What's the smallest mare you have ever bred?

[Little Bits]

Just out of curiosity what is the smallest mare you have bred? Was it a successful birth? Would you breed the mare again?

I am just curious as to how small is to small when breeding minis.

 

[kayla221444]

Just out of curiosity what is the smallest mare you have bred? Was it a successful birth? Would you breed the mare again?

I am just curious as to how small is to small when breeding minis.

GREAT Question! As I was wondering the same thing? If I were to breed a tiny 29" and under mare, I know I would first want her repo. checked, and also bred so something even smaller than her for her first few times!!

 

[JWC sr.]

We have two mares that are respectively 28 1/4" and 28 1/2" and are 10 and 11 years old.

The 10 year old has produced 5 babies for us with no foaling problems whatsoever, the 11 year old has had 6 babies and this last year for the first time had a hip lock but we got the baby out okay.

Each year we breed these two mares to our La Vista Roses First stallion(Reserve National Champion) which consistently produces small, but very typey babies.

The only real precaution we took diferently for these two mares was to breed them for the first time at 4 years old and they had the first baby at 5 to make sure they were fully matured when bred.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

28" to the withers.

Had two foals unaided, no problem.]

Third foal killed her, and it was tiny...but dead!

The smallest I will breed now is 30" to the withers, I can see no real advantage to breeding tiny mares, and my two current tinies are not on the breeding list, yet one was out of a 32" mare, and stands 281/2" at three and one is out of a 30" and stands 27" at two years old.

My teeny weeny yearling colt, who weighs in at 26" is out of a 32" mare.

I really do prefer the larger mares, there is absolutely NO guarantee they will not have trouble, all sizes of mares have trouble, but, in a 32" mare there is room inside to do something about the problem, in a 28" mare there is not.

Just my two cents worth.....

 

[Miniv]

Our smallest was 28 inches, bred at age 4 initially. The stallion was fine boned & 28.5 inches

I had to go in and assist with her two births. The second time was a very minor "hook-up" with the colt's nose on the pelvic rim.

With her third pregnancy she colicked, developed hyperlipemia and didn't survive.

It's been a number of years, but still hard for me to remember.

 

[AnnaC]

I agree that there may well be problems with breeding mares under 29/30", mainly, as Jane says, due to the fact that there is less room inside to straighten out any possible misplacements. But as I understand it, it all comes down to the width of the pelvis (normal straightforward births). A smaller mare with a 'wide' pelvis may well have less problem delivering a foal than a very refined type mare who is 32/33".

Not sure if this is correct, but it makes sense to me - just like with us human beings!

Anna

 

[Bess Kelly]

Have had several at 27" that have foaled naturally and with no issues. They were attended usually but, I've have a couple who waited until no one was looking to pop them out. On occassion I've had to find a foot, etc. but mostly easy births with not assistance needed. As most have said, depends on their build, I let them be 4-5 before breeding, less room if you have to assist!!

I've always preferred the smaller ones and at one time had nothing over 30". The little ones have no more issues than the taller ones, IMO, in actually foaling. Any can have a difficult birth, even the 37" ones.

 

[minie812]

I have bred a 28"mare and she has had two foals for me unassisted. I waited till she was five to breed her. I have bred her every other year. She will foal in the field and both times gets back up and starts eating again. The mares I had problems with in the past have all been taller mares over 32" that needed help with foaling. Bred to a 29" stud and the foals were not that big.

 

[ontherisefarm]

smallest mare I have bred is my 30.50 mare who foaled a tiny black pinto colt for me this year. She didnt have any problems but still makes me nervous..lol I dont think I could take the stress of breeding something smaller....