Would you breed from a three year old mare??

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cidermillcottage1

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What are your thoughts please on breeding from a 3 year old mare? do you think they are mature enough to breed and would you be v careful in your stallion choice i.e. perhaps choosing a smaller stallion??
 
Plenty of people do, it is quite common for this to be done before the mare actually comes into work.

Personally I would prefer to wait and see what the mare achieves on her own merits - if she does well it would add value to any subsequent foals, but I do understand the rationale of choosing to breed at this stage
 
I've bred 2 three year olds for this season - i.e. covered last year at 3 - foaled at 4. Both well grown RID fillies - 16hh and 16.1 - both to a 16.2 RID stallion. One of them needed a little help at foaling (but probably could have managed without); the other delivered very quickly without assistance. They're proving to be great mothers and holding their weight with no problems.

I wouldn't do it younger - or if the filly was immature - otherwise, no problem!
 
We have done, for me it gives me the option to see what they can produce before I decide whether we will keep them as a broodmare or give them a go under saddle. We are careful about what fillies we would do this with however and like Janet said would choose more mature fillies and give the others more time to mature.
 
Maturity is definitely the key I think - I have a 3 yr old warmblood who I really wanted to put in foal this year, but she just hadn't finished growing on enough so was left alone. She'll be backed next year now and we'll see how she goes before putting her in foal in the future.
 
I know, I dithered for too long!
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i never have, i prefer them to prove themselves, plus have been told that it can make them harder to break in, because they're much more independent minded, having been a mum. this might be an old wives' tale, though.
 
I'd always heard the opposite, that mares became more settled once they'd had a foal. I've got a nice yearling I'm hoping to cover as a three year old but much depends upon her maturity when the time comes. Being warmblood she may well be too immature. I'll wait and see.
 
I cover mine at 3 and lightly back them that summer. Then they are re backed after weaning the foal. That way if they were to stay competing for a number of years and not come back to the broodmare herd for some time, I know they have already produced a foal and I dont have a teenaged maiden mare.
 
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i never have, i prefer them to prove themselves, plus have been told that it can make them harder to break in, because they're much more independent minded, having been a mum. this might be an old wives' tale, though.

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Well with RIDs, if they can pass grading and a stringent vet exam, that's proof enough - as IDs are a rare breed. My two home-bred fillies - now 4 - each have a filly at foot by a good outcross stallion. That's great for the breed! But the 'harder to break in' is definitely an old wives tale. We backed Karina when she came over from Ireland at 10, having been a brood mare since 3. Easy peasy. A few others who were broodf mares first - we backed them when opportunity arose - no problems other than what you would expect in a mare of that breeding. (One rather hot WB was a cow - but then hot WBs can be cows whether they've had a foal or not.)
 
If she's looking ok I don't see why not, but do remember you won't be able to have her in work for more than 17 months, and often that decides whether it's worth it to you or not, as by the time you have started her she will be older than the norm.
 
Just about to cover one tomorrow! However if she will not stand for the stallion I will not go ahead. She is a mature filly who was an early foal and had seasons as a yearling. So realy it depends on individual circumstances.
 
I have had three four year olds foal this year - all were mature enough to cover last year and have continued to develop through the pregnancy. As long as they have correct nutritional support then I generally don't see too much of a problem, but you have to take each case as individual.

What I personally think is crossing the line is when people put a two year old filly in foal. I appreciate it means a year less to wait for a return on your investment, but other than that I do not understand why people would do it. If money means so much more to them than the health of their broodmares, then you have to wonder if they are getting all the other requirements that are needed in terms of nutrition etc. I am sure people are now going to say that they've always done it without any problems, but I find it a bit too much.

Good luck with getting your mare in foal!
 
i have done, but only because the filly was mature enough, i have found that they def settle when in foal, i have a dartmoor hill pony who was wild when i got her and has had 3foals with me and we have just started breaking her in with no problems at all and she is very much her own person and will argue lol but she has taken to this really well which is good as want to give her a rest from foals this yr
 
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