Not in foal

I also want to add that handling a stallion at the dummy is often just as risque if not moreso to the handler as the stallion can be far more frustrated at the dummy than with the live mare infront of him. I handle our boys in both scenarios and find the stallions much more focused and attentive and far less likely to fool around or be stupid when presented with a mare rank in season. We see other stallions being collected nearly everyday at the height of the season and would say that from my own personal observations this is very much the case for many.
 
I know very little about the ins and outs ('scuse the pun......
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) of the actual process of semen collection, so bear with me if this seems a stupid question, please!
The last time I went to pick my mare up, there was a stallion in the process of an in hand covering, or so I thought, in the yard outside the barns. The stud man got the stallions penis as it was about to enter the mare and directed it into this rubbery bag and apparently collected the semen that way. Is this a common practice? I has always assumed that they use a dummy, there is one set up in the indoor area, and I was perplexed by this.
Could it be a stallion that won't react to a dummy?
 
GTF Yes it is possible, one of the visiting stallions to our local AI centre is always collected from using a mare as will not perform on the dummy. A lot of studs in the UK that don't often ship semen but offer natural cover only and who don't have a dummy mare or a facility close by, will collect in this manner if need be.
 
My experiences of covering using a dummy are quite different. Our stallions are trained to the dummy, and as great care was taken to train the stallions properly, we find that it is much safer and more relaxed using using this method, with a mare behind the teasing boards (situated in front of the dummy).

I find that the mares are much less likely to get injured when being inseminated in stocks by an AI technician.

You could take any everyday thing that people do with horses, and someone will have had a bad experience with it at some time, but my personal preference is AI everytime.

There are several situations when I think AI is very valuable:

If the mare/stallion is too big or too small
If the mare is bad tempered/quick to kick
If the stallion is too violent with the mares
If you want to inseminate more than one mare with the same stallion at the same time
If the mare has a foal at foot
 
I mentioned this before, but I was told another reason for AI is the stallion never associates a mare with breeding, therefore when competiting they are more likely to keep focused on the job at hand. The other advantage is obvious, AI uses less sperm, therefore the stallion does not need to cover as many mares, thereby saving his energy. For a competition stallion this would be the ideal situation. And I would have thought it would be safer only dealing with one horse rather then stallion & perhaps a fractious mare. When I went to collect last year, the stallion was introduced to an in season mare, but he was rerouted to the collecting vessel. The temperture has to be just right otherwise it can put the stallion off!!
 
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AndyPandy I think this is a very sweeping statement to make. The lady I had my mare at in Germany is very highly regarded when it comes to equine reproduction, am sure she would love to hear your synopsis on her work.

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Dr Bonnie Jacobs... at the Celle Stud...

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From what I've read, in 2002 the Celle Stud covered 90% of their mares with AI, and now 95% of their mares with AI. And the remaining 5%? They're covered by natural covering because the stallions they use are TB's and cannot cover by AI due to the "rules".

If you read other threads, you will see people who use "AI Expert Vets" who do piss-poor jobs of managing mares, and end up with a poor rate of conception with AI, and so rely on natural covering.

"A bad craftsman blames his tools".
 
Indeed they do, but their are some very experienced equine reproduction specialists within the UK on the continent, worldwide for that matter who portray a more realistic and honest picture as they have been breeding for many years, followed all the latest developments and worked with thousands of mares. Those that have, still maintain that the average 1st time pregnancy rate upon insemination lies between 58 - 68% with an overall average of 70% based on multiple inseminations. The reference that I made to the German statistics shows that the average number of pregancies acheived is 66% but maybe they are all piss poor vets with no experience.
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ok further bracken update................she has been covered and scan is on the 27th!...............as for the rug has been found in pieces!! just bought another one!!
 
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