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FrequentlyAskedQuestions
Question : What should I know about Stallions before initiating sexual advances?
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This paper reports the use of a procedure for collection of semen from stallions by manual stimulation of the penis while the stallion is standing. Our use of this method with 18 stallions of various ages and types of semen collection experience indicates that this method may be an efficient alternative to traditional semen collection techniques using an artificial vagina and stimulus mare or dummy mount mare. Our observations, together with those of others who have tried the manual technique, suggest that both animals and handlers can be readily trained to use this method. Limited data suggests that semen samples obtained by manual stimulation are similar to those obtained using an artificial vagina.
Key Words: equine, stallion, semen collection, artificial insemination
The authors wish to thank Drs. R.M. Kenny and Sue M. McDonnell of Hoffman Center for Reproductive Studies, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, for assistance in preparation of this manuscript.
A number of methods, including condom, vaginal sponge and artificial vagina, have been employed for collection of semen from stallions (1). Currently, the most widely recommended technique is the artificial vagina with a mare or dummy mount. Successful collection of semen using an artificial vagina with the stallion standing on the ground was recently reported (2). Since 1965, we have employed an even simpler method of collecting semen from the stallion using manual stimulation of the penis, and holding a disposable plastic bag over the end of the penis to catch the ejaculate. This technique gradually evolved during our first year of implementing artificial breeding on a small, remote farm, where semen collection equipment was not readily obtainable. Initially, we attempted to fashion a home-made Mississippi style artificial vagina (3) using a latex rubber tube occluded at one end by two sticks and foam rubber padding. While manipulating this flimsy device, we found that manual pressure applied to the penis elicited pelvic thrusting and ejaculation, even before the stallion mounted the mare. Accordingly, we proceeded to collect semen from stallions by manual stimulation and by substituting a plastic bag for the artificial vagina. We continued to use this method and it remains our preferred technique for obtaining semen for our artificial insemination and semen freezing programs.
Plastic bags of various sizes are successfully employed. A bag should extend 8 to 12 in. up the shaft of the penis and be large enough for the glans penis to fully engorge. It is important to use a bag made of material which is not toxic to sperm. We presently use 6" x 10" polyethylene (1.5 mil) bags (Bel-Art Products, Pequannock, NJ). In addition to the bag, we use a 500-ml plastic squeeze bottle filled with warm water (48 to 52 C), which is used to wash the penis and to warm the hand of the operator before manipulation.
The stallions is stimulated to achieve an erection, but is not allowed to mount. Some horses will respond adequately to a mare or gelding presented at a distance, or a brief glimpse of a mare or gelding walking past a doorway; others respond adequately to a dummy mare; still others will respond in their stalls to the operator rubbing the horse's chest, abdomen, flank or thigh. We have also used an in vitro olfactory stimulus (the urine of an estrous mare presented on a paper towel) to arouse a stallion for collection of semen. This stimulus seems to work particularly well with young, inexperienced stallions. We have found that intensely aroused stallions often fail to respond favorably to manipulation. Therefore, our aim is generally to present the least amount of stimulation to achieve and maintain erection.
When erection is achieved, the penis is rinsed
with warm water from the squeeze bottle. This usually elicits
some engorgement of the glans penis as well as shallow pelvic
thrusting. The plastic bag is then placed over the shaft of the
penis and secured with one hand placed proximally to to the
preputial ring. The other hand is placed over the glans penis
with the thumb behind the corona, as shown in figure 1. [Figure
deleted here, unfortunately]. While applying firm pressure, the
shaft and glans are gently manipulated in a rhythmic fashion
until the horse responds with pelvic thrusting. As the horse
thrusts forward, the hands follow the thrusting motion. Steady
pressure is maintained on the shaft. Simultaneously, the glans is
rhythmically massaged with rotation motion, with the thumb
massaging the firm protuberance of the corpus cavernosum penis
into the glans penis. During initial training of a stallion, the
position of the hands as well as the rhythm and strength of the
pressure applied on the shaft and glans are varied depending on
the response of the stallion, with the goal of inducing deep
pelvic thrusts and engorgement of the glans characteristic of
normal copulatory response. The stallion must be allowed freedom
to lower the head when thrusting. Ejaculatory pulses are easily
palpated and visualized. Premature release of pressure seems to
interrupt ejaculation in some stallions. In fact, a sperm rich
portion of the ejaculate may be obtained by releasing manual
pressure after one or two urethral pulses.

Table 1 summarizes data on 18 stallions at our facility that were trained to ejaculate in response to manual stimulation. The ejaculates obtained have been used for insemination of mares, as fresh or processed semen (cooled for 24 to 36 h; 4,5).
Animal |
Age (a) |
Experience (b) |
Sessions Required |
Collection Attempts (c) |
Arabian |
12 mo |
none |
1 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
13 mo |
none |
2 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
13 mo |
none |
1 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
13 mo |
none |
1 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
15 mo |
none |
1 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
15 mo |
none |
1 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
1.5 yr |
none |
1 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
1.5 yr |
none |
1 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
1.5 yr |
none |
1 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
2 yr |
natural |
1 |
2 (d) |
Arabian |
2 yr |
natural |
less than 3 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
2 yr |
none |
9 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
3 yr |
natural |
4 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
4 yr |
none |
1 |
1 to 3 |
Arabian |
4 yr |
natural |
1 |
1 |
Arabian |
5 yr |
natural |
unsuccessful after 22 |
0 |
Arabian |
12 yr |
natural |
less than 3 |
28 |
(a) Age at time of training
(b) The number of training sessions before successful ejaculation.
Each session consisted of several attempts to collect semen
during an approximately 15-min period.
(c) The number of attempts routinely required to collect semen.
One attempt consisted of placing the bag on the erect penis and
manipulating the penis.
(d) This stallion, over a period of 21 years, consistently would
ejaculate during the second attempt.
We have successfully employed this technique with novice and experienced stallions. To better understand developmental changes in semen characteristics and sexual behavior, we have trained several young colts to semen collection procedures and have periodically examined ejaculates throughout the first two years of life. The youngest stallion trained in this collection technique was 2 mo old (Crump, unpublished studies). Other stallions that were trained had previously been bred for many years by natural service or artificial vagina. Training time does not seem to vary systematically with the animal's experience. Generally, training is accomplished within one or two sessions. Novice stallions have produced ejaculates during the first attempt. Training time has varied from one to several attempts for each of 9 sessions. One stallion was never successfully trained after 22 training sessions over a three year period.
The manual stimulation technique was used successfully to collect semen from one Arabian stallion for 21 yr, from 2 to 23 yr of age. The technique does not appear to interfere with natural breeding or other collection techniques, and many stallions with which we worked returned to or alternated between natural service or artificial vagina programs.
In our various uses of semen, we have not detected any systematic differences between ejaculates obtained by this manual method and by traditional artificial vagina methods. For example, Table 2 summarizes nine ejaculates obtained from one stallion over a period of 4 mo using four variations of artificial vagina and manual stimulation methods. As shown, there appear to be no systematic differences between samples obtained by the various collection methods.
Collection |
Collection |
Method |
Volume (ml) |
Semen |
Concentration |
Sperm |
%TM |
Mar 31 |
not known |
AV/ground |
20 |
0 |
283.0 |
5.7 |
75 |
Mar 31 |
1 hour |
AV/mare |
65 |
2 |
94.0 |
6.1 |
75 |
Apr 16 |
7 days |
AV/mare |
100 |
0 |
124.3 |
12.4 |
80 |
May 23 |
9 days |
AV/dummy |
82 |
5 |
57.5 |
4.7 |
90 |
Jul 06 |
11 days |
AV/dummy |
65 |
12 |
95.0 |
6.2 |
85 |
Jul 07 |
32 hours |
AV/dummy |
68 |
4 |
56.0 |
3.8 |
90 |
Jul 10 |
2 days |
AV/dummy |
56 |
5 |
146.8 |
8.2 |
85 |
Jul 12 |
2 days |
Manual |
60 |
0 |
104.0 |
6.2 |
80 |
Jul 14 |
2 days |
Manual |
63 |
5 |
124.0 |
7.8 |
80 |
(a) (10e6 sperm/ml)
(b) Total number or sperm x 10e9
(c) Visual estimate of percent total motility
Some stallions stop thrusting before ejaculating, or they may achieve engorgement and appear to be near ejaculating, but stop just before. These animals appear to become distracted or over-aroused during collection. In our experience, these problems can often be avoided by providing the minimum stimulus to achieve response. The stallion may, for example, become distracted if he is too near an estrous mare during manipulation. In some instances, an extremely stimulated stallion can be induced to ejaculate simply by applying pressure to only the glans penis.
Most stallions readily become conditioned to this semen collection procedure. They appear to associate breeding with the operator and the plastic bag. Once trained, they often appear more attentive to the operator and the plastic bag than to a mare, much the same as stallions that are trained to an artificial vagina and dummy mare become conditioned to those breeding stimuli. One stallion we worked with routinely achieved erection in the stall when the operator approached with the plastic bag, and with manual stimulation, he ejaculated (without the stimulus of a mare or of an olfactory stimulus). In apparent anticipation of collection, two of our stallions consistently backed away from the stimulus mare toward the operator who was crinkling the plastic bag. Although we routinely use a stimulus mare, stallions experienced with this technique often require less stimulation from the mare than for traditional collection methods.
With minor modifications, this technique has recently been employed with pony stallions at the University of Pennsylvania (McDonnell, personal communication, 1987), where 10 stallions, subjects of a semen study, were readily trained for the collection of semen with a plastic bag and manual stimulation. Five of these 10 stallions consistently responded quickly and ejaculated while standing; the remaining 5 responded with less vigor and were allowed to mount a mare for collection, in which case manual stimulation was performed in place of an artificial vagina. In addition, a warm (45 to 50 C) wet towel compress was added to provide additional stimulation of the glans penis when necessary. All stallions successfully ejaculated within one or two attempts, and continued to be managed in this manner without any complications. Throughout the 3-mo study, semen samples were collected two to three times a week; usually less than 1 h was required to obtain semen samples from the 10 stallions. In this study, the stimulus mare was tethered, so collections were accomplished by one stallion handler and one operator. In similar work (McDonnell, personal communication), collections were made from stallions tethered in their stalls with a stimulus mare tethered nearby. This arrangement permitted one person to conduct the collection. The breeding history of the stallions varied: some had been bred naturally and some had previously been trained to artificial vagina collection of semen. However, all animals readily responded and became conditioned to the manual stimulation method. Subsequently, several student operators have successfully collected semen from these ponies even in their first attempt to employ the technique.
The manual stimulation technique offers several distinct advantages over traditional semen collection methods (artificial vagina on a mount mare). These include 1) markedly reduced collection time and minimal preparation and clean-up time; 2) cleaner samples (plastic bag contacts only lower portion of the shaft of the penis), no lubricating jelly is required; 3) disposable materials, reduced risk of infection; 4) inexpensive materials; 5) heat damage to sperm from contact with artificial vagina reduced; 6) places less physical stress on stallions; 7) allows several ejaculates in quick succession (one stallion produced six ejaculated in less than 20 minutes, another produced three ejaculates in 6 min); 7) it is possible to obtain just the sperm-rich portion of the ejaculate; 8) generally requires fewer personnel; and 9) does not always require a stimulus mare.
