Not Much Luck On The Breeding Front For HHO Members

Anastasia

Anastasia

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 December 2004
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Over The Rainbow
www.morayfirthstud.co.uk
After hearing about poor Troy this morning, I started thinking to myself.........for those of us who are breeding horses and using this forum........we have not had much luck at all this year so far!

First there was our filly foal, Sugababe. Next was JAGS with her poor colt foal Sirrius. Then we have Chambon with her lovely mare Dream (Any update here today???) and now we have poor baby Troy.

I was just thinking............whatever next!

I am not wanting to sound all doom and gloom but its all rather depressing and just shows people the problems we face when breeding.......

Can someone please pass me some good luck charms.........2.........10..........maybe I should be looking at 100+, think we need them.

For those still due foals to be born I wish everyone the best of luck and hope for a happy and healthy outcome.
 
I have friends who breed and they have had terrible luck - foals and mares just seem to be really vulnerable. So fingers crossed for everyone.
 
Its not been all bad - I’ve had no foals yet (first one due on April 1st) but i have had 2 Thoroughbred mares scanned in foal for next year yesterday – both went on first covering so i`m over the moon.
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Hopefully the bad run with breeding is over.
 
Horsebetty:

Sugababe - Our foal, got kicked in the head two weeks ago and had to be operated on to remove an eye. Unfortunately on Monday of this week we also found out that she has a skull fracture, as she had a swelling form on her forehead.........so we are keeping everything crossed for her just now.....
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Sirrius - Adorable colt foal who had a swelling in his joint. The shortened story is that very sadly he had to be PTS.
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Dream - Had a healthy foal and the mare is now poorly. Not heard update today, so maybe we have some positive news coming from there.

Troy - Colt foal with willie troubles and will have to have an operation.........

Alise good news on your front and I hope it continues for everyone else, as the season is but early.....
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I'm afraid it does illustrate how many things can go wrong whilst breeding foals. I know I was lucky with my girl, but my poor neighbour lost a foal just a few weeks before my one was born
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.
 
Anastaisa-
What a terrible run you and the others have had! Last year was good for me - 8 healthy foals, but the year before i lost one to an infection when it was 16 hours old, another foal broke its neck in the field when it was 5 months old and another livery mare had a deformed foal which had to be PTS. Fingers crossed for everyone else expecting foals ( i have 8 due next month!)
 
I know - it's actually quite disheartening, particularly for those of us who are nearing our mare's foaling
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. This is the SOLE reason why I rarely let myself become excited about breeding......SO much can go wrong....and even once the foal is out it doesn't mean that we are out of the woods as things can still go wrong.

There are already a couple of risk-factors with our little mare who is due in 9 days. I have always been very aware of this however so far all has been fine. Although I am allowing myself to get a tiny bit excited, I have to say the trepidation is far greater; and has been the whole way through.

I honestly don't think people think of all of these things when they hear about breeding. They just think of the super-cute foal at the end of it. Sadly there are too many pitfalls along the way and breeding isn't always the breeze it's thought to be.

I also wish everyone else with mares due to foal this year the very best and hope that they have a brighter time with it all than we have seen so far.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Horsebetty:

Sugababe - Our foal, got kicked in the head two weeks ago and had to be operated on to remove an eye. Unfortunately on Monday of this week we also found out that she has a skull fracture, as she had a swelling form on her forehead.........so we are keeping everything crossed for her just now.....
frown.gif


Sirrius - Adorable colt foal who had a swelling in his joint. The shortened story is that very sadly he had to be PTS.
frown.gif


Dream - Had a healthy foal and the mare is now poorly. Not heard update today, so maybe we have some positive news coming from there.

Troy - Colt foal with willie troubles and will have to have an operation.........

Alise good news on your front and I hope it continues for everyone else, as the season is but early.....
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[/ QUOTE ]

I am very sorry to hear this i wish everyone good luck to future foals and Big hugs to poorly foals and mummys!
 
I second that Tia in spades!

It's weird how things seem to go in runs; one year everything for everyone is hunky dory, the next it's all doom and gloom whether it be getting mares in foal, keeping that foal or problems with them after they're born. Life with horse, particularly breeding, is never easy.

Let's hope the rest of 07 is all hunky dory but with heartfelt commiserations to those that have had such bad luck so far and hope that their luck improves as quickly as possible.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I know - it's actually quite disheartening, particularly for those of us who are nearing our mare's foaling
frown.gif
. This is the SOLE reason why I rarely let myself become excited about breeding......SO much can go wrong....and even once the foal is out it doesn't mean that we are out of the woods as things can still go wrong.

