Too old to foal?

[candrews]

I am posting this for a friend who has a TBx she would like to breed from. She has owned her for 7 years, she lives out and is a good doer. However she has not bred a foal before and is 19years old. I think something about this has been posted before but is the general opinion that if the mare takes then that (in natures own way) means she is ok and if she is too old then she won't take? What are the main concerns for breeding from an older mare - she is fit and very lively and doesn't act 19 at all!

 

[AmyMay]

My mare is due to foal for the first time this year and will be 18. She is fit and well and very healthy. If all goes well, I will put her back in foal this year.

However, we did have conception problems with her - and this is more than likely down to her age.

I couldn't advise you really on whether you should or not - I think that only your vet and perhaps stud can do that.

 

[lucysnapshot]

at the end of the day its up to the owner. my mare 21yrs is due to have her 2nd foal at the end of the month and she was very difficult to get in foal. read plenty of books and talk to the vet and stud is my advice

 

[cazza]

My mare will be going into foal this year, hopefully she will take, and we only know how old she is by holding a finger to the wind (have been told she is anything from 18 to 23

) But vet says so long as she is fit and well in herself and has had a check over (good heart, lungs etc) she should be fine.

 

[magic104]

I suggest you get her scanned though, because at this age they can have issues ie fluid in the uterus. I would scan her before going to stud & if she is staying at home & being AI'd then she will need to be scanned to check ovulation. My sister failed last year to get her 18yr old mare in-foal despite her having had 3 foals when younger. Her's was due to fluid, this was also the case with a friends mare. Both of them wasted a lot of money sending the mares away when they could have had them checked at home.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

My friend has a tbx 19 year old mare, she was given the all clear when asked the vet. Atho she is going for loan insted now.

 

[clipclop]

If I remember rightly my foal's Dam was 20ish when she had her.
To be confirmed with Delphipuppy

 

[amandaco2]

shantih was 16 when she had bey. she was her first foal and she caught first time
she had a breeding soundess exam before she went to stud and was AId which reduces the amount of fluid she threw up and helped her concieve first time(they give a smaller amount as they also check its all viable before it goes in-lovely)
a good stud is a must- mine had 100% sucess the last 2 years with that stallion.