Why Breed?

[ihatework]

I’d find her some decent winter herd/retirement turnout. You could bring her back for the summer but you might well find that once you see her settled and happy, are occupied with the new one and have slightly broken the Amber-tie, you will feel more content at not having her right on your doorstep

 

[Ample Prosecco]

can you find somewhere for her to go just for the winter months? then have her back over the summers?

Only if I keep her box. There is a long waiting list for the yard so if she goes, she's gone unless I keep paying, which is a pretty expensive way of doing things as wintering away isn't cheap either.

She is not a fan of extended periods in her stable. Toby loved it! I could barely persuade him to stay out for his full hour. But Amber likes being out.

 

[Caol Ila]

Having two horses at two different yards isn't the end of the world. But I totally hear your issue. The horses on individual turn-out at Gypsum's yard only got two hours per day (the herds get tons of turn-out), which was fine for Gypsum while she was in work. When I had to stop riding her, I spent hours hand-grazing because I didn't think it was right for a horse who wasn't in work to be in a box 22 hours per day. The system sort of functioned, but it would not have been sustainable if she'd been a younger, long-term retiree. While I didn't expect her to go downhill as quickly as she did, I also didn't expect her to see the next winter. And in the grand scheme of things, she wasn't out of work for very long.

But maybe it's worth trying live cover with Amber and if she doesn't take then, call it a day with her?

 

[Clodagh]

I’d turn her out with a stallion for the rest of the summer and see what happens. Even if it wasn’t your first choice stallion a foal might get things moving?
Falling that, definitely natural cover in hand.
Are you friends with Sally Foster? She’s amazing.
Is Amber teased when inseminated?

 

[TheMule]

I agree- if you really want a foal send her to something like Tajraasi who is a lovely quality TB that runs with his mares. He's NFNF and it would give it a proper go in a more 'natural' way which some mares need. I can understand you wanting a foal from her as she means so much to you and is a nice mare. I think you'd regret not really trying

 

[Clodagh]

I agree- if you really want a foal send her to something like Tajraasi who is a lovely quality TB that runs with his mares. He's NFNF and it would give it a proper go in a more 'natural' way which some mares need. I can understand you wanting a foal from her as she means so much to you and is a nice mare. I think you'd regret not really trying

I was going to say I don't know any non native stallions that run with mares, but there you go.

I think you should really try this, Amber is your special girl.

 

[brighteyes]

Breeding for all the wrong reasons IMHO.

 

[Flyermc]

On the box/stabling front.

Is there a reason why amber cant still have a mare/foal box over winter? im assuming that the yard will get the same rent for the set-up regardless of if theres a mare or mare and foal in it?

 

[maya2008]

I could never have bred from my special mare. Even when young, she was my whole world. The risk of losing her because of a decision I made wasn’t one I was willing to take.

Now, with our bogof in the field… still wouldn’t put one of mine in foal.

If you really, really want Amber in foal, I would go with the idea of sending her away to run with a stallion. A summer of fun for her, nothing lost if she doesn’t conceive.

 

[TheMule]

FWIW I'm just about to send an older maiden mare to run with a stallion for a few weeks. It's a stallion I like anyway, but I lost a fortune with AI on my previous older mare.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Replies I hadn't seen! Sorry for non response. I have tried 1 last time with AI. I'm on a vet package and LFG so no extra cost of trying again apart from the semen handling fee. Next step will either be a Dolly foal using embryo transfer before she is sold at the end of next season. Or let Amber run with a stallion. 2 friends of mine are doing that his year with Legrande who looks pretty nice!

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Xmasha]

Good luck, will keep everything crossed she takes this time. Keep us posted

 

[Caol Ila]

Hopefully you will get lucky this time.

You're selling Dolly??

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Dolly will be sold at the end of next season when Katie leaves home for uni. She’s too small for me and far too much of a good doer to get fat in a field waiting for the holidays! Plus she should go to a talented 12 year old with big dreams! She’s the perfect pc pony.

 

[Abi90]

Probably too late for this but are there any local stallions you like where you can get fresh semen without the extender in? Rosie took 3 attempts to get in foal and on the third attempt they didn’t use the extender and hey presto, 334 days later, strapping colt foal. The live cover option would also cover this issue