Novice Breeder Looking for Tips

[Bikerchickone]

As title really, I am hoping to put my mare in foal this season and would appreciate any advice anyone with experience can give me. From reading other posts, here's a bit about us to start.

Mare is new to me, but is an experienced brood mare who turned 16 last week and has had 7 foals already, several to the stallion I have chosen for her. Stallion owner is amazingly helpful and supportive and I am close enough to collect semen from them.
I have a healthy budget (£5 to £7k) for all costs and my horses are on my own land. I have the option to send her away to foal, but equally have excellent facilities here and cameras everywhere. Plus I'm not scared of a few nights sleeping in the barn, even if it comes to be a few weeks, as well as having the vet on call.
I have my repro vet (recommended by repeat customers of the stallion) visiting next week for her first pre breeding check. I had a light vetting done before I bought her and all was good. Any suggestions on what should be done here are very welcome.
The situation has been rushed rather than the slow and easy careful plan I had hoped for due to me not being able to purchase her until last week. She arrived with me last Wednesday and seems very settled already, getting on with her fieldmate well.
My mare had her last foal in 2018, so ideally I didn't want to leave it another year before breeding another, due to her age, but if this turns out to be better for her, that's what I'll do.
I want to do everything right, and not take any unnecessary chances so please speak up if you have any advice for me.
I've had horses for over 25 years and have 3 others living on site.
Foal will be retained by me and my daughter.
I'm happy to take in another mare and foal on livery for company should this be the right way to go, assuming we have a successful AI.

What am I missing? Please suggest anything you have found to be useful.

Thank you, a very excited but also very aware that I don't know enough about breeding Bikerchick!

 

[Asha]

Im not sure what else to say as you seem to be pretty much set up.

My recommendations are usually , proven sound broodmare with stock on ground, and same for the stallion. That way you have a pretty good idea of what you may get under saddle etc. Your own facilities , and plenty of money to throw at it.

What stallion are you going for ? ( although i have a feeling from what youve written i may just have an inkling )

Good Luck !

 

[TheMule]

You sound pretty clued up!
The only thing I might suggest for any older mare that's had a few foals is having a proper breeding soundness evaluation including a swabs cultures and an endometrial biopsy just to check everything is in the best shape possible.

 

[Bikerchickone]

Im not sure what else to say as you seem to be pretty much set up.

My recommendations are usually , proven sound broodmare with stock on ground, and same for the stallion. That way you have a pretty good idea of what you may get under saddle etc. Your own facilities , and plenty of money to throw at it.

What stallion are you going for ? ( although i have a feeling from what youve written i may just have an inkling )

I think you do too, as I recognise your beautiful snoring foal! It’s Archie, of course!
Good Luck !

You sound pretty clued up!
The only thing I might suggest for any older mare that's had a few foals is having a proper breeding soundness evaluation including a swabs cultures and an endometrial biopsy just to check everything is in the best shape possible.

Thank you, that’s exactly the kind of thing I don’t know! Very useful and good to know before the vet comes next week. I managed to book what I called a pre breeding visit without actually knowing what I needed doing! Receptionist wasn’t much use either! ?

 

[Asha]

I thought it was you !

Well you have a fabulous mare and youve chosen a wonderful stallion... and a tribe of fellow owners/friends etc etc all routing for you. Cant wait for photos of a black blob on scans . Foal will have a wonderful home with you x

 

[Bikerchickone]

I thought it was you !

Well you have a fabulous mare and youve chosen a wonderful stallion... and a tribe of fellow owners/friends etc etc all routing for you. Cant wait for photos of a black blob on scans . Foal will have a wonderful home with you x

Thank you, that means a lot. I still cannot believe my luck, already absolutely adore my girl, just don't want to let her down through lack of knowledge!

 

[sport horse]

Thank you, that means a lot. I still cannot believe my luck, already absolutely adore my girl, just don't want to let her down through lack of knowledge!

