According to the article I saw, War Emblem had 40 foals from his second year at stud. I wonder what they did right that year. He is obvious capable of covering his mares successfully. They might need to turn him out with a group of older mares to learn about horse social structures and his role within the herd. Young TBs are often unnatually isoloated from other horses; can you wonder that they can get mentally mixed up?

Good point. I remember Baffert saying WE was not very socially adjusted.

Are you sure it wasn't viagra?

In any case ... the kick-in-the-head story comes from reputable sources ... maybe both things happened.

With a horse as valuable as Tom Fool ... I'm sure they tried everything ... and thank goodness they did.

Logic tells you that a valuable horse like Tom Fool would not be put in a perilous position of being kicked anywhere . Viagra wasn't around in the mid fifties, but the theory of " beer muscles " was . The variation on the theme was an obvious choice in addition to whatever other things were tried . I believe a groom provided the booze .

plus if you've ever been in a breeding shed, you have seen how shackled and manhandled the mares are--if he got kicked in the head someone really f'd up!

Exactly. Whoever would let Tom Fool get kicked in the head probably would have been beheaded, then fired . Rather a foolish proclamation in light of, as you mentioned, the lack of romance and mobility in the breeding shed .

yeah, some mare amy have tried to kick in his direction but you can be assured that she would be severly persuaded not to do it again, or they would bring in the teaser to jump her a few times, or they would flat out send her home (with instructions to the farm not to send her back until she will stand for the stud).

If I'm not mistaken, Seattle Slew was rather partial to grey mares, and was known to have a rather low libido at times. I think he evenutally worked through it though.

But the firing would not have helped Tom Fool's head feel any better.

The kick in the head may not have occurred in the controlled environment of the breeding shed. Perhaps the mare remembered a past unpleasant encounter ... and gave the shy boy a piece of her hoof as she walked past his paddock.

"That'll teach you a thing or two, mother-non-f'er !!!"

Again you demonstrate your ignorance Bold Brooklyn. You obviously have never been in a breeding barn at a farm that stands expensive stallions.
The mares are hobbled and sometimes twitched.

Keep trying to share your "wisdom"....

And you've once again shown your inability to read English.

Look at my post again ... it specifically says, "The kick in the head may not have occurred in the controlled environment of the breeding shed ."

You've got to stop publicly humiliating yourself like this. You're fast becoming the Eleanor Roosevelt or Hillary Clinton of this forum.

mares are ALWAYS twitched and a front leg is held up using a leather strap until the stallion has safely mounted. in addition mares wear padded booties on their hind feet so that if they do kick the impact is lessened.
Maiden mares must be jumped on their own farm before being sent to the shed, but will be jumped again by the stud farm's teaser before she is bred. Any mare in questionable state of estrus (i.e. does not break down for the teaser upon arrival to the shed) will be jumped by said teaser before the stallion is brought in. Bold B does not sound as if he has done his homework here.

Psssst ...Paisjpq ... pssst ... over here ... listen ... I'm going to tell you a secret ... but please don't tell anyone else ... because I only want you to know this ... promise? ... OK ... here's the secret ...

My posts about Tom Fool being kicked in the head were jokes ... yeah, that's right ... they're jokes ... no mare ever actually said to him, "That'll teach you a thing or two, mother-non-f'er!"

I know for sure that didn't happen ... because someone who's a real expert on horses told me that horses can't talk ... that's right ... even Mr. Ed ... even Mr. Ed couldn't talk ... that was a human voice and trick photography ... but please ... please ... don't tell this to anyone else ... because they probably thought I was serious ... and that horses can really talk. It'd be like telling a little kid there's no Santa Claus.

Please don't do that to the nice people on this forum ... OK? ... OK !!!

whatever...when he was turned out with a mare to try to interest him in the whole process you can bet she was in hot heat and unlikely to kick him...that would negate the whole idea...I just made an observation and you attacked me why is that...BTW I get that horses don't talk in words but if you are around them all the time you will learn that they have plenty to say.

That's for damn sure!

The "observation" you made ... was to state in public that I don't understand breeding shed procedures ... when you don't know for sure whether I do or I don't.

That wasn't very nice of you ... was it? And it was especially inappropriate since it was in response to my making a joke about a talking mare.

And is my correcting your false assumption and mean-spirited remark ... in a humorous way ... really an "attack"?

"Oh Wilbur!"

Hey, Wilbur could "talk talk talk... he could talk!" LMAO

Horses talk. Ya just have to listen carefully to understand. Now see after I hose Buck off after our ride, I put him back on the cross ties. I go to my car to put my hat and stuff away. He starts his whinneying. He knows I am coming back with treaties! He is telling me to "Hurry up will ya lady? I was a good boy today so hurry up!" :p

Horses talk.

Mine sure as hell talked every time he attempted to chuck my a$$ off.

when you mock someone I consider that an attack...I was not being mean spirited whatsoever when I stated that I didn't think you had done your homework...I was simply sharing my own opinion. Something you should well understand...as to wether you've been in a shed or not I have no idea but you don't seem all that interested in sharing personal experience only accuse and attack others who share thier own.

They talk then too unfortunately! :(

Dinner time they talk alot too I have found...

Sad part is Buck now whinneys to my husband because everytime he(Buck) sees him, my husband always has carrots and apples. (Hubby only sees him at shows).