There are already a couple of risk-factors with our little mare who is due in 9 days. I have always been very aware of this however so far all has been fine. Although I am allowing myself to get a tiny bit excited, I have to say the trepidation is far greater; and has been the whole way through.

I honestly don't think people think of all of these things when they hear about breeding. They just think of the super-cute foal at the end of it. Sadly there are too many pitfalls along the way and breeding isn't always the breeze it's thought to be.

I also wish everyone else with mares due to foal this year the very best and hope that they have a brighter time with it all than we have seen so far.

[/ QUOTE ]

I dont think anyone goes into breeding without thinking about the risks- I certainly didnt. I never assumed that it would go smoothly and that problems could crop up.

However, isnt it the same as buying an older horse? Anything could happen to them one day, but surely you cant allow that to rule your life with them, otherwise we'd never have them.

Loosing any horse, foal or grown up is heartbreaking and I guess something that everyone takes into consideration when buying or breeding.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I know - it's actually quite disheartening, particularly for those of us who are nearing our mare's foaling
frown.gif
. This is the SOLE reason why I rarely let myself become excited about breeding......SO much can go wrong....and even once the foal is out it doesn't mean that we are out of the woods as things can still go wrong.

There are already a couple of risk-factors with our little mare who is due in 9 days. I have always been very aware of this however so far all has been fine. Although I am allowing myself to get a tiny bit excited, I have to say the trepidation is far greater; and has been the whole way through.

I honestly don't think people think of all of these things when they hear about breeding. They just think of the super-cute foal at the end of it. Sadly there are too many pitfalls along the way and breeding isn't always the breeze it's thought to be.

I also wish everyone else with mares due to foal this year the very best and hope that they have a brighter time with it all than we have seen so far.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm studying breeding at the moment (at university) and will be one of my optional modules next year and its really opened my eyes as to just how much of a risk it is and how much can go wrong. Like you say, before I thought of it as being easy and bit "wham-bam-out-pops-a-cute-foal-eleven-months-later" ... and I can honestly say I've never been more wrong!

The best of luck to all mares and foals for this year x x x
 
Oh help! My mare due to foal 5th May, both of us maidens at this game, so feeling very nervous!! Please send lots and lots of good vibes to all those who are not well currently (Troy, Dream ...) and to those of us who are coming up to foaling. Went to brilliant foaling seminar yesterday, but it reinforced what everyone is saying, that you have to be prepared for the worst as well as the best.....
 
I'm talking about people who haven't yet bred before or have no intention of breeding - not people who do it often. No-one who has bred before, or is planning on going down this route, could ever think that breeding horses is risk-free.
 
No need to apologise; it was my incompetence at not explaining things clearly
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. It's me who must apologise, so sorry.
 
Oh no, India's baby is due in May and now I am even more worried!!

She is a very precious mare (to me at least) and this is going to be a precious baby!!

I haven't been excited at all since I read the chapter on 'things that go wrong' in my foaling book while she was away at stud last year!!
 
gosh I had no idea..
We have had a tough couple of years the last two, losing two foals the first and one last year.
Before that we had only lost three foals in total in over twenty five years, and two of them were prem twins.
It's really sad when things go wrong with a foal, we struggled and struggled with one of ours who had an infection, but nothing helped him.
My advice to any new breeder is the second you notice anything that seems unusual such as a slightly stiff gait, phone your vet. The ones that make it are often those who are caught early on before the infections rage through their bodies.
As for your kicked foal, I am staggered mine haven't suffered the same fate the way they march up to the wrong dams.
A girl who has lessons here recently had a horse she was buying vetted, and was amazed to discover it compeletely blind in one eye. None of us realised and it competes fine, so if yours can survive there is hope for a normal life.
I do hope the remaining foals this year are ok, after the last two years I am now much more pessimistic..
 
Iv'e just posted an update on Dream - she's ok.

Unfortunately, your post is just too true, but that is the risks that come with breeding. There are no guarantees and there are so many little things that can go wrong - but when it goes right, there is nothing more rewarding than watching a mare nuzzle her foal as he nurses, or hear her whicker to her foal when he pops out of sight momentarily. Of course, there's also nothing more rewarding than breeding a cracking foal and watching him grow up and go on to do great things!

I must admit though, I am absolutely dreading my other mare foaling (she's due in 10 days)
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Chambon glad to hear that Dream is ok, that is really good news. Thanks Henryhorn re our foal, we are hoping she goes on to have a normal life as long as nothing else crops up meantime.
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Also wishing everyone success with the breeding, ourselves included!
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