Breeding from sound/unsound mares?

[SusieT]

How many of you breed from unsound mares, that has been caused by a soft tissue injury (tendon, ligament etc.?)
I'm curious, (I promise not to foist my views upon you all )

 

[Bennions Field]

I'm about to put my 4 year old mare in foal this year, providing she passes her grading, she has a shoulder sweeney, she damaged the nerve in her shoulder nearly 2 years ago now and has some degree of muscle wastage as a result, she's 95% sound, she has a slight weakeness on left turns, but other than this she's fine, she gallops around the field fine and manages to turn on a sixpence when she wants to, and doesnt seem to have any other ill effects, it more an unsightly dent in her shoulder than an unsoundness, I've of course checked with the vet and they have said it will do her no harm and she should have no problems. thankfully before I brought her as a 5 month old foal i looked into her breeding as well as looking at her confirmation, its going to pay dividends if she does get in foal, as I hope to be able to sell the foal once its weaned. It would be interesting to hear what other people have done if they have bread from unsound horses. It goes without saying that if there had been any chance of a hereditary fault I wouldnt be breeding from her.

 

[almorton]

yes!
but im gonna open a can of worms and say not if conformation caused it!

 

[stolensilver]

No I haven't and no I won't. Breeding from mares with soft tissue injuries is one of my bugbears and breeding from stallions with soft tissue injuries makes my head hurt!

 

[conniegirl]

It depends on the reason why they have a soft tissue injury.
I currently have a gelding who slipped at a show, hyper extended a leg and damaged a suspensory tendon. At 18 years old that was the first time in his life that he was not sound or that he has had any problems at all, Now at 20 he is back in work and the tendon is looking good.
If he had been a mare i would not have hesitated in getting a foal from him as he has beautiful blood lines, lovely conformation and is a genuinely pleasent pony to have around.

 

[eventrider23]

It depends on the injury and what caused it. Lets say it is a competition mare that did a tendon XC or something but is in herself proven and ok after injury just not ridable then yes of course I will nreed from her. or same...if ir was a wear and tear injury. If it is something likely to be caused by a genetic predisposition then heck no.

 

[Holly831]

Yes, I have and still do breed from her!

She damaged a tendon from being hammered too young - in no way is it a comformation issue or I too wouldn't have bred from her.

She was rising 7 and had 6 months box rest and was then turned out for the winter before being put in foal the following spring. She was, at that time, 100% sound and has stayed that way for the last nearly 5 years I have owned her. She has given me 2 cracking fillies (both retained), had a year off and is now due to foal (by Millenium)

In her case it was her old owner that caused the problem and she had so little feeling for her horses that she was happy to have her pts rather than spend the year it needed for her to recover. It confirms my stance on backing horses too young and allowing them time to mature before asking for serious work - Ellie was a dressage horse. I know this does not apply to all damaged horses and she was an exceptional case as a young mare with talent and great conformation and temprement who deserved a chance.

I would do the same again if the circumstances were similar and I could guarentee the injury was not caused/exacerbated by poor conformation.

 

[stolensilver]

Oops, I ought to expand my comment to say that if a horse went lame because of a humdinger of an accident then that is a different situation and I probably would breed from them. Its the horses that go lame during normal levels of work that are then used for breeding that upsets me.

 

[Clepottage]

It depends on the injury and what caused it. Lets say it is a competition mare that did a tendon XC or something but is in herself proven and ok after injury just not ridable then yes of course I will nreed from her. or same...if ir was a wear and tear injury. If it is something likely to be caused by a genetic predisposition then heck no.

Ditto.

My Samber mare who is in foal for a 2011 baby falls into this category. She was an excellent eventer with good conformartion who was unlucky enough to slip on wet going and damage the tendon over her hock. Following two operations at Newmarket she is now mechanicaly lame, and although she is in no pain will never be a riding horse again.

Breeding from horses with gentic disorders or poor conformation is a big no no in my book.

 

[zizz]

My mare did a tendon aged 16 she was left for 18months and then put in foal, she is what I'd call field sound, but would never be more than a light hack if brought back into work.