Behavioral Compatibility Analysisâ„¢ (BCA)
Developed by Kerry M. Thomas
The World's first breeding compatibility methodology built around the horse's operating system.​
"Every breeding decision begins with the horse."
~Kerry M Thomas
Every mating combines two pedigrees.
Every mating also combines two Behavioral Genetic Architectures from which a new operating system will emerge.
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For generations, breeders have asked two essential questions.
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Where does the horse come from?
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What is the horse?
Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ invites us to ask a third.
3. Who is the horse?
Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ (BCA) helps breeders make more informed mating decisions by evaluating not only inherited physical ability, but also the Behavioral Genetic Architecture that shapes the operating system each parent is likely to contribute to the next generation.
Why I Developed Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™
Throughout my career studying equine psychology, behavior, and performance, one question continued to surface.
Why do horses with similar pedigrees and comparable physical ability often become remarkably different athletes?
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For decades, that question guided my research, observations, and consultations with breeders, owners, trainers, and performance professionals around the world. As my understanding of the horse's operating system continued to evolve, so too did the methodology that would eventually become Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™.
Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ is a breeding methodology designed to help breeders better understand not only what a horse may inherit physically, but also the operating system that ultimately governs how those inherited abilities are expressed throughout the horse's life.
Following years of practical application, refinement, and continued research, Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ is now being offered publicly as a dedicated service for breeders seeking to incorporate the horse's behavioral architecture into their breeding decisions.
What is Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™?
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Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ (BCA) is a breeding methodology developed by Kerry M. Thomas that evaluates the Behavioral Genetic Architecture of two horses before they are paired for breeding.
Rather than focusing exclusively on pedigree compatibility, conformation, performance records, or commercial trends, BCA evaluates the behavioral foundations each parent is likely to contribute to the next generation and how those inherited qualities may complement one another.
Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ recognizes that every breeding decision not only combines two bloodlines, it also combines the behavioral characteristics inherent within the stallion and mare.
Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ does not attempt to determine what the foal will become. It seeks to improve the probability of producing an operating system capable of expressing inherited potential more efficiently.
The objective is not to predict perfection, it is to improve probability.
Why Does It Matter?
Because physical talent is only one part of the equation.
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The question is no longer simply whether two horses can be bred together. It is whether their operating systems should be.
Performance is never simply the expression of physical ability.
It is the expression of physical ability being managed by an operating system.
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That operating system influences how emotional energy is generated, harmonized, and directed throughout the horse's life. It shapes Athletic Intelligence, Competitive Duration, Stress Tolerance, Environmental Fluency, Emotional Economy, communication, adaptability, and ultimately how efficiently inherited physical ability is expressed.
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Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ helps breeders intentionally consider those behavioral influences before a mating ever takes place.
Because every breeding decision creates a life before it creates an athlete.
Every Evaluation
Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ is not software.
It is not artificial intelligence.
It is not an automated pedigree algorithm.
Every evaluation is personally performed by Kerry M. Thomas and reflects nearly four decades of international study, observation, research, and practical application in Equine Psychology, Behavioral Genetics, Herd Dynamics, Sensory Soundness™, Athletic Intelligence, and Competitive Duration.
Because every breeding program is unique, every evaluation is conducted within the context of each breeder's individual objectives.
No two reports are ever identical.
Each reflects an individualized assessment of the operating systems most likely to influence the next generation and the behavioral compatibility of the proposed mating.
Each Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ includes evaluation of the characteristics most likely to influence the next generation, including:
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Behavioral Genetic Architecture
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Operating System Compatibility
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Behavioral Compatibility
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Herd Dynamic Evaluation
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Emotional Constitution
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Competitive Duration
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Athletic Intelligence
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Environmental Fluency
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Emotional Economy
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Stress Processing & Thresholds
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Sensory Soundness™
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Behavioral Vulnerability Support
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Behavioral Genetic Objectives
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Long-Term Development Potential
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Commercial Considerations (when appropriate)
Every evaluation is performed within the context of the breeder's individual objectives.
Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ is built upon the belief that every horse deserves to be understood as an individual before it is evaluated as a mating.
How It Works
Step One — Let's Start the Conversation
Every successful breeding program begins with a conversation.
Whether you are selecting a stallion for a broodmare, comparing several potential matings, evaluating a stallion, or developing a long-term breeding strategy, the first step is understanding your breeding objectives and what you hope to achieve.