While we have preferred to train stallions to ejaculate while standing on the ground, manual stimulation with a plastic bag can be substituted for the artificial vagina with the stallion mounted on a mare or dummy mount.
Potential disadvantages of this technique are that 1) a stallion and operator may require more training than is necessary when an artificial vagina and mount mare technique is used 2) large, tall horses may thrust with enough force to unbalance or knock down the handler, and 3) with tall horses, the operator may be at risk of injury should the horse kick during the procedure. In addition, it is difficult to adequately manipulate the larger glans penis typical or large, tall horses.
We have found collection of semen from stallions by manual stimulation of the penis to be a convenient and efficient technique. It involves our observations over twenty years, together with recent observations of others, indicate that both stallions and operators can be readily trained to use this method.
1. Kenny, R.M., Hurtgen, J.P., Pierson, R., Witherspoon, D. and Simons,J. Clinical fertility evaluation of the stallion. Hastings, NE: Society for Theriogenology (1983)
2. Schumacher, J. and Riddell, M.G. Collection of stallion semen without a mount. Theriogenology 26:245-250 (1986)
3. Berliner, V. Horses and jackstock, In: Perry, E.J. (ed.): The Artificial Insemination of Farm Animals. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ, 1960, p.221.
4. Douglas-Hamilton, D.H., Osol, R., Osol, G. and Driscoll D., Noble, H. A field study of the fertility of transported equine semen. Theriogenology 22:291-304 (1984).
5. Cristanelli, M.J., Amann, R.P., Squires, E.L., and Pickett, B.W. Effects of egg yolk and glycerol levels in lactose-EDTA-EGG yolk extender on the motility of frozen-thawed stallion spermatazoa. Theriogenology 24:681-686 (1985).
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Helpful Stallion Hints By EquAdept INTRODUCION Many zoos as well as non-zoos are highly attracted to the enormous aura of sexuality that stallions exude and would love to take part in their sex lives. However we at Playhorse found that the majority of online FAQs regarding this subject were inadequate or misleading so we have created our own guide in order to provide what we feel is a wiser approach to stallions. In this guide I have combined my decades of experience handling stallions along with the advice I have found to be sound from other experienced stallion zoophiles I have known in an effort to provide some meaningful tips to those who want to be with stallions. This guide is not intended as a BE-ALL and KNOW-ALL work of science, it is simply a helpful guide and nothing more. In no way do I, those who aided me, nor anyone at the Playhorse website advocate anything that would break the law or bring harm to stallions nor do we claim responsibility to injuries incurred by persons interacting with stallions. SELECTION The ideal stallion to suit your needs is not always available unless you get real lucky so don't be put off if you may have to settle for a less than ideal situation. That doesn't mean you still won't enjoy your stallion..you just have to know your stallion's limits. However, I can offer what I think makes an ideal selection in order to aim you in the right direction. ..Age.. For beginners it is highly recommended that they choose an older stallion for their first time experience, particularly if they are taking the risk of trying it alone (which we highly advise against). When I say older I mean somewhere between the ages of ten and twenty years old. When it comes to beginners the older the stallion is, the better. An older stallion doesn't mean the experience is any less enjoyable..one of my most beloved stallions was twenty two years old. The only downside I can see is that it could become a sadness to be emotionally attached to an older stallion since your time together on earth is much more limited, but that is another topic. Older stallions are much more likely to be amicable to being felt in tender places, having their genitals handled and even open to anal intercourse. Older stallions are much more likely to be calm around strangers, especially if they are being approached in a pasture, and they tend to be easier to work with..which is important if you don't have any horse handling skills. ..Breed.. Obviously most zoophiles usually end up with pot luck when it comes to what stallions they get access to unless they are lucky or privileged, but it never hurts to give recommendations. These are soley my opinions based on my experiences with these stallions and do not reflect the opinions of others at Playhorse. On the top of my list are Andalusians and Lusitanos, which in my opinion are the most willing yet gentle stallions as they have been bred for temperament for centuries. Next would be the various draft breeds and mini stallions, followed by Appaloosas, Quarter Horses, Morgans and last but not least the Thoroughbreds and Arabians..I leave those two for last because of their high-strung natures that can make them a bit more genetically predisposed to be difficult to handle. Arabian stallions in particular sometimes "wig out" when sexually excited and this can be dangerous. I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule as far as all of the mentioned breeds are concerned and that there are many other unmentioned breeds worthy of a mate, but I'm only going to limit my comments to breeds I'm familiar with. ..A WORD OF WARNING.. Not having any horse handling experience is a HUGE minus when working with stallions, one that can have painful and possibly fatal consequences for inexperienced people. Please note that being able to ride a horse is not the same as being an experienced handler. Horse work, especially stallions, on the ground requires a completely different approach and is not for the physically challenged or timid. I've known far too many experienced racing jockeys, cowboys, exercise and dressage riders that didn't know the first thing about how to handle a horse on the ground and was the cause of many horse injuries, human injuries, loose horses, broken tack and so on. The point of this is that beginning with stallions can be extremely dangerous without an experienced handler who knows what to expect being there to aid you. Additionally, and no offense is meant, but being simply a stallion-loving zoophile in itself is not enough and does not qualify anyone as a stallion handler. ATTITUDE ..What's In A Name.. Professional horse breeders make the distinction between a "stallion" and a "stud." Any intact male horse over two years old can be a stallion, but only stallions that are used for breeding mares are studs. Many stallions go their entire lives without breeding a mare and thus they are not studs. There is also a difference in behavior between the two with actively breeding studs being much more aggressive and needing a skilled handler, particularly if you are dealing with high strung stallions such as Arabians and Thoroughbreds. If someone regails you with tales of fence-hopping and crumping multiple studs alone I'd take such tales with a grain of salt because I know how vicious some breeding studs can be and how quickly they can put someone with no handling experience in a hospital. When the option is available, stick to older stallions who have yet to breed mares and have a skilled handler to help. ..Virgin Tastes.. Ideally the most suitable stallion for zoophiles is one that hasn't been bred to mares before, i.e. not a stud. A stallion that is turned on to humans first is much more inclined to be openly sexual, if not aggressively sexual, with humans than one that has sampled the pleasures of mares before. A stallion that is inexperienced with mares takes alot less effort to get interested in sexual play with humans, at times no effort at all. I've had such stallions drop their penises merely at my entrance into their stalls once my intentions became well known and I've never had to use mare scent for them. This isn't to say you won't find any studs that aren't open to sexual contact with humans, only that the majority of studs are not sexually inclined towards humans without some form of coaxing such as the scent of a mare in heat to get their interest up. Some studs can still find pleasure in sexual relations with humans, but a mare would always be preferable once they have the pleasure of that experience (and who can blame them?). In knowing your stallion you must find his sexual likes and dislikes if you are to make up for not being a mare and get the maximum amount of pleasure for both of you by really turning him on...and this can be done without the scent of a mare if you are patient and determined. ..To Bite Or Not To Bite.. There are alot of rumors circulating about the behavior of stallions always being brutish and extremely dangerous. The only truth is that stallions are as varied in behavior and personality as are humans. Obviously you also want a stallion that is calm and level-headed as opposed to one rearing, cow-kicking, stomping and trying to savagely bite everything in sight. If there is anything about a stallion that makes you worry about your health and hesitate playing with them, then by all means DON'T. No sexual fun is worth the loss of teeth, broken bones, painful bites or even fatal injury. There are stallions who are as playful and loving as a puppy and would go out of their way not to harm you, there are stallions who are total idiots that walk on your feet or sling their heads into yours without knowing it, there are very intelligent stallions I've met who would cock their legs and erect their penis when I entered the stall, and then there are stallions that deliberately try to injure or even kill people when they enter the stall. I have known all kinds and offer that the most important words you will ever hear regarding stallion behavior are: "Know Thy Stallion Before Ye Ply His Rod." Another myth is that with "proper handling" any problems with a bad stallion can be overcome. The truth is that proper handling is in the eye of the beholder and no method works for every horse all of the time. While you can certainly avoid some bad behaviors by training a horse from an early age, anyone who has any real experience with stallions can tell you that fractious or even malicious hereditary behavioral traits can test even the most skilled handlers no matter how "proper" the technique. This is why some horse breeders, primarily show rather than race, add temperament to the list of qualities they breed for, and also why some breeds of stallions obviously make better lovers than others. For those who believe Monty Roberts has the solution..I've known stallions that would of picked Mr. Roberts up with their teeth, shook him like a rag doll and then killed him as soon as he entered the stall. I'm unaware of any serious farm workers that consider him anything other than a fraud and I find myself agreeing with that opinion. Use his methods at your own risk. EQUIPMENT Whatever zoophiles choose to wear for their own safety is debatable and depends on the cooperation of the stallion involved. I would advise not wearing any watches/rings or other jewelry on your hands or wrists, confining any long hair, removing oral retainers if you use one or any facial piercing jewelry and trimming your fingernails so you have no sharp edges. ..Behold The Foot, or what is left of it.. Contrary to what many other well-meaning horse FAQs and various zoophiles with limited experience are recommending, I do **NOT** recommend steel-toed shoes or boots because I have seen a sixteen hand stallion rear and land on one once and the farm maintenance department had to remove the guy's trapped foot with a hacksaw and grinder before taking him to the hospital. I'd rather suffer a few bruised or broken bones in my foot than have it pinned by a metal plate in a shoe to be sawed out of. To be honest, after decades of occasionally being stomped on by horses I've suffered no dire damages to my foot by simply wearing tough leather shoes. If steel-toed shoes or boots make you feel safer when working with full sized stallions then simply bear in mind that they were not built like armor to withstand a 1,000 pound crushing weight and you assume the risk if a full grown stallion crushes them in on your toes. ..Selling Rope To The Gnomes.. As far as a lead shank, it would depend on the stallion. Easy-going and friendly stallions could be put on a simple rope. I've known a few that required no rope at all but they are rare. Most stallions would prefer to either bite on you (which can be very painful) or climb on top of you once you start fondling them so it's nice to either have someone hold them for you or loop the rope around something and hold onto the end to keep them in a safe position and from reaching around and taking a hunk out of you.:) This is a natural, genetically predisposed behavior that all the best handling in the world may be useless to make go away so take precautions. Some have touted the use of a half-muzzle that snaps onto a halter. More unruly stallions should have a chain shank or shiftney to keep them from getting out of control, but it would be crucial to know how to use one or you could both get into trouble real quick. Do not loop a chain shank around a post or bar and hold on to the end because many horses will back away quickly when they feel the chain tighten. When using a chain you must ebb and flow with a horse and never fight them. They are stronger than you and will win in a tug of war. Stallions require an effective means of teaching them right from wrong to prevent harm to humans..a creature weighing only 20% of their weight yelling "No!" doesn't cut it. A chain shank is a very effective means of safely handling unruly stallions provided you have some handling skills already and do not abuse it..otherwise it would be best to seek a different, much safer horse that does not require such strict handling. THE AROUSAL GAP Obviously the simplest way to arouse a stallion sexually is with the scent of a mare in heat, whether directly with a mare in heat or indirectly with something containing the urine of a mare in heat. However not everyone has access to either one of those, yet there is still hope you can achieve this goal without them..particularly if your stallion has never bred mares before and is still open-minded concerning humans as sexual partners. If you are patient and worship every square inch of a stallion's body, try spending time gently caressing the throat area of the neck from the jaw down to the chest, his entire chest area, between his front legs and down the insides of his front legs and gently