Male horses are usually castrated to moderate unwanted male behaviour and limit unintended reproduction. Vasectomy, interrupting the vas deferens to prevent sperm being released, is an option to prevent breeding while still maintaining male behavioural characteristics. It is performed less frequently in horses than in other species.

Q: I have a new stallion that I hope to offer cooled and frozen semen from. What do I need to do to prepare him for collection? A: Starting a stallion is perhaps the most important aspect of breeding management.

Old maiden mares are considered special mares with the possibility of reduced fertility. An old maiden mare is a mare that is older than eight or nine and has never had a foal. However, there are other mares that are in the same category; mares that are bred at the age of two, foal when they are three, and then go into a show career and are not bred again until they are 12 or older behave very similarly. Not all are the same, but they are all at a higher risk of being a problem.