What age do you stop breeding mares?

[lozzles]

I was just curious as an Australian stud popped up on my Facebook having very sadly lost a dummy foal at ten days early. I was surprised to see the mare was 24 apparently was always planned to be her last foal. She was an established broodmare and I realised I have no idea what's a normal time frame to retire them?

 

[Carlosmum]

I think the mare would tell you, by her health, is she maintaining weight whilst doing the foal well, our mares only breed every 2nd year, still going around 21/22 yrs but would be retired at the first sign of an issue.

 

[ihatework]

A physically and mentally happy broodmare, early 20’s not uncommon.
Personally, not sure I’d go beyond later teens - but it’s very mare dependent

 

[lozzles]

Ah interesting much older than I expected! I guess it's like people everyone handles pregnancy differently

 

[adamntitch]

can make a difference on when they had there first foal

 

[midnight Legend]

It personally think that’s way to old to be breeding a mare to much risks of complications for foal and mare I think max is very early 20s . I think the bloodline would have to be worth it , have a huge demand otherwise I take late teens and mare should retire.

 

[Spiderpig2009]

My current horses mother is a very famous mare who had 22 children-11 of her own and the rest were via embryo transfer. She was born in 1996 and foaled every year until 2019. I assume they froze embryos so she still conceived age 25 and two foals have been born this year and she is 29!
She is the mother of many good jumpers including Echo Van Spieveld and my wonderful horse

 

[I'm Dun]

My current horses mother is a very famous mare who had 22 children-11 of her own and the rest were via embryo transfer. She was born in 1996 and two foals have been born this year and she is 29!
She is the mother of many good jumpers including Echo Van Spieveld and my wonderful horse

Wow thats quite a career for a broodmare. She must be tough!

 

[Spiderpig2009]

Wow thats quite a career for a broodmare. She must be tough!

I know I wouldn’t have wanted that many kids! She jumped herself as well to a decent level so had quite a legacy. If they are anything like my boy I can understand why they bred from her- he is absolutely wonderful. One of them is called Gentille Van Spieveld- from the name I bet he was as kind natured as mine

This is a quite nice write up about her - she is called Tequila van Spieveld
https://www.worldofshowjumping.com/...t-of-the-dam-of-a-o-Echo-van-t-Spieveld.html#

 

[I'm Dun]

what a mare! No wonder they wanted to keep going with her