Reproductive Strategies in the Horse - what can we learn

The reproductive efficiency of domesticated horses is often lower than what can be observed in their feral counterparts where mares and some of the stallions typically live together in harem bands and the other stallions in bachelor bands. Hereby foaling rates of up to 90% are achieved in healthy feral populations in good conditions, compared to approximately 65 - 80% in well-managed domesticated horses. Also, behavioural problems of domesticated stallions and mares are frequently observed. In effect, modern keeping and breeding of domesticated horses differ significantly from natural conditions, i.e. contrary to almost year-round social bonding in harems, domesticated breeding stallions are often kept isolated from the mares and father offspring via artificial insemination after collection of semen carried out using a dummy and an artificial vagina or via a “natural mating” service with usually only brief contact to a mare. […]