The History of Artificial Insemination in Horses

Artificial insemination is when semen is introduced in a horse's uterus through a method other than sexual intercourse. It may seem like a modern invention, but its use in horses dates back hundreds of years, as early as the 14th century. Although modern advancements have made it a safer and cheaper method for breeding horses, its use is controversial and has been banned by some horse organizations.

  1. First Recorded History

    • Remarkably, the first recorded use of artificial insemination for horses is 1322 AD. According to Arabian documents from this era, an Arabian chieftain wanted to mate his prize mare to the best stallion in the area. Unfortunately, that stallion was owned by his enemy. The chieftain dipped a wand of cotton into the mare's vagina. He then sneaked into the enemy's camp and used the wand to sexually excite the stallion into ejaculating. The collected semen was then implanted into the mare.

    Father of Artificial Insemination

    • Spermatozoa wasn't discovered until 1677, when Anthony van Leeuwenhoek, the man who invented the microscope, first observed them. It would take another 100 years before artificial insemination would be attempted, not in horses but with dogs. In the 1780s, an Italian scientist named Lazzaro Spallanzani successfully used artificial insemination to impregnate a dog. Spallanzani, who trained to become a priest before becoming a scientist, is considered the father of artificial insemination.

    Major Advancements

    • No major research on artificial insemination occurred until the very end of the 1800s. In 1899, a Russian named Ilya Ivanov (also spelled Ivanoff or Ivanow) researched artificial insemination using a variety of animals, including horses. His findings were published in the July 1922 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural Science." Ivanov is responsible for developing semen extenders. In 1938, Ivanov's research was taken over by V. K. Milovanov, who developed artificial vaginas. Before that, semen was collected using sponges placed inside a mare's vagina.

    Modern Uses

    • Developments in the early 1900s switched the focus of artificial insemination. It was no longer viewed as a method of dealing with infertility, but as a method of extending the number of mares one stallion could impregnate. After collected, semen can be extended and used to breed several mares at the same time. Extending semen not only dilutes the semen, it also helps spermatozoa survive longer. Artificial insemination was also viewed as a method of reducing equine sexually transmitted diseases. Much of the research in the 1900s was with cattle, but has been adapted for use with horses.

    Thoroughbreds and Artificial Insemination

    • To be considered a thoroughbred, a horse must have descended from the original foundation stallions and mares listed in the American Stud Book or one of its foreign counterparts. In the United States, thoroughbreds are registered by the American Jockey Club, an organization founded in the 1890s. According to its bylaws, a thoroughbred cannot be conceived using artificial insemination. This policy has come under fire, especially in the last 40 years.