Breeding question, swabbing mares...

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Gingernags

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Getting into planning mode now for finalising Asti's hubby and such like. Now I know my pony mare, when we bred Asti, didn't have great conformation - down there - and had to be swabbed, washed out and had a caslick.

Now when we put Byter in foal, she's got good conformation of that area and our vet - who has known the horse all along, said he preferred not to swab her as he knew she was a maiden and as such it is better to avoid swabbing which is then breaking into a sterile environment and can lead to more infections than if she was left untouched.

The stallion owner was happy with this and accepted the vets recommendation and allowed us to do that - though he knows us and the vet.

I'm thinking a stud would insist on a swab though? Not just the vets word that the mare is pure and untouched by vet nor beast?

And can you have the swab done at home by your vet rather than at the stud or is this at the studs individual discretion?
 
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I'm thinking a stud would insist on a swab though? Not just the vets word that the mare is pure and untouched by vet nor beast?

And can you have the swab done at home by your vet rather than at the stud or is this at the studs individual discretion?

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Can't imagine any stud covering your mare naturally without her being swabbed first. Amy was done by my vet, and I took the certificate to the stud when we took her.
 
I very much doubt ANY stallion owner would allow a mare within 6ft of his stallion without a swab and "clean bill of health" guarantee.

I know I don't and would never consider it.
 
A CEM is an external swab taken from the Clitoris and doesnt involve anything internal.
An endometrial swab is one taken from the cervix when a mare is in season.
Any reputable stud these days will not cover a mare without either of these .
Dont be fooled a maiden mare can have an internal infection just as likely as a many times foaled mare.
Both of these swabs can be done at home but the mare has to be in season for the endometrial.
We also expect mares to gave been blood tested for EVA.
 
Thankies, now its just a case of telling when she's in season, she is not an obvious mare! I only usually tell as there is a different smell to her in season, and we don't have any geldings that would maybe make it more obvious!

I'll have a chat with the vet when he's out for her injections.

How close to the mare going to stud would you get the swabs/blood tests done? I'd gather they will "expire" in usefullness after a while?

My pony mare was swabbed at the stud, but I worked there and it was the same vet that I had, but this one needs more planning! Plus as I say, the last one, the stallion just runs with a couple of their mares, he's about 25+ years old now and its just a very small hobby and the owner knows us, the vet and the horse and was happy to listen to the vet - though I know thats a very rare agreement they had.

I'd certainly not want to take any unecessary risks with my beloved ginger spacehopper!!!
 
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How close to the mare going to stud would you get the swabs/blood tests done? I'd gather they will "expire" in usefullness after a while?

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Amy was done a month or so before she went to stud. Like your mare - we had no idea when she was in season as she never really showed herself. So we put her on a 10 day course of regumate. When she came off it she came in to season (can't remember what the time frame was). You'll want to know all of this anyway because it will help the stud.

Amy seemed to shut down when she went to stud - and was due in to season two days after arriving. Because I had kept a diary of what she was doing I was able to tell them what day to cover her on even though she didn't seem to be in season.

She came in to season bang on time, and was covered with a 54mm folicle. So my hard work paid off!
 
Ideally within a month of her going to stud.
The CEM results take around a week to get the results and she wont have to be in season for these to be taken.
The endometrial results should come back in 24 hrs.
It is sometimes more economical to have the endometrial swabs done at the stud.
If she needs treatment it will certainly work out cheaper.
We are able to do our own washouts and flushes but it can work out expensive if the vet has to keep coming back to you where as most studs have vets in and out all of the time.
Some vets also wont leave you the injections that go with the AB wash outs.
We like to scan before covering just to check things out , mares can swab clean and still have an accumulation of fluid that needs to be dealt with.
The EVA bloods again take about a week to 10 days.
 
The two stallions I have in mind, neither are proper studs as such, they just stand their (single) stallions, so i think it would be getting things done before she goes and dealing with most myself, I will ask of course, can't just turn up with her without asking what they want!

But thanks, will have a chat with the vet too, see what he wants to do ie about the regumate to get her in season so I can start keeping track...
 
Just a thought,
Make sure that stallions are CEM swabbed and either EVA tested or vaccinated for the current year.
There are still studs about that dont do this , if they dont please dont put your mare at risk.
 
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