OCD and breeding?

[Birker2020]

I am not sure which section to put this in on the forum so I have put it in here and also in the breeding section. Someone I know sold a horse to some people she was friendly with who in turn sold the horse on to a lady who wanted the horse for ridden work. They did not sell the mare on because she had started exhibiting bad behaviour with them, merely because they wanted to find a good ridden home for her as they were fond of her and were not sure exactly where she would have ended up if her previous owner had tried to sell her. Following problems with the mare rearing, bucking etc the new owner had the vet out to investigate and it has since transpired that the mare has been diagnosed with OCD. Rather than put her down or find a companion home for her she wishes to try and sell her or put her out on loan as a brood mare and the advert she is running says quite clearly that she cannot be ridden anymore. Now there are very strong feelings that OCD is a heridatary condition and any foal that this young mare breeds could very well go on to develop OCD with many years of steroid injections, painkillers, investigations and possible surgery and financial loss and heartbreak for the owners of any foals bred. Surely there must be some law against selling a horse to be used as a brood mare when it is known that she is carrying a disease which has more than a fair chance of being passed on to her foals? Am i right in this assumption? This mare is currently for sale and I feel awful for anyone who gets caught up in breeding from this poor creature.

 

[CBFan]

Anyone that breeds from her should do so with caution and be prepared to deal with the concequences of such action. It is not however so black and white (in can be attributed to dietary and management factors) when it comes to this condition so breeding from her, although not ideal, doesn't necessarily have to be ruled out.

 

[milliepup]

I had a mare vetted for breeding purposes and she showed up as having OCD and my vet said to stay well clear. It wasn't mentioned in the advert and the owners were quite dissapointed but then connected it with the mares bad behaviour. He is very up on equine breeding so took his advice. Personally I would never breed from a mare with OCD.

 

[Halfstep]

Having had a horse operated on for OCD, I would never, ever breed from a horse with this problem. I know that its not proven to be inherited, it could well be caused by growth spurts/nutrition, etc, the risk is too great. The european studbooks are really starting to monitor OCD in progeny and they are taking it seriously as a possibly hereditary disease.