Future perfect

IF you plan to keep a colt entire for breeding purposes, it’s clear that he has to be something pretty special. But how can you tell if he really is a cut above the rest? And even if he does have the necessary wow factor, what are you letting yourself in for if you choose not to have him castrated?

Spotting stallion potential requires skill and experience, according to breeding consultant and former West Kington Stud manager Tessa Clarke, who explains that a likely candidate should stand out from the crowd at an early age.

“Of several mares and foals in a field, he’ll be the one that takes your eye,” she says, referring to that “look at me” presence that is born and not made. “It goes without saying that good conformation and