leading back underneath the belly to the sheath. Some stallions love having their chins cupped or pressure applied between their front legs. Never stand directly in front of a stallion while doing this and keep an eye out for any pawing actions where he may strike out with a front leg. This is merely body language saying he would like to mount you, but I wouldn't let him if he's a full sized horse.;) If he is not sensitive about having his sheath, scrotum or testicles (they are not always dropped down) caressed then by all means do so very gently with a soft, smooth and consistant motion. Jerky or half-hearted movements can make a stallion nervous about your intentions down there. When handling a stallion's sheath or testicles, stand next to his left shoulder or stomach facing rearward with your left hand on his body then slowly use your right hand to slide up to his genitals. Never touch the genitals outright surprising him, work your way to them slowly. This is the safest position against being cow-kicked. Never stand directly to the side of a stallion's rear legs while working with him, especially if you are strange to him or he hasn't been handled much between the legs. If he cow-kicks repeatedly then he's either saying that he doesn't like your method of touching him or he isn't interested. Lack of interest doesn't rule out anything, he may simply be unaware of your sexual intent to pleasure him. In either case, don't press your luck if it looks dangerous. Another area that stimulates some stallions is the anal and crotch region. Some stallions will drop simply by brushing their tails. Caressing the anus and the muscle of the penis below it all the way to the crotch can be useful in getting them to drop, however this also puts you in a very dangerous position with any unknown stallion that isn't used to alot of handling. My favorite method? I love to soap a stallion up on the washrack and knead his exquisite flesh with ecstasy from one end to the delicious other.;) These methods may or may not be as effective on actively breeding stallions and you will likely have to modify it from horse to horse. It will depend largely on the individual stallion's quirks. To me, learning what turns each one on or "seducing" them is a pleasurable challenge. CLEANING If you successfully get your stallion to drop his penis you will very likely want to clean him up. All that dirt, dried loose skin and head cheese isn't always the best appetizer...although that hasn't stopped a few people I know from putting it in their mouths when temptation became too great, hehe. You'll need warm water (unless you want him to shrivel back up quick, lol) and although some people use rags, sponges or even paper towels I prefer sterile veterinary cotton because it is less abrasive and thus less likely to ruin his mood. You should be able to obtain a roll of loose cotton at any livestock or vet supply store for very little money and it lasts for quite a few cleanings. If you do use a rag or sponge, heaven forbid, make sure you clean them thoroughly between uses as they are notorius for breeding bacteria. If you have more than one stallion then keep separate rags/sponges for each. In my opinion even paper towels are better than using a cloth rag or sponge. ..Soap For The "Rope".. As for a cleaning agent I recommend Castle Soap (palm oil extract) and it is available in many grocery stores. It does not cause allergic reactions, does not leave an irritable residue and doesn't dry the stallion's penis out like dish or bar soaps will. The last is important since a dried out penis is uncomfortable to retract and is susceptible to skin infection and rash. If you have a serious problem with scaley dried skin not wanting to come off, use a bottle of natural Aloe-vera gel without fragrance or other additives. You can find this usually at any local stores, especially ones that carry generic equivalents. Do not use mineral/baby oil, vaseline or other petroleum-based products as you will only compound problems by making the stallion's penis and sheath a greasy collector of dirt and debris that is difficult to clean up and can cause them greater irritation and possible infections. It doesn't taste too good either. ..Jack And The Beaney Stalk.. Cleaning should start with a bucket of warm water and light soap, using soft and consistant rubbing motions rather than jerky ones or hard scrubbing. Areas typically missed are the wrinkles at the base of the penis and inside around the urethal opening of the glans (head) where small "beans" of smegma (sometimes called cheeseballs, hehe) build up in the crack. It's no fun to swallow one of those things I tell you!:P After cleaning is complete you should rinse the penis with fresh warm water and behold, Willy the Wonder Worm is ready for active duty! SEXUAL ENHANCERS Some people don't like the musky smell of a stallion's penis and use edible flavored jells on them. This is okay as long as it is thoroughly cleaned off of him leaving no residue. I wouldn't try whipped cream from a can since the noise could startle him. Outrageously dumb ideas include lying in a sling under a stallion, which should be left to the realm of imagination and fantasy rather than risking your life. Playing with a stallion's cock is already thrilling enough..don't overdo it! ..Oral Sex TO.. Just put your mouth or tongue on it and suck or lick away! Be careful while you are under him, watch your fingers or they may get stepped on. Keeping a hand that is used to brace yourself on the ground into a fist is wise. Some stallions can tend to overreact when they are touched, so be prepared to move away quickly if he squeals or moves quickly! Watch his feet because he can cow-kick you if he doesn't like what you're doing, and don't get yourself poked in the eye by a wayward thrust! If you put your mouth around the glans try to avoid scraping it with your teeth or your stallion isn't likely to enjoy letting you play with him much. One thing you can do is keep your front teeth covered with your lips. Bear in mind that the vast majority of stallions cannot be brought to ejaculation through human oral sex..mostly because when the glans flares it is far too large to stay in a human's mouth and without that fully encompassing fleshy feeling around their glans they lack the stimulation. In some cases perhaps this is just as well since some stallions can thrust hard enough to break your neck. I have on occasion met one or two Arabian stallions that were over-sexed enough that merely washing their penis caused them to ejaculate so it isn't impossible to find a horse that will ejaculate into your mouth so simply..just highly improbable so don't have expectations of it. This doesn't mean you cannot enjoy mouthfuls of pre-ejaculate fluids which aren't as hard to elicit.:) Now I've heard stories of people claiming to have a full grown stallion's penis shoved down their throats, but I would seriously doubt such tales judging the width of a stallion's shaft and how a flaring glans forces itself out of your mouth. Such an act if made possible would either rupture your throat or suffocate you to death which could ruin your day. If you can shove an axe handle down your throat then MAYBE you could handle it. Now with mini or fellabella stallions it could certainly be more believable, yet I would still tend to take such things with a grain of salt without pics. The same goes for the fake zoo porn where stallions are supposedly ejaculating into a woman's mouth, but yet the required flaring glans that signifies a stallion reaching orgasm is never shown. More than likely this is milk held in a porn star's mouth used to fool the less experienced. ..Oral Sex FROM.. This is an incredibly bad idea usually fostered by braggadocious zoos who have too much time on their hands. There may be an incredibly rare case of finding a stallion or gelding who is so gentle and brain-dead that you could get away with trying to have sex with his mouth, but those are extremely few and far between. You won't find me risking getting my cock bit, or worse chewed by molars, just to get off in a stallion's mouth. Many stallions also have sharp fang-like `wolf teeth' in the space between their frontal teeth and rear molars. If you go for it then good luck! ..Jumping A Mare.. Without an Artificial Vagina around, or with a stallion who isn't very interested in sexual contact with humans (perhaps he's been a stud to mares) or if you aren't successful with the Crumping technique (most people aren't) you can still try your hand at stimulating a stallion into ejaculating if you have a mare in heat present. This usually requires either letting the stallion mount the mare, but keeping him from entering her, or letting him smell her from beside a teasing shute or some other barrier. Some stallions while smelling a mare become very excitable so beware being cow-kicked, savagely bitten or struck by a rearing horse. Also pay attention to the mare. If she doesn't like the stallion you could be in a world of hurt real quick. I know a stallion handler who was killed by a mare planting both back feet into his chest while mounting a stallion. Holding the mare for liver cover in Thoroughbred barns is one of the most dangerous tasks I've known. Also, if you're not quick or experienced enough with handling stallions mounting mares so that you are able to divert their penis in time you may end up with an unwanted pregnancy. ..Artificial Vaginas.. This is perhaps the easiest way to elicit an ejaculation from a stallion, but it is bulky, difficult to conceal and very expensive unless you can manufacture one at home. If you have the financial means you can purchase a Missouri or Colorado AV for around $250-$350. The Missouri is usually easier to maintain and carry around. The difference is the Missouri looks like a rubber tube wrapped with a leather carrying case and the Colorado is more like a solid pipe with a liner. If you do manufacture one at home always keep in mind that it needs to be flexible enough to allow for a stallion's glans to flare. A hard pipe with a rubber liner that is too narrow is a poor AV and you'll get poor results. If you want a successful AV, then manufacture it to imitate the internal structure of a mare which is not solid like a pipe. Whether you decide to add a feature on the end that will allow you to collect semen in a bottle is up to you. Keep the inside smooth and without seams and use copious amounts of lubricating jelly. If possible allow for heated water to be injected into the liner to simulate a mare's body heat. The average body heat of a mare is 103 F, so my recommendation is that if you are able to fill your AV liner with water to stick to that natural temperature. Some textbook advocates claim a scalding 115-130 F is better, but my experience has been that 103 F has worked fine at every operation I've been a part of and thus is a very commonly used temp in my neighborhood. It's also my personal opinion that the vast majority of textbooks on equine reproduction are written by people that have more experience sitting behind a desk than working with horses, let alone on an actual farm or in nature where they could get dirty, so I don't take such books very seriously. Most farms I know ignore textbooks entirely and operate on their own system they feel works best. Likewise, work with your stallion to find a temp and liner he likes best to maximize your results. ..Anal Sex To.. I've been asked by a hundred zoos if I've ever done this and my answer is consistantly NO..simply because it is not a desire of mine. However if you're into the old poop shute sports it is possible, but only in cases where you have a really gentle, well-handled, old or brain-dead stallion. The vast majority of stallions I've worked with were too high strung to let you do this, but there are a few out there that wouldn't care. I would approach a stallion in this manner in the same fashion as if I were going for a mare (see Playhorse Mare FAQ). At all times be very alert if he is disagreeable to this, watch his ears and body language. If he isn't interested I wouldn't try forcing it. If he doesn't mind then go for broke. I strongly recommend using a lube rather than saliva to reduce the chance of either one of you getting an infection if the action gets raw..not to mention it goes a long way to keeping him from getting pissed off. ..Anal Sex From (male).. Yes, it has been known to happen, although more frequently with the smaller mini and fellabella stallions and to some degree pony stallions as opposed to full size horses. There are a few zoos here and there that have had full size stallions penetrate them anally, people that have spent long periods of time stretching themselves with various toys preparing for it, but great risk is still involved and shouldn't be attempted unless you're prepared to accept the worst of what can go wrong..being sent to the hospital to have a bag attached to your body for you to shit in the rest of your life..that is if you survive blood poisoning from a ruptured colon. Being penetrated by a mini with an average 11" penis and fist-sized flare is pushing the envelope of rupturing oneself already..I would hesitate to try a full sized horse unless you're able to take someone shoving their arm up your arse rather violently.:) These may seem gloomy anecdotes, but hey, I'm covering my ass here! No pun intended. It is also wise to either have a human partner around for help or at the minimum a phone within reach. Now grease up! And I do mean use lube liberally or you'll be really, really sorry! Once again saliva is no good here..don't be cheap or afraid to toss KY Jelly on the checkout counter..go out and get this stuff! Getting him penetrating you is half the battle and lube will aid a great deal. Apply it both on the length of his shaft as well as your anal area. Now with a mini odds are you won't be able to take his full length inside you if he's up over 8" long, so when he penetrates you it's important to either be propped high enough up or stand up slightly to keep him from thrusting himself fully inside you. If he's mounting you missionary style, with you on your back, then you must either block his hips with your knees (assuming you are strong enough) or better yet construct a Breeding Roll. This device can be similar to ones used by the horse industry in live cover breeding, which is basically a stick with a thick padded cylinder around it placed between the stallion's shaft and his belly and is held there to limit his penetration into a mare. You can adjust the thickness of your own breeding roll to give you the depth of penetration you desire. Make sure it's not too heavy and the handle is long enough because chances are you'll