Facts About Stallions

Stallions are male horses that have not been neutered or gelded. Stallions are different from gelded males, or geldings, in several ways. They have more testosterone which can makes them bigger in the body, especially the neck, than geldings or mares. Stallions also have different temperaments than mares or geldings. The high testosterone and instinctual herd behavior can make them a challenge to train and ride. The term "stallion" can apply to horses, donkeys or zebras.

  1. Basic Stallion Facts

    • A neutered male horse is called a gelding. Stallions breed with females, or mares. A stallion's role may be different depending on the country and customs. In regions such as Asia and the Middle East, riding stallions is very common. In America, Europe and Australia, stallions are less common as riding animals. This is mostly because of their ability to breed or use in competition to prove breeding stock. Many race horses are stallions for this reason.

    Stallions in Herds

    • When stallions are born they stay with their herd for one to two years. Once they reach maturity, they either leave the herd to find a stallion bachelor group or they challenge the current stallion of the herd. Challenges between stallions rarely result in physical contact. Stallions mainly challenge others with their body language. A stallion's role is not to lead the herd; that's the role of a lead mare. The stallion's role is protect the herd from predators and rivaling stallions who may want to steal mares for their herd. They also make sure the herd travels as a unit, urging on stragglers.

    Stallion Anatomy and Physiology

    • Stallions look physically different than mares or geldings. This is because of secondary sexual characteristics --- having more testosterone affects their physical appearance. Stallions generally have a thicker crest. This is the muscle on the back of their neck. Stallions also typically have more muscle tone throughout their bodies. Stallions are able to breed with females and produce offspring, unlike gelded males.

    Domestic Stallions

    • Managing domestic stallions can present many challenges. By nature, stallions try to dominate other horses and possibly humans. This can pose challenges when training them or keeping them in a group setting. Stallions need to be treated differently than mares or geldings and can cause injury to other horses or humans with an inexperienced handler. Knowing stallion behavior and the cycling of breeding seasons is very important to managing them. The key to handling a stallion lies in successful training and stable management.