how old is too old to breed????

kvmt10 · 09-19-2005, 11:02 PM

ok we are interested in putting some mares into foal. they range from 5 years to 15 years. im a newcomer to breeding but will be working with an expert when the time comes.
what would you say is to old or to young to breed out of????
thanx in advance

horse_crazee · 09-20-2005, 12:17 AM

as young as 5 thats all i know

Pony Pals · 09-20-2005, 08:17 AM

like 19 yo for a horse

Nes · 09-20-2005, 08:38 AM

Yes 19-20 is fine to breed at but you should talk to the vet, a broodmare can continue to carry sucessfully after that age but may need a little bit of help from the vet.

I wouldn't breed younger then 5 but if I remember correctly mare reach sexual maturity about the age of 3 and could sucessfully carry the foal, but are more likely to have the babe cause damage to them.

Nes.

MyBabyTex · 09-20-2005, 10:58 AM

Too young, 5. Too old, 16.

I would not be breeding a mare older than 16 for health reasons. ESPECIALLY a maiden mare. IMHO.

Caterina · 09-20-2005, 11:51 AM

Are any of teh mares madian? with new mommies there's always an increased risk, as well as slightly older ones, however at 15, I think you might be ok.

Have a good long conversation with your vet, and read everything you can get your hands on regarding breeding.

Also remember to have breeding-soundness checks done on all mares!

Good luck!

titan1 · 09-20-2005, 12:10 PM

We bred a maiden mare at age 11 yrs of age, she did fine. You can breed them right up to 20 yrs of age as long as they are bred every year. At older ages if you quit breeding for a few yrs then try again it is harder for the mare to catch.

Blistering Winds · 09-20-2005, 03:49 PM

You don't have to breed a horse every year. Every other year for older horses is more ideal from what I learned.

the older a horse gets, the harder it is to settle them. If they are older and never had a foal, it is even harder since their repro sometimes shuts down completely and you may need to hormone therapy them to kick them back into gear. But I don't suggest that unless you have an IMPECKABLE mare.

Why do you want to breed these horses? What would they bring to the world from their side of the genetic pool that is worth keeping? is there anything about them that might pass on that is bad? NO the stallion won't "correct" the mare's genes. You might get lucky and the foal take after the sire, but they still carry the genes to pass onto their foals that causes problems.

Ok, enough lecturing. LOL

prettyqtrs · 09-20-2005, 03:58 PM

BW is right you don't have to breed them every year. Some mares yes, it is easier if they are bred every year. We have one mare that has had previous foals, and she is just easier to settle if she is bred year after year. Other mares can and will settle just fine if you breed them one year and then they get a year or more off.

I'm gonna say that 15 is sliding into the older catagory...but has she had previous foals? If she has, and they weren't TOO long ago..you might be okay. But, always take each horse as a seperate individual...look at their health, why you want a foal out of them, can you handle multiple mares and foals, ect. Then of course their over all conformation, personality, ect. When breeding always try to find comething that is just as good if not better than your mare, and hope that you get a nice foal. Take her weaknesses and try to find a stallion that is strong in that area....and vise-versa. Yes there's always going to be that possibility that a "bad gene" or "bad genes" will come back or be passed on...but that's always going to be something that you are "risking" or taking a chance at when breeding.

Best wishes!!

shanny328 · 09-20-2005, 04:24 PM

You would probably be ok I wouldn't go over 20 yrs. Of course there are always risks but I don't think that 15 would give you a problem.

09-19-2005, 11:02 PM	#1
kvmt10 Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2005 Location: NSW Australia soon to be North Carolina U.SA! Posts: 3,082 Images: 83 Blog Entries: 68	how old is too old to breed???? ok we are interested in putting some mares into foal. they range from 5 years to 15 years. im a newcomer to breeding but will be working with an expert when the time comes. what would you say is to old or to young to breed out of???? thanx in advance __________________ Katie ♥I will love you always and forever my 3 beautiful angels♥ "Insanity is a just a State of Mind" - Hawkeye Pierce http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTlrSYbCbHE Respect yourself and the Rights of others. I have been repeatedly snowballed. If only it snowed where I live!

