2 yr old stud colt

Question
QUESTION: Hi- I just bought an almost 2 year old stud colt who IS going to be gelded as soon as I can get a vet out here. He doesn't seem to act studdy other than he's pushy. (I watched the previous owner with him, and she didn't get after him for this) I've never owned a stallion before, which is another reason he's being gelded, but my question is: what can i do to teach him to respect my space and quit trying to run into me all the time? Are stallions different than mares/geldings in the type of discipline to use?

Also, I have an 8 month old colt (will be gelded too) and I want to be able to put them together. How soon after my 2 yr old is gelded can I attempt to put them into together? I.E. how long does it take for the "studdiness" to go away? Any advice on how to go about it? Right now Zues (2 yr old) is in a round pen right next to the pasture that Flash (8 month) is in, so they can see and smell each other, and he doesn't act like he wants to kill him or anything. But I don't know how it'll be when he's able to touch noses with him. What's the safest way to go about all this?

I thank you and appreciate you taking the time to help me with my problem.

Thank you so much!
Michelle

ANSWER: Hi Michelle!

It was nice chatting with you on the phone.  How are things going?  Has the vet made it out yet?  Keep me posted!

Denise

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Denise-
Not so good. He tried challenging me yesterday afternoon, by half-rearing and striking out. When I try and lead him, he bites at me and I see his front foot itching to strike out. He was gelded Thursday morning, but i had to put my 8 month old in the round pen because Zues kept trying to mount him, even right after he was gelded. I tried working with him on backing out of my space when i tell him to, and all he wanted to do was rear up and strike at me. My dad came out to work with him a little, and he said most of what he's doing is just colt play, but he said Zues was a pet horse and he will try to get away with as much as possible. I have a lady coming out monday to see if she can do anything with him. If she can, and his attitude changes from being castrated, I will keep him. If not, I've got to sell him.

Answer
Michelle!

You have to become a leader, and a horsewoman this horse can trust and believe in.  He is also TWO!!!  A young energetic BABY!  Your horse is just being a HORSE.  He is not bad, he is just being a horse!  You can't expect these horses to be anything other than what they are!  You have to change YOU!  You are passive, insecure, afraid, timid and lack the education, skills and abilities to get to these horses.  Zues KNOWS this.  Horses know when YOU know and they know when your DON'T know!!!  Zues KNOWS he is the leader!  He knows this because you say you "tried" working with him, even your answer sounds timid!  Again, your horse is NOT trying to get away with anything!!! This is NOT how horses think!  He is just being a horse.  If you don't like what he is doing, CHANGE IT!

I think selling both of these young horses is a great idea.  Make sure they get to a home with an experienced future owner that can give them the life they deserve.  Make sure you sell them to someone that KNOWS horses and has the skills and abilities to develop young horses into skilled saddle horses.  I am telling you to sell them both because you are not in a place to help these horses and I see disaster coming.  Having some other lady come out and do something...that is not the answer!  Did you check her out?  Did you ask her for her resume and find out who HER teachers were????  Did your watch her with her horses and see if how they were going??? What did HER horses feel like?  Were they confident, secure, obedient, happy????  

Michelle, YOU have to do your HOMEWORK!!!  Find out more about this "lady".  Does she have the right education and information to really help or is this just another "wanna-be" horse trainer???  Anyone and I mean ANYONE can call themselves "horse trainer".  Most folks think if they can sit on a horse and not fall off they are a horse trainer.  I am NOT a horse trainer!!!  ALL of MY teachers were NOT "horse trainers"!!!!  My teachers were horsemen, very good horsemen that were willing to pass their life's knowledge on to me.  I am HOPING to someday be the kind of horsewoman they could be proud of.  I work at the craft everyday.  I ride with my teachers every chance I get and I ride horses.  I read, I study.  I do my homework so that maybe, just maybe I can help someone and in so doing, help the horse.  Ray used to say if you can't help the human, you can't help the horse.  

Have you watched the DVD I suggested.  If the "lady" that is going to help you does not know the elements of this classical ground school, it will be nothing more than the blind leading the blind.  The damage that could be done by more amateurs handling these horses could make them more difficult to sell.  I would rather nothing be done with them instead of more poor quality handling!  It is SO much easier to deal with a horse that has NO human experience than to have to restart one that has had bad human interaction.  Give these horses a chance.  If you can't check out the "lady" and KNOW that what she can offer is of REAL QUALITY, then leave the horses alone and sell them.  People that know horses will really appreciate this.  They know that NO handling is much better than bad handling.

Do your homework.  Be dilligent and keep me posted.  I can tell you are frustrated and that just comes from lack of experience.  I am HOPING that this "lady" is of quality and can offer you some real help.  My fingers are crossed!  Keep me posted!

Denise