only be holding it with one hand and if you drop it you may get plugged enough to see stars (or a doctor)! You may want to drape a thick fabric over your back because most stallions prefer taking hold of your back, shoulder or anything else with their teeth as they enter you and a painful bite can ruin your mood real quick! As your stud penetrates you should feel his glans swell up and you'll experience something akin to being fisted! If you, your colon, and your prostate survive this process then you'll be rewarded with a hot dose of cum being pumped into you in usually less than a minute. As he withdraws please do the right thing and protect him from infection by cleaning his penis off as mentioned in "Jack and the Beany Stalk" above. ..Intercourse With (Female).. Most of what goes for a stallion mounting a male also applies for one mounting a female (read Anal Sex From above) with the difference that some women are able to accomodate a wider shaft with less risk. This is not to say that it is not possible for a woman to have her vaginal walls or cervix torn by getting carried away with a large beast, but that many women are just as apt to do ponies as they are mini stallions even though the limitation for length of shaft still appies. Here I would also find a breeding roll to be very effective with minis, but much less so with ponies and of no use at all with horses. CROSS-HUMAN CONTAMINATION While I am opposed to the sharing of horses to others for sex on moral rounds, this advice is for those who do choose to share their animals with other human partners. There are extremely few diseases that can be contracted directly from a stallion, among them `CEM', a gonorrhea-like bacterial infection which can be prevented with good equine genital hygiene. However there are a plethora of diseases out there that humans can transmit to you such as Gonorrhea, Genital Herpes, Hepatitis and potentially Syphilis and AIDS just to name a few all when you have multiple humans sharing intercourse with a stallion. Most human diseases do not infect stallions, but they can be carried on the surface of a stallion's shaft or anally long enough to be transmitted to you when you go in for seconds. Use safe sex when more than one human is involved, even if it means wearing a condom or liberally washing down a stallion's penis after each use. When you share a stallion with other humans as far as any diseases are concerned you are virtually having sex with that other human and many humans are not even aware of bugs they themselves may be carrying. ..Final Words... I hope this guide will be of some use to stallion seekers and that it will go far towards keeping them safe and having a great time with the stallion of their choice. My thanks go to Pegasus, Zert, Baler and others who chose not to be named for the inspiration and help putting this together. EquAdept
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Helpful Mare Hints by EquAdept INTRODUCTION Sexual interaction with mares is less complicated than it is with stallions thanks for the most part to the differences in temperament. Nevertheless some sticking points remain and I hope to cover a few points not touched on by other guides. In this guide I have combined my twenty years of not only intimate, but professional handling experience (as opposed to simply owning a backyard horse) with mares to provide some meaningful tips to those who feel the need to be intimate with mares. This guide by no means covers the full scope of a relationship with a mare, but I hope to at least touch on the issues important to most zoophiles. A WORD OF CAUTION In no way do I or anyone at Playhorse advocate anything that would break any laws in your area or bring harm to any horses. When around horses always play it safe. Simply being a zoophile does not qualify anyone as a horse handler. It is preferable to have a partner who is experienced with horses help you, at least initially, and by all means pay attention to your mare's moods. If a mare isn't interested in your advances and you attempt to force yourself on her you can find yourself painfully injured or worse. In no way do I morally consent anyone forcing themselves on a mare against her will. SELECTION Equiphiles all have their own ideas about what details make a mare attractive and it can vary from one zoo to another so I won't go into that, but I can provide what I think are generally good things to look for in a prospective mare. ..Age.. Ideally mares work like stallions in that the older, the better. I personally do not have sex with any equine younger than a year old on moral grounds. I prefer a filly old enough to have become sexually mature and it makes intimacy that much more enjoyable for both partners. An older mare is also more preferable since young fillies are often nervous, flighty and unsure about trusting what you are up to. A bungled tryst with a young filly can ruin their trust in letting humans be intimate with them ever again or even get you seriously injured. An older mare is much more settled, more likely to trust (or at least ignore) your actions and more likely to respond to you in a sexual manner. ..Breed.. The most beautiful breed of mare is in the eye of the beholder. My personal favorites are Arabians. Arabians are what I think are an oversexed breed, but there is one catch..Arabians are also very moody horses. When in heat they can be aggressively horny and sometimes attempt to grind you into the wall with their ass, but when out of heat they'd just as well kick you into the next world. Obviously there will always be some that are amicable whether in or out of heat..find one of these and you're one lucky zoophile. Other mares I personally recommend are Morgans, Appaloosas, Welsh ponies, Paso Finos and..if you can afford them..Thoroughbreds and Andalusians. Minis are wonderful little mares that are perfectly sized for human males and curl your toes up when inside one..however unless you're not very tall, into yoga, have a strong back or build a platform for one to stand on you could find yourself with a strained back after a few sessions. It's a matter of personal preference whether you like squatting behind a mini, standing on firm ground behind a pony or balancing on a bucket behind a full-sized horse. ..Attitude.. I personally prefer a mare that both enjoys sexual encounters and has an intelligent disposition. In my opinion..although they are easy to approach for simple sex..Appaloosas, Palominos and Quarter Horses are not my best picks in this department. Obviously there will always be exceptions to the rule. Along with body conformation (including genitals), physical health, state of hooves and price I also consider temperament when buying a mare. Owning the world's most gorgeous mare can turn into a huge bummer quick if she's mean and nasty or has no intentions of ever letting you near her back end. Another thing of note is to remember that mares can be very jealous of attention. If in a field or paddock with many mares it's important to keep your eye on the other mares should one decide to start a fight and run off the one you are lavishing all your love and affection on. ..Conformation.. One of the things that weighs heavily on any normal zoo's mind is the state of a mare's reproductive health. When buying a mare it is important, and not just for personal reasons, to examine the conformation of the vulva first. This is a normal examination any smart horse buyer will do so don't feel odd doing this in front of a seller. Anomalies can include a sutured, stapled or caslicked mare..sutures are where a vet has sewn the vulva closed with a thread-like material..staples are exactly that, a small staple-gun closes the vulva with metal clips (usually temporary)..a caslick is a barbaric procedure where a vet first cuts away at the lips of the vulva and then sews them together so they grow together permanently. Not only do repeated caslicks destroy a mare's vulva, but if she's pregnant she must be cut open again before foaling or else the foal will tear the vulva apart with the force of its birth. Other anomalies are a poorly sloped vulva that is constantly washed with excrement, or wind-sucking..a condition where the vulva closes poorly and allows air, feces and bacteria into the vagina..after which one would have to consider having the mare sutured to protect her health. With a sutured, stapled or caslicked mare a vet will be required to re-open her, but I'd first find out why she was closed to begin with. She may have been a wind-sucker, an owner may have been paranoid about possible infections ruining a horse's fertility (some horse farmers are like this) or you may have a vet simply padding his bill by convincing the owner it was a good thing to always do. In short the ideal vulva is a vertical one with no slope, has not been monkeyed with by human vets and has the anus even with it rather than sunken in. Bear in mind this not only makes for a healthier mare, it also increases your penetration.;) ..Maiden or Mother.. There are both advantages and disadvantages to whether you select a maiden mare or an experienced mare who's had foals. A maiden mare is more likely to retain that mind-blowing tight fit, but many maiden mares can have weak heats and a hard time identifying their heat cycles with having sex. Conversely a mare that's had foals before may sometimes be like boffing a paper bag with a string tied around it, but their heat cycles are often much more intense and there's no confusion over what they want most from you. THE AROUSAL GAP ..Heat Cycles.. I won't go into details on cyclic activity because they are useless to the average zoo and only have value to professional horse breeders. What you need to know is a normal mare is in heat for 4 to 7 days and then is out of heat for around 14 days, making the cycle last around 21 to 23 days after which it repeats. I use the terms "normal" and "around" because these times can vary from horse to horse depending on health, inherent hormonal balance, hormonal drug therapy, the season and the presence of other cycling mares. If you're keen on keeping track of your mare's cycle you'll need to tease her with a stallion, observe her interest in him (not all mares behave the same towards a stallion) and keep track of it on a calendar. Some old-fashioned farmers believe you can alter the cycle by using artificial lighting to fool mares into cycling more, but my experience has been that this produces no better results than nature. If you live in a climate where it snows a great deal during winters your mare may go into Winter Anestrus where she shuts down reproductively until Spring, although that does not mean she still won't be receptive to your sexual advances. In Northern latitudes it is often from October to April. In latitudes closer to the equator where winters are very mild many mares cycle all year round. ..Teasing.. Some experienced zoos can read the subtle clues that tell them a mare is in heat..such as smell, behavior and the tone of the vulva, vagina and cervix..but obviously the easiest way to find whether or not a mare is in heat is with a stallion. Keeping a record of your mare's heat cycle can help some degree, but Mother nature doesn't always obey printed words on paper and there are varying degrees of heat. Be extremely careful when teasing horses and if possible always have an experienced horse handler help. A mare that is not in heat will more than often viciously attack a stallion lashing out at him with her feet and she won't pay much attention to anyone else in the way. If you tease your mare with a stallion held on a chain instead of behind a barrier you'd better be a darned good handler with the skill and quickness to keep both of you and the horses from being injured or creating an unwanted pregnancy if she's in heat. An interesting note is that experienced zoos that have their own mares will tell you that many mares adapt to your sexual relationship with them and in time will often "break down" (a term describing a mare's sexual readiness; spreading of the hind legs, raised tail, urinating and winking profusely) for you the same way they would for a stallion. This is more often true of maiden mares who have not yet identified with stallions as sexual partners. EQUIPMENT The average mare shouldn't require anything more than a simple 4-8' cotton rope for leading around, preferably one with a simple snap that can be undone in a hurry. I wouldn't recommend tying a shank to anything unless you know how to make a slip-knot, but rather either simply wrapping the end of the rope around an object once and then looping it around the rope leading to the halter several times. Leather shanks are not recommended unless you are teasing a mare and using a chain for your own safety. Some zoos I know prefer to use a breakable string. If you use a string make sure to only loop it though the halter, not tie it to the halter, then instead tie it to some other steady object like a fence. This way if the mare breaks the string she won't run off with the string attached to her halter leaving signs of your having been there. ..The Man From Nantucket.. If your equine is a full sized horse and you are not a basketball player then you will need to consider a prop to stand on. Obviously five gallon buckets are famous for this..or in the case of some draft horses a six gallon bucket.;) I've found that a strong and affordable plastic muck bucket is really great and there's less chance of falling off. Other ideas are a bale or stack of hay, a step ladder, a low chair or a stool. Props with legs are less stable on uneven ground so avoid them if possible. Many times the perfect prop is not available and you must improvise..just don't let your urges get in the way of safety for you and your mare. Be careful using fences to stand on so that you don't break them. If possible always stand on the fence at a post and on a solid board rather than where two separate boards meet the post. REMEMBER, if you carry any kind of prop like a bucket when fence-hopping it could be a damnable giveaway if you are caught. ..The Riddle of Steel.. Contrary to what many other horse FAQs and various well-intentioned zoophiles are recommending, I personally do **NOT** recommend steel-toed shoes or boots when working with full-sized (larger than pony) equine breeds because I have seen a sixteen hand stallion rear and land on one such boot once and the farm maintenance department had to remove the guy's trapped toes with a metal grinder before taking him to the hospital. I've heard all the arguments given by shoe salesmen and a few well-meaning zoophiles, some claiming their country manufactures better steel-toed boots than anyone else's, but my