Found via fanficrants:

[joiedecombat]

Things like this are why I get so annoyed at the prevalence of stallions as mounts for characters in fantasy fiction, fanfic, and RP:

WARSAW (Reuters) - A sexually excited stallion bit a Polish man to death when he tried to calm the beast, which had become uncontrollably aroused by a nearby mare, police said.

"The 24-year-old man, identified as Robert R., was bitten when he tried to calm his horse, which had become unsettled by the presence of a mare in the vicinity," a duty officer in the Baltic port of Szczecin told Reuters.

The horse went wild and began straining and bucking while pulling a farm cart through the village.

An autopsy would determine whether the direct cause of death was a severed jugular vein or damaged spine, the officer added.

Sure, stallions can be trained into complete manageability. With a lot of time and extensive effort and attention on the part of the trainer. Emphasis heavily on "extensive." It is not common.

And don't give me any of that "it's a warhorse, we want the aggression!" crap either. You try managing a unit of cavalry when everyone's mounts are bent on killing each other because everybody's riding stallions and stallions are naturally antagonistic to other stallions because hello competition. Not to mention the pandemonium when someone rode up on a mare in season.

Hmf.

Comments

[persephoneflame.livejournal.com]

And most RPers and fanfic writers are not familiar with horses, though they want their characters to be. They also want to be on the most 'striking' horse and they all read The Black Stallion as kids (though clearly not closely enough or they would have remembered what an absolute bastard The Black was).

That having been said, under the conditions you mentioned, extensive training and time, it is possible. Most high-stakes horse races, after all, pit 5-20 stallions against each other.

[wazsgirl.livejournal.com]

Yeah and those stallions are being absolute high strung bastards the whole time. I used to work on for a thoroughbred trainer and damn were those things nasty.

[erispope.livejournal.com]

Hee. Yes. I am reminded of a comic wherein the protagonist is the proud owner of a pure-blood Arabian war mare - she goes into heat, and every tribe for miles around brings their prize stallion, in hopes of breeding the pair. Mass chaos ensues, when the stallions get loose and start fighting.

[erispope.livejournal.com]

Although admittedly, much depends on breed, and training. Thoroughbreds are so bred and trained to run that that's what their after, rather than fighting. Same for Lippizzaners and some of the Andalusians, and I would imagine some of the other dressage-focussed breeds.

[persephoneflame.livejournal.com]

I'd imagine most draft horses are pretty steady, too.

Don't know for sure, though.

[thenowhere.livejournal.com]

This is why I heart you. :)

Because you actually know what you're talking about.

That being said?

Fucking Christ, horses are scary. :D

Nevertheless, I want to go riding, some time.

[wazsgirl.livejournal.com]

And that is why my characters all ride mares. ;)

[wishdragon.livejournal.com]

Stallion temperments can be tempered by the breed of the horse, but generally... you are correct. Stallion, expecially from the speed breeds, tend to be EXTREMELY flightly and unpredictable in behavior when it comes to doing things that are not A) Ordering other, less dominate stallions around B) Being ordered around by other, more dominate stallions or C) Actually mating.

There are exceptions to every rule, of course. I've personally worked with stallions who were calm and easy to handle, even in the presence of mares in season or other stallions...... and then I've worked with stallions that have to be kept in special corrals with 15-foot high walls so they won't break down the fences to get to the mare pastures. I've worked with some that do seem to share a special bond with certain handlers, stallions who would not tolerate the slightest touch from any human except one special trainer, but that tends to be dependant not only on the horse, but on the skill of the trainer as well. On the other hand I've known horses who are gelded and 'don't seem to realize it,' who still display the same kind of aggression as a whole stud.

In general, your point is absolutely correct, though. They're bloody difficult and dangerous to handle beasts, ESPECIALLY if you're not quite sure what you're doing.

-Wish