Sunday, June 3, 2012

Facts You Need To Know About A Stallion

By Lidia Norman


A stallion is a male horse that has not been subjected to castration and gelding. Being much larger and more muscular than female and castrated male horses, Stallions have been known for their remarkable physique. These animals can either be for breeding, work purposes, or competitions.

Horses are expected to be mature only after they reach four years of age. However, before that, they are still considered colts. Basically, a colt is a young horse that has not reached sexual and physical maturity yet.

A colt is typically gelded in the first year. However, advanced surgical techniques make gelding possible for a horse in any age. Gelding is usually undertaken by most horse breeders to reduce the aggressive behavior of their horses. It prevents a horse from producing an offspring and may also initiate responsiveness to training.

Most people believe that stallions are the more dominant animals in a herd. However, this is not entirely true. In fact, these horses often just act as guards or herders. Dominant mares are usually the ones exercising dominance over herd animals. However, more dominant Stallions reduce competition in a herd by driving maturing colts away.

People who wish to breed stallions should consider the temperament of these animals. Although there are horses that are easy to control, many are still very high-spirited and headstrong. Relatively, other breeders have come up with theories regarding the management of these animals. Some believe that isolation would be a good approach while others think otherwise.

Stallions that have had good training can be good assets. They can be added to the breeding stock or may be used for horse racing. Stallions are considered the best workhorses because of their musculature and strength. They are also perfect for equestrian competition like show jumping.

Horse cultures vary from one country to another. In Europe and United States, male horses undergo gelding to make them docile, leaving a few of the best colts intact for breeding more Stallions. In some parts of Asia, horses are usually not gelded and a stallion is regarded as the best type for racing and riding.




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