tractable | Horse Racing Free Tips

Researchers in South Korea have found that a horse's temperament is directly tied to the levels of oxytocin and serotonin in his blood. They suggest that the levels of these hormones could be used to monitor the dominance, fearfulness, and trainability of horses. Oxytocin concentration in the blood is positively correlated with equine friendliness and docility toward humans.

Lead by Dr. Kim Junyoung, the study team tested the blood of 34 horses for oxytocin and serotonin. The trainability, fearfulness, and dominance of each horse was then scored by three professors familiar with the horses.

The researchers concluded that a high concentration of oxytocin reduces fearfulness and can make a horse more trainable. The research team suggests additional studies be completed to determine the effects on a horse's temperament when being treated with the hormone.

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Stallions that transition from the racetrack to the breeding shed must learn a whole new routine and lifestyle. The AQHA recently published a few tips to ease the potentially stressful transition and to keep the new stallion mentally and physically fit.

A horse that changes careers should have his feeding program evaluated to ensure he is receiving the right amount of calories for his work load. Though it may not be as physically intense as racing, a breeding career still requires adequate caloric intake to ensure horse health, which helps safeguard semen health as well.

When the stallion isn't actively breeding, his feeding program should again be evaluated and potentially reduced. An overweight stallion that is asked to breed has additional strain placed on his joints as he breeds a mare or mounts a dummy.

The way a horse behaves has a lot to do with the amount of activity the horse does and how many calories he burns off. Turnout is helpful to keep a horse mentally sound as it allows him to release tension from breeding in a less-structured program than ridden work. A horse that gets enough exercise is tractable and able to be handled both in the shed and on the ground.

A well-defined routine can be key to keeping a stallion happy and his handlers safe. Certain cues can be used to let a stallion know what's coming, whether that is turnout time or a trip to the shed; this helps him focus and gives him parameters of what is expected of him during each part of his day. The ability to separate “work” (the breeding shed) from “play” (turnout or ridden work) is important to prevent the horse from having to guess what's coming next and keeping a stallion mentally happy.

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Trainable, Tractable Horses Have More “Feel Good” Hormones

Keys To A Seamless Career Change, From Shedrow To Breeding Shed