HOw long to recharge a stallion??

[royalview]

:new_shocked: Ive never had this problem before. I used to raise QHs and now Ive got my minis I am handeling a mini stallion for a friend of mine and I drive to her house now two times a day (she is an hr away) to breed the mares We are hand breeding as this is a young stallion and most of the mares have foals. How long between breedings??? With 3 mares in heat Ive been on the every other day scedule for the mares but I dont want to miss anyone and with the long drive Im wondering how long between mares does he need to "recharge" He's kind of looking at me crosseyed now!!

: I usually have all my breeding at home but it seems relatively easy with so much to do around here. Any ideas??

 

[dreamlandnh]

Sorry can't offer much...I'm just breeding one mare.

 

[Marnie]

If it were me, I'd do one in the morning, one at night, the next one the next morning and let him rest for the rest of that day. Then start over the next day with the first two. The sperm is supposed to be good for 48 hours so I'd take the mares in the same turn. but who knows, look when they're in a pasture, they're breeding all the time and most people say they have better luck pasture breeding then hand breeding but that is how I'd do the hand breeding, trying for the best luck to concieve.

 

[Whitestar]

When I had my farm I stood 7 stallions at stud, to my own & outside mares. I bred each stallion am & Pm each day, breeding each mare every other day, so you can breed 4 mares at one time & I had a great success rate on my breedings. I only hand bred, & tried to time it 12 hours apart. for the stallion cover & 48 hours apart per mare I had an erase board ( a BIG ONE) in my barn to keep track of each stallion & mare breeding at the time. Good luck.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Oh that brings back memories!!!

I used to colour coordinate the tail wrap on the mare with the halter on the stallion- then, when I got into the paddock where the mares were waiting I did not have to try to work out which mare we should be breeding whilst the stallion went potty- just had to put the right colours together!!!

Recharge time depends on the stallion- my younger horse will be up and ready to go in ten minutes, my 27 year old will take his time- he may like another in ten minutes, he may not, at his age he knows darn well he will get her anyway so why should he rush??

The two year old seems to be ready all the time every minute of the day, but he is only "playing" this year with a mare I have who no longer gets in foal but is still cycling, so I only let him have her a couple of times a day.

I do know from experience that it is actually far better to space them out as mentioned- one in the morning, one in the evening.

It has nothing to do with fertility, but, if you keep "pushing" mares at a stallion, and asked him to cover every day, two mares with ten minutes between, he will very likely go "stale" on you and the magic will have gone out of it for him!!

Once this happens it is very hard to get him back on form.

So, occasional quick succession mares will do no harm but if it is going to be a regular thing, space it out and keep the magic!!!

:

 

[royalview]

:aktion033: Thanks for your help!! I am spacing them about 6 to eight hrs apart (2 a day) The other problem I am having is I have two of the mares that have foals with them and they are acting a little (b*&^%) towards him. I dont want him to get discouraged as he is young but have any of you had a mare that refuses to show heat because she has a foal with her? I am trying really hard to make sure Premmie keeps a smile on his face but one mare in particular even though she was in heat just wouldnt let him anywere near her. Tried putting the foal in a stall next to the mare so she could see it but no way she was having non of that! d like to finish this breeding season soon as Id like to show the stud and I know that he can only concentrate on one thing at a time (guy thing) LOL

 

[Marnie]

Do you have someone to help you? I'd hold the foal by her chest if you can. Then while holding onto her halter, this might sound stupid but it helps me. Most mares understand what whoa means, when he's getting ready to mount, I constantly kinda jerk her head back and forth, it seems like it gives her something else to think about. That's about all I can think of right now, I do know that some mares just won't breed until the foals are older.

 

[Bess Kelly]

I'm with Rabbitsfizz on this one........it can be done more often than you think, but don't burn him out.

Actually, MOST stallions won't lose interest if you have 3 mares at once over a 8-10 day span. He does want to help you :lol: But they do need time to rest and recharge their body, the sperm will be fine.

I'm gonna add this info, for those who may be concerned about "how many can he cover?". I've had stallions sperm tested for fertility and they sample first time, then second time in 30 minutes, then occassionally a third time......but, testing to see not only quantity but viability. My guys were at 97% within 1/2 hr of first sample -- and they were 14 & 17 yr olds at the time Now, this wouldn't necessarily be so with 5 or 6 mares in a row each day -- but, does show that if you really need to breed several in a day and have your own time issues, it can still be done. The samples were actually taken to a hospital lab for this, not an on-site guess.

You could do two mares a day in ONE trip, which would help with the drive time. Alternating which two mares you would still cover each of them all every 2 days -- and when one goes out, you don't have to keep up with "WHO'S" turn it is

: Keep the nearest that you think is going out breeding on the back to back days, as that's when they drop the egg..the end of the cycle. Just a thought to save a trip & cover all and assuming you have some idea of the length of the particular mares cycles.

ISN'T THIS FUN????????

: :lol:

 

[royalview]

:new_shocked: Im not sure whos eyes are crossed more mine or HIS!!! :new_shocked:

 

[Bluerocket]

Assuming that the stallion has normal fertility (as opposed to subnormal) - he should be fertile enough to cover and have an excellent chance of impregnating the mares 2x a day. I also would do a rotation of the mares and breed them in the same order.

Day 1 Mare A and Mare B

Day 2 Mare C and Mare A

Day 3 Mare B and Mare C

etc..

 

[yankee_minis]

This was actually something I was wondering myself! We have at least 3 in heat right now. We were only doing once a day with this 3 year old stallion... So I guess we don't have to worry!! He'll get more action in the next few days... and I'm sure he will be FINE with it!