Buying a 5 1/2 year old mare that has had 2 foals. Could this have stunted her growth and could she grow more at this age?

CallMeKate

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Mare is a 15.2 trakhener. She's not in great condition now, a bit skinny. She had reasonable nutrition and care through her 2 pregnancies. Does anyone think that the foals could have impacted her long term health?
 

Xmasha

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If she has been given reasonable nutrition as you say then i doubt she will have a massive growth spurt. She may add condition and topline which would nudge her height up a bit. In years gone by Ive bought a couple of young underweight broodmares,who didnt grow anymore. One was a 15.3 mare who was very poor and had 2 foals by the time she 5. She improved in condition but thats about it. She was an Oldenburg.

ETA : as for long term health thats a difficult one. In theory it shouldnt do, but it could have put strain on her pelvis. So id be getting her checked by a physio before doing any work
 
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CallMeKate

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If she has been given reasonable nutrition as you say then i doubt she will have a massive growth spurt. She may add condition and topline which would nudge her height up a bit. In years gone by Ive bought a couple of young underweight broodmares,who didnt grow anymore. One was a 15.3 mare who was very poor and had 2 foals by the time she 5. She improved in condition but thats about it. She was an Oldenburg.

ETA : as for long term health thats a difficult one. In theory it shouldnt do, but it could have put strain on her pelvis. So id be getting her checked by a physio before doing any work
Thank you so much for your reply. Good advice about getting her checked before starting work. She is 15.2 which is fine! I bought her because I felt we could be good together and I see so much potential! The fashion for enormous dressage horses should pass soon (haha ;)). She will have some time off to rest and we will start very slowly.
 

CallMeKate

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If it's important to you that she gets taller, don't buy. It's possible but by no means guaranteed.
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Good advice, but I've actually bought her! If she stays 15.2 it's just fine! But of course an extra inch would be lovely! I was interested in people's experiences as I have never bought an ex brood mare before, or in fact had anything to do with breeding. The vet was a little scathing of the fact that she had only just weaned her second foal and was sent on a very long journey to be 'sold on behalf'. She's looking like she needs a bit of R&R!
 

Gloi

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I quite liked when I got young mares to break in that had had a foal or two. They always seemed a lot more mentally mature and sensible.
 

CallMeKate

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She seems great though a little anxious! The breaker (who wasn't selling her) said she would have bought her for herself if she had had space and that she was a very cool little horse! She has been under saddle since 3 and bought back into work between foals, but that 'work' has only ever been light hacking on the beach and in the forest, not too much schooling...so she obviously has a head on her shoulders! I'm hoping for great things (;) don't we always buy a dream)! She shares a Grandsire, Gribaldi, with the new Olympic Gold medallist, TSF Dalera, Gribaldi was also the Sire of Totilas, so I'm hoping a little breath of talent might have fallen through the gene pool! I'm excited to see how far we can go together! Dressage horses are made and not born as they say, but I know a little drop of the right blood makes the job easier!
 

CallMeKate

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Haha, will do! She looks like a rather short ott at the moment. She was better made up as a 2 year old (seen videos) which says something. I love transformations as well. She is still en route to my place at the moment, traveling from the South to the North Island. the joy's of living in New Zealand which consists of two island with a horrible stretch of water between called the Cook Strait. It was too rough yesterday for the ferries to take horses, so she has spent two nights at the transport company stables, then when she gets her ferry ride on Friday she's in a 15 horse semi that can't get up our road, so has to go north of ours to their stables, spend another night there before she finally gets home! Actually quicker for those horses to get back from Tokyo!! I have 15 days of ulcer treatment waiting for her!
 
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