148 SIDELINES JANUARY 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
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Not Your Ordinary Stallion
By Brianne Goutal
Given that this is the Stallion & Breeding Issue, it may be
a bit out of place to admit that, in general, I prefer mares and
geldings. While stallions’ beauty and strength undoubtedly make
them striking to view, I find many stallions are complicated to get
to know, difficult to control and they can even be overly lazy at
times. Furthermore, they also tend to be more opinionated and
easily distracted. Such stubbornness combined with their level of
strength can make working with them difficult.
However, if you have a stallion who is on your side and really
wants to understand you as a rider, I feel they can be more
successful horses in the long run. In general, with any horse,
stallions included, you can perform better as a team if you have
the right partner.
This brings us to my grand prix partner, Nice de Prissey. I
am incredibly lucky because he is an amazing stallion who has
personality traits that sometimes make him seem more like a mare
or gelding than a stallion. He is calm and not easily distracted by
mares or his surroundings and he has a strong desire to please.
Regardless, I still try to be ever aware of what is around us in
order to always err on the side of caution.
Nice, or Prissey as we sometimes call him, is very affectionate.
He loves to be around people and to be cared for. As powerful
and strong as he is, he is actually quite emotionally fragile, which
surprises some people. Nice can easily be offended both on the
ground and by his rider, and he quickly makes it clear when he
disapproves of something or does not like someone.
One of the aspects of Nice’s personality that I love is his energy
and enthusiasm. Every time he comes out of his stall, he is fresh
and ready to go. He works hard and really gives me everything
he has to offer. But when the proverbial tank is empty, he is
completely exhausted. Sometimes he even falls asleep on the
cross ties!
Nice’s emotions often play a large role in how he performs in
the ring. He jumps better at certain shows, which I think has to do
with the level of comfort he feels in a given environment. Like him,
the more comfortable I feel in the ring, the better I will perform, so
I make sure to try to be aware and sensitive to his environmental
reactions. I try to put myself in his shoes and to understand what
he feels and senses.
I feel that while some stallions are simply unruly, a lot of their
behavior is an effect of their upbringing. How they are educated
and raised can play a major role in their ultimate behavior. This
theory is, of course, relatable to mares and geldings as well;
however, it is exacerbated by stallions. Stallions are stronger than
mares and geldings, both physically and mentally. This can be
an advantage in the ring, but it also adds a level of risk to riding
them. It is important to be completely in control and aware of their
behavior when you ride them, and you need to get to know their
reactions to other horses so that you can accurately prepare for
any outcome.
So in the end, yes, stallions can sometimes be difficult to
work with. However, the challenge can be worth it for the right
partner given a limitless upside. Nice and I have been quite
successful together, and it is because we have taken the time
to truly understand each other. To me, he represents the best-
case scenario; he has the strength and power attributed to being
a stallion in combination with the affection and willingness of a
gelding. I am grateful each day to be able to work with such a
wonderful horse and to be able to call him my stallion.
About the writer: Brianne Goutal is a 2012 graduate of Brown University and
professional show jumper. She made history by becoming the only person to win all
four junior equitation finals.
Brianne Goutal’s
stallion Nice de
Prissey.
Photo by The Book
LLC 2013