Everyone started with no knowledge. It sounds as though you have a good network of help around and that you are not too proud to take advice. Go for it and enjoy the process and call on al the help that is offered if you need it.

 

[Bikerchickone]

Everyone started with no knowledge. It sounds as though you have a good network of help around and that you are not too proud to take advice. Go for it and enjoy the process and call on al the help that is offered if you need it.

Thank you. That's a very good point! I think I am more worried that I don't know just how much I don't know, if you see what I mean?

 

[milliepops]

Thank you. That's a very good point! I think I am more worried that I don't know just how much I don't know, if you see what I mean?

totally relate to this, with 30 years of "normal" horse ownership I had my first homebred born in lockdown 2020. It was like going straight back to numptyville, like.. i know horses, and i knew my mare, but this whole thing that happened to us was SO new and terrifying and amazing. Hands down the best thing i have ever done with a horse and because she foaled down at home, also the most enormous and scary responsibility! People are generous with their advice when you're open to learning so I am sure you will do just fine

 

[Bikerchickone]

totally relate to this, with 30 years of "normal" horse ownership I had my first homebred born in lockdown 2020. It was like going straight back to numptyville, like.. i know horses, and i knew my mare, but this whole thing that happened to us was SO new and terrifying and amazing. Hands down the best thing i have ever done with a horse and because she foaled down at home, also the most enormous and scary responsibility! People are generous with their advice when you're open to learning so I am sure you will do just fine

That's reassuring, thank you. I'm hoping that starting out with a very experienced brood mare will help, she knows what she's doing even though I don't. There's just going to be things that crop up along the way where I'll need help. Congratulations on your now 2 year old?! I can only imagine how rewarding it is.

 

[milliepops]

That's reassuring, thank you. I'm hoping that starting out with a very experienced brood mare will help, she knows what she's doing even though I don't. There's just going to be things that crop up along the way where I'll need help. Congratulations on your now 2 year old?! I can only imagine how rewarding it is.

thanks. yes she is about to turn "properly" 2 and is a fabulous little character... i am not sure she's going to grow tall enough but I will just have to chop my legs off! As she was born at home i've seen her every day of her life and she is MY horse and i am HER person. we probably over did the cuddles

 

[Bikerchickone]

thanks. yes she is about to turn "properly" 2 and is a fabulous little character... i am not sure she's going to grow tall enough but I will just have to chop my legs off! As she was born at home i've seen her every day of her life and she is MY horse and i am HER person. we probably over did the cuddles

That's so lovely, and exactly how I hope it'll be for me. Though I doubt I'll have to worry about too small, 15.2 to 16.1 would suit me but my mare is 17hh and the stallion 16.3, so it's highly unlikely that I'll get anything under 16.2. I think full siblings have been 17hh or thereabouts. I'm sure your girl won't mind your legs, or you can try rollerskates if she's really tiny? I've seen 5'8 adults on 13.2 not look out of place though.

 

[milliepops]

That's so lovely, and exactly how I hope it'll be for me. Though I doubt I'll have to worry about too small, 15.2 to 16.1 would suit me but my mare is 17hh and the stallion 16.3, so it's highly unlikely that I'll get anything under 16.2. I think full siblings have been 17hh or thereabouts. I'm sure your girl won't mind your legs, or you can try rollerskates if she's really tiny? I've seen 5'8 adults on 13.2 not look out of place though.

rollerskates might be a goer. She is 14.3 at the moment. mum 15.2 and dad 16.2 and both built like brick outhouses. i seem to have bred an FEI pony she is so bright and bold, i am really hoping she grows a bit, she's absolutely my kind of horse.

 

[Bikerchickone]

rollerskates might be a goer. She is 14.3 at the moment. mum 15.2 and dad 16.2 and both built like brick outhouses. i seem to have bred an FEI pony she is so bright and bold, i am really hoping she grows a bit, she's absolutely my kind of horse.