recommendation stands that any sensible equiphile or even simple horse groom will not trust their health to this type of footwear or you'll be sorry sooner or later. I'd rather suffer a few bruised or broken bones in my foot than have it pinned by a metal plate in a shoe to be sawed out of by a paramedic crew..no doubt which makes for a great local newspaper story. To be honest after decades of occasionally being stepped on by horses (shit happens) I've suffered no dire damages to my feet by simply wearing tough leather shoes or boots. Being aware and paying attention to your horse is key to healthy feet. If steel-toed shoes or boots make you feel safer when working with full sized stallions then simply bear in mind that they were built for light protection against things like dropped hammers, not as armor to withstand a thousand pounds or more of crushing weight and you assume the risk if a full grown horse crushes them in on your toes and traps them in there. CLEANING Hygiene is very important with a mare because you're dealing with internal issues. Please respect your mare's health and well-being by keeping nails trimmed so you don't scratch her vulva or vagina or deliver bacteria from under long nails into her. Wash both your hands and her genitals with a mild soap, making sure to remove all traces of dirt or feces from the lips of the vulva. Recommended soaps are regular Ivory bar soap, Castile coconut-oil soap and glycerine soaps without fragrance added to them. Never go from anal intercourse to vaginal intercourse without cleaning yourself off thoroughly first. If you fist a mare remember to wash all the way to your elbow before doing so. SEXUAL ENHANCERS ..Flavored Gels.. Many zoos find the smell of a mare's genitals and urine erotic enough, but if a little extra spice is what you like you could try flavored sex gels made for humans by companies such as Adam & Eve and spend the evening giving your mare fantastic oral foreplay. Remember to wash any left over gel off afterwards. ..Toys.. If you use a dildo, or substitute phallus, make sure it is clean and has no sharp edges on it. I do not recommend anyone turn on a vibrator in a mare or you might find yourself kicked through a barn wall or fence real quick. It would take a really trusting mare to accept the noise and vibrations of such toys. Do not totally submerge any vibrator or dildo that uses batteries into a mare's vagina out of concern for her juices seeping into it and producing an electric shock. I don't recommend vegetables or other foods because the risk of bacterial contamination is high, but if you absolutely must use them then please wash them well in hot water first. I wouldn't recommend something like iron Baoding balls since retrieving them could become potentially problematic for the horse. ..Nursing.. Some people get a turn on from nursing on a mare's teats. If a mare has a foal by her side this is a realistic objective, bearing in mind she still lets you do this and her teats are clean. A mare without a foal with her is likely to not have much of a "bag" and is consequently harder to reach her teats and puts you much more into harm's way. If your mare has a foal the best time to nurse is when the foal has started on one teat and the mare begins to force milk into her teats. You can watch the teats swell up as the milk inflates them, sometimes dripping or spraying out of them. Out of respect for the foal, I only nurse from one teat when I do this. A mare usually recharges her milk glands within half an hour. ..Lubricants.. The ideal, and humane, lubricant to use for a mare is water-based and without any fragrances or alcohol added. Silicone or oil-based lubes are difficult to remove, especially internally, and leave a residue that is not only obvious but also a nuisance for attracting dirt and debris around the vulva. KY Jelly or a generic equivalent is great for the purpose, although I happen to like J-Lube better since it doesn't break down as quickly under lengthly intercourse, which can ruin your mare's mood for a repeat performance. J-Lube is usually available in veterinary supply catalogs such as Jeffers. I also like to have a small, convenient portable plastic bottle with a pop-off cap that fits in my pocket since it is less bulky and clumsy than tubes of gel and easier to open and administer with one hand. INTERCOURSE ..Oral To.. Giving a mare oral sex is self-explanatory and best left up to each person's idea of what turns them on best. Bear in mind if you don't clean her up first you can be REAL sorry. Especially if others ask what is that stuff on your face.:) If you're adventurous you can time when your mare urinates and place your mouth in the stream, although you may find yourself accidentally swallowing some from the pressure of her stream inducing a lot of gagging, hehe. If you're into these water sports always remember that it is difficult to remove the scent of urine from a mare in heat without a good bath and other people do notice the smell even if they don't know what it is. If you're around other experienced horse people you can bet they will recognize the smell and it would arouse suspicions. ..Oral From.. Although it sounds enticing, I do not recommend putting your organ into a mare's mouth unless she's either so brain-dead that she doesn't notice or has absolutely no teeth at all. Some FAQs speak of a space between the front teeth and the rear molars where there are no teeth, but what they fail to mention is that unless they were pulled out when yearlings (some Thoroughbred farms do this) horses can have a canine-like tooth (called "wolf teeth") in this area on each side. It's an old throw-back to evolutionary times when horses had toes. Some farms remove them to avoid them interfering with a bridle bit. I know how hard a horse can bite the crap out of you, and how quick a horse's tongue can pull a finger into their molars and crush it. The very thought of this happening to "Mr. Happy Trail" sends shivers up and down my spine.:) Even if the wolf teeth have been removed it is still dangerous. Perform this feat of daring-do at your own risk! ..Fisting.. Obviously this is only meant for full-sized or larger horses. Some mares love this, but it's best performed only when they are in heat when the vagina is more receptive so to avoid bruising her inside. Use a good lubricant on your hand all the way to your elbow, even though you may or may not need that much length. Place your hand vertically with fingers pressed into a cone shape against the vulva and press in slowly. Remember that the head of a stallion's penis is normally smaller than a man's hand on entry so don't think that being forceful is simulating a stallion on entry. Be careful not to injure the delicate walls inside. Once your hand is inside the vagina make a fist out of it and slowly push and pull it in and out (but not all the way). Do not push hard enough to rupture her cervix and enter the uterus. The cervix is felt as a second opening at the end of the vagina. A typical vagina will admit your arm up to halfway between your wrist and elbow. Some mares will respond to the stimuli of your motions by contracting on your fist as it pulls against the floor of their vagina where the alleged "G-spot" is. If you're lucky you'll elicit an orgasm from your mare. If not, then perhaps you'll produce one yourself! ..The Approach.. This section is meant for approaching an unknown mare. Approach the mare always from their left side with a calm, low voice and slow movements. A sudden jerky movement, even a sneeze, can frighten some mares (this is especially true at night). Take time to comfort the mare with petting and easy talk to let her know you mean her no harm. If she's very nervous then don't push your luck and move on. If she's friendly then proceed. This is Crucial Point #1. Snap a small rope of at least 4' onto the halter and hold onto the end tightly with your left hand. This will lessen the chance of a bad-tempered mare moving forward and kicking at you..it forces her body to turn away from you if she moves forward (If a mare tries to run away from you while a rope is attached, try your best to turn her neck toward you with a yank and keep her in a circle..if she keeps her neck straight you'll never win the tug-o-war and she'll be gone with your rope). With your right hand slowly rub on her back, working your hand along the back until you come to the base of the tail. Do not try to "cop a feel" under her flanks, especially if this is her first time, this is a move best left to well-experienced people who know their mares very well. Slowly and gently rub your fingers down into the crevice where her tail meets her body, penetrating as far as she's willing to let you. This is Crucial Point #2. Watch the mare intently while doing this. If she pins her ears back, clamps her tail down tight or moves away from you then it's an obvious sign she isn't happy with your approach. At this point you can try more patience with the possibility of injury if you fail, or move on. Some mares simply are not accustomed to being approached in this manner by humans and you must earn their trust that you mean them no harm. Others are insistent they not be touched in that area and mean business. A mare showing acceptance is usually indicated by a relaxation or even lifting of their tail to allow your hand access to her anus and vulva. Slowly caress this area fully in an attempt to learn its details such as whether she is sutured shut, has problems defecating on her vulva or has skin growths (gray mares sometimes develop tumors under their tails). Watch the mare this entire time to judge her reaction to your touch. If the mare trusts you enough and there is light for a visual inspection then so much the better, but still go through the motions of letting her get used to your touch on her genitals and watch her reaction. If you still have either no reaction or a positive one, then proceed with cleaning her vulva off. Once this is done slowly begin working a lubricated finger into her vulva and watch her reaction as your finger penetrates her. Some zoos prefer using a finger joint for this, I prefer simply using my thumb since I've had better success with it. This is Crucial Point #3 that will determine whether or not she will allow intercourse with her. If she is not opposed to your finger, then spend some time working it around in her and along the length of her vulva. Most mares will wink on your finger as it caresses the floor of their vagina. This is a visible contraction of her vulva muscles around your finger which briefly exposes the clitoris. If she still shows no sign of opposition you have a green light to proceed with something better than a finger. ..Male Interaction.. If you're having to stand on something, mount a mare by slowly easing onto your prop..preferably not having to hold onto her to help. Some mares new to intercourse with humans will tend to be nervous until they realize your full intent and will move around a lot when you try to mount them until they become accustomed to your actions. As long as it is only a mare not being sure rather than a mare expressing her disapproval then you may try loosely tying them to a post or wall. You'll have to use your own moral guide in this. We at Playhorse do not condone forcible intercourse. After mounting, caress her a bit on top of her butt to remind her you mean no harm while slowly your other hand gently pushes her tail to one side and is used to ease yourself into her. Always pay attention to her behavior and move at a speed she finds acceptable. Most mares unless in heat do not like fast or rough pumping action, especially if they have a partially sutured vulva or recently had a foal. Some mares when not in heat do not like being held onto by the hips and will move away. In this case try intercourse by resting your palms on top of her butt or failing this do not put your hands on her butt at all. If the mare is in heat bear in mind your clothing may get soaked in urine. The rest is up to your imagination and what you and your mare desire. If you're fence hopping it may be a good idea to make sure you leave no handprints on a mare's back and erase any sign of a bucket, etc.. ..The Big "O".. Mares can vary in their sexual appetites just as humans can thus you can't always expect every mare to orgasm to the same stimulus..or even at all. Some mares will respond intensely to sexual stimulation, others may show no sign that they care at all. If you are lucky enough to have a mare that does achieve orgasm it will usually be described as a sudden lifting of the tail, clamping down of the vaginal muscles and arching of the back followed by an exhalation oftened described as an audible "OOOF!!" from her. This can happen once, several times or more depending on the mare and some mares can be pleasured this way repeatedly at intervals of rest. Some mares may even ejaculate urine during an orgasm. ..Anal.. When performing anal intercourse with a mare make sure to use a generous amount of lubricant, I do not recommend saliva as it is a poor lubricant and is loaded with bacteria. You may want to make an adjustment for the increase in height you'll need for your prop. Anal intercourse can be a tighter fit than vaginal, if you're not shy of the occasional horse feces (LOL), and consequently be sure to take extra care not to be too rough on a mare's anus. Breaks in the rectal walls can cause serious infections. Do NOT go from anal intercourse to vaginal intercourse without a serious cleaning up first. The health of the mare always comes first with any true zoophile. CROSS-HUMAN CONTAMINATION While I am opposed to the sharing of horses to others for sex on moral rounds, this advice is for those who have no such scruples. There are extremely few diseases that can be contracted directly from a mare, among them `CEM', a gonorrhea-like bacterial infection which can be prevented with good equine genital hygiene. However there are a plethora of diseases out there that humans can transmit to you such as gonorrhea, Herpes, and potentially AIDS just to name a few when you have multiple humans sharing intercourse with a mare. Most human diseases do not infect mares, but they can be carried on the surface or vaginally long enough to be transmitted to you under the right conditions. Use safe sex when more than one human is involved, even if it means wearing a condom. When you share a mare with other humans as far as any diseases are concerned you are virtually having sex with that other human. ..EquAdept If you feel you would like to contribute data to this FAQ please feel free to contact us. PlayHorse@hotmail.com Special thanks to Pegasus, Possum and Donkeyot for their editing help.
