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

[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.