Should I Breed My Mare?

shanny328 · 05-14-2005, 03:30 PM

I have an Arabian mare that I use for Barrel Racing and circuit racing. I would like to breed her but I don't know about everything that is involved with it. I use her in shows and I don't know if I would have to stop riding her. How much does the foaling process cost?

mybabychiefers1 · 05-14-2005, 03:55 PM

It really depends on the stallion you breed her too, stud fees could cost anywhere from $300 to $3000. Plus they may charge for mare care and then there will be vet visits. Your mare would also need special supplements as she got closer to foaling.

As far as riding goes, youll have to ask a vet ...most of the time you can lightly ride the mare for a few months but when she becomes closer its not a good idea

hrnarabians · 05-14-2005, 04:37 PM

Cost will depend on many things. Stud fee, vet fees (AI or live cover), semen fees (AI or live cover), shipping if you need to ship the mare to the stallion. Multiply this many times if it doesn't work out the second or third try. If your mare needs any special vet work done to get and/or keep her in foal. Increased grain and hay during the last trimester, extra boarding costs if you board her somewhere. Registration and nominations of the foal....

First thing, find a stallion you like with a fee you can pay. Then call your vet and ask him/her what the cost would be to get your mare bred to this stallion.

SummerGold · 05-14-2005, 04:38 PM

Breeding and foaling are very expensive. You need to have the mare fully checked out by your vet before you even breed her, including health, vaccinations, a culture to make she can conceive and carry, etc. Then, you need to have the vet check for when she is ready to breed, which can take a couple of visits depending.

Then there are stud fees, which can include things like mare care (which is charged on a daily basis for most places, $5-$10 a day I think), collection fees, shipping charges (if you breed by AI), etc. That is not adding the actual fee of the stallion, which is commonly anywhere between $500 and $1,000 with many over that and only a few under (personally I would hesitate to breed to a stallion standing for only $100 or something, probably something wrong with him).

Then, after she is bred, you need her vet check to make sure she is carrying an embryo, then again further along to make sure she has not slipped and foal is attached inside. Then, usually one or two visits more to make sure there are no twins, etc. Then, there are charges for the mare being vaccinated during pregnancy (very important so the foal has some immunity in the first months of its life), and any charges if there are problems.

Then, when she does foal, there will be vet charges for him being there during the birth (if necessary), checking the foal, checking the mare, vaccinating the foal, etc.

And, if you want the foal registered anywhere, usually there are charges for a horse being registered that can include just plain paperwork, DNA-typing or -testing, etc.

Breeding a mare is a big, complicated, expensive decision. You need the right equipment (foaling stall, etc.), money for the vet, the stallion, etc. It costs thousands of dollars. I would think very carefully before I bred any horse myself. There are lots of good articles online and books to read that will help a lot as far as giving you idea of the work, etc. going into breeding a mare and getting a foal.

Also, from what I understand, you can continue to ride and exercise the mare the first 6 months of pregnancy, though I don’t think barrel racing or anything that fast and intense would be a good idea. You would want the mare to be in shape, but too much work could probably cause problems with her carrying the foal, same as human moms-to-be are told to be fit, but not to overwork themselves. I agree with double-checking with a vet though of course.

shanny328 · 05-14-2005, 05:17 PM

Thanks a lot that really helps.

PizzazzandMe · 05-14-2005, 08:23 PM

Is she registered?

shanny328 · 05-15-2005, 06:02 PM

yeah she's registered.

AQHA_Gizmo · 05-15-2005, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shanny328

I have an Arabian mare that I use for Barrel Racing and circuit racing. I would like to breed her but I don't know about everything that is involved with it. I use her in shows and I don't know if I would have to stop riding her. How much does the foaling process cost?

I would say *no* don't breed her, because you yourself said you didn't know anything about it!

Moostang · 05-15-2005, 07:13 PM

If you have to ask I would say no. But then I would ask, why do you want to breed her? Is is because you want a foal or because you wish to become a breeder?

