Stallion - how much bigger is ok?

K

Kacey88

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 September 2011
Messages
778
Location
Ireland
Visit site
I am breeding from my 15hh cob x mare next year. She has about 8 inches of bone and has bred at least one foal in the past with previous owners. She is 7 years old and fit and healthy! Here she is a while ago.

12241m.jpg


I am putting her to a small ID stallion. I want something a bit taller perhaps, but more importantly something with more bone. So, how big is too big?
 
I work with a 12hh pony who was covered (by AI) by a 16hh stallion with a view to producing a good 14.2 pony. Getting that height is a bit hit and miss, and I think last year's foal will go over height, this year's will probably not grow too big.
 
the watcher said:
I work with a 12hh pony who was covered (by AI) by a 16hh stallion with a view to producing a good 14.2 pony. Getting that height is a bit hit and miss, and I think last year's foal will go over height, this year's will probably not grow too big.
Click to expand...

I would have thought that would have been too big! How did she foal?! I'm not too bothered by the specific height of the foal, I just don't want the foal to be too big and risk my mare's health.
 
With a 15hh mare that isn't a maiden I wouldn't worry too much. Mares tend to bake foals to a size that suits them rather then the stallion. There has just been a post about a 11hh mare foaling a BOGOFF to a Friesian! That would worry me, but all in that case was fine.
 
I wouldn't look at height as much as the overall size of the horse- a 15.2 tank might cause problems where as a 16h fine boned type wouldn't.
 
From your picture your girl looks nice and deep so in my opinion a 16hh Irish Draught with 9.5" bone would not be too big. I have had smaller mares to my 16.3hh stallion with no problems. If you prefer the 16hh stallion for your mare then go for it :)
 
ritajennings said:
From your picture your girl looks nice and deep so in my opinion a 16hh Irish Draught with 9.5" bone would not be too big. I have had smaller mares to my 16.3hh stallion with no problems. If you prefer the 16hh stallion for your mare then go for it :)
Click to expand...

Thanks very much Rita, she is quite deep bodied! :)
 
I put my 15.2 maiden warmblood mare to a 17.2 Luso stallion (AI) with no problems.
Youngster (2 years 4 months) now stands at over 16 hands and fits a 6 foot 3 rug!!
 
It was my 11.2 mare who surprised me with a BOGOF foal, whose sire was a freisian :o
I was worried about the size difference but had much reassurance on here and by my vets who all said it is the size of the mare that determines size of foal at birth, not size of stallion. She foaled secretly during the night, having shown zero signs of labour when I checked her just a few hours previously. Yet all went smoothly as she haa delivered a healthy filly when I arrived early the next morning. The filly is big, at birth she was probably half the height of my mare, and will be much bigger than her mummy - but they are both healthy and that was my main concern upon finding out she was in foal

Kim
 
Kacey88 said:
I would have thought that would have been too big! How did she foal?! I'm not too bothered by the specific height of the foal, I just don't want the foal to be too big and risk my mare's health.
Click to expand...

foaled no problem, I think the bigger stallion is quite fine boned.

Likewise my (barely) 13.3hh highland has just had a foal by a 16.2 Selle Francais, again he is quite a fine example of the breed and the foal was a similar size to the arab crosses she has had in the past
 
The foal will only grow to the size of the dam's uterus so it doesn't really matter what size stallion you put your mare to.
An experiment was done where a pony embryo was put in a large horse uterus and foal ended up looking like a pony but 16hh. Also vice- versa they put a large warmblood type foal in a pony mare and a pony size warmblood was born. They have also done research into crossing clydesdale x shetlands etc.
 
The size is a concern when coming through the birth canal, which in mares is rare. The only reason it is a problem with cattle is that beef bulls are often used on dairy cows who's birth canals are not big enough for the shoulders of the calfs they produce.

I know lots of tests have been done & on the whole yes it is fine, but there could still be a risk if the shetland mare was AI'd to say a Suffolk Punch.
 
i always say one hand bigger max, try squeezing a football through hole the size of golf ball.

sometimes foals grow too big inside the mare even when the sire is a sensible size, and complications can arise anyway why add to the risks.


very nice mare.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JJS
tristar said:
i always say one hand bigger max, try squeezing a football through hole the size of golf ball.

sometimes foals grow too big inside the mare even when the sire is a sensible size, and complications can arise anyway why add to the risks.


very nice mare.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much! She's the best tempered horse I've ever come across which is the main reason I'm breeding from her. I think I'm going with a shorter stallion anyway, it made me curious though as to what size differences others go for. Quite the contrast of opinions apparently!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top