Should I breed again from a mare after still birth

[Crugeran Celt]

As some of you will know my miniature mare had a still birth in April, this was very distressing and the mare is doing really well. She does occasionaly stand in the stable where the foal was born and call which is heart breaking. I bought her last October knowing she was pregnant but she was bought as a companion for my other miniature and didn't really want 3. My dilema now is that the person I bought her from has offered for me to take her back to have her covered again by their stallion. I really do not know what to do as I didn't really want another horse but knew I would keep it and I wouldn't want to put the mare through this again if she lost another one I would be devastated but she is a born mum and I feel that she needs to have the chance to have a live foal and then no more breeding after that. What do you think.

 

[classic_astra]

if you didnt want 3 in the first place then why even consider it?

 

[Apercrumbie]

^^^ This. As you have found out, foals are a lot of work that often ends in heartbreak. Unless you really want a foal, why put the mare or yourself through all that again?

 

[SusieT]

Additionally if your mare aborted you need to have her tested by your vet for diseases taht could have caused the abortion and could cause another foal to abort. I would say you also don't sound ready for a foal so just let her be a companion.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

I have spoken to the vet about the still birth and he thinks it was 'just one of those things' as she has delvered two healthy foals to the same stallion. The only reason I am in two minds over this is because I feel the mare is still grieving and is a little confused and a live foal would help her get over it. As I said wouldn't really choose to have another one but have plenty of room and time for a foal. The breeder has said I can leave the decision until next year if I want to so have decided to do that and hopefully the mare will have settled. I would not be bringing another horse into the world that was not wanted to be passed from home to home, it would remain with me as all my horses have, never sold one yet.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Basically I think what I am asking is do you think having another foal will be good for the mare?

 

[Monkers]

To be honest you might be reading more in to her "grief" than is actually there. Her hormones may take a while to settle back into her usual pattern and you should find she will settle soon enough, certainly by the time you are considering covering again, she will have forgotton all about it, but I'm sure she will be her old self within a few weeks.

It's an awful thing for you to experience and my guess is that you are feeling pretty sad about it too, but your mare is not going to have those sorts of emotions and she will be fine once her body stops thinking there should be a baby around somewhere to feed. Her responses are instinctive and not emotional.

Can she swap stables for a while? It might make you feel better if she doesn't have any learned "triggers" to set off maternal behaviour

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Thankyou Monkers that was a very helpful response, yes you are right that I am feeling sad about it all. She is not stabled at all now and if I bring her in she does go to a different stable but she still calls. I will definately leave the decision until next year and as you say she should be well settled by then. Thankyou.