The Difference Between a Stud & Stallion

The difference between a stud and a stallion can sometimes prove confusing. Both are used to breed horses on commercial farms and within small family farms to keep the population of horses going. To make things even more confusing, a stud is always a stallion, but that doesn't mean a stallion is a stud.

  1. Definition of a Stallion

    • By definition, all male horses are born stallions. As a horse matures from a colt to an adult, any male that is intact and able to reproduce is a stallion. This term is sometimes used in other animals, such as bulls or cows, which are also bred both commercially and privately. If a horse is neutered, as often occurs, then it is no longer a stallion. A male horse that has been neutered is known as a gelding.

    Definition of a Stud

    • While all male horses (that still have their "equipment") are stallions, not all stallions are studs. This is because a stud is defined as a horse whose sole purpose is to breed with mares in order to create a new flock of foals. Stallions may be used to do this as well, but a stud does this repetitively.

    Stallions and Breeding

    • Stallions are often used for breeding on private farms, when farmers put a filly and a stallion together. These horses can breed until fairly late in life with no abject consequences, and can begin breeding as early as two years old. Some farmers simply let nature take its course by placing mares and stallions in a pasture and allowing them to mate as they please during the time the mare is ovulating. During this time, other animals may be restricted from being with the horses as they mate.

    Studs and Breeding

    • Studs are typically used on commercial farms for breeding. This can mean that one particular horse is placed with most of the females in order to ensure breeding. A stud can also be "rented out" if another horse farmer finds his characteristics desirable, meaning that the breeder will pay the owner a fee to use the stud. Studs may also be coerced into mating, as impregnating mares becomes their one and only job.