Even though we think a stallion should know his business in the breeding shed, that is not always the case at the beginning. "Starting a novice breeding stallion can range from a quick and easy project accomplished in a few brief sessions to a challenging and time-consuming effort over many sessions and even a few weeks," says Sue McDonnell, PhD, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and head of the Equine Behavior Lab of the Veterinary School of the University of Pennsylvania (New Bolton Center), at the Hagyard Bluegrass Equine Symposium held Oct. 21-23, 2004.

Although it’s most efficient to customize the training protocol for each stallion, McDonnell recommends a general 10-step process for a novice breeding stallion session. The first step begins with establishing a general handling rapport with the stallion.

"Before beginning the breeding training session, a few minutes of walking the stallion in a non-sexual situation using the restraint that will be used for breeding can be helpful in establishing good communication with the stallion," says McDonnell. "Specifically, we recommend to establish gesture and verbal commands for the following basics–walk, stop, stand, and back."

The next step is to establish rapport with the stallion in a teasing situation. "The same basic ground commands can be used to convey to the horse that with the direction of the handler, he can approach and interact with the mare in an organized manner," says McDonnell