A very important article to read

[ClickMini]

I think this article is something that everyone who thinks about becoming a miniature horse breeder should read. It is about the pitfalls of breeding a very young mare. I saw a number of 2yo mares cross thru the sale ring at the World Sale carrying a foal. It is also a good reminder to be patient. Overall, an excellent article.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/horse-hea...-pregnancy.aspx

 

[Katiean]

Personally I do not think a mare should be bred until age 4-5 when they themselves are grown up. JMHO

 

[JWC sr.]

We wait till they are a full 3 before breeding which puts them at 4 or very close to it. For exactly the reason portrayed in the article.

I think the maddest I have gotten at a customer was on a filly we sold at 16 months old, she was a very nice show filly out of our stallion Rio De Oro, and the lady begged and begged to buy the filly. Finally Cindy gave in.

With the understanding that she would be shown. After not seeing her at about 5 local shows that next year we called the lady and she informs Cindy that she decided to breed the filly instead of showing her.

We were livid, but had no control and tried to talk to her about watching her, maiden mare problems etc. etc. Even offered to put her in our barn under the cameras etc. She said no that she wanted to be involved with the foaling and would handle it, that she was very experienced with horses and we shouldn't worry. Three months later we learned she was dead from the baby hanging up etc. at less than 3 years old.

A sad ending to a really nice little filly. All caused by an idiot breeding too young imho.

 

[Genie]

Good article.

Possibly the registries could solve the problem by not allowing foals to be registered unless the mare was past age 4 at delivery?

 

[Bess Kelly]

This is a good site.....many articles.

BUT -- in addition to this aspect of maturity, I wish we could get them to STOP racing them so young!!!

 

[Riverdance]

A very good article!!

There was a subject about this very thing on the Forum not too long ago. I feel that NO two year old should be bred. They are just not physically or mentally ready.

Yes you may have not had a problem in the past and you were lucky, and you may not again, but is it worth taking a chance of loosing a good mare?

 

[faithfarm]

That was a good article, but it has less to do with breeding a 2yr old than it does palpating a high strung horse. I know a couple of people who perforated the gut while ultrasounding, these were not young mares so it's not an age related thing. I usually feed my mares when I ultrasound them, they'll let you do anything as long as they're eating.

I have bred 2yr olds before and will do it again, it depends on the mare. You have to use a little common sense and not breed the immature, ultra refined show fillies but breed only the more mature horses. I don't try any heroics either, I breed a 2 yr old that I think is ready, in the summer, not early spring like the rest of my mares; and if they don't catch it wasn't supposed to be. Some of my best broodmares were bred as 2yr olds and continue to produce a foal every year. Some aren't ready as a 2yr old or even a 3yr old, I had 1 mare that didn't conceive until she was 8. I have a couple of yearling fillies that I would love to breed next year, but will not because they are too refined. One thing to consider when waiting until they are 4 or 5, is that the pelvis fuses at about 4 yrs and it's better to deliver a foal before the pelvis fuses.

Flame suited donned, fire away.

Rick

 

[whitney]

Yep get the registries to stipulate the breedable age of mares. Problem SOLVED.

Sorry there isn't a soul that could talk me into breeding a mare before she's 5. This is just me but from 0-5 is spent teaching them to be something other than being a breeding machine, incase they fail at that.

I agree Bess Kelly how many horses are going to have to be distroyed in front of the ENTIRE world BEFORE these owners and trainers realize the horses are too young and do they LOVE the breed or the MONEY?

 

[Margo_C-T]

I never bred a two YO mare, and never would. In past, I have bred them at three, but on reflection, if I were to breed again, I would wait until 4 or better, 5. I would be interested in hearing the source and scientific backing for whether the pelvis 'fuses' at 4, and how that has been proven to have an adverse impact upon delivery. Honestly, I can't really accept the reasoning that one should 'get a mare into production' as early in her life as possible because at maturity, she 'might' prove to be unsuitable as a broodmare....that makes NO sense to me; to me, the genuinely 'GOOD' broodmares are ones who would be able to fulfill that purpose well and without issue in every way, under optimum(for THEIR well-being) circumstances. If a mare, upon GENUINE MATURITY, has 'too-narrow' a pelvic opening, what makes you think she won't likely pass that drawback along?? Seems to me like a REALLY good reason to WAIT until full official(generally, defined as a full 5 years/60 months of age) physical maturity to breed a mare, to me....

I leased out a mare some years ago(she was older than two)to be used for breeding; she had to have surgical intervention when the time came. According to the terms of the lease, the lessor did cover all vet costs, and she survived. Because the university vets told them she had 'too-narrow' a pelvis, they returned her 'early', understandably not wishing to attempt breeding her again (to which I wholeheartedly agreed, of course!) I later sold her locally, at a very reasonable price, with a firm agreement that she never again be bred, primarily for her safety--but also, because of the above-mentioned reason.

And-as long as we are mentioning the terrible 'things done too young' to horses(and therefore, very dangerous to their well-being)

-- let's not forget things like 2 YO cutting and reining futurities, and ads on the horse-for-sale websites showing people riding horses(often, gaited breeds, for some strange reason) well UNDER age two, complete with full-sized western saddles and full-sized IDIOTS on board...etc.,etc., etc. There is, pitiful to have to say, PLENTY of lack of consideration for the well-being of the animal to go around.....I think we can all 'guess' what is more important to the people involved....

Unfortunately, it has been a 'historic' practice of MANY who've bred miniature horses to breed mares ASAP-meaning at age two or younger.(The first mini mare I bought, still here and happy at 26, had a spring foal at side when I bought her, yet didn't turn 3 until October of that year--it was SOP back then.) Can't help but think it was about the money; why else?--especially back in the 'glory days' of the late seventies, and eighties, when nearly anything brought a relatively high price. Those days are past, but some still follow those kind of practices; I have to wonder why?

Margo

 

[Joanne]

Thank you Amy for letting us know about the article and the website.

I appreciated learning from it. It shows how hard it can be for the veterinarian with a difficult client!

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Why not do the same thing for the stallions?