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PlayHorse | ![]() |
written by possum , December 2000
Fencehopping may be defined as illegally entering the property of another for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with animals that are not your own. Its a high risk, low yield activity, and carries legal and moral implications. It is however, the only outlet for many equine zoophiles, particularly young ones, and was how I and many others got started. I neither endorse, nor discourage fencehopping, for that is an individual decision, but acknowlege that it is practiced. I hope this guide will reduce the risks and increase the benefits of the activity for those who do chose to take part, particularly younger fellow travellers. I grew up prenet and had to work it all out for myself. Like parachuting, fence hopping is a sport where it is better to learn from the mistakes of others, I hope the lessons of my last 20 years may be of assistance.
Background
As a teenager, I knew nothing about horses, I grew up in a big city, in a non horsey family. But I had powerful desires, I just wanted to be with horses, to pat them, to hold them, to bury my face in the mane and to smell them to have sex with them even. I didnt even know if it was possible. I never suspected there were others. I didnt know how horses behaved .if I went into the paddock, would they attack me? bite me? kick me? I spent hours just standing around in paddocks at night, just to be with horses. At first, I made little progress, the horses would spook whenever I approached, I couldnt even get near them. But over time I learned, I got closer, I got to touch them, first on the neck, and then more and more rearwards until finally, after 3 years(!!) of effort, one black mare just stood still and lifted her tail to the side and let me have her. I will remember the sense of peace and rightness as I entered her until my dying day.
What are the best places (and the worst) to look for horses.
Despite the mechanisation of agriculture, horses remain popular in western societies. In Australia for instance, there are over 40 million horses! The outskirts of most towns and cities are abundant in horses. The safest strategy is to reconnoitre in advance in daylight, or better still to only fencehop in your local area. The best paddocks are relatively small, perhaps one or several acres, contain only one or two horses and are on established horse properties, but not too close to houses. The hundred acre paddock with 25 horses in it is likely to contain horses that are not in regular human contact, and the herd dynamics make it very difficult to establish rapport with any particular horse .its very likely that the alpha (lead) horse will butt in or run off, taking the herd with her, at an inconvenient time.
Take note of the nature of the fencing (its much easier to quickly and silently get through a simple wire strand fence than it is to get through a barb or mesh one), and of the presence of dogs. I would strongly advise you not to fencehop onto any property with dogs. Whilst you could generally sneak away from a human under the cover of darkness, all the owner has to do is to let a barking dog off the chain at night and it will find you.
I would also strongly advise you not to enter into any buildings, stable complexes etc when fencehopping. These restrict your vision, and may contain night watchmen, sensor lighting, cameras or alarms. In particular, do not go into racing stables, transports may arrive at any time of night, and the working day for racehorse people can start as early as 3 am the next morning. You are safest when you are in the middle of a large paddock with escape routes on all sides. One of my best strategies when I was young was to join a riding school and take lessons. School horses are generally quiet, and in this way I got to know about horses close up, and also I learned the lie of the land in the stables, had an excuse to be there, and knew the horses in person too.
Fencehopping equipment what to take and not take
What you dont take is more important than what you do take. Above all I cannot stress the importance of not taking anything that might identify you if you drop it , or if it falls out of your pants or off your belt. I once had my pager slip off my belt in a paddock, and had to sneak back the next day to find it.
The things I do take include the following
Dark clothing .I have a black poachers jacket with lots of pockets
Trousers with a belt (so you can loosen your trousers without em dropping around your ankles)
Horse treats ..usually a few carrots chopped up
A lightweight rope halter ..more on this later
A small bottle of water and a handkerchief
Small digital camera more on this later
When and where
Having identified a suitable paddock in advance, I walk there if possible. Much of my fencehopping has been done within a km of home, avoiding the need for transport. If the distances are greater, a bicycle is the next best bet, as it is silent and easily concealable. Beyond that, a car is required, but this introduces the problem of parking ..cars are easily identifiable, by your neighbours or passing police patrols, either of whom may want to know what you were doing parked there at 0100 in the morning. I know also of instances in which fellow zoos have had their bicycles or cars stolen whilst out fencehopping .one even had to get his mum to come and pick him up(eek!). If you do take a car, I would recommend you park it some distance away and walk to the paddock.
What time is the best? For obvious reasons, most fencehopping is done under cover of darkness. I have fencehopped mares in broad daylight in the open, but this was foolhardy.
I usually wait until after 11pm. Be aware that lots of horse owners feed, rug or check on their horses before going to bed, so its best to wait until the house lights go off.
What nights are the best? The best nights are those which have a gentle breeze. This will help cover the noise of your escape should you be disturbed, and also keep your smell away from dogs provided you are downwind. Avoid very windy nights as this unsettles the horses and increases your risk of injury. An inbetween moon is best, not so dark you can see nothing, and not so light others may see you .I call this a jumpers moon. Note that your eyes will accustom themselves to even near pitch black, giving you an advantage over anyone who comes out of an illuminated house or vehicle. Ground conditions may also play a minor role, if it is very wet, you may leave tracks that mark your visit, and if its very dry, twigs and grass may crackle underfoot, again reducing the chance you may slip away if disturbed.
What season is best? Whilst spring and summer are the times you are most likely to find a mare in season, this may be a mixed blessing. Whilst nothing is more fun than a slutty mare in season, many mares are receptive to a gentle approach, even out of season,others become dangerous squealers or kickers in season. I have fencehopped throughout the year.
How I approach the horses
I like to enter the paddock fence making clicking sounds so the horses can hear me. I approach obliquely, and dont look the horses in the eye (a predator looks directly at its prey, and approaches it directly). Often I will stop some distance away, turn my back and wait. Most horses will be curious at this, and after a few minutes will come over to check you out (those that dont are probably too flighty for success any way). Once I feel the horse come up to me, I turn and slowly hold out my hand for the horse to sniff. Then I offer a treat, usually a piece of carrot.
Next I gently rub the horses neck, then work my way slowly backwards along the upper part of the back. A word of warning .dont just dive under the horses flank and have a feel .this is the horses most sensitive spot. Rather, gently work your way rearwards along the back, then over the rump until you can feel the tail. Stand facing rearwards next to the horses left flank. (note: you are much safer in close , where a kick cant develop full power, than at a distance.) I make gentle circles with my fingers on the rump, inching closer and closer to the tail, then retreating. Finally I stroke along side the tail, in the groove between tail and butt cheek. I may then be able to gently dip my fingers under the tail, or the horse may lift it, revealing one or 2 exhausts. If its a single exhaust model (ie not a mare) I usually move on and seek another horse, (though in my experience most geldings are quite happy to accommodate you). If the horse turns out to be a mare, I usually take out my rope halter and put it on (note lightweight rope halters will fit in a large pocket and avoid the jangly buckles of synthetic halters). The reason for this is NOT to restrain her and force her to submit against her will .indeed if you try that,you will get hurt. Rather, the purpose of the halter is to remind the mare to stay put for the next half hour or how long it takes, rather than wander off to graze. Remember also that it is normal for a mare to walk around a bit whilst being covered and even one step is rather a nuisance for those of us reliant on height adjusting devices. Note however that you must not tie it rigidly to anything, but rather to a piece of string that will break if the horse is startled and pulls back.
Next I return to the stern and see how receptive she is. Again standing adjacent the left flank (most horses are predominantly handled from the left side and will be much less comfortable with you on the right), I gently rub the crack beside the tail, I let my fingers brush across her puss, then retreat. Look for signs of annoyance, especially ears back or tail swishing.. Squealing is another danger sign as it is often followed by a kick. If any of these signs occur, she is not receptive and you should respect that.
If she shows no signs of opposition, I moisten my fingers and gently dip the fingers in. Ive noted however, that many mares dont really like the fingertips and you may have more luck if you bend your fingers, and rub gently with the finger joints. If she is accepting of all of this, I next lift the tail and gently lick her puss or rub it with my nose (if its soiled, I clean it with the handkerchief and the water from the bottle). Take care to keep standing adjacent the horses hip, not directly behind in the kicking zone. Ive found if I get this far that most mares love it when you do this and the tail will often go up. Its fun you can often suck a whole mouthful of puss in !
Next, I go back to the fingers in preparation for my entry. The fingers are rougher and harder than the tongue or the knuckles, so be very gentle. Some mares will dance around a little if you do this, though with gentle persistence most will then stop and let you mount them.
If Ive got this far, its time to try to enter her. In most cases, a height adjustment device will be required. I DO NOT bring one with me its just too obvious if you are busted on someones property carrying a bucket or a box. I have used rocks, feed bins, troughs etc in the past. Ive even had mares stay lying down, or back up to fences or troughs for me. I position the bucket or whatever, and step up quietly talking to her and reassuring her (you are a predator in her delicate spot remember) . If she is still accepting of the fingers, I gently slip in and enjoy. I would suggest you be extremely delicate, not grab her round the flanks or shag her too violently. Remember this is a mare who doesnt know you, automatically classes you as a predator, and may get scared if you are too rough.
