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 Midget Lover
     
Location: Kentucky | I just read this article -http://www.zenyatta.com/news/zenyatta-to-take-a-year-off and was wondering if you give your broodies time off? I was thinking about it this year, but I've heard giving them time off makes them harder to get back in foal. I am not sure if that's true or not. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 887
Location: GA | I've never had trouble getting one back in foal after a year (or more) off. Now that I myself am pregnant for the first time, I might even be more generