Breeding a Mare

Miz Khiz · 08-02-2003, 03:18 PM

Is this time of year a good time to breed a mare? she's in heat right now and I have neighbours down the road who told me they would be willing to use their stallion.. I REALLY want her to have a foal.. but I don't want her to foal in a bad season..
How long exactly do mares carry foals.. I've always thought it was 9 monthes but correct me if I'm wrong!!

Dawn · 08-03-2003, 10:08 AM

It's around 11 months. This is an alright time to breed. I personally would have done it in the spring. You also must consider whether or not your mare and/or the stud is of breeding quality.

PawNHoofPrints · 08-03-2003, 05:29 PM

Personally, I don't think horses should be bred unless both the mare and the stallion are at a minimum good conformation and athletic ability, above average preferred. Too many people breed wanting a baby, but don't have enough experience to raise and train a foal.

Mares carry their foals about 325 days so at this point would probably be a little late in the season. Most people breed between February and April.

You must also consider the financial aspect of it. It will cost a lot of money for vet care during your mares pregnancy, and you'll also need extra money set aside for the unexpected--problems in delivery, ill after birth, etc. Plan on putting a good $1,000 to properly put that foal on the ground. You must also weigh the risk of losing your mare during the foaling process.

Before you breed her, you should also have your vet do a pre-breeding exam on her to make sure she is healthy enough to be bred and carry a foal to term, and that she's anatomically built to minimize problems during delivery. You may also consider blood typing and genetic disease testing. If she's a quarter horse, you also should make sure she's HYPP negative first, or if she's an Arab, CID negative (pretty rare now). Your vet could tell you genetic pitfalls for your breed to avoid to that you may want to consider testing them for first.

You did not mention her age, but the older the mare, the more likely problems are to occur.

Read up on breeding between now and next spring and be knowledgeable about the process and then consider doing it at that time.

horse_crazy · 08-04-2003, 12:15 PM

NO..........dont breed now! you will have a really late foal.....and it really will just get eaten away at a young age! and it will be a bad time to wean!!!! we try to breed in the months of.....March through and the latest is June.If you go to http://www.dreamhorse.com/ and go to the foaling calculator(or something like that) you can figure out the ~about~ dates for foaling! We had a soem-what late foal this year, born june 11!Foals are nice but you really have to know how to handle a horse in order to teach foals good things! well good luck! i would aim for breeding your mare next year! dont just pick any ole stud.....find a good match with your mare. look for conformation, attitude......and if you want color! lol!

Miz Khiz · 08-04-2003, 07:17 PM

Ok thanks!!

Yes we've already called in the vet and our mare can have a baby (she's 7 by the way

)

We have the experience becuase my dad had and raised foals when he was younger and I have helped train/raise foals in our neighbourhood.
We've been looking to have a foal ever since we got our other mare (which was 8 year ago) but she was not able to have one.. sadly we wish we could have one out of her because she is beautiful and having another one of her would be fantastic.. we've had people offering to buy her left and right but it wasn't meant to be!!

We only plan on having one foal with our mare now and we will wait till next year

08-02-2003, 03:18 PM	#1
Miz Khiz Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 1,304 Images: 38 Blog Entries: 121	Breeding a Mare Is this time of year a good time to breed a mare? she's in heat right now and I have neighbours down the road who told me they would be willing to use their stallion.. I REALLY want her to have a foal.. but I don't want her to foal in a bad season.. How long exactly do mares carry foals.. I've always thought it was 9 monthes but correct me if I'm wrong!!

08-04-2003, 07:17 PM	#5
Miz Khiz Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 1,304 Images: 38 Blog Entries: 121	Ok thanks!! Yes we've already called in the vet and our mare can have a baby (she's 7 by the way) We have the experience becuase my dad had and raised foals when he was younger and I have helped train/raise foals in our neighbourhood. We've been looking to have a foal ever since we got our other mare (which was 8 year ago) but she was not able to have one.. sadly we wish we could have one out of her because she is beautiful and having another one of her would be fantastic.. we've had people offering to buy her left and right but it wasn't meant to be!! We only plan on having one foal with our mare now and we will wait till next year

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08-03-2003, 10:08 AM	#2
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 30,113 Images: 1328	It's around 11 months. This is an alright time to breed. I personally would have done it in the spring. You also must consider whether or not your mare and/or the stud is of breeding quality.

08-03-2003, 05:29 PM	#3
PawNHoofPrints Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: USA Posts: 762	Personally, I don't think horses should be bred unless both the mare and the stallion are at a minimum good conformation and athletic ability, above average preferred. Too many people breed wanting a baby, but don't have enough experience to raise and train a foal. Mares carry their foals about 325 days so at this point would probably be a little late in the season. Most people breed between February and April. You must also consider the financial aspect of it. It will cost a lot of money for vet care during your mares pregnancy, and you'll also need extra money set aside for the unexpected--problems in delivery, ill after birth, etc. Plan on putting a good $1,000 to properly put that foal on the ground. You must also weigh the risk of losing your mare during the foaling process. Before you breed her, you should also have your vet do a pre-breeding exam on her to make sure she is healthy enough to be bred and carry a foal to term, and that she's anatomically built to minimize problems during delivery. You may also consider blood typing and genetic disease testing. If she's a quarter horse, you also should make sure she's HYPP negative first, or if she's an Arab, CID negative (pretty rare now). Your vet could tell you genetic pitfalls for your breed to avoid to that you may want to consider testing them for first. You did not mention her age, but the older the mare, the more likely problems are to occur. Read up on breeding between now and next spring and be knowledgeable about the process and then consider doing it at that time.

08-04-2003, 12:15 PM	#4
horse_crazy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,067	NO..........dont breed now! you will have a really late foal.....and it really will just get eaten away at a young age! and it will be a bad time to wean!!!! we try to breed in the months of.....March through and the latest is June.If you go to http://www.dreamhorse.com/ and go to the foaling calculator(or something like that) you can figure out the ~about~ dates for foaling! We had a soem-what late foal this year, born june 11!Foals are nice but you really have to know how to handle a horse in order to teach foals good things! well good luck! i would aim for breeding your mare next year! dont just pick any ole stud.....find a good match with your mare. look for conformation, attitude......and if you want color! lol!