Private livery yards for mare and foal

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tallyy

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Hey,
So I have a horse on loan that can be slightly nervous and the owner and I have been considering putting her in foal, this is a first time for both of us and any opinions on AI in comparison to natural breeding would be greatly appreciated! And any tips for the pregnancy and foal care including when would be a good time to bring the mare back in to work.

Also the yard we are at now will most likely not agree to accommodate a mare and foal, so any suggestions on quiet reasonably priced livery yards (preferably with an indoor school) that will accommodate a mare and foal, and as near to Elstree road as possible would be greatly appreciated!
 
Before you put her in foal is she anything special?
Have a decent comp record?
Have outstanding conformation?
If the answer to any of the above is no, then please don't add to the thousands of mediocre horses that are unwanted.
Buy one instead of breeding one. There are plenty out there and you will get a lovely animal for the cost of your potential stud fee.
 
Agree with Joanne. If the mare does not have an outstanding competition record, or fabulous breeding, or immaculate conformation, then do not breed her. Especially as she is a nervous type as this will most probably be passed on down to the foal. The only reason to breed from a mare that is none of the above is if you are going to offer the foal a home for life.

Regarding livery yards, there are some studs that also run livery services. Or small private yards. I am a yard owner, and took the plunge allowing one of my liveries to breed her mare and keep her here with the foal. It was a LOT harder than I had ever expected. I actually put the owner up in our guest annex for three weeks whilst she was on foal watch. You need to have some facility in place to watch the mare throughout the night from at least two weeks before she is due. The owner at my yard set her alarm to get up every two hours at first, and increased it to every hour in the final week. So many things can go wrong with the birth.

Then when the foal is born, you need two people every time the mare and foal are moved. I thought foalie would just follow Mum. He had other ideas! So you pretty much need two handlers for the first six months unless the mare and foal are exceptionally easy and can both be led together.

Finally, the cost of breeding a foal is every bit as expensive (or more) than buying one. Especially if you factor in keeping it for the 4 years before it can be ridden.

Lots to think about.
 
I agree with the above. If you're just putting her in foal because she is nervous, do bear in mind you may end up with two nervous horses to handle, one of which that will have youth, lack of training and boisterousness on it's side!

When I was thinking of putting my mare in foal, there was a possibility of taking the mare back there to foal and for the mare and foal to run with other mares and foals on grass livery until they were weaned. My mare didn't get pregnant, but at the time I seriously considered that, despite having my own land. Its good for foals to grow up with other ones..
 
i failed to get my mare in foal this year but I am trying again next year. She has good breeding and a good jump! I am doing it to produce myself something for the future. She was AIed using chilled seamen. She will have the same next year and hopefully if in foal will foal at the stud and remain there for a while with the foal :)
 
Thank you all for the advice, Joeanne, the answer to all is no. Her conformation is decent. She is slightly nervous but only with people she doesn't know. She is a french trotter who was used on the track and she is still in the process of being re-schooled and has come on incredibly considering her history. She also has the most incredible attitude to her work and that is what we are hoping she will pass on to her foal. Wagtail, I am planning on offering the foal a home for life. Any advice on stallions that would be good to breed with her?? She is of thoroughbred type and the owner and I are planning on doing mainly dressage with a bit of jumping. What I am looking for is mainly big bold expressive paces with elevation and a stallion that is built perfectly level as she is built slightly croup high. (pricing can be anything up to £900)/Users/taliasofizade/Downloads/Belle in the snow .docx here is a picture of her-not sure if it will show.
 
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