Safe and Sensible Stallion Housing It’S Time to Rethink How We Stable Our Studs
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FARM&BARN TheHorse.com/FarmandBarn CHRISTA LESTÉ-LASSERRE, MA Safe and Sensible Stallion Housing It’s time to rethink how we stable our studs lives. Our management of them—treating them as scary and dangerous and always separating them—could be making them scary and dangerous.” It’s a concept Paul Loomis, DVM, CEO of Select Breeders Services, a network of 25 stallion-semen-freezing laboratories worldwide, seconds. “Stallions by their very nature aren’t necessarily any more difficult to handle or work with, although they might be a little less predictable,” he says. “Part of that could be due to the way they’re raised, though. A lot of behavioral issues come out of human fear, because some handlers are afraid of stallions just because they’re stallions. And their exag- gerated or negative reactions to everything the stallion does just makes things worse.” Togetherness: Lone Stud No More In recent tradition, many stallions have lived in stallion barns, alone or isolated FRANK SORGE/ARND.NL from all other horses except other stal- Traditionally, many stallions have been stabled alone or only with other stallions, but mixed company lions, says David Scofield, DVM, Dipl. might do their minds (and libido) some good. ACT, also of Select Breeders Services. But that’s problematic, welfare-wise, for a spe- fter being rescued off the island, Alec Breaking Down the “Bad Rap” cies so dependent on social interactions. A housed the Black Stallion in his sub- Stallions are crazy, right? Powerful, What’s more, researchers have recently urban backyard. And we all know unpredictable, dangerous, completely shown that housing stallions together, what happened after that: scary garbage guided by their testicles with no thought away from mares, can cause a drop in truck; inappropriate fencing; wild, crazy for anyone’s safety, including their own. both libido and fertility. Arabian galloping through city streets in Well, some might be like that. But if “Essentially, keeping stallions together search of other horses— probably not the they are, maybe it’s because we made away from mares recreates the hierarchy ideal way to house a stallion. them that way. “Are stallions intrinsically status you see in wild bachelor herds— While few stallion owners would find high-strung and dangerous, or have we even if those stallions have no physical themselves in the scenario Walter Farley conditioned them to become so through contact with one another in the barn— described in The Black Stallion, many the way we manage them from their which are associated with low testoster- do find themselves faced with less-than- earliest years?” says Mathilde Valenchon, one,” says Loomis. “Getting a stallion out ideal housing situations. To make sure PhD, of the University of Strasbourg, where he can see and vocalize toward a you’re maximizing your stallion’s health, France. group of mares is usually enough to give security, and well-being, we’ve gone to “In the wild, stallions live harmoni- him the sense that he’s protecting those sources worldwide to learn the latest ously with other horses once a stable mares, and puts him in a harem herd sta- about stallion stabling. Ideas have evolved hierarchy has been established,” she tus, which brings up testosterone levels.” significantly over the years, giving us not says. “And they need that social life. Housing stallions as a bachelor group only a new look at housing but also at Stallions are just like any other horse in before housing them next to mares, how- stallions themselves. that they’re not meant to live isolated ever, could further improve fertility, say TheHorse.com THE HORSE 1 FARM&BARN Swiss researchers. Recently, a team from the Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine (University of Bern and Agroscope), in Avenches, found that stallions had in- creased sperm count when housed next to a single mare—after first spending eight weeks in an all-stallion environment. That situation resulted in higher fertility than if the stallion was housed immedi- ately next to the mare without first going through the all-male (bachelor) experi- ence, they reported. Touch and Feel COURTESY ANJA ZOLLINGER During breeding season, stallions can Swiss researchers have developed and tested the “stallion social stall,” which has partial ground-to- be permitted to have limited physical ceiling openings that allow body contact. contact with each other. One of Loomis’ clients has an open window between vocal distance of any mares. While the ar- the cardiovascular system, especially every stall in the stallion barn. “People rangement was successful, with stallions in older stallions. “Exercise is one of are always asking, ‘Don’t you see lots of respecting a stable hierarchy and making the most overlooked aspects of housing injuries?’ ” he says. “But they don’t. Just wither-scratching buddies, it required breeding stallions,” Scofield says. more contented horses.” expert management in the early stages Turnout time for stallions during the Researchers at Agroscope, Swiss Na- (TheHorse.com/31929). breeding season requires good paddock tional Stud, in Avenches, developed the The researchers recommend owners design. This doesn’t mean you need “stallion social stall,” which has partial interested in trying these techniques refer 10-foot game fencing, though. Better yet, ground-to-ceiling openings between to their studies for more information. think horizontal rather than vertical. “I’d bars that allow stallions to make body rather see double fencing than higher contact, short of letting the shoulders Freedom and Fences fencing,” Scofield says. pass through. Their trials (see TheHorse. Like any horse, a stallion needs the Granted, stallions probably need slight- com/37487) revealed only one kind of mental and physical relief associated with ly higher fencing than other horses—at injury: self-injury from rubbing against turnout. Constant stalling can lead to vic- least to chest level, recommends Scofield. or hitting the bars. In further studies they es, including stereotypies such as cribbing But fences shouldn’t be so high that the padded the bars to limit self- injury, and and weaving, but also self-mutilation and horse is trying to escape beneath them, as researchers at the French National Stud even “misplaced aggression,” say Loomis he risks injuring himself. in Le Pin (Normandy) also tested these and Scofield. These vices only complicate Wood plank fences or metal pipe fences with their breeding stallions, with prom- matters with a horse that already has a work well for most stallions, he says, but ising results. reputation for being “difficult” simply he recommends building a second fence a “Even in completely desocialized stal- because he’s a stallion, they say. few feet further out, in a larger perimeter, lions (that have always been separated in case they manage to break through from other horses), partial-wall openings the first one. Regardless, an aisle space between stalls can be a safe solution,” Essentially, keeping between a stallion paddock and any other says Valenchon. However, one of the stal- paddock is essential, to keep him from lions in the study never stopped showing stallions together away having direct, unplanned physical contact aggression, she adds. So she advises dis- from mares recreates with other horses. cretion and careful surveillance, particu- Double fencing is far better than trying larly with stallions that have never had the hierarchy status to build a fence that just won’t ever break, contact with other horses. you see in wild bache- says Loomis. “We once had a client with The success you’ll find with this hous- very sturdy oak fencing,” he says. “Then ing arrangement depends on stability, our lor herds.” a dog got into the paddock and ran their sources says. Observe stallions’ behavior DR. PAUL LOOMIS young stallions into the fence. One of to make sure they get along, and pair the them did manage to break it—but that same stallions together consistently. hard wood popped back right into his Outside the breeding season, stallions Outdoor exercise also keeps stallions chest, causing severe injuries.” can live harmoniously in a makeshift fit for the strenuous task of breeding, our For most stallions a second average- bachelor herd at pasture, Valenchon says. sources say. Thrusting, flexing the hocks, height safety fence is sufficient. But, in Swiss researchers tested their National and mounting and dismounting a mare rare cases, stallions known for escaping Stud horses in a group pasture environ- or phantom require significant physical can benefit from a tall chain-link barrier ment for several months, well out of effort that can be hard on joints and even as the second fence. With spaces too TheHorse.com THE HORSE 2 FARM&BARN small to trap a hoof and with an elastic “bounce-back” quality in the case of impact, it’s a solid and secure way to contain the most motivated escapists, says Scofield. “It’s less aesthetic, for sure, but it can be useful if you’ve got one of the 5% of stal- lions that would actually need it,” he adds. The Stable Tenant The stallion that’s primarily a sport horse rather than a breeding horse can live peacefully and comfortably— ISTOCK.COM especially if he’s been conditioned to do Double fencing or an aisle space between stallion paddocks and other paddocks is essential. so, our sources say. The key is being both smart and consistent. Loomis says. But if he’s housed in mixed for several rows. Once you’ve decided on “Use a different handler or at least a dif- company with mares, geldings, and other a setup, do your best to maintain consis- ferent halter or bridle for taking him to a stallions, you might consider how his tency, avoiding changing his neighbors.