Stallion questions

[madelyn]

Gosh, my boys are sweethearts! Neither one of my stallions has ever tried to bite or hurt anyone... Bad Boy Atta is a lot tougher than Rocking Trick to handle outside his stall, but it is just male equine excitement, not meanness... Rocking Trick is a total angel and could be handled by a kid.

[Scott]

Roving Boy - May I pick your mind about Chilito - in your opinion where did this trait come from - handlers or genetics? Once a Sailor is a half brother and is nippy but not agressively mean and will allow a forehead rub. I have followed Chilitos progeny and they seem to be honest runners - what led to his castration? Thanks

[henthorn]

I've only been around A P Indy once, and he seemed quite laidback. Arch is a half-brother of Festival of Light, and he is not vicious. I have to believe, though, that the strong female family plays a role here, and that some "vicious" genes were passed through his dam as well as the "speed" genes. Sires A P Indy and Kris S obviously have had a lot more opportunity to pass on viciousness than has dam Aurora, simply due to numbers.

On a side note about genetics, there are not only positive or causative genes, but there are also suppressor genes. Passing on the genes for a trait may not cause the trait to be expressed, because suppressor genes may also be passed that hide it. But if genes for negative traits are not accompanied by suppressors for the trait, it may be full-blown in its expression.