Why Do We Stand A Stallion?

We're starting to get some beautiful weather here the last week or two.  Thank goodness because Philip and I have been running around like crazy.  We're really getting deep into the breeding season and so collecting Elvis and breeding three mares or more every other night is part of our every day life now a days.  Not to mention the checking to see if mares are coming into heat, going out of heat, how close are they to foal (we still have two left), and soon it'll be time to ultrasound to see if our hard work has paid off with a tiny little embryo.  Once I see that embryo on that ultrasound screen I start to breath easier.  

There was a post on BarrelHorseWorld.com about why do you stand a stallion.  I thought that this was a pretty good topic.  I've talked about how we came to have a stallion earlier in my post "Dreams Coming True - Part 1", but why do we keep doing this? It is so much easier to let someone else stand a stallion and breed your mare or even buying the colts already on the ground.  However, it seems like there are many out there that dream of owning a stallion and everything will be butterflies and rainbows.  Let me tell you, that wasn't quite the "dream" we had at first. They are work!  Even with the best mannered stallion, they are work!  Not just physical work with making a facility safe for them, doing everything you do to train, manner, and breed them, but also emotional stress can take it's toll. You constantly have to be on your toes with a stallion, even with the most docile.  They are creatures of habit and need a handler and trainer that will always keep them correct and they know they are to obey and have respect.  You have to be aware of your surroundings constantly.  Parking at the jackpots and rodeos aren't just a matter of a good spot closest to the water, but also who are your parking neighbors and if they have mares, will they be respectful and keep their distance from your stud?  It is tiring, no doubt physically and emotionally. 

No matter how much work, there are rewards.  Elvis is the type of horse that I enjoy to ride and with that we have a connection that I haven't felt with another horse.  He's smart and always wants to please.  Running barrels, working cows, giving our kids rides, he does it all and enjoys doing those things.  With riding many different horses, I have found that there are just some that I dread to ride every day.  With Elvis, there is not that feeling of dread.  I have enjoyed riding and training that horse every day I get the opportunity to throw my leg over the saddle. Am I biased? Maybe, but it wouldn't matter who owned this horse for me to feel this way.  It is this along with his other attributes of good legs, feet, solid conformation, trainability and athleticism that makes me keep a stallion.  With Elvis I have the opportunity to produce colts like their sire, that every day I enjoy to go ride and work with them.  They make things fun and easy.  I no longer have to go searching for my next prospect that I know can take me to the pay window.  I just have to look out my kitchen window to see them! 

From Elvis' first foals to be started to working with the yearlings and weanlings we know that they have a striking resemblance to their sire.  With this, we will always put up with the extra work and hassle of a stallion because not only does Elvis deserve it, but because of him, we will always have horses that we "love to ride".