She sounds fab, totally the opposite of my horses, Irish Draughts, but still lots of fun. I would've thought she would grow a bit more yet, if she's not quite 2 yet hopefully you'll get a fully grown 15.1+? You could end up with a fabulous pocket rocket!

 

[Asha]

rollerskates might be a goer. She is 14.3 at the moment. mum 15.2 and dad 16.2 and both built like brick outhouses. i seem to have bred an FEI pony she is so bright and bold, i am really hoping she grows a bit, she's absolutely my kind of horse.

You know what you have to do MP , say very loudly and with meaning ‘ I don’t want her to grow more than 15.2 . She’s sure to grow to 17hds then ???

 

[Bikerchickone]

Little update for anyone interested!
swabs all came back clear, we did 10 days on regumate and vet scanned tonight. We are ready to inseminate tomorrow! I’m so excited and terrified ? vet showed me the ovaries and follicle on the screen, really interesting. Now praying we get a blob on the next scan!

BTW, when is best to do a scan to see if she’s taken? Such a novice here! Thank you!

 

[milliepops]

Your vet will probably give you dates for next appointments. Mine give out a card with it all on. But it's 2 weeks after ovulation for blob check ?

 

[Bikerchickone]

Your vet will probably give you dates for next appointments. Mine give out a card with it all on. But it's 2 weeks after ovulation for blob check ?

Apologies, been away for the weekend!

So, news is not Great. Inseminated as planned on the Tuesday evening, vet came back to rescan on the Thursday and she hadn’t ovulated. This was despite all looking perfect on Monday and an injection given Monday to aid ovulation. There’s an outside chance that the sperm will still have been viable if she ovulated in the next 12 hours but I’m not banking on it. Motility was 60% when inseminated and that was done within 12 hours of collection from stallion as I drove down to get it. We were 48 hours on when scanned to see she hadn’t ovulated so sperm was 60 hours old at that point. Like I say, I’m not expecting a miracle.

Next scan is booked for 4th July so fingers crossed for the elusive blob, but honestly, I think we’ll have to do another attempt so basically another £1000 out of the pot! Anyone who thinks breeding is cheap needs a go on this rollercoaster! It’s eye watering!

 

[TheMule]

What a shame- did vet not suggest getting more semen? I guess just might not have been possible in that timescale

 

[ihatework]

Would you not just reinseminate?

 

[Asha]

Apologies, been away for the weekend!

So, news is not Great. Inseminated as planned on the Tuesday evening, vet came back to rescan on the Thursday and she hadn’t ovulated. This was despite all looking perfect on Monday and an injection given Monday to aid ovulation. There’s an outside chance that the sperm will still have been viable if she ovulated in the next 12 hours but I’m not banking on it. Motility was 60% when inseminated and that was done within 12 hours of collection from stallion as I drove down to get it. We were 48 hours on when scanned to see she hadn’t ovulated so sperm was 60 hours old at that point. Like I say, I’m not expecting a miracle.

Next scan is booked for 4th July so fingers crossed for the elusive blob, but honestly, I think we’ll have to do another attempt so basically another £1000 out of the pot! Anyone who thinks breeding is cheap needs a go on this rollercoaster! It’s eye watering!

It wont be another £1000, just the cost of the insemination package . Fingers crossed for a miracle blob

 

[Bikerchickone]

Couldn’t reinseminate as stallion owner couldn’t collect again with it being so hot that day (last Thursday) and again Friday.

Sadly it will be another £1000 to try again, another fee to stallion owner, and three visits including gynae exam and scanning by the vet is almost that amount, and that’s without the blob scan. Vet isn’t quite my area so each call out is almost £100 and then everything else on top. That doesn’t include my fuel to collect semen or the time off work to be around for vet either. It’s a really good thing my husband loves me a lot at the moment. ?

 

[Bikerchickone]

Posted twice somehow so deleted.

