Showing a young stallion or mare can come with its challenges, but what is the best way to squelch their “desire” without hurting their future breeding potential?
Article by Megan Arszman
Puberty can be tough for any species. When it comes to performance horses, though, it can be the difference between success in the show pen and a disappointing career.
For some owners and trainers, sexual behavior may just mean a simple decision to geld a colt because they don’t plan to breed him down the road. But what about the filly or colt with a stacked pedigree and tons of promise?
Thanks to a surge in hormones, the sexual “coming of age” for fillies and colts may be detrimental to training and cause problems around the barn. But, can suppressing that sexual behavior cause problems down the road when it’s time for them to enter the breeding shed? Ed Squires, MS, Ph.D. honorary Dipl. ACT, and consultant for Select Breeders Services, discussed this concept to give horse owners insight into the way suppression products work.
Read about suppression in mares and stallions by turning to page 134 in the December 2020 Reiner or click here.