Winter heat cycles

[LostandFound]

I saw a lot of foals this year born in Nov, Dec, Jan, and even just saw another newborn a few days ago. How common is it for mini mares to cycle year round? Or is it just that they tend to stop cycling late and then start late? It always seems like July is the height of foaling season for some reason.

 

[chandab]

It depends on where they are located, and some breeders put their mares under lights so they'll cycle earlier so they can breed earlier and get early foals. That said, some mares do cycle year round.

 

[LostandFound]

Is it really that common to put minis on lights for winter foals?

 

[elizabeth.conder]

I had a winter foal this year. It was absolutely not planned lol. That mare cycled year round. Her cycling did cause some of my others to cycle a bit during winter. People that show want early foals because they will be more mature for late shows if they plan on showing (Like nationals/worlds).

 

[LostandFound]

That surprises me. I would have thought that wanting them smaller would be more important. My mare was cycling up until January but now seems to have stopped.

 

[elizabeth.conder]

No, they are already broken down into size ranges. More mature weanlings tend to do much better then a younger foal.

 

[Minimor]

Honestly, minis do not need lights to cycle all year round. We had mares that would cycle right through winter (no lights) --and had a couple winter foalings to prove it.

 

[LostandFound]

These little things do not follow the same rules that full size horses do, especially about reproduction. I hadn't thought about showing weanlings, I knew that as a yearling you needed to be under a certain size for AMHA. I figured people wouldn't want to take that chance.

 

[chandab]

I don't think it's just a mini or light issue, as some full-size mares will cycle year round as well. Usually, they are long-day cyclers, but that doesn't mean some don't cycle year round.