needed to show off and be very impressive
- *Alert and easy to train
- *Respectful
- *Trained to know when he could be a stud yet behaved when around mares that were not to be bred
- *Able to manage him with just a halter at any time. No restrains
I believe over the years we did accomplish that with the stallions we had the privilege to own or handle. Now we are starting over
and so far, our yearling colt has the potential. Our students and grandsons are able to halter and groom him in the
crosstie area. Now they are learning to handle him in the arena while teaching him.
His hormones have not totally kicked in yet so that part of his learning is still to come.