Endurance &CTR(stallions)

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Nancy Muller Farafix@aol.com
I've been riding a yound stallion in CTR's & endurance for about 3 yrs now, started training him for his "job" at about 2 yrs old.  I took him to a friend's house who had a small paddock I could pull into with the trailer and set up his pen.  He was quite excited to see her house 2 paddocks over, but stayed in his pen --- if he got out he was still enclosed in her paddock.  I took him to little local shows and set up his pen, just so he could get used to all the activity.  When he got older I took him to a judged pleasure ride (he actually got a 10 on a few of the obstacles!) and went in some hunter classes.  I spent a lot of time riding with other horses on the trail (thanks to all my brave friends!).  He was raised in a pasture with free access to the stalls with a gelding & his dam (had to be separated when she went in season), so he learned horse manners from them.  I would strongly suggest getting some practise with other horses on the trail before going to a CTR or LD.  My stallion is very social & really enjoys being with the other horses, but the flip side is that he wants to slow down to be with horses behind or speed up to catch the ones in front --- he's more herd bound than either the mare or gelding.  So it's important to practise going ahead or dropping back when you practise social trail riding at home.  Be prepared for mares in heat to pass you on the trail or be in PR stops --- the mare owners don't always know the condition of their mare.  I always have a bit in Tempo's mouth when on the ground around other horses, just in case that "special" mare walks by.
And yes, sh*t does happen!  I am now thinking of how to devise a double pen barricade.  Another stallion got loose after we had come in from a 50 miler (we'd done well, so had come in pretty early --- the other stallion had been pulled, so was back in camp), and my boy was the only other horse in that area of camp, so we got a visit.  Fortunately, no one (4 legged or 2) were hurt, but it sure scared me!  Thinking that perhaps I can rig up an outer barricade of plastic that I can get my horse used to, but would spook away any loose horses.
When I camp, I try to get next to a fence or tree line & use the trailer as one side of a visual barricade.  I avoid camping next to mares, geldings are fine.  The stallion likes to feel he's part of the group, so you need to get close enough so he doesn't feel ostracised, but not too close to the other horses.  There are some competitors who now willingly park next to me, so quess we're not too unruly!  Tempo rarely calls in camp.  He's more talkative under saddle, which I always get after him (after a reprimand or two the calling is reduced to a meek squeak).
Some competitors, esp the more novice ones, can be a little nervous about a stallion in their midst, so I try to alert everyone & stay away from them if they are at all squeamish (stallions don't have a good reputation --- & folks are always a little surprised when a stallion can behave himself, but I've seen several others that are real gents, so it can be done).  I always have a yellow ribbon in Tempo's tail, and I tie one on the halter/bridle under his chin so that folks can tell what he is, coming & going.  I also have yellow flagging on his pen to alert folks as to what's housed within.

Nancy & Tempo (who loves being able to participate)
Md


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