 

[milliepops]

crikey that's a lot. isn't it just collection fee to the stud? I ended up boxing into the vets each time for my mare to get the package price and when she was close i left her there as £15 a day field livery was cheaper than the diesel it's a big time commitment though, that's for sure. hope you get a lovely healthy blob next time.

 

[AmyMay]

That’s a huge amount. Do they not do a foaling package?

 

[Tiddlypom]

I liveried my mare at my equine vet horsepital as part of their repro package. They could scan as often as they liked to get the timings right, often twice a day. She took first time.

I couried the semen (which was collected at Twemlows, who also do repro packages).

It'll only be another collection fee for the semen, not the whole stud fee again, surely?

When you say too hot, was that too hot for the stallion to perform? That's a bit of a bummer if hot days are out.

 

[TheMule]

Couldn’t reinseminate as stallion owner couldn’t collect again with it being so hot that day (last Thursday) and again Friday.

Sadly it will be another £1000 to try again, another fee to stallion owner, and three visits including gynae exam and scanning by the vet is almost that amount, and that’s without the blob scan. Vet isn’t quite my area so each call out is almost £100 and then everything else on top. That doesn’t include my fuel to collect semen or the time off work to be around for vet either. It’s a really good thing my husband loves me a lot at the moment. ?

That is outrageous! It's not the stallion owner's fault the mare didn’t ovulate, but I'd be pretty frustrated with 'too hot' as a reason to not collect again- early morning isn’t hot, and anyway, it's not a long job for an experienced stallion and a cold hose after sorts the heat problem!
And I cannot believe it's that much with the vet- she doesn’t need a gynae exam, she just needs scanning. Is there a stud nearer to the vet she could go to for a few days?

 

[Asha]

Couldn’t reinseminate as stallion owner couldn’t collect again with it being so hot that day (last Thursday) and again Friday.

Sadly it will be another £1000 to try again, another fee to stallion owner, and three visits including gynae exam and scanning by the vet is almost that amount, and that’s without the blob scan. Vet isn’t quite my area so each call out is almost £100 and then everything else on top. That doesn’t include my fuel to collect semen or the time off work to be around for vet either. It’s a really good thing my husband loves me a lot at the moment. ?

You need to change repro vets . Sharpish . Not only did they fail to scan the day after insemination. The fees are ridiculous. You could send her to Twemlows for less . You should not be paying that sort of money

 

[Bikerchickone]

Thanks all. I can’t send her anywhere, she’d been at the stud she was born at for her whole 16 years until she came to me and the loading was a nightmare. She arrived very stressed and with cuts all over her face. She’s also only been here a month so I wanted her to settle in and trust us, she’s not used to much regular handling of the non stud sort, before I tried transporting her again. In fairness the vet did suggest taking her there but I felt it would distress her far more and once explained she agreed.


First collection I picked up was taken at 4.30am and the stallion is an older chap so I do kind of understand why the owner didn’t want him doing it again in that heat. That said I guess it’s a summer thing anyway but I don’t know how they manage it usually.

I will ask her to scan day after insemination this time anyway, now that I know it should be done. I don’t think there’s been any deliberate attempt to get it wrong, she was as puzzled as we were that ovulation hadn’t happened. Her exact words Tuesday were ‘perfect timing’ when she scanned. She showed me the follicle as well, not that I knew what I was looking at, but apparently size indicated imminent ovulation.

My problem is being limited by the stud owner, wanting to do absolutely the best by the mare and also not making my husband want to divorce me. This potential foal also means way more to me than it possibly should, having lost its sibling in such a horrible way 2 years ago and not really getting any justice for him. So I’m pretty much willing to do whatever it takes to safely have another. I haven’t told the vet that of course but I’d guess she can see how much it matters.

 

[Bikerchickone]

Should add, the vet is really highly regarded in the area too, and my vet says she is a really good repro vet. Not that I asked for a reference, I was just up front with both of them about her managing the mare for me.