Breeding Mare to Stallion?

[Dent Kickapoo Kitty]

What do I look for? She is a very pretty and fancy a mover. She is on the small side so would I look for something bigger?

Would her having heaves be a big problem for breeding?

 

[Genie]

What do I look for? She is a very pretty and fancy a mover. She is on the small side so would I look for something bigger? Would her having heaves be a big problem for breeding?

"Heaves or broken wind is a respiratory disease of horses resulting in signs of chronic coughing, decreased exercise tolerance, difficulty breathing and abnormal lung sounds. These signs occur as the result of narrowing of the small airways of the lungs caused by: inflammation and thickening of their tissues; constriction of the smooth muscles that surround them; and accumulation of mucous and exudates within their lumens. The end result is trapping of air in the lungs (emphysema). Technically heaves is called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, recurrent airway obstruction may be a better name because most cases go into remission when their environment is changed. Difficulty in breathing recurs when susceptible horses are again exposed to mouldy feeds or dusty conditions. Animals with clinical signs adopt a characteristic breathing strategy with very high peak flows at the start of exhalation which decreases rapidly as exhalation continues."

The above is taken from the web, not a horse for breeding in my opinion, or for anything other than being taken care of so they have a reasonably easy time for the remainder of their life.

 

[Skylight_minis]

I would say depends on where your located, how bad the heaves are, and what time of the year it is. My first horse had heaves. We tried to breed her several times but she never took which is pretty common in mares with heaves so it could be that she wouldnt even get prego and stay prego. If the heaves isnt that bad and she seems normal during the winter months. It would be good for her have the foal when its cool out. Its harder for them to breathe when its hot out and if they are heavy. So Say you bred your mare in early March and she was able to carry it then the foal does over 50% of growing in the last few months which would fall in the winter time. She would have the foal in Feb.

I'm not saying that breeding a horse with breathing problems is the best idea, cuz carrying a foal is hard enough on a mare with out other complications, but just trying to give you some useful info if you decide you just have to have a foal out of her. I personally wouldnt breed her. If she's really tiny and refined theres also a chance she may have problems foaling. Mares that are broad in the hips are the best. If your mare is not reg. and of good conformation i wouldnt even think about breeding her at all heaves or no.

 

[Anne]

I wondered how old this mare is?

I see the other post about her having had a C-section also.

I have an over mare here who is just 16 she's been a super broodmare and mom. However this year she seems to be getting "heavey", some wheezing occassionally, a bit of coughing, that deep cough. She's had 7 foals for me and the decision was made that this would be her last. I don't see any reason to put her health at risk carrying a foal. The added stress with the heaves would be too much in my opinion, for her and the foal.

Her colt this year is a handsome pinto boy and she is going to be done.

As far as stallions go I breed smaller stallions to taller mares as a rule.

If she were mine I would also want to know why the C-section was necessary and if she had delivered vaginally afterwards.

Anne

 

[Dent Kickapoo Kitty]

The mare is 9 years old and I don't know much about why she had the C section done. Here is the mini

Her heaves are not that bad and I am having the vet come out for one of the other horses. So I will get them to do tests and see what is she allergic to.

Thanks for your help

 

[Margaret]

I personally would not breed a mare with the health problem, and history mentioned..

The wheezing could pass hereditary on to the foal,

and the fact that she had a c- section previously is a red flag to me.

 

[Songcatcher]

Since you have asked for opinions, I must agree with those who say they would not breed her. Our breed is in serious need of weeding out those with problems, not adding to them.

 

[Littleum]

There's a wise saying:

"Never breed a mare unless you want an EXACT copy of her"- so, question is, do you want a foal just like this mare?

Heaves *can* be genetic.

Since you don't know *why* she had a C-section, it's probably unwise to breed her until you know exactly why. C-sections are normal in humans but not in horses. C-sections are the "option of last resort" and an extremely drastic measure. It's important you know exactly why she had one.

 

[Allure Ranch]

[SIZE=12pt]I wouldn't even consider breeding her....[/SIZE]

 

[Reijel's Mom]

There are just WAY too many very nice mini mares to be had at very reasonable prices right now with NONE of the problems you've described for me personally to even consider breeding her. Sounds like it could be heartbreak waiting to happen. Just not fair to the mare.

 

[Contessa]

If you truely love this mare don't breed her. You will be taking a huge gamble on her life and I seriously doubt you will see a live foal from her. It is the fact that she had a C-section that worries me. If she carries the foal to term you may well need to have another C-section done to get the foal out. Are you prepared for that expense?

 

[loveminis]

Why breed her ?

After her having a C-section that must tell you something, and with the heaves - give the girl a break.

 

[Relic]

Okay l'm on the other side of the fence here we've actually had a mare years back who had a C section to get the foal out alive it happens and you do what you think is best for the mare at that time and hold out hope for the foal which in our case was fine and went on to reproduce without a problem...the mare herself healed fine and we waited 2 years after that to rebreed her and since then she's had 4 live normal by the book foalings. As far as heaves mild or full blown in a broodmare l'd rather run then walk it's not a thing l'd consider in breeding stock no matter how much l liked her.. the same on breeding minis with stifle or off mouth issues..

 

[Minimor]

Heaves, definitely I would not breed her. First off, her condition, or the tendency toward it, may be hereditary, and secondly I don't think it's fair to breed a mare with heaves. Being heavy in foal may very well make her condition much worse--I don't know how bad the heaves are at this point, but please know that if she has difficulty now she may be have major difficulties in the last weeks of pregnancy. (You say she is "not that bad" now but from years experience I know that is a very relative term. A horse can be not too bad today and then tomorrow be gasping for air. Some drugs which can be used to help a horse through a severe attack cannot be given to a pregnant mare.

The C-section would concern me some. I know there are mares that have had a C section & then went on to deliver foals naturally, but there are also those that shouldn't be expected to carry & deliver a foal afterward. From the sounds of it you don't know enough about your mare's history to make an informed decision to breed her again--and in that situation I would not breed her again.

As far as your question regarding breeding her to a larger stallion...that is generally NOT the thing you want to do! For small mares you should look for a small stallion--and not just small in height but stature--it may not be a problem to breed her to a stallion that is a bit taller than she is as long as he is fine boned. You don't want to breed to one that is smaller but very heavy/big boned. I would suggest that you look back through the forum pages & read some of the posts you'll find on breeding small mares...and on breeding in general. Be sure to read the posts on lost foals--foals that died because they were too large and/or positioned wrong & couldn't possibly be delivered alive. Sometimes the mare dies too.