Stallions and trot strides

[Auventera Two]

Dumb comment in regards to Totilas not fully engaging his hind end in trot extensions.
Do some stallions compensate a bit to try to protect their "parts"?

This is a quote I grabbed from the dressage forum. It piqued my interst because recently I thought I noticed my guy trotting a bit "different" in the hindquarters during a lengthened trot. I've been watching him more closely and some days his movement looks a bit different than it does other days. Not lame or 'off' or anything like that, but almost like he is trying to protect himself a bit. It's not that noticeable, and maybe I'm just imagining it/over-analyzing, or is possible?

[babecakes]

I think that I've been told that you need to lube them. Is that true?

[cheekyhorse]

a very wise stallion owner and breeder told me this once. He said that especially if you ride on sand that the sand gets kicked up and actually chafes in there if it's not properly oiled with baby oil and it can cause stallions to step wide behind and not fully engage. Also with the showjumpers they start protecting themselves behind and sometimes can pull rails as they are too busy thinking about 'it' and not clearing the fence with their back ends. He told me that is why the showjumpers 'lube' the parts. (he is a showjumper.) I've since been putting baby oil on my guy's parts, and I must say it does really seem to make a difference.

[Foxtrot's]

One poster put up a photo of a showjumping stallion with a sort of leather jock strap - it was really weird, but funny! Straps made it look like a cross between a bucking strap and a driving harness.

[Hi Jump]

i think it is an astute observation. We would walk funny if we blistered or chafed as raw or sensitive skin being rubbed can be painful , horses are no different. From experience, I surmise lubricant or baby oil will retain sand and that will chafe. Talc on the other hand absorbs the sweat, keeps the parts from chafing and that is what I use on my stallions to keep them comfortable. Very thorough cleansing with warm water is also recommended after performance in sand. I have heard of a jumper stallion having a testical removed for the sake of giving him more clearance room to aid his performance.

Synergy Sporthorses
Home to Holstein stallion Cotopaxi and Hanoverian Raffaello
http://www.hunterjumperstallions.com

[VarsityHero4]

One poster put up a photo of a showjumping stallion with a sort of leather jock strap - it was really weird, but funny! Straps made it look like a cross between a bucking strap and a driving harness.

YES! I've seen that on some stallions at shows! I nearly died laughing the first time I saw it. Imagine being his groom!

[cheekyhorse]

well, I don't know. I am an AVID runner (I compete in 10km and 1/2 marathon as well as I work out doing sprints) And I use LUBE (like bodyglide) if I am going to wear shorts. I chafe in between the thighs if I wear short shorts running (ugh, embarrassing telling you all that... but hey) So I lube my horse too. I wouldn't want to use talc there on myself, it makes it too 'sticky' for lack of a better word. You need to lube with something like runner's lube/bodyglide bagbalm, etc. as it makes it slick and slippery. Usually I'll wear lycra longer shorts though instead of lubing just to be on the safe side. Nothing worse than running with chafe. Believe me...
But yes, definitley rinsing the parts with water after riding.... that is a must after sand riding.

[Ainsley]

Foxtrot, I have heard of a sort of jock strap used on racehorses for exactly the same reason: to protect and support the boys. I have always wondered what it would look like. Any chance you could post a link to the picture you are talking about?
Thanks very much.

[Bravestrom]

Very interesting - I appreciate the op posting this - as I am a first time stallion owner I find these types of posts fascinating. My guy is only two but his testicles are larger than baseballs and I am talking softballs not hardballs - this is something I never would have thought of but definitely makes sense.

Thank you.

[Auventera Two]

Thank you so much everyone! I was embarassed to post it. I owned a stallion before, but I was younger and probably didn't pay as much attention as I should have. :( I did wash him with warm water on several ocassions after riding on muddy trails.

There's a nice athletic store up the road so I'll stop by and see what they have for runners' lubricants.

Andre was a breeding stallion for 5 years, so his luggage is pretty large and obvious. I imagine it is uncomfortable to him at times. I've been working him with a trainer, and starting with our next lesson, we'll be in the round pen, which is all sand. I've been worrying over it, and I think I'll ask if we can work him in the grass ring instead. That would make me feel better.

Thanks everyone, I knew you guys would have the right answers! :)

[Auventera Two]

http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0093691X06003578

That's an interesting link I found. But I can't seem to find any photos or references to any type of athletic support device.

[cyriz's mom]

Now that he is showing 3rd level and schooling 4th/PSG, I think this may be starting to be an issue for him. He's working much harder than probably ever before.

He has pretty good sized testicles, but the interesting thing with him is that even though he's 10, they haven't "dropped" like on most stallions. They are still high against his body even when it's hot out. Would make sense that they would/could be uncomfortable doing lateral and extended gaits.

Will have to try some lube and see if that makes a difference.

Will report back!

[egontoast]

Are we talking watermelons, then?

Get the boy some boxer shorts. He'll likely be fine if properly enpantsed.

[Daventry]

This is a quote I grabbed from the dressage forum. It piqued my interst because recently I thought I noticed my guy trotting a bit "different" in the hindquarters during a lengthened trot. I've been watching him more closely and some days his movement looks a bit different than it does other days. Not lame or 'off' or anything like that, but almost like he is trying to protect himself a bit. It's not that noticeable, and maybe I'm just imagining it/over-analyzing, or is possible?

This has been the situation for us too, with the new stallion we've been showing the last few years. He's...well, shall we say, well endowed and has pretty large coconuts for his size!! :lol: After he first arrived, there were some days he moved a bit "different", and after much analyzing and ruling out any lameness, training problems, etc., we determined his testicles were causing him problems sometimes. I've even heard of some stallions getting bruised testicles from being worked.

I worry about lubing or oiling them up. I would think the sand would end up sticking to them and cause more problems, not help the situation! :eek: Our solution, after much trial and error, has been to make sure he has a really good warm-up under saddle at the walk before doing anything else. You'll often see me in the warm-up ring for 5-10 minutes walking before I do any work. Thankfully, he doesn't need much warm-up period, so we're pretty much ready to go after a short trot and canter. :) I'd be interested in trying something if it worked well for someone else on here. I'm not convinced on the lube though as I think it would end up attracking debris & sand and cause a bigger problem! :eek::no:

[Thomas_1]

http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0093691X06003578

That's an interesting link I found. But I can't seem to find any photos or references to any type of athletic support device.

Just google "Giant testicles" and see what comes up :winkgrin:

[Foxtrot's]

Ainsley - I'd not know where to start looking for the photo - it was on this site, though, and I was hinting that maybe the original poster would cough up. It caused a few ribald comments!

[hitchinmygetalong]

Stallion support (http://www.valleycountry.com.au/catalogue/horse_rider/for_the_horse/harness/racing_tack_stallion_support) (for harness racing)

[Auventera Two]

Holy cow Hitch - who'd have ever thought? :lol: Wow, looks interesting.

Daventry - I'm hoping that now since the weather is getting cooler, this will be less of an issue. But its good to have some info for when hot weather hits again next year.

Thanks everyone, thanks Hitch for the link.

[blackstallion2]

My friend had to geld her pacer-racehorse for this reason. He was a lot happier! The jock strap didn't help enough.

[avadog]

How interesting, I never thought of that before.