Step Two — Share Your Information
Depending upon your breeding objectives, you may provide:
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Broodmare information
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Stallion information
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A shortlist of preferred stallions (typically two to five)
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A group of broodmares for evaluation against a specific stallion
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Existing race videos
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Performance records
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Pedigrees
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Conformation photographs
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Breeding goals
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Commercial considerations
Don't worry if every piece of information isn't available.
Public race footage, existing observations, and available breeding information are often sufficient to begin the evaluation process. During our initial discussion, we'll determine what additional information, if any, would be beneficial.
Step Three — Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™
Each proposed mating is personally evaluated by Kerry M. Thomas using the Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ methodology.
Every stallion and broodmare is first evaluated independently to understand the Behavioral Genetic Architecture, behavioral stamping, each is likely to contribute to the next generation. Those operating systems are then evaluated together to identify areas of compatibility, complementary strengths, shared vulnerabilities, long-term developmental objectives, and the operating system most likely to emerge from the pairing.
Every evaluation is performed individually. No automated reports, templates, or software-generated analyses are used.
Step Four — Your Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™
Every completed Behavioral Compatibility Analysis includes:
✔ Operating System Assessment
✔ Behavioral Compatibility Evaluation
✔ Behavioral Compatibility Scorecard
✔ Compatibility Score & Classification
✔ Strengths & Shared Vulnerabilities
✔ Behavioral Genetic Objectives
✔ Projected Foal Outlook
✔ Behavioral Projection Confidence
✔ Preferred Pairing Recommendation
✔ Long-Term Breeding Considerations
How Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ Can Help
Selecting a Stallion
Determine which stallion best complements your broodmare's operating system, Behavioral Genetic Architecture, and long-term breeding objectives.
Comparing Stallion Options
Compare and rank multiple stallions to identify the pairing that offers the strongest overall Behavioral Compatibility and long-term developmental potential.
Evaluating a Stallion
Determine which broodmares are behaviorally best suited to a specific stallion and build a breeding strategy around the Behavioral Genetic Architecture he consistently contributes.
Developing a Breeding Program
Create a long-term behavioral breeding strategy by evaluating the operating systems throughout your broodmare band and identifying the pairings most likely to strengthen future generations.
Evaluating Existing Bloodstock
Whether assessing a recent purchase, planning future matings, or better understanding the behavioral strengths and vulnerabilities already present within your breeding program, BCA provides a deeper understanding of the operating systems influencing your horses today.
Built for Every Breeding Program
Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ is available for all breeds and disciplines, including:
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Thoroughbreds
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Sport Horses
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Warmbloods
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Quarter Horses
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Arabians
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Standardbreds
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Ponies
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Performance Horses
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Pleasure Horses
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Private Breeders
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Commercial Breeding Farms
Whether your goal is racing, sport horse performance, endurance, preserving valuable bloodlines, or producing a trusted lifelong partner, BCA focuses on the operating systems that influence every horse, regardless of breed or discipline.
The Third Pillar of Modern Breeding
Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ does not seek to replace pedigree analysis, physical evaluation, or the traditions that have shaped responsible breeding.
It seeks to complement them.
Pedigree helps explain where the horse comes from.
Physical evaluation helps explain what the horse is.
Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ seeks to better understand who the horse is.
Together, these three perspectives provide a more complete understanding of the horse than any one discipline can offer independently.
Every breeding decision influences the operating system of the next generation, Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ allows that influence to be more intentional.
Learn More
Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ was developed from decades of research into Behavioral Genetics, Herd Dynamics, Sensory Soundness™, Competitive Duration, Athletic Intelligence, and Equine Psychology.
To learn more about the philosophy, research, and scientific principles behind Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™, we invite you to read our Position Paper:
Who the Horse Is
A Position Paper on Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ and the Future of Modern Breeding
Ready to Begin?
Every evaluation begins with understanding your breeding objectives and the future you hope to create.
If you would like to discuss your breeding program or schedule a Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™, I invite you to contact me directly.
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Behavioral Compatibility Analysis™ evaluations are customized according to the scope of each breeding program.
Because every breeding decision is unique, quotations are provided following an initial discussion of your breeding objectives.
After all, few decisions will influence the future of your breeding program more than the one you make before your foal is ever conceived.
Because every great athlete begins long before its first stride.