Once you have finished, tell her shes a good girl, give her another carrot or whatever and let her go ..she will be more receptive next time remember if you are nice.
Probability of success
Fence hopping is a high risk, low yield activity. I have fence hopped for over 20 years, and have had sex with over 80 different mares in that time.When I first started, it took me 3 years before I got lucky the first time (admittedly, I knew nothing of horses when I started, and had no help) Over time I found my skills at approaching horses steadily improved, to the point where I am now successful about 80% of the time with mares that do not know me, and 99% of the time with my own girls. In general, I would think the average novice fencehopper would have about a 20% chance that an unknown mare in a paddock will be accepting of his advances. Establishing deep rapport with a mare can take a long long time however, one of my home mares recently began to consent to sex only after 18 months of gentle getting to know you . Once they know and trust you, however, many mares will be receptive virtually all of the time, regardless of whether they are in season or not.
Safety issues
Fence hopping should be viewed as a stop gap measure (until you can get your own personal animals at home) It is fraught with risk. You might be busted and outed, or worse still shot or beaten up by a property owner, or kicked by an irate mare. Be choosy in when and where you visit, and TAKE A MARES NO FOR AN ANSWER . In my case,I had to learn it all for myself, and even so, I only got kicked twice in 20 years both times because I persisted when I should not have. On one of those times I had to stitch up my own penis without local (eeek) . Its up to you whether the risk justifies the benefit, but if you follow the rules, the risk can be minimised. A final note, in fencehopping someone elses horse, you run the risk of becoming attached, even deeply attached, to an animal you have no control over. One day you may go there and find she is gone, be aware of that. On the brighter side, I found 2 of my special zoo mares fencehopping, and was subsequently able to buy them, so some stories do have happy endings.
What about stallions and geldings
This guide is principally about fencehopping mares, although as noted geldings can be a useful port in a storm if a suitable mare is unavailable. I would caution against fencehopping stallions however. Stallions can be volatile unpredictable creatures, and are pretty hard to get off any ways .this is not a job for beginners.
Cameras
I like to carry a small digital camera with me when I go visiting. I deeply regret not having pictures of many of the mares I have been close to over the years. I have found I can take very good flash photos in total darkness without startling the horses or attracting the owners attention. Im careful however, to only take photos well away from houses, and its the last thing I do, so I can slip away if any lights come on in the houses. Realise also, that the camera carries evidence of what you have been up to, should the police pick you up subsequently.
Conclusion
Fencehopping is not an easy undertaking. Horses are prey animals and humans are predators. Horses are innately suspicious of humans, especially unknown humans that sneak around their paddocks at night. Be prepared to invest a lot of time in learning about equine behaviour and in getting the trust of the horses you visit. Indeed, before you even attempt fencehopping, I would recommend you spend as much time as you can learning about horses in daylight find the local riding school and take lessons its an important part of the equiphiles experience. Once you do go visiting, dont act like a predator, dont sneak up on horses, be prepared to wait for them to get your trust. ( For a good discussion of the predator/prey concept, and of horsemanship in general, I highly recommend Pat Parellis book Natural Horsemanship). Most importantly, I hope you respect and love your horses. If you do, I hardly need to tell you to respect their feelings and only engage in consensual sex. If you engage in horse rape, you are not only a contemptible individual, but you will very soon get hurt or killed.
The Golden rules of fencehopping
Love and respect all horses, and act accordingly
Dont go into buildings, stables etc
Dont carry ID
Dont go near dogs
Dont fencehop stallions
Do take no for an answer
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PlayHorse | ![]() |
Answer: Farms as a rule love people who
love horses,
but consider this first...
This was written for those horse lovers in the United
States who might be interested in pursuing employment
at a horse farm now or in the future. It is intended
only as an idea of what you could expect in the horse
industry based on my experiences and those of a dying
breed, professional grooms, that I knew across a wide
range of breed care from Andalusians, Arabians (Polish
& Egyptian), Quarterhorse, Saddlebreds and
Standardbreds to Thoroughbreds in hunter/jumper and
racing. Your actual experiences, should you pursue
this path, may vary slightly.:)
And now, a few words. What you are going to hear may
sound more like a rant than useful information. This
is because all I have to draw on are the experiences
my co-workers and/or friends and I have all had in the
horse industry and by and large beyond the occasional
tryst with horses the times were not pleasant. Sadly
the fact is there is little to be positive about. The
pay is terrible, benefits are usually non-existant,
you will work outside regardless of the weather, you
must work weekends & holidays and routine hours are 6
days a week so you seldom have more than a single day
off each week. In return for sacrificing much of your
personal life you'll receive little but the
pleasurable presence of horses so you'd better hope
the `fringe benefits' are often. Why is the picture so
dismal you ask? It's due to several reasons; the
invasion of illegal Mexicans forcing professional
grooms out, the poor economics of the horse industry
which has gone downhill since George H. Bush in the
late 80's took a bite out of agricultural tax shelters
after promising "no new taxes," and most of
all..unscrupulous, elitist farm owners and management
that would rather sell their own mothers before giving
up an extra dime to pay you a living wage because of
their contempt for lower workers like you and I.
US vs. THEM, Relationships With Management
When you begin working on a farm at first sometimes
the job seems fantastic, but you should always wait a
minimum of two weeks, possibly up to a month, before
making a judgement. No job is perfect and there's
always down sides, but you won't see this from the
outside and interviews only give you the positive
spin. Within a month you'll usually find out what
negative aspects of the job you will have to contend
with..some which are sprung on you without notice. The
number one cornerstone of any job is the person in
charge, who can either make your job fantastic or a
living hell. As a general rule the majority of horse
farm owners and management view their employees as
peasants who are beneath them. They do not feel fair
and equitable treatment of employees is relevent since
a massive cheap labor force of illegal immigrants is
waiting out there to replace you. In fact I've worked
on farms that catered to illegal Mexicans and
discriminated against American citizens so NEVER trust
your boss to stick up for your job. Skill and
experience are no guarantee of job security as they
were in the pre-90's when a class of professional
grooms existed. Most of those people have since left
the horse industry for better work. Now days job
security is how hard someone can kiss the boss's ass
and agree with everything he/she thinks despite right
or wrong or what harm it may do to horses. Thinking
for yourself is detrimental and enables blame-seeking
managers to dump all responsibility for misfortune
onto you. Believe me you'll go before they do. Do only
what you're told and always cover your ass first and
foremost if you want to survive in the business. The
majority of farm owners and managers cooperate to
preserve the status quo in that employees are
expendible and that all they deserve is hard toil,
long hours and just enough pay to scrape by
on..nothing that they would subject their Royal selves
to. Anotherwords do not expect any respect for you as
either an employee or a human being no matter how
friendly your relationship is. Always keep a
professional distance from them and *never* trust
their word, especially when it comes to raises. Horse
farm owners and managers can truly represent the
finest that humanity has to offer in petty analism,
stuffed egos, narrow-minded ignorance and outright
stupidity that threatens the health of horses. They
will literally watch a farm go under and out of
business before they admit doing something wrong. They
are afraid of change or the successful ideas of others
because it threatens their position. There are
possibly a few farms out there that care a great deal
for their employees, pay them well and give them
respect for having a life of their own beyond the
farm, but they are few and hundreds of miles
in-between. If you genuinely find one, consider
yourself VERY lucky! Generally the farms think you owe
them and they own your life simply because they did
you a `favor' by hiring you and giving you a paycheck.
No Cavalry Coming To Your Rescue
In some states you may be considered a migrant
agricultural worker and not have the protection of
many normal labor laws. Florida is just one of these
states. Anotherwords you're at the mercy of your boss
with few laws other than minimum wage and the
requirement to pay you for your time. There is no
protection from Wrongful Termination or being
blacklisted for having accepted Worker's Compensation
in the past (it raises their insurance rates to hire
someone who's taken Worker's Comp.) and little help
for racial or sexual discrimination. I've seen farms
win against discrimination lawsuits time and again,
mostly because many of them are owned by corporations
who can crush your lawyer like a bug and ruin your
life. In addition many agricultural states have
"fire-at-will" amnesty for farm employers where they
do not need a reason to terminate your employment.
Never depend on other farm workers to back you up in a
legal case against the farm because the farms will
retaliate against them with impunity.
WHAT'S IN A FARM
And now with that out of the way here are the ways in
which I can best define to you the industries of horse
care. These descriptions are something I put together
years ago to easily help people understand the nature
of different business in an organized fashion..
A SHOW farm is a horse business that derives its
income from stabling, training and Show fees and the
subsequent eventing and sales of horses based on
physical appeal, breeding lines and skill. This
industry encompasses the widest variety of horse
breeds. Unfortunately it offers the fewest benefits,
lowest pay and longest hours. Often called a hobby for
the rich because of low profit and uncertain future,
it's definitely only for someone who loves the show
arena, the opportunity to learn how to train horses
and the chance to ride them. Most of the horses are
geldings, but mares and stallions are not uncommon.
A RACING farm is a horse "business" that derives its
income from the breeding, raising and sale of horses
along with racing purses. Breeding is everything and
anyone will breed to a horse that crosses the finish
line no matter how bad the conformation. I say
"business" because unlike the show industry the
Thoroughbred racing industry as a rule has fixed
hours, paid vacation, fixed days off, it's possible to
get promoted to management, you're not required to
travel and they're more likely to pay you for extra
hours. In otherwords they tend to operate more like a
non-agricultural business as opposed to the chaotic
nature of pay and hours on show farms. The
disadvantage is that you're unlikely to be able to
ride any horses or do any training due to the expense
of the horses, preferences for licensed and
experienced trainers, and riders who fit jockey
qualifications on english saddles. The nature of horse
work is more assembly-line routine with less attention
to detail and can become monotonous over time. The
horses are a mix of mares and stallions with some
geldings.
The following descriptions can be used in combination
with the above;
A horse STABLE is a horse business that leases out
space in its barn or in paddocks to people. The amount
of the lease depends on the level of care. Stables
typically deal only in adult horses and no breeding or
foaling takes place.
A horse FARM is a horse business that operates a
breeding and foaling facility. It then raises, trains
and sells horses of varying ages. Some farms take in
client horses to breed or train to make ends meet, but
typically most of the horses are their own.
A RANCH is a business that is a mixture of horses and
cattle or other livestock. A ranch typically sustains
itself on the sale of such livestock more than income
derived from horses, therefore its focus is on the
raising of livestock rather than horses.
DAILY HOURS
The working hours on racing farms are usually fixed
and based on a weekly salary while show farms have
flexible hours and rates. For example on Thoroughbred
racing farms the hours may be 7am-4pm, 1 hour for
lunch, every day like clockwork..while an Arab show
farm you may start at 7am and simply work until things
are done regardless how long it takes and lunch is
negotiable. On a Saddlebred farm I once began work at
4am and worked until noon, took lunch, then worked
until 5pm. All of this despite assurances I wouldnt be
asked to work past noon..and no I didn't get paid for
more than 8 hours. That isn't to say that I never had
my fill of unpaid overtime on race farms either. Farms
will take supreme advantage of you if you give them
free time. Be professional, work only the hours you
agreed to work when you took the job or you'll be
sorry and the job will turn into a living hell as they
steadily decrease the free time. ALWAYS keep your
personal life and your job separate..that is IF you
want a life of your own!
