[Quick2Skip01]

Poor lucy!!! I can't believe anyone would breed a horse at two years... Just yesterday, while I was at work a lady brought in this tiny little arabian mare... sooo cute, and typey.. she is only 4 years old and his going to have a baby in the spring... I was ahghast, about her only being four, and being pregnant.

[Lou3]

four years old and pregnant is OK, if she's four now she'll be five by the time the foal is actually born. two years old is a lot different to four. I wouldnt not breed a horse because of their height unless she's outside the breed standard. If everything else is spot on then there's no reason to cull her as a broodmare because of an inch difference in height.

[steph2005]

ok i'm not saying i agree with breeeding a young filly at two or three, but some people beleive that if they breed a young horse that is "wild" it will calm the horse down.

[Cheeky Monkey]

I know of many, many WB breeders that breed at 2yrs and the foals turn out perfectly fine, the mares grow as big as they are supposed to and they continue to breed throughout their lives and never have a problem.

[Blistering Winds]

Blister is pushing 15, MAYBE 15.1 if I'm lucky. Both his parents are 16.1 and 16.2

There is one other foal out of these two that is the same way. Both happen to be chestnuts and not bays as well. The other is 15 hands on the dot according to the owner.

NEITHER were starved, NEITHER were stunted.

So genetically, the "short" genes are in there somewhere.




As to breeding, Yes, breeding a young mare still growing, and not providing enough nutrition for the foal AND momma, can stunt the momma.

Those breeders that routinely breed young, also usually feed properly and keep the mares at a higher BCS to ensure that neither mare nor foal suffer in their growth and development.

Which is key to breeding young.

[horseluvr4ever]

I'd think that could have stunted her growth. I'd think the youngest to breed a horse should be 4, but I know people breed them younger.

[shrimpie]

oh my goodness, I cant believe someone would breed from a 2 year old, she is still a baby herself. We find when choosing sires for our mares to go back at least 3 and sometimes 5 generations if possible to see what heights and bloodlines are as they have a habit of throwing back..This years foal out of our 14hh mare and by a 13.2 stallion was, as a first foal expected to reach 13.2, and I took advice from my mares breeder on this, I now have a monster who will be lucky if she stops growing at 14.2! Going back 5 generations on both sides has thrown to light far more thoroughbred than riding pony, but as its a lovely foal and bigger ones are worth far more, I am quite happy with the result.

[tazz001]

We had an accident with a 2 yr old mini donk jennett. Our jack, Bunny, jumped the fence to be with his girls and Emma ended up getting preggers at the age of YIKES 23 months, very bad I know!!

She carried and delivered him fine (Thankfully) but the baby was teeny tiny and the young mom never got her full height, granted with minis smaller is beeter but hey..we never meant for her to not develop fully. Granted she is only a 1/2 inch shorter than her mother but ya know still not a good thing.

Emma is now 5 and we still haven't rebred her ad probably won't for a few more years as we are very happy with the herd we have now.

oh and the vet said there is no way she could be pregnant...HA shows you how much vets know.