[pip15]

i have decided i want to breed my 14hh mare with a 16.3 dutch warmblood i have seen his filly and my mare will not being going far so i can see her why she is there. He is kind to his mares and gentle so she should be fine. The lady does 2 coverings. THe covering will be done naturally no foal money back.
I don't know how many scans they have to do when pregnant and at what time? Can they be ridden and do light competetion for a while? do they have to have special supplements when there pregnant?
HOw can i tell when i mare is due in season? or can a staillion bring her in?
answers would be great as this will be my first foal

[Luna9]

Id be worried about breeding such a small mare to such a large stallion.

[Rumonek]

Live cover, yes, I would be as well. Not only BODY size, but.... size in general

[Lou3]

I wouldnt be happy about live covering with such a big height difference.
I understand you probably want a bigger foal - BUT - mare size is the biggest determinant in foal size, and the size of the stallion will likely be very incompatible with your mare for live cover - I'd be extremely worried about him doing accidental damage - even if he is a perfect gentleman with his mares.

If you really want to use this particular stallion I would do down the AI route, if you are totally set on live cover then I think you need to find a slightly smaller stallion.

To answer your other questions, the first vet visit needs to be before you send her to be bred, you need a full breeding soundness check, cultures, cervix integrity, reproductive anatomy etc etc to make sure she is physically fit to carry a foal and does not have any latent uterine infection/fluid or other condition that may preclude her getting pregnant.

She should then be scanned soon after covering to check for pregnancy and make sure she is not carrying twins, if she is she will either need to be aborted and try again or if the twins are in different uterine horns you can have one twin "pinched". If this is the case she will then need scanning again to make sure that the pinching worked.

I like to do a second scan just before the foal becomes too big to remain in just the pelvic area and drops forward to check everything is okay. SOme people dont bother with this and really I think its just for my own peace of mind.

As far as riding is concerned, I always recommend not riding at all for the first month until the embryo attaches as the risk of miscarriage at this stage is very high. After that I do light work, including light competition (although I prefer not to do any jumping - flat classes and trail riding only) until about 2-3 months before the mare gives birth, after that I still like to pony her every so often. A fitter mare gives birth more easily. After the birth I generally give 3 months of absolutely no riding and then start to build up work gradually, I like to start getting the foal used to very short periods of separation (at first with a handler holding the foal while I ride in the field) at this time as well as it makes things easier when weaning occurs at 6-7 months.

[Sheza_Angel]

You can't possibly go AI with this stallion? We have a 16.3hh mare that a 14hh gelding mounted and I imagine that the other way around it would have been quite painful.

[pip15]

i really like this staillion to breed her with i didn't think staillion size would matter so there is no way it could happen without any damage. he mounted a 14.2 mare and she was ok don't want to hurt her but he is ideal to breed with so ai is a no no either

[Rumonek]

Why is AI not a possibility?

[pip15]

i am going to contact vet ask his opinion somebody said that the staillion wil take alot of the weight it just depends how far he goes in i suppose as they don't do it for long. A 14hh mare got mounted 15 times by a 16.2 and she was ok?
i really want this stailion to breed her with as he has great traits they don't do ai i don't want her damaged?

[doublebarr]

LOL, size doesn't matter, LOL!

Live cover, with a stud that knows it's business, with only a little more than 2HH difference is not an issue. She will be fine with size on either end, LOL. However, if she's a maiden, they may need to sleeve her so that he doesn't tear her when he breeds. If they've do this for a business and successfully, then the breeders will probably be able to take care of this for you.

You guys should see the size of the bulls that cover the cows. Talk about a size difference, LOL!

[pip15]

shes never had a foal before can they losen her a bit first i was wooried he would hurt her back or hit her cervix. it doesn't matter with people or dogs i thought horses wouldn't be much differnet i bet them bulls are huge and heavy and the cows can cope. thats reassuring anyone else agree with doublebarr