To breed or not to breed?

[rhi.torrens]

Hi All.
I’ve got a 15.2hh ISH mare who I would love to take a foal from.
She’s a lovely horse, nice confirmation, scopey, sweet natured, very honest and completely sound.
I have never bred before but I do have multiple friends who have that I can get help from (I am very experienced in cattle breeding if that helps).
She’s 15 (slightly old but her cycle runs like clockwork every month making me think she is still fertile enough) and reason for breeding is just that I think she would make a great mum and lovely foal.
Only issue is, I got her at 10.yo unseen from Ireland and I know nothing of her backstory (she may have had a foal in the past) and her passport has no info with her breeding or genetics, just says unknown.
Should also mention she has quite wide hips which leads me to think that she would have a slightly easier time birthing?

Is it a good idea to breed from her?
TIA!

 

[paddi22]

if I was in your boat I'd go for it. once you have a plan in place for all stages and support you'll be fine. she sounds like a gorgeous mare and it would be lovely to keep her line going.

 

[Clodagh]

She’s gorgeous.
Just remember you can’t yank a foal out like a calf.

 

[rhi.torrens]

if I was in your boat I'd go for it. once you have a plan in place for all stages and support you'll be fine. she sounds like a gorgeous mare and it would be lovely to keep her line going.

Thank you!

 

[rhi.torrens]

She’s gorgeous.
Just remember you can’t yank a foal out like a calf.

Thank you!
Haha will remember that.

 

[P.forpony]

The fact that you're considering so carefully is a good start!

I think breeding should be viewed as a lifetime commitment and responsibility scenario, even if done commercially.
So if you plan for the foal to be her replacement on retirement or if its sold, either way my goal would be to ensure you're always able to offer it a good home and care if it needs it

She ticks all the boxes for soundness and temperament and sounds like a good candidate for a nice foal
I'd say take great care in your choice of stallion. Find out what his progeny are like and try very hard to go and see some of them in person before you commit...You can't take it back if you don't like it!

Also, without being doom and gloomy, bear in mind the very unlikely worst case scenarios. Do you have a plan in place for if it goes wrong and are you happy to accept the risks involved.

That said, when all goes to plan it is a rather wonderful thing!

Keep us posted on what you decide in the end

 

[Dino7]

Regarding whether she has had any foals while in Ireland, if she has recorded breeding you should be able to look her up on the irish horse register website and see if she has any offspring registered.

 

[rhi.torrens]

The fact that you're considering so carefully is a good start!

I think breeding should be viewed as a lifetime commitment and responsibility scenario, even if done commercially.
So if you plan for the foal to be her replacement on retirement or if its sold, either way my goal would be to ensure you're always able to offer it a good home and care if it needs it

She ticks all the boxes for soundness and temperament and sounds like a good candidate for a nice foal
I'd say take great care in your choice of stallion. Find out what his progeny are like and try very hard to go and see some of them in person before you commit...You can't take it back if you don't like it!

Also, without being doom and gloomy, bear in mind the very unlikely worst case scenarios. Do you have a plan in place for if it goes wrong and are you happy to accept the risks involved.

That said, when all goes to plan it is a rather wonderful thing!

Keep us posted on what you decide in the end

Thank you!

 

[rhi.torrens]

Regarding whether she has had any foals while in Ireland, if she has recorded breeding you should be able to look her up on the irish horse register website and see if she has any offspring registered.

she has no breeding record unfortunately. Her past port just says Breed:unknown. We tried to pester her old vets in Ireland for her history but got blown off.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Lovely mare, I would go for it. Only comment don't use a grey on her, in fact I would look for a stallion that tends to throw his own colour. Just to try to reduce the possibility of having a grey foal susceptible to melanomas.

 

[ihatework]

She is a lovely mare and sounds like a good candidate to hobby breed something for yourself, providing you are aware of the pro’s/cons. It’s not a cheap process and at the end of it you might not get what you are hoping for, but that aside it’s fun and very rewarding.

2 things I’d advise - consider very carefully where and how you will bring the offspring up from foal-3years, this can be very influential on their development.

Choose an established stallion that stamps his stock and has offspring doing jobs for the amateur market - whilst right now you might be thinking this will be your forever horse, you never know what life might throw at you and if you are ever in a place where you need to sell a good natured allrounder will always find a nice home.

PS I’d want a stallion that throws a good hind leg/hock angle.

 

[Gloi]

Lovely mare, I would go for it. Only comment don't use a grey on her, in fact I would look for a stallion that tends to throw his own colour. Just to try to reduce the possibility of having a grey foal susceptible to melanomas.

I agree I would rather not breed to a grey for preference. However there's still the same chance no matter which non grey stallion is used. It would be possible to test the mare to see if she's homozygous or heterozygous for not very much money if you were interested, to see if she's got a 50 or 100% chance of a grey foal.