09-20-2005, 12:17 AM	#2
horse_crazee Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Australia, Sydney Posts: 1,653 Images: 153	as young as 5 thats all i know __________________ *< <\* v\|v) c c)

09-20-2005, 08:17 AM	#3
Pony Pals Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: upstate new york hicktown USA Posts: 1,413 Images: 149 Blog Entries: 4	like 19 yo for a horse __________________ *A TRUE LOVER* OF *HORSE FLESH* IS *A 15 YEAR OLD FEMALE*

09-20-2005, 03:49 PM	#8
Blistering Winds Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Augusta, Kansas Posts: 31,979 Images: 831 Blog Entries: 17	You don't have to breed a horse every year. Every other year for older horses is more ideal from what I learned. the older a horse gets, the harder it is to settle them. If they are older and never had a foal, it is even harder since their repro sometimes shuts down completely and you may need to hormone therapy them to kick them back into gear. But I don't suggest that unless you have an IMPECKABLE mare. Why do you want to breed these horses? What would they bring to the world from their side of the genetic pool that is worth keeping? is there anything about them that might pass on that is bad? NO the stallion won't "correct" the mare's genes. You might get lucky and the foal take after the sire, but they still carry the genes to pass onto their foals that causes problems. Ok, enough lecturing. LOL __________________ HGS is a very powerful, addicting place that is just as bad as cigarettes, however healthier for you AND your horse.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Good Reasons to Breed Grade Horses?	SeaSide81	Horse Breeding	65	11-02-2005 08:25 PM
best time to breed??	Love2TrailRide	Horse Breeding	7	08-04-2005 10:32 AM
Breed Good Horses: It Might Save Them a Lot of Abuse Later in Life!	Sandra-A1	Horse Breeding	9	04-03-2005 08:30 AM
Guess The Breed!!!!!!	ILuvDancer	Forum Contests	42	11-05-2004 09:30 AM
what breed to breed her too lol....	Midnight Felicity	Horse Chat	10	01-05-2004 08:03 PM

09-20-2005, 08:38 AM	#4
Nes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Kemptville Posts: 778 Images: 39	Yes 19-20 is fine to breed at but you should talk to the vet, a broodmare can continue to carry sucessfully after that age but may need a little bit of help from the vet. I wouldn't breed younger then 5 but if I remember correctly mare reach sexual maturity about the age of 3 and could sucessfully carry the foal, but are more likely to have the babe cause damage to them. Nes.

09-20-2005, 10:58 AM	#5
MyBabyTex Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 3,194 Images: 66	Too young, 5. Too old, 16. I would not be breeding a mare older than 16 for health reasons. ESPECIALLY a maiden mare. IMHO.

09-20-2005, 12:10 PM	#7
titan1 Full Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Alberta,Canada Posts: 114 Images: 15	We bred a maiden mare at age 11 yrs of age, she did fine. You can breed them right up to 20 yrs of age as long as they are bred every year. At older ages if you quit breeding for a few yrs then try again it is harder for the mare to catch.

09-20-2005, 03:58 PM	#9
prettyqtrs Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 3,115	BW is right you don't have to breed them every year. Some mares yes, it is easier if they are bred every year. We have one mare that has had previous foals, and she is just easier to settle if she is bred year after year. Other mares can and will settle just fine if you breed them one year and then they get a year or more off. I'm gonna say that 15 is sliding into the older catagory...but has she had previous foals? If she has, and they weren't TOO long ago..you might be okay. But, always take each horse as a seperate individual...look at their health, why you want a foal out of them, can you handle multiple mares and foals, ect. Then of course their over all conformation, personality, ect. When breeding always try to find comething that is just as good if not better than your mare, and hope that you get a nice foal. Take her weaknesses and try to find a stallion that is strong in that area....and vise-versa. Yes there's always going to be that possibility that a "bad gene" or "bad genes" will come back or be passed on...but that's always going to be something that you are "risking" or taking a chance at when breeding. Best wishes!!

09-20-2005, 04:24 PM	#10
shanny328 Full Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 83 Images: 1	You would probably be ok I wouldn't go over 20 yrs. Of course there are always risks but I don't think that 15 would give you a problem.