How to keep your Asil Arabian stallion from pacing at night

Like stallions of other breeds, Asil Arabian stallions will often get restless at night. Dr Mac explores ways to deal with this behaviour.

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At the time of writing, we were practically at the end of autumn, but it was still breeding time. Some mares were already pregnant, but the mating season for many South African breeds only ended on 1 May.

BREEDING CYCLE

Thoroughbred racehorse mares are expected to foal on 1 January in Europe and 1 June in South Africa.

An equine pregnancy lasts 11 months, so racing mares in South Africa are usually mated in May. As a result, there is a natural selection for racehorse mares that come into season in autumn rather than spring. This is also reinforced by the practice of importing good mares and stallions that are winning races in the Northern Hemisphere.

Other breeds of horses imported from countries to the north of the equator may also tend to come into season in autumn rather than spring.