Horse Jobs – Breeder

Man standing with a blue eyed horse

The horse breeder is just one part of a working breeding stable – and more often found in larger establishments. They generally report directly to a breeding manager, who oversees the operation.

A Demanding Position

This is a physically demanding position and one that requires the ability to successfully manage excited stallions, but also show compassion and consideration to working mares. Anyone who chooses this position must love the animal and be very aware.

What You Need

This is a position which benefits from lightning quick reflexes, strength of body and character and a firm belief in teamwork to accomplish goals.

The ability to think on their feet, a thorough knowledge of horseflesh and nerves of steel are all qualities well suited for being a good horse breeder.

Job Description

Breeding encompasses more than just the physical act, from that point there is 11 months of gestation and then foaling itself. Facilities dedicated to horse reproduction range from a one-stud barn to breeding on a more commercial scale. The larger the establishment, the more dedicated and specific the job description becomes.

Responsibilities

Handling stallions mares for live breeding
Observation & care of pregnant mares
Assisting members of staff and management with various duties
Semen collection & artificial insemination
In small establishments – more specific in nature
Working with owners to streamline processes
Communication with different parts of the industry

Requirements

Being a breeder doesn’t require a textbook education per se. There is no book that can teach a person how to handle a stallion when they are fired up. Experience may weigh far heavier on resumes than most types of formal schooling with many establishments. However, a degree in equine reproduction or equine science are beneficial in many ways (and may be required to work at larger facilities).

Resources

A few places to start if you are interested in a career as a breeder.

*Links open in a new window
Equine Reproduction

The Right Job For You?

If this isn’t your dream horse job, you can find more horse job descriptions on our careers page.

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32 Comments on “Horse Jobs – Breeder

  1. mary

    hey I was just wondering if this was the right job for me I love horses and I want a hands on experience with horses but I cant be a vet because i could never cut up a horse and feel happy about it in the end.

    Reply
    1. grayson

      me to i could never cut open a horse. so im thinking about being a horse breeder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Reply
  2. Jessica

    Hey Mary, I’m just like you, I was also wondering if horse breeding was the right job for me because I to could never cut up a horse and feel good about it in the end. I love horses more then anyone else in the world and wondered if you had any suggestions for a job. Thanks!

    Reply
    1. not required

      So you love horses more than ANYONE else in the world huh!!! Wows, you must have a very special love to make a statement like that!!

      Reply
  3. Hollie

    Hey!
    I was wondering if this was the job for me, I love dealing with foals, but would be a little weak with the stallion.

    I was planning on doing Mounted Police.

    🙂

    Reply
  4. AM

    Im in the 10th grade and I have exactly the same problem as everyone here! Im planning on becoming a stud manager (its something like a breeder only you also manage the whole farm…) or a rehabilitation therapist. Im also a too weak to work with the stallion…

    Reply
    1. Mack

      Honey, a Stud is a stallion. If you can’t handle a stallion then you definitely can’t be a stud manager, in normal terms that is a Stallion manager. If you are planning on managing the entire farm than there is no way you can do it without working with the stallions…

      Reply
  5. Unknown

    Hey, i love horses more than anything and i wanted to be a breeder, i’m still looking on websites for different jobs.Could any one give me any job ideas??? (9years experenice wit horses) 🙂

    Reply
    1. icenfire

      um i thing a riding instructor whould be great i have been around horses since i was 3ish and i still ride to this day and i am looking at that.

      Reply
  6. ILOVEGEORGE

    um if you havent noticed you need to be able to handle a stallion if you wanna be a breeder.otherwise find another job

    Reply
  7. equinereproductivespecialist

    honestly, there are a lot of aspects to being a breeding management that you can not learn in a textbook. Every stallion is different especially when it comes to collecting from a stallion. You have to learn and understand what will make the horse preform his job with the most maximum performance. This maybe be knowing the proper temperature when collecting semen in the AI or knowing a certain mare he loves to tease before hand. Also there is a lot of things that can damage a stallions labeto (as silly as it sounds it is true). Also,I must state the the people that are answering are right as harsh as it sounds. I don’t mean to be rude but the equine industry can be a hard industry to break into and it is not for everyone, my equine professors have ever stated this several times. In college we had to pass something called pathway, it challenged us of 3 years of interning, writing papers of what are going to attribute to the industry, and we had several interviews with different panels from the industry to see if we were cut out for it. Anyone who is interested in reproduction should intern, research, there a tons of different jobs in reproduction… sorry this is so long, I just briefly touched on a few things.

    Reply
  8. Mindnight Ride On a Pinto

    In my case with horses I delld with Piants and Apolsaoas I dremed of cumbin’ them but if i become a vet now what? I am in the the 6th grade and this is for a report.

    P.S Aploosas where about destored by the goverment.

    P.S.S Pinto come from the word paint in spanish

    P.S.S.S So sorry for the long thing

    Reply
  9. leslie

    I am tinking about it but i am a women and dont know if i culd di the stallion handeling. I have ben around horses and a cupple stallions wich were good.. have helped in introducing the stallion, never hade somthing wrong happen, just need experiense, currently i am looking to take equine science class due to i am 17 and geting my GED soon, but i dont know how to gein the nesesary experiense to know if i am up in straingth for the job.

    Reply
    1. Bslia

      Cool! I have been drawing horses since I was 6. I also have a deep love for them. Does anyone think this is the right job for me when I grow up? ( I’m 11)

      Reply
  10. Bslia

    I have been drawing horses since I was 6. Do you think this is the right job for me when I grow up?
    ( I’m 11)

    Reply
    1. Graham Johnston

      For Bslia

      So you have been drawing horses since you were 6. I do not know what you want to do when you grow up, but if you become an artist, you could always draw horses and sell them – especially racehorses. Do not think too much at the moment, Just be yourself, and see how it goes.

      Reply

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