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- The key to a successful outcome in a breeding program begins with the
overall health of the mare.
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| 2 |
- Mares should be bred after the age of 3, and can be bred well into their
20’s.
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| 3 |
- A mare’s reproductive efficiency decreases significantly after the age of
12, especially if she has never been bred.
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| 4 |
- A typical healthy mare will first begin to cycle naturally in the spring
once the daylight hours become longer.
- She will be in a breeding heat
for about 3 to 7 days.
- It should be noted that many mares will not
display signs of a visible heat until she is in the vicinity of a stallion.
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| 5 |
- A mare will begin cycling (foal heat) within 3 to 7 days after foaling.
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- Older mares often have a harder time breeding after foaling because it
takes them longer to recover, or they have such a short "foal heat"
that is
easy to miss.
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| 7 |
- A mare’s body condition
directly affects her breeding ability.
- Broodmares need a body
condition of 5; on a scale of 1 to 9, 1 being extremely thin, 9 being obese.
- You should be able to feel her ribs but not see them.
- Be mindful that
both thin and fat mares usually don’t catch.
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| 8 |
- Make sure your mare has
been de-wormed regularly and that she is up-to-date on her shots.
- Your
veterinarian can develop a schedule that best fits your specific needs.
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| 9 |
- Have your vet do a pre-breeding
exam to make sure your mare’s reproductive tract is in order.
- This
exam is more extensive in an older or maiden mare.
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| 10 |
- Make sure that you have your vet perform a uterine
culture so that she doesn’t have a bacterial infection (this is a must for
most stallion owners).
- This procedure is not necessary if
the mare has had a foal within the last sixty days or if the mare is maiden.
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| 11 |
- Find a stallion with solid
conformation: solid feet; straight thick cannon bones; and overall good
conformation. His conformation should compliment your mare's.
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| 12 |
- Disposition is also very important. The mare has a lot to do with a foal’s
disposition because she raises the baby. However, the disposition of
the stallion is vital. Your mare may be gentle and quiet but if you
breed her with a hot-blooded stallion, don’t be surprised when you end up
with a hot-blooded foal.
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| 13 |
- Spend some time with the
stallion (and the stallion’s handler) so you can determine if he is right
for you and your mare. A bad-breeding
experience can result in a lifetime of breeding anxiety in your mare and for
you. Be sure you choose a good stallion.
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- Check the breeding facility
as well. Simply tying a mare to a fence post and breeding her is a
recipe for disaster. Make sure the facility has a sturdy and safe
breeding area. The stud fee should not be your primary consideration.
- Make sure that the personnel handling your mare provide her with the
gentleness that she deserves. You and your mare will be the better for
it.
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| 15 |
- Time your breeding to when you
would most like to have a foal.
- Typical gestation is about 11 months
11 days (342 days) depending on climatic conditions.
- Mares bred to
foal early in the season usually gestate longer.
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- After the breeding have
your veterinarian perform an ultrasound scan to determine if indeed your
mare is in foal.
- This procedure is best performed 12 to 16 days after
the final mating. This is also critical in determining if your mare
has twins. (Note: twins have a 97%
fatality rate)
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| 17 |
STAY AWAY FROM A BREEDER IF:
- He does not provide you with a "breeding contract" with
guarantees
- He does not require a negative uterine culture for your
mare. Remember diseases are transmittable!
- He does not require a health certificate for your mare.
- Has a young unproven stallion. Decide if want
your mare to be part of his learning curve.
- He seems not to know much about what he's doing.
Just because he owns a stallion doesn't make him a breeder.
- He field breeds his stallion. This could be a
sign of the stallion being unmanageable or the breeder not being capable
of handling his stallion in a breeding situation.
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| 18 |
Make good choices:
- Foals don't ask to
be born, these are human decisions.
- Ensure that you make these
decisions responsibly and not just from pure emotion.
- Far too many
horses with poor genetics have been produced that should never have been
born due to poor judgment.
- Your mistake could live 35 years.
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| 19 |
- Feed and work your mare normally. This will help
her stay fit and she will have an easier foaling. Don't overfeed
her.
- Pregnant mares can be ridden until their sixth month
without any problems.
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| 20 |
Lastly:
- Keep your pregnant mare off any fescue grass or hay
beginning or before the last trimester.
- Fescue grass/hay is linked to abortions and pregnancy
complications. If you don't know what type of grass you have, it's
probably fescue.
- Don't take any chances.
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