Breeding from a horse you have retired

Natch

Natch

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* This is not a dig a the person who disagreed with me on another thread: I just want a discussion and the other thread wasn't the right place*
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Is it okay to breed from your mare who has retired due to injury?

What are the main issues surrounding breeding a foal because your mare can't work any more?

Discuss please!
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I would say the two main issues would be if the injury was likely to caused by a hereditary weakness and how being in foal would affect the mare. Obviously if the mare broke a leg in the field or had some other freak accident, not likely to be hereditary. I probably wouldn't generally, but many do.
 
Agree with lindsayH - I wouldn't breed if possible foal could inherit a weakness e.g. i wouldn't breed from a navicular of kissing spine mare, or one with poor hoof conformation.

I tried breeding from my grade A showjumper mare who had fantastic breeding after she damaged her deep flexor tendon after xc schooling, but sadly she didn't want to have a baby! One vet at the stud raised the issue that maybe her body was concentrating on healing her leg rather than getting pregnant. Tried 2 stallions, she was cycling regularly and had dominant follicles appearing - still didn't work...don't know how much truth there is in that but it served as a possible explanation at the time.

However I wouldn't breed just because I felt like it - there are too many unwanted horses in the world, and too many with conformation problems. My mare was perfectly put together and had jumped grand prix tracks with previous owner so was pretty special. I wouldn't breed from a riding club type horse, don't see the point - easier and cheaper to go and buy a youngster!
 
If the injury was due to a freak accident I MAY consider it but as said above, there are plenty of nice youngsters out there and too many unwanteds so why not buy one of them?
 
I sent my 9 year old warmblood mare to stud after she damaged her hind suspensory for the second time. This was down to back luck not poor conformation. I sought my own vet’s advice, Rossdales advice & the stud vets advice. All had seen her & agreed she should be fine. The first year she did not take, but last year bred a lovely colt & is in foal again.
The alternative at 9 was to have her PTS. She has great breeding, but I have no room/time/inclination to breed myself so I did not want to keep her to do that. She was not the sort to just be a pet, she needs a job. I could not in all honesty afford to keep her as a pet/companion.
She is on permanent loan to the stud who think she is great. I get to see her & foal when ever I like. She is part of a herd & is a great nanny - once I went up & she had 5 foals on the floor asleep round her whilst the other mums went off to graze.
It has given her a new lease of life.
I am happy with my decision.
The vets monitor her closely & if it gets too much for her then we will sadly have to have her PTS. But at lest we have tried everything possible to give hr a long & happy life.
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Hiya -

Agreed - it is wrong to breed from a mare who has hereditary weakness this is cruel, let me get this across.

I also agree with linsayH that if a mare has had a field accident and had absolutely beautiful confirmation and talent / rare blood lines / previous sucessful career then perhaps it's not so bad.

I am currently breeding from my little mare for a few reasons 1. She has been amazing and done everything ever asked of her she is my partner in crime 2. Talent wise she could have done much more in the show ring if not for a 12" scar on her hip caused on a gate post but is completely sound. 3. I can no longer compete at intermediate level as I am 27 4. my Gran bought her for me and I could never part with her 5. I have the luxary of the exact breeding I want for my next riding horse and know both of the parents.

I know it seems symplistic but I have every intention to keep this foal, like I have kept my mare and if for any reason I have to part with it then hopefully I will have produced a well rounded, well bred, talented sports horse.

I hope this clears up the back ground of my views for the OP - You may well find fault with them but we all differ in opinion. I apologise if i seemed snappy but you got my back up a little bit ,nobody likes to be told they are wrong- sorry again
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I am also interested in what people have to say on this matter - but shall stand back from responding (otherwise I'll just end up making myself look like a cow/ troll
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Agree completely wit Bean88. I bred from my Grade A SJ mare after she was kicked on the hock in the field and I was intending to, and have, kept the foal.

Breeding can be very exciting but not without its problems. In many cases it is probably cheaper and less difficult to buy a youngster.
 
Agree with everyone else regarding hereditary conditions - including temperament.

Stronly against anyone breeding from a retired mare just so it is "doing" something. If you are going to breed a foal it should be for a reason - not just because you can. You need to know that you are either going to keep it because it will be a horse you can ride and afford to keep, or that you will be breeding something that will have the potential to do well in a particular field and will therefore have a selling point and will sell easily.
 
I personally have no issues with the'hobby' breeder. They are no breeding on a large scale and are usually using a retired favourite mare.

As far as conformation goes NO horse has perfect conformation whilst I wouldn't breed from something that was very badly put together or had a potentially hereditary defect a mare with minor conformation faults can breed a nicely put together, useful foal if the stallion is chose wisely.

My other and main bugbear about the 'don't breed from it' argument is the way everyone assumes people want to breed, or should want to breed a world beater. Don't get me wrong I would LOVE to breed a world beater but realistically how many people need/want/would be able to ride such a horse?? Most riders are happy with a nice sane little horse who will make a good all round RC horse and compete at the lower levels of affiliated disciplines. I don't see the shame in wanting to breed such an animal. I for one wuld be thrilled if the foal I expect next year turned into one!
 
QR

Thanks LadyLina83 for clearing that up - I had got the impression that you were of the opinion "She's retired - so let's breed" without further thought, and thats what exasperated me. I can see now that's not the case
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My own objections are to those who breed for the following reasons:

*They think a foal would be a cute accessory
*They are blind to a mare's obvious conformation faults (or think that their wonky legged mare and a long backed stallion should produce a short backed and straight legged offspring!)
*Breeding "yet another" of anything where there is a surplus: e.g. I feel it is wrong to breed two retired and unsuccessful racehorses, because they really are 10 a penny.
*Where there is no consideration for the offspring's future
*It is being done because "the mare might as well be being productive" (but is actually not ideal to breed from)

I happen to have owned and loved heinz 57 horses, and am not suggesting we don't breed these as they can make great riding school types or all rounders. I just believe we should consider any surplus of any breed/type on the market before breeding more, and ensure that regardless of breed/type we do our best not to produce more animals with faulty confo or poor temperament.
 
i bred my mare retired from comps due to a tendon injury- this was caused by an injury- cut to the leg- and nothing to do with conformation or any genetic weakness
depends on the mare- is she breeding material- ie very good at a job, well made, pref with good lines and temperment. is the injury going to hamper her carrying and brining up a foal in any way?
 
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