Embryo recipient mare

[Pippity]

This is probably going to be far too expensive to consider, even if it's possible, but I just wanted to double check before I gave up on the idea!

There's a good chance my 11yo mare will be retiring. She's not good enough to breed from. However, she absolutely adores foals and has always appointed herself nanny to any youngsters in her field, so I'd kind of like her to have a foal of her own. (Yes, I'm well aware this is soppy thinking, and I'd roll my eyes at anybody else who said it!)

Is it possible to buy an embryo for her to carry?

While I'm fairly sure she's had a foal at some point, she isn't a proven brood mare, so I can't imagine anybody else would want to put their expensive embryo into her.

 

[webble]

Why is she retiring? Is it an issue that could compromise her ability to carry a foal?

 

[ycbm]

Certainly is, you're spoiled for choice. Google horse embryo for sale.
.

 

[Pippity]

Why is she retiring? Is it an issue that could compromise her ability to carry a foal?

She's twice lobbed me off with extreme enthusiasm. If the vet can't identify and fix (with a guarantee) the issue that caused it, I'm not risking getting back on board her.

I suspect it's related to her PSSM and/or her hock arthritis. Her hocks will probably be fused, because there's no space in the capsule for more steroids.

 

[Pippity]

Certainly is, you're spoiled for choice. Google horse embryo for sale.
.

They all look to be high level performance embryos. I'd rather have something I can keep, and I couldn't ride one leg of anything with that sort of breeding!

 

[sportsmansB]

I guess since the process is fairly expensive, no one is doing it with a very average horse
We did have one embryo transfer foal born this year (to a good mare) and the faffing around with trips to the vets etc for scanning, flushing etc were significant enough.

 

[I'm Dun]

With PSSM you cant breed from her, but I also wouldnt want her carrying a foal. You dont know if or how the hormone will affect her and if she ties up, if that will affect the foal. Its just too much of a risk.

 

[blitznbobs]

You won’t get an pony type average embryo for sale - it’s not worth the cost of doing the harvest etc … so unless you want a fancy embryo it’s a bit of a none starter I’m afraid

 

[tda]

Otherwise what about offering her as a surrogate Mother? But i guess the person would want her at their place for that

 

[Pippity]

Otherwise what about offering her as a surrogate Mother? But i guess the person would want her at their place for that

And with her not being a proven broodmare, I can't imagine anybody wanting to take the risk she wouldn't be able to carry a very expensive embryo to term.

Ah, well, it was a very vague idea.

 

[TheMule]

And with her not being a proven broodmare, I can't imagine anybody wanting to take the risk she wouldn't be able to carry a very expensive embryo to term.

Ah, well, it was a very vague idea.

They use maiden mares as recipients, so that isn’t an issue. She’s slightly older than ideal, but I’m sure someone could use her. The issue would be most people take the recipients, it would be unusual to leave one with its owner. I actually nearly did do that with one of my ET foals, but the legalities of foal ownership etc started to bug me and I backed out and got my own recip mare

 

[Tiddlypom]

Have a look at Twemlows, that wouldn’t be too far from you. They do a lot of ET work and have a herd of embryo transfer host mares (not sure of the technical term).

I ‘think’ that they prefer larger mares than yours, though, to suit the parentage of the embryos that they mostly work with (£££££ competition types).

 

[ihatework]

Have a look at Twemlows, that wouldn’t be too far from you. They do a lot of ET work and have a herd of embryo transfer host mares (not sure of the technical term).

I ‘think’ that they prefer larger mares than yours, though, to suit the parentage of the embryos that they mostly work with (£££££ competition types).

Tiddlypom is right, the shift in selecting surrogates is to use similar types to the donor mares/embryos. Initially chunkier/cobbier types were used but the comp bred embryos weren’t coming on as sharp in their behaviours (arguably a good thing for some!!)

You aren’t going to be able to buy an allrounder embryo on the open market, the costs are prohibitively high and there is no demand.

 

[Katieg123]

You could buy a yearling or two of the type you would like to keep and I'm sure she would do a good job raising them and keeping an eye on them.