Accepted Answer

Hello,

The problem you are having with your stallion is that he isn't well socialized. This problem often comes about when horses are raised isolation rather than letting them run in a herd with other horses and learn herd manners from their other horses (especially older horses).

There are several ways to address this problem.

Put him in with a mare who won't take any guff, and let her explain matters to him. Of course, there is a non-zero risk that she may hurt him. However, odds are good that she will explain matters to him in a way that hurts his ego rather than actually hurting his body. The advantage of this solution is that he will learn how to properly behave around a mare and become a respectful and mannerly young stallion. The lesson the mare teaches your stallion will make him easier for YOU to handle as well. He will learn that he is NOT the king of the ranch like he thought. You just need to reinforce that when you handle him as well. The best way to do this is to put him and the mare into a spacious paddock when the mare is NOT in heat, and let them work things out while she's not in heat. As she comes into heat, he will learn how to approach her like a gentleman and wait until SHE says it is OK to be bred. You need to carefully pick the paddock for this project - make sure there are no low branches or low roofs (e.g. run-in shed) that the stalion can hit his head on when he rises up to breed the mare. You also need to carefully pick the mare. Ideally the mare is experienced at pasture breeding, and is not overly agressive but at the same time aggressive enough that she won't allow him to bully or savage her. Introduce them over a teasing board before you turn them loose in the pasture together - make sure that he understands (from her responses to teasing) that she's not interested in his advances and that he gives up so that when you turn them in together he doesn't immediately try to jump on her and breed her.

Another route is much harder - you have to train him. This is very difficult because you don't want to inhibit his instinctive desire to breed a mare in heat, but you need to correct him when he uses his teeth in inappropriate ways. Does he try to bite her when teasing? If so, you can correct him at that point - before you have brought him to her for breeding. Tease over a board, and let him nuzzle her and nicker at her but if he bites, correct him and take him away. Take him to the mare every hour and let him tease her for a few minutes, and if he tries to bite take him away and put him in his stall. With repetition he will learn to keep his teeth off the mare.

You can also make or buy a leather shield that goes on the mare's neck and shoulders and protects her from his teeth during breeding. I am NOT in favor of this "solution" because it allows the stallion to believe that using his teeth is appropriate and can lead to even worse behavior towards mares (and other horses, and humans) as time goes on. IMHO, this is how dangerous stallions are created, by working around minor dangerous behaviors and allowing them to become even worse over time. This can end up with a stallion that kills a handler or groom at which time the poor horse is branded a "killer" - all due to a lack of proper socialization and training at a critical time in his youth.

You can also avoid this problem entirely by using Artificial Insemination if your breed registry allows it (which I believe it does). Your stallion needs to be trained to breed an artificial dummy instead of using a live mare. He can bite on the dummy all he wants. I don't feel this is as dangerous as letting him bite a shield on the mare, because the dummy is not "alive" and he can learn that it's OK to bite the dummy but not people (or other horses).

Finally, sometimes a stallion will respond well to some anti-anxiety drugs to calm him at this time. You can ask your vet if this is appropriate for your horse.

You can read more in this PDF by Sue M. McDonnell of the Havemayer Equine Behavior Lab at the University of Pennsylvania:

Stallion Sexual Behavior

Good luck,

jc

Expert:	JC Dill
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Accepts:
Answered:	3/28/2008

AFA Certified Farrier Equine expert

Horse and pet owner for over 30 years, experienced caring for many different types of animals.