PAY & LOCATION
The pay rate on horse farms is pretty dismal compared
to more skilled jobs. On average a groom will start
out at or barely above minimum wage and after many
years of experience will hit a glass ceiling of $450 a
week. Racing farms sometimes start out at $350 a week
average..with show farms paying considerably less.
Remember this is for 48 hours a week. This is the norm
for states like Florida, Kentucy and New Jersey. If
you live and work in California, Texas or New York
then God help you pay the rent! Florida, Tennessee and
a few southwestern states do not have State Income
taxes so it's a bit easier to attempt survival on
horse farm pay in those states. At present I've been
told by migrating employees that Texas has the lowest
paying farms in the nation, which comes as no surprise
with the flood of cheap illegal workers there. I'm
sure California must be close behind. Washington state
and South Carolina seem to be growing a small
promising horse industry that is primariy show
oriented. As for the racing Thoroughbred industy the
state of Kentucky is highest in farm population,
Marion County Florida is #2 with over 700 farms, and
the New York/New Jersey area #3. Pay between the three
states is about equal. There is no more competition
where illegal immigrants are concerned. As for show
farms, beware of places that call you a "working
student" and use the excuse that they are teaching you
things in place of paying you a salary to live on.
Teaching is great, but it doesn't pay the rent, buy
you food or make the car payment. If they won't pay you
enough to live on then they must make allowance for
you to work a second job (yeah, right).
OVERTIME??
Some show farms may pay overtime, although the rate is
negotiable, however racing farms *never* pay
traditional overtime. You may get the same flat rate
you make all day long, if you get paid at all, but
time & a half went the way of professional grooms and
professional management. It will be up to you to
confront your employer for any unpaid time, but don't
depend on the Labor Board to help you. Even if they
do, government moves slowly and it will be months
before they review your case. Overtime, especially
during Sales, Breedings or Showing events, is an
arrangement you *should* discuss before taking the
job. Be wary of employers that want to substitute pay
with hours off instead (sometimes called Comp Time).
Working for free was called indentured servitude in
the old days. If your employer tries to cheap out on
overtime hours, whether you're working Sales or at a
Show on the road where days can run 12 hours, it's up
to you to either work for free like a sucker or leave.
As for days off..
On a show farm days off are often flexible and never
guaranteed, expecially during show circuits where
you're touring around a region. I once went 3 weeks
without a day off during a show season although upon
return from the show I was allowed to take 3 days off,
in addition to my normal days off, in any order I
wanted them. This is the opposite of race oriented
farms where a day off is guaranteed and routine with
the exception of breeding and foaling season should
you be working in a broodmare or stallion barn. A show
farm may allow you to select any day to have off and
usually grooms pick Saturday or Sunday which works
well for most small farm owners. Race farms, however,
normally have you choose between Monday through Friday
to select off. Saturdays are reserved for assistant
managers to be off and Sundays reserved for the farm
manager so they can stagger always having someone from
management around. This is crucial during foaling and
breeding season. Most farms, both race and show, allow
you to take some or most of Sundays off in addition to
your day off or at the least make it an easy day. This
has been a tradition for generations on farms, but
lately with the evaporation of religious values (or
any values in general) and generally not giving a fuck
about the employees on farms I'm seeing more and more
asshole managers making people work the entire Sunday
as just any other day. Myself, I refuse to work those
places when other places are paying the same rate for
5 1/2 days.
LIVING ON A FARM
Here's the stickiest part of farm life and ironically
it's the one that zoos seem to flock to..the prospect
of living on a farm full of horses literally at your
fingertips. Living on a farm does provide some
benefits such as (for the most part) living rent-free
and in some cases also being provided free cable TV
and electricity. It helps drastically to reduce living
expenses to where horse farm pay is enough to get by
on and put money away and it does give you much easier
access to horses without having to jump fences. I
think you'll find that it's a trap. Most grooms spend
their money freely since they have so little to spend,
and they never put any away, therefore setting up a
cycle of being dependent on the farm housing. This is
dangerous when considering that employment is unstable
on farms and even farms can go out of business without
warning. Right around the corner management is waiting
to bleed you dry and make you pay dearly for the free
room. One of the greatest "surprises" you'll encounter
after you move onto a farm is the fact that there is
no such thing as `overtime' anymore. You are now
on-call 24 hours, 7 days a week. In an example once,
after a storm had passed through, the people who lived
on the farm were required to work until 2am cutting
and cleaning the owner's driveway of limbs, raking his
yard and picking up scattered garbage while the
off-farm people had gone home at 4pm..and no we did
not get extra pay for it nor even a "thankyou,
peasants!." We DID have to get up at 6am for a full
day of work the next day! Things like that are
expected of you as they have you by the balls. There's
also the enevitable "What raise?? You live on the
farm..that *IS* your raise!" Worst of all, should you
become discontent or fired, is the "you have 2 hours
to get off my property," and you may have to find a
way to move your possessions without being arrested
for trespassing. Nothing sucks like losing both your
job AND your home at once. Oh yes, and hope to God you
don't have to share an apartment or mobile home with
Mexicans or you'll be ever SO sorry and I mean it.
THE PEOPLE YOU MEET..
There is a significant difference between working in a
race oriented industry and working in the show
industry. The people you will encounter in these two
industries live and work different lifestyles in
conjunction with their jobs. There are also large
differences between the routines of a racing farm and
a race track even within the same breed. Routines on a
racing farm are much more relaxed than at a track and
vary so widely that there is often friction between
farm workers and track workers.
Show farms, last I worked for them, still had the
highest count of actual American workers. Many worked
for cash under the table, had deals where they
exchanged work for boarding their horse or rent or
even sexual favors..but rarely did they make good
money. They are good people for the most part with the
only wide-spread vice being alcoholic bashes after
attending a show..although drugging horses has become
a problem. You'll also find the highest percentage of
homosexual grooms, trainers and owners in the show
industry. Don't ask me why, it's a mystery, but I've
never had any problems with them beyond the typical
arrogance of riders and trainers.
Working on a race track usually means 7 days a week
with 3 afternoons off so life is different. Most of
your co-workers are Americans or legal immigrants
since tracks require a Paramutual License with a
background check to work in the back. That doesn't
mean alot of document fraud doesn't go on, but you'll
likely find more Puerto Ricans than Mexicans and at
least they pay taxes. Life is much faster paced and
the vast majority of people you meet are conceited as
hell, LOL! Especially the jockies, which are called
`pin heads' on the farms because of their arrogant
attitudes. I won't focus on track life too much
because the potential to be intimate with horses is
nearly impossible in that setting. There is simply too
much people traffic and security.
IN GENERAL..
Working on any farm means dealing with the dredges,
literally the bottom of the barrel, of society. Once
the farms brought in cheap illegal labor and the
professional class of grooms and management left there
was a vacuum that brought in all sorts of unsavory
elements. Farms as a rule do not do background checks
because of their 'wink & nod' policy of catering to
illegal labor. Some do drug testing, but without
random testing most addicts know how to beat the
system. The result of the `full open door policy' is
that most of your co-workers will be of the following;
drug-addics, alcoholics, illegal aliens, ex-convicts,
people on the run from the law, high school dropouts
and others who simply have failed at everything else.
Farms have decided that although they may spend
millions on the barns and vets, when it comes to
employees saving a few dollars is much more important
than the quality care and handling of their horses. Of
all the above, the most destructive are illegal
aliens. They not only suppress wages and benefits, but
they are not animal lovers and don't give a rat's ass
about the care and welfare of horses. They're only
here for the money, nothing else. I have yet in 22
years to meet one that knows how to handle a horse and
they all lie about having experience. In my
experience, there is no such thing as a Latin horse
person. No, they are NOT decent folk like everyone
else..not when 99% of them break immigration law,
commit document and ID fraud, refuse to pay taxes
while you and I pay for their free hospital and
welfare, steal from the farm and other employees, get
stinking drunk every payday, refuse to bathe and stink
to high hell, and to top it off..normal folk do NOT
piss and shit all over the bathroom toilet, walls and
floors like a neanderthal.:P This is something I've
seen on dozens of farms.
Managers belong to the `failed at everything else in
life' catagory. The vast majority of them got their
jobs not from their qualifications, but through
know-who and kissing ass, so you have tons of
incompetent management out there that don't have a
clue how to handle horses or employee relations. Farms
laugh at people with so-called `degrees' in Equine
Science, Equine Management, Equine Reproduction and so
on.. Those people are more likely to have their
applications tossed! They don't like people who have
the experience and think they know it all, not to
mention very little is done according to any textbook
written by some armchair intellectual who's never mucked
a stall. On a farm it's either their way or the
highway. Your education means nothing to them. Ask any
Mexican! Your best chance at being hired lies in your
previous farm experience, how many callouses your hand
has, and most importantly who you know! Managers cling
to the `zero-sum-gain' concept whereby they believe
they can spend little time or money and make vast sums
of money in return. However anyone involved in any
type of investment (or reality) knows that you get out
what you put in. If you invest little, your returns
are little. You cannot get something from nothing.
Horses are the same way and the quality of their care
and handling shows, not only in the sales arena, but
to anyone with a brain. Farms that spend little to
nothing on quality grooms with talent and experience
or quality management that is actually educated and
can work WITH employees instead of against them, are a
waste of your years. Don't grow old with nothing to
show working for those types of bums. They do not
deserve your support.
COPING WITH HORMONES
Obviously the reason you'd be considering this is
being close to horses. Working with horses on a farm
you will of course get an eye-full of genitalia and
possibly breeding. If you want to be successful and
not attract suspicion you *must* be able to control
yourself and know that there is a right time and a
wrong time for the zoo in you. If you cannot adopt a
frame of mind to keep from, say, getting an erection
while watching horses breed, sticking your finger into
a hole while brushing a tail or feeling a stallion up
while brushing his stomach at a time when there are
people or cameras around then you will fail and be
caught and at the very least fired. In any case your
horse career will be over and any non-zoo friends you
made will evaporate. Ask yourself if you have the
mental fortitude to work with horses in a normal
capacity without getting aroused or doing something
that would attract another employee's attention..at
least until the time is right. Use sound judgement on
timing. There is no such thing as being too cautious
or even paranoid. Paranoia is total awareness! If you
don't feel that you can do this, then this job is
definitely a disaster waiting to happen should you
take it.
OVERVIEW
Now that you've seen the farm industry through my eyes
I hope you'll make a more informed choice. Carefully
weigh the benefit of being with horses that you maybe
cannot afford to have on your own verses all the abuse
you might be subjected to, not even considering the
high cost of getting caught with a horse that is not
your own. Farms as a rule love people who love horses,
and they will use you for all they can get until you
are burned out..then once you are no longer useful
they will discard you. It can make you have a heart of
stone in the end. I myself, have paid this price. The
best advice as always is to work towards having your
own place with your own horses and leave other
people's animals alone. Whatever your decision, I wish
you luck.
EquAdept