 

[ihatework]

I agree I would rather not breed to a grey for preference. However there's still the same chance no matter which non grey stallion is used. It would be possible to test the mare to see if she's homozygous or heterozygous for not very much money if you were interested, to see if she's got a 50 or 100% chance of a grey foal.

I’d add to that, given you don’t have bloodlines for her, ISH can include continental warmblood. I’d definitely screen her for WFFS.

 

[tda]

As you have No idea of parents, don't assume they were both similar to her ☺ be prepared for anything that arrives, shape/size/colour
Good luck x

 

[TPO]

I'm always anti breeding

I would say to make sure that you are aware of all the worst case scenarios. A friend nearly lost her mare, and lost the foal when birthing, was left with a massive vet bill, and the stress/trauma was immense.

Obviously that's the worst case but that possibility is there. I'm completely projecting because I couldn't cope with the guilt if anything happened to the mare. I know we wouldn't have horses if everyone thought this way! Definitely not saying that I'm right! My mum bred a foal from one of mine and thankfully it went really well, that is the norm. Horses have been foaling for centuries after all.

That's just a really long way of saying prepare for all scenarios.

 

[rhi.torrens]

Lovely mare, I would go for it. Only comment don't use a grey on her, in fact I would look for a stallion that tends to throw his own colour. Just to try to reduce the possibility of having a grey foal susceptible to melanomas.

Ah okay, thanks, I had never even thought about melanomas.
I was actually only looking at grey stallions. Unpopular I know, but I have never owned a horse that wasn’t grey - and I’ve had 20+ horses throughout my life.

Will definitely look into her possible colour genetics. Thanks!

 

[rhi.torrens]

As you have No idea of parents, don't assume they were both similar to her ☺ be prepared for anything that arrives, shape/size/colour
Good luck x

Haha yeah, just wait for a donkey to pop out of her

 

[rhi.torrens]

I’d add to that, given you don’t have bloodlines for her, ISH can include continental warmblood. I’d definitely screen her for WFFS.

Thanks both of you, I plan on getting her vet checked first to make sure there’s as low of a chance of issues occurring in the offspring caused by genetics.

 

[rhi.torrens]

I'm always anti breeding

I would say to make sure that you are aware of all the worst case scenarios. A friend nearly lost her mare, and lost the foal when birthing, was left with a massive vet bill, and the stress/trauma was immense.

Obviously that's the worst case but that possibility is there. I'm completely projecting because I couldn't cope with the guilt if anything happened to the mare. I know we wouldn't have horses if everyone thought this way! Definitely not saying that I'm right! My mum bred a foal from one of mine and thankfully it went really well, that is the norm. Horses have been foaling for centuries after all.

That's just a really long way of saying prepare for all scenarios.

So true. She is my absolute heart horse and the only mare I’ve had where i have even thought about breeding. I am only breeding her due to her being such an amazing horse that would produce a lovely foal. Hopefully!!

 

[MatHalTed]

Pre-breeding exams are your best friend. Run a cytology smear alongside a uterine swab to check for any pathogens within the uterus, I would also do a clitoral swab just in case as that can cause secondary uterine infections. Also check uterine tone on ultrasound, map any cysts if they are present and whether or not she retains any fluid, depending on what the uterus looks like on the ultrasound a biopsy may be helpful. Choose a good repro vet and a stallion with favourable terms, consider whether you want to do natural cover or AI (personally I'd always recommend AI, it's safer and, when done correctly, more efficient)
Have a plan on what you want to breed for, make a long list of stallions that are known to produce offspring similar to what you want on a large variety of mares, with conformation that complements your girl, and then refine that list to a short list. Elite Stallions and Stallions AI are very useful for 'stallion shopping' online as they have so many different options.

 

[Equi]

Just to add to the be prepare for anything that comes out with unknown breeding.. my 17hh ISH came from a 15.2 fine tb mare father unknown but presumably some sort of cob x ish.

 

[rhi.torrens]

Pre-breeding exams are your best friend. Run a cytology smear alongside a uterine swab to check for any pathogens within the uterus, I would also do a clitoral swab just in case as that can cause secondary uterine infections. Also check uterine tone on ultrasound, map any cysts if they are present and whether or not she retains any fluid, depending on what the uterus looks like on the ultrasound a biopsy may be helpful. Choose a good repro vet and a stallion with favourable terms, consider whether you want to do natural cover or AI (personally I'd always recommend AI, it's safer and, when done correctly, more efficient)
Have a plan on what you want to breed for, make a long list of stallions that are known to produce offspring similar to what you want on a large variety of mares, with conformation that complements your girl, and then refine that list to a short list. Elite Stallions and Stallions AI are very useful for 'stallion shopping' online as they have so many different options.

Thank you! Will speak to my vet re the tests. Yes elite stallions are amazing for finding a stallion.

 

[rhi.torrens]

Just to add to the be prepare for anything that comes out with unknown breeding.. my 17hh ISH came from a 15.2 fine tb mare father unknown but presumably some sort of cob x ish.

Haha, god knows what she will pop out then