Hand Breeding

[spots n splashes]

Back in February I saw one of my mares in heat and decided to start hand breeding her for possibly an earlier foal for next year. So I hand bred once every day for a week. After a week of hand breeding, she kept coming back in heat so I left the stud in with her for another week. Yesterday, I wanted to see if she was possibly bred already but when I brought the stallion to her she started squating and peeing. He bred her yet again so I left them together. So my question is, is it possible that she took from last breedings in February or not? Does a mare come back in heat after being bred for that long and possibly be bred? This is my second year breeding so I am still new at this. Last year she had her first foal with no problems. But we bought her already pregnant last year so this is my first time breeding her. I bred 2 QH mares and 2 mini mares last year and all took within a month. I don't know if she is just hard to get bred or what is wrong? I was hoping to only hand breed her so that I could keep up with when she was actually bred, but with her still coming in heat I decided to leave the stallion with her. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[ruffian]

Yes some mares will act like they are in heat while pregnant. I had a real hussy one time, actually backed right up under the stallion's nose over a stall door and would have accepted him had I let him out (I Didn't

) and foaled a week later.

 

[ohmt]

It's a possibility, yes, but most likely not. I do have a few mares who will continue to show regular cycles even if they took the first, but not often. Many times mares are harder to get in foal their first heat of the year so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Also, with hand breeding I usually wait until day 5 of the mare showing estrus and then breed every other day. Some mares have shorter/longer so I adjust accordingly, but usually breeding every day isn't necessary.

Anyway, I wouldn't worry just yet! How is the mares weight? Sometimes mine come out of winter with a few too many extra groceries and won't take until a good diet has been put into place

 

[Minimor]

If she was in heat for an extended time in February there's a very good possibility that it wasn't a "good" heat, and she never caught. I've had mares stay in for 10-14 days and bred every 2nd day to start with, then every 3rd day at the last they did catch in foal & never came back into heat. I once had a mare stay in for a full 30 days--a normal heat for her lasted 4 days so when she was in for longer than a week I know that it wasn't going to be a good heat & gave up on breeding her that time around. Her next heat cycle was a normal one.

While some mares do show a heat cycle following the one where they were bred & did catch in foal, I would say that most do not. If your mare is showing in heat again now then I would not count on her being already in foal & just not acting like it.

 

[Katiean]

I had a mare that would only tease to one stallion. She bred for 4 months. When we had her preg tested the vet asked why we thought she was not pregnant.She caught in the 1st heat. She just loved the stallion.

 

[Eagle]

I think as said it is possible but not very common. I have great faith in my stallion. He will not cover them unless he is completely convinced, so my hussy mare usual ends up empty handed. I only cover them every other day for 3 days and the only time I had to repeat was due to an abortion. I also think that it was perhaps too early for your mare to get pregnant and second time might be better. If she fell now it would still be an early foal.

good luck

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

You didn't mention if your mare had foaled or not this year?

If you play the odds you'll be right most of the time, and the odds are that in heat does not equal pregnant.

I think you are describing a transition heat in an open mare.

Unless the stallion is sub-fertile, breeding every 48 hours is better. Much less 'stuff' for the mare to get rid of.

Dr Taylor

 

[spots n splashes]

You didn't mention if your mare had foaled or not this year?

If you play the odds you'll be right most of the time, and the odds are that in heat does not equal pregnant.

I think you are describing a transition heat in an open mare.

Unless the stallion is sub-fertile, breeding every 48 hours is better. Much less 'stuff' for the mare to get rid of.

Dr Taylor

She was not bred for this year. We bought her last year as a bred mare. She foaled in July, 2010. We did not breed her for this year as we did not have the right stallion at that time. So is it best to just leave them in the pasture together for say a month?

 

[spots n splashes]

It's a possibility, yes, but most likely not. I do have a few mares who will continue to show regular cycles even if they took the first, but not often. Many times mares are harder to get in foal their first heat of the year so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Also, with hand breeding I usually wait until day 5 of the mare showing estrus and then breed every other day. Some mares have shorter/longer so I adjust accordingly, but usually breeding every day isn't necessary.

Anyway, I wouldn't worry just yet! How is the mares weight? Sometimes mine come out of winter with a few too many extra groceries and won't take until a good diet has been put into place

Her weight is good. She is not overweight nor underweight.

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

She was not bred for this year. We bought her last year as a bred mare. She foaled in July, 2010. We did not breed her for this year as we did not have the right stallion at that time. So is it best to just leave them in the pasture together for say a month?

That would probably work. Or you could wait and hand breed her.

Dr Taylor

 

[HGFarm]

If hand breeding, I breed every other day.

I know it can happen, but I have never had a mare that showed any heat to a stallion after she was truly pregnant. I dont think it is that common. When I pasture breed I try to keep track of who I notice is in season but it doesnt always work, so knowing when they are due becomes a guessing game.

 

[spots n splashes]

If hand breeding, I breed every other day.

I know it can happen, but I have never had a mare that showed any heat to a stallion after she was truly pregnant. I dont think it is that common. When I pasture breed I try to keep track of who I notice is in season but it doesnt always work, so knowing when they are due becomes a guessing game.

For this mare I am just going to let them pasture breed since she didn't take as quick as I hoped. As for the other mares I will hand breed each one every other day. That is why I don't like to pasture breed, can't tell when they will foal. Was hoping to get them bred for early next year before the show season starts, so we are home when it's time for foaling.