05-14-2005, 03:30 PM	#1
shanny328 Full Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 83 Images: 1	Should I Breed My Mare? I have an Arabian mare that I use for Barrel Racing and circuit racing. I would like to breed her but I don't know about everything that is involved with it. I use her in shows and I don't know if I would have to stop riding her. How much does the foaling process cost?

05-14-2005, 08:23 PM	#6
PizzazzandMe Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,295 Images: 64	Is she registered? __________________ ~Chloe~ ~Sugar~ 13.2hh silver bay mare

05-15-2005, 07:13 PM	#9
Moostang Senior Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northern Calif Posts: 9,409 Images: 668 Blog Entries: 55	If you have to ask I would say no. But then I would ask, why do you want to breed her? Is is because you want a foal or because you wish to become a breeder? __________________ Sometimes I wake up grumpy, sometimes I let him sleep.. http://moostangproductions.com

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05-14-2005, 03:55 PM	#2
mybabychiefers1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Georgia Posts: 342 Images: 65	It really depends on the stallion you breed her too, stud fees could cost anywhere from $300 to $3000. Plus they may charge for mare care and then there will be vet visits. Your mare would also need special supplements as she got closer to foaling. As far as riding goes, youll have to ask a vet ...most of the time you can lightly ride the mare for a few months but when she becomes closer its not a good idea

05-14-2005, 04:37 PM	#3
hrnarabians Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: West Stockbridge, MA Posts: 334 Images: 50	Cost will depend on many things. Stud fee, vet fees (AI or live cover), semen fees (AI or live cover), shipping if you need to ship the mare to the stallion. Multiply this many times if it doesn't work out the second or third try. If your mare needs any special vet work done to get and/or keep her in foal. Increased grain and hay during the last trimester, extra boarding costs if you board her somewhere. Registration and nominations of the foal.... First thing, find a stallion you like with a fee you can pay. Then call your vet and ask him/her what the cost would be to get your mare bred to this stallion.

05-14-2005, 04:38 PM	#4
SummerGold Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 113	Breeding and foaling are very expensive. You need to have the mare fully checked out by your vet before you even breed her, including health, vaccinations, a culture to make she can conceive and carry, etc. Then, you need to have the vet check for when she is ready to breed, which can take a couple of visits depending. Then there are stud fees, which can include things like mare care (which is charged on a daily basis for most places, $5-$10 a day I think), collection fees, shipping charges (if you breed by AI), etc. That is not adding the actual fee of the stallion, which is commonly anywhere between $500 and $1,000 with many over that and only a few under (personally I would hesitate to breed to a stallion standing for only $100 or something, probably something wrong with him). Then, after she is bred, you need her vet check to make sure she is carrying an embryo, then again further along to make sure she has not slipped and foal is attached inside. Then, usually one or two visits more to make sure there are no twins, etc. Then, there are charges for the mare being vaccinated during pregnancy (very important so the foal has some immunity in the first months of its life), and any charges if there are problems. Then, when she does foal, there will be vet charges for him being there during the birth (if necessary), checking the foal, checking the mare, vaccinating the foal, etc. And, if you want the foal registered anywhere, usually there are charges for a horse being registered that can include just plain paperwork, DNA-typing or -testing, etc. Breeding a mare is a big, complicated, expensive decision. You need the right equipment (foaling stall, etc.), money for the vet, the stallion, etc. It costs thousands of dollars. I would think very carefully before I bred any horse myself. There are lots of good articles online and books to read that will help a lot as far as giving you idea of the work, etc. going into breeding a mare and getting a foal. Also, from what I understand, you can continue to ride and exercise the mare the first 6 months of pregnancy, though I don’t think barrel racing or anything that fast and intense would be a good idea. You would want the mare to be in shape, but too much work could probably cause problems with her carrying the foal, same as human moms-to-be are told to be fit, but not to overwork themselves. I agree with double-checking with a vet though of course.

05-14-2005, 05:17 PM	#5
shanny328 Full Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 83 Images: 1	Thanks a lot that really helps.

05-15-2005, 06:02 PM	#7
shanny328 Full Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 83 Images: 1	yeah she's registered.