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I want a two-year-old Arabian stallion
Dear Franklin,
I have always lived in the city and have always wanted to be in the country. And when I could I went to ride horses at a stable, but my mom and I could never afford our own horse, or even to board one.
But recently she came into a bit of money, and we're now half boarding an Oldenburgh gelding at the closest available stable to where we live. He is a gentle guy but he's not what I'm looking for. I really want my own horse, and I decided a while back that an arab was what I wanted, both because I am into endurance, and because they are just amazing creatures.
I stopped looking for a while, and then randomly decided to look up Arabians for sale online, and came across an amazing horse, named Raqi. I inquired about him, and he is two, still a stallion, and has amazing lineage. He would be my first horse, but by no means my first horse experience. I'm just not trained in the art of horse training.
So everyone I look to for advise to stallion ownership dismisses it and says I shouldn't have one. No web page has been any more helpful. It's very frustrating. I have really made the decision that I want to try to have him as a stallion and learn to breed, but I can't find anyone/thing to show me where to start.
I have of course been researching horse behavior, training, manners, horse language, and anything that may help, but I need someone to help me a bit more.
It would be much much appreciated. :) Emily
Hi Emily,
I want you to consider the horse before your own agenda. If you love horses, really, truly love them, putting the well-being of the horse above a personal agenda is a must. With maturity should come some wisdom. It is reasonable that a mature, responsible and knowledgeable adult be the one to raise a child, as opposed to another child. Someone has to be the good, knowledgeable, responsible leader for that child and that will never be another child. Young stallions of any breed and, in fact all stallions, are special and require special and very skillful handling and training. This is not something you get over night and from handy training tips, or from books, or training dvds. They can be like special needs children who can hurt themselves and those around them seriously. It takes years of experience with stallions to become proficient in handling and training them. I have worked and trained many. Some were easy gentlemen and some were extremely dangerous. It is so easy to mess up a stallion, especially an emotionally vulnerable youngster, that it only takes one mistake to ruin a life. ONE MISTAKE.
Please, get the education you need first. Do not go for trial and error with a young stallion. That is terribly unfair and egocentric. Spend some time on a breeding farm first. Watch some folks who have stallions train and handle them. Do this first and then make an informed decision. Not such an emotional and ego driven "I want one" decision. Be responsible and make a decision that will have the well-being of the horse as your top priority and not simply that you want one. Make a decision that puts the well-being of the horse first. You would not go out an buy and airplane without first learning how to fly and if, in fact, you really wanted or needed to become a pilot after learning about it and how to do it. Its the same here. Only, a horse is a feeling, sentient being and extremely sensitive. Training young stallions, or any horse training, should have the well-being of the horse as first and foremost goal. Please...you are wise enough to know you do not know enough. Get education first, get some experience first. Then you can make a decision based on compassion and wisdom and not merely on "I want one."
Good Luck.
Sincerely, Franklin