Mare just gone to stud. Advise please?

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chantal1989

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Mare has just gone to stud. Any advice on anything plz. feeding, worming, scanning dates, etc. thanks. Also i know you cant predict what you will get but any opinions on what the height may be. my mare is 15.2hh and the stallion is 17hh.
 
Sending a mare to stud now is a big mistake in my opinion. It is far too late in the year to undertake something like this. Most mares will be transitioning out by now, so by sending her to stud now is asking for a big bill and no foal. Good luck, but don't be surprised it she doesn't get in foal. You'd be far better starting early next year.
 
Is it not a bit late to send a mare to stud, they are coming to the end of their natural cycling and getting the mare into season, especially with the current weather, may prove very difficult, not to mention expensive.
Also have you considered (if indeed the mare does concieve) at what time of the year the foal will be born, do you really want a late foal?
 
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cant really wait to next year so had to be now.

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Mmmmm - in that case I wonder if this is the best route to go down then......
 
The only reason I can think of why it "has to be now" would be the need to make money, which is fair enough, we all have to make a living. But you are likely going to be throwing money away now, and will end up trying again next year anyway. Even if you do get her to catch now, she will be foaling in July - which could be incredibly difficult for the mare - if it's a hot one, then you could be putting her and the foal at risk.

It would be beneficial for you to put her under lights from December and start trying in late January, or wait until she starts cycling again naturally come Feb/March. This way you are more likely to get her to catch first time, more likely to have an easy foaling, and more likely to save money in the short, medium and long term.
 
Playing devils advocate here...
I too agree that its is too late to send a mare to stud but has you have already done so, the foal would be sepected to reach 16.1 approx give or take! Scans first scan 15-17 days fter ovulation, second scan 28-35days after ovulation and some people also do a 3rd scan at 42 days after ovulation.
The mare feeding she should be fed whatever she needs to keep her looking nice and healthy just has you would normally and then increase the feed in the last 3 months of pregnancy and you go on how your mares condition is looking.
As someone that has had a September foal (DON'T ASK!) I can tell you it is alot harder, he was born when I was starting to think about weaning the others, he was in foal rugs at 2 weeks of age all through winter, the mare and foal were stabled until he was weaned in March, she ate me out of house and home and still didn't keep weight on because she was supporting the foal as well as herself through the winter months, had daytime turnout if weather dry enough......answer I wouldn't do it again, it took me ages to get the mare looking half descent again BUT the foal was healthy, well grown and an absolute peach and you would never believe he was a late foal to look at him as a yearling!
 
I agree, by the time she comes into season which could be another week or two, you are talking about a foal being born at the end of July. The mare will be heavily in foal in the heat of the summer. By the time the foal is born the grass will be of poor quality. Then you'll have a young foal at foot in the winter with weaning around christmas. It will take it until it's about 3yr old to catch up with other youngstock of similar ages so if you are planning to show it or sell it. As Andy Pandy says it may be difficult to get her in foal now and for the sake of 7 or 8 months try for an early conception next year.
 
Just as a matter of interest, for those of you who have studs, are you still taking mares? If getting a mare in foal at this time of year is more difficult isn't it more likely to be a waste of your time (and the stallions effort) and possibly wouldn't do your reputation any good?
Or do you (any breeder, talking generally, not specifically here) just take the fee and get on with it?
 
The mare will be heavily in foal in the heat of the summer. By the time the foal is born the grass will be of poor quality./quote]

I know others that have bred very nice foals with no problems at this time before. also if we have the type of weather like weve had this summer than it wont be such a problem.
 
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I know others that have bred very nice foals with no problems at this time before

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Absolutely no reason why you won't have a nice foal at all - it's just the logistics of a late foal, and the care of the mare and foal. I think essentially it's a welfare issue as much as anything.

In an ideal world no one would really plan to have such a late foal, and unless there are really good reasons as to why you should do it I would be inclined to follow others' advice on here and not do it.

Obviously if you are experienced at looking after broodmares, you will perhaps feel differently. Although if you are that experienced, again you will be more inclined to follow others advice re late foals.

I suspect that you may not have bred a foal before - hence your original post.

Nothing like learning from experience though I suppose.
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We stopped taking mares on the last day of July. We have a local repro vet who has taken mares in the last 3-4 weeks, and he has said that they are "just not cycling", and is probably going to have to send them home without even inseminating them! There is no point trying to breed them now. It's a waste of everyone's time, and the mare owner's money.
 
I haven't been breeding for 20 years now but we aimed for our foals to be born in Feb March, April at the latest and we were only breeding Welsh Cobs. The foals had so much more about them when they went to the foal shows. We did have one accident that was born on 28th September - she was classed as a year old the following Jan when in actual fact she was only 3months old. This is one of the problems - by the time the foal is grown up and is sold on as a 5 yr old it will inactual fact be just over 4. I don't think its right to breed so late in the year. Its not fair on the mother either - normally she would be getting ready to wean her foal and look after herself for the winter. Oh dear, bet you're wishing you'd never started this thread. No offence meant. Sorry!
crazy.gif
 
You've already sent your mare so not much point in me saying that perhaps you should reconsider.

One of my mares foaled last week and I have to say this is not something I would choose to do again. Circumstances were such that I had a choice last year of breeding her late or waiting till the following Spring. After much deliberation, paying particular attention to how I would care for a young foal going through a harsh winter, I decided that all would be fine and that I would rug or stable if necessary. Well I have to say I definitely missed something out of the equation! Summer!!

Summer is a ghastly time for a heavily pregnant mare. Flies are everywhere, the heat is sometimes too much for the mare.....I actually watched my mare and felt incredibly sorry for her. So much so that I would never ever breed this late into the season again....at least not over here in Canada.

If anything puts you off take a look at this photo - this is my foal a minute after she was born:

P1010044.jpg


And here she is at about 15 minutes old:

P1010054.jpg


Sorry but it is disgusting seeing all those flies all over a newborn and there is nowhere they can go to get away from them. Dousing a newborn foal in fly spray is not what I desired however it was the only way to stop the flies from bothering her. Keeping her navel clean and fly-free is not much fun and is time-consuming.

I honestly mean this in the kindest possible way, but it would not be a travesty if your mare does not fall pregnant and you leave her till next Spring.
 
I stop covering my own mares on last day of July, if they aren't infoal by then they wait til the following year! I stop covering outside mares on the last day of August, but this is the mare owners choice not mine, I always seem to get ponies in August and I haven't a clue why this is! All the horses seem to come in May and June and ponies arrive in July and August! I have had people wanting covering in September, again its pony breeders, but I have put my foot down at this!
I prefer April/May foals myself!
 
Mine was covered 11 Aug and thats it for this year. She's been at stud for months but have had the problems people have said with her cycles - she gets scanned on Friday next week and if as I suspect she's not in foal - thats it.

I really wanted her to be done this year to foal next year as she's 15 now and a maiden, but thems the breaks. I'm not leaving any later, she can go back in April next year.
 
Quote "Mare has just gone to stud. Any advice on anything plz. feeding, worming, scanning dates, etc. thanks. Also i know you cant predict what you will get but any opinions on what the height may be. my mare is 15.2hh and the stallion is 17hh. "
"The mare will be heavily in foal in the heat of the summer. By the time the foal is born the grass will be of poor quality./quote]

I know others that have bred very nice foals with no problems at this time before. also if we have the type of weather like weve had this summer than it wont be such a problem. "

Ok it is not for me to tell anyone what to do with their horses, but I am concerned with your comments above. If you have to ask the most basic questions about what should you feed her etc, then I wonder if you really are cut out to take on a late foal. It is not easy & in no way fair to the mare in the hope that next summer is as mild as this one has been. The priority should be your mare, not you & comments like "I know others that have bred very nice foals with no problems at this time before. also if we have the type of weather like weve had this summer than it wont be such a problem. " make you sound quiet selfish. I am sure this is not the intention, but it sounds from what has been written as if you have not thought this through enough, especially where your mare is concerned. I am sorry if I sound harsh/negative or dont fully understand your situation, (I dont mean to lecture), but there are a lot of experienced people on here who have said you are better waiting & you have dismissed them. Years ago we had a foal born on Christmas Eve the mares owner only found out about 2wks before hand. It was very difficult as already mentioned you are having to rug the foal, it means more time spent in the stable which is not good for a foal. Anyway I expect to be blasted, but these are just my views on what I have read.
 

Ditto all the above - mine was covered late this year (well, July) but this means next year I will more than likely give her the year of so I can breed early the year after - IMHO gives the foal the best chance in life and the mare an easier time, not to mention saving me cash and worry late in the season
 
Given the problems that mares have had all this year with not cycling normally, I'd have thought it highly unlikely that your mare will get pregnant anyway, to be honest. The mares seemed to "shut down" ages ago with their systems thinking it's autumn already.

If you DO get her in foal this year though, the foal will be so late that you won't be able to wean and sell it until Spring 2009 anyway so why not wait until next spring to put her in-foal. You won't actually gain much in terms of time.
 
Forester has a good point re not being able to sell til Spring 09 anyway - I hadn't thought of it like that!

Our last mare was covered 2 weeks ago and since then anything that has scanned empty will be kept empty til next spring - it is just too late for us now. The lastmare is being scanned tomorrowso fingers crossed she's in foal (becuase if she's not my other half wants me to sell her but I really don't want to!)

I much prefer April/May foals ideally and if I had to choose between a March or a June/July/Aug baby it would be a March baby!
 
I second that I'd rather have a March baby than a late baby or no baby. It can be a bit of a pain in the neck if the weather is foul in March, but the advantages are that they get the benefit of a good start with supplementary feed, then the good spring grass, and a whole summer in the field.
 
I am shocked at the response you have received here by some that are held up as "know their stuff" while all they say has some merit, I would like to say that it also is not all correct, for many decades mares have been foaling in Dec, Jan can you really tell me this is the best time for a mare to foal!

I have many eventing mares turn up in August for a one shot chance due to an enforced break due to injury, when you have an advanced comp mare you do not necessarily want it sitting around for a year or more unproductive so the option is there.

I have so far with natural and chilled semen AI have 100% success with these mares at this time of year! If you are prepared to take into account your mare and the foal needs a bit more help at this time of year you will be fine, by this I mean a stable, good shelter in field etc,

As for the foal being younger going into winter, well all mine are rugged nowadays no matter what time of year they are born due to the rain we have in winter and as for feed the ones born later are fed no more than the ones born earlier and I have never had a problem!

Whilst anyone with knowledge of breeding will say this is not the most ideal situation but it is by no means the huge error it is being made out to be here!

As for light therapy this is a way to get a mare to cycle before nature has decided she should cycle thus earlier then nature intends!
 
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