Maiden mare as recipient?

ohmissbrittany

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I think I know the answer to this but I'll ask anyway. I have an 11 year old mare of sporthorse type, unknown breeding. She's pleasant enough and loves all the other mares' foals... I think she'd like a baby and I've considered breeding her to get my next jumper, as I love the mare and would gladly have another like her. However, not knowing her lineage, I think the more responsible decision would be to buy an embryo and just have her as the recipient... I get a nice known quantity, she gets a baby and everyone is happy.

She's never been bred though- I'm thinking maybe using a maiden as a recipient is not very smart. Thoughts?
 

TheMule

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It's perfectly do-able, you just have a slightly smaller chance of success as her reporductive soundness has not been proven. I've done ET with a maiden mare, worked first time.
Not much trade in embryos in this country though- do you have 1 in mind? Also generally best done with 2 or recips synced which wouldn't suit your situation
 

Maesfen

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One of my mares went as a recipient as a maiden and it all went well so it's not impossible. Just make sure you use a very good centre and be prepared for a very expensive time.
Personally, if your mare ticks all of your boxes in both temperament, conformation and ability, I would be far more inclined to find a stallion that will suit your mare with your discipline in mind than use her as just a recip'. As Mule says, it could be hard to find what you need.
 

sport horse

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Sounds expensive. Why not loan her to a good stud as a recipient (unlikely anyone who is not pretty serious will be carrying out embryo transfer and looking for recipient so mare should be well looked after) and then go out and buy what you want - you could spend a lot of time and money and not achieve that!
 

ohmissbrittany

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Sounds expensive. Why not loan her to a good stud as a recipient (unlikely anyone who is not pretty serious will be carrying out embryo transfer and looking for recipient so mare should be well looked after) and then go out and buy what you want - you could spend a lot of time and money and not achieve that!

I don't want her to just be anybody's broodmare. I'm not willing to lose the mare for someone else's benefit, and it's more for the experience of her getting to be a mom and me raising a foal (I've had lots of secondhand baby experience as a vet tech, raising weanlings, and friends who breed). If I do this it's a conscious acceptance of risk, both health and money, for myself- not renting her out.

She's a nice physical type, well put together and sound, good brain and in general a joy to ride (this is why I never bred her before, I didn't want to give her the time off!)... the only thing holding me back from breeding her directly is that I don't know her genetic background as she is a rescue. Though to be fair chances of inbreeding are slim to none if I take my American rescue and cross it to something British/European lol. The baby would be worthless to anyone but me most likely so it seemed a bit irresponsible. But loads of people breed far less quality animals so I may just go down that road anyway.

Thanks for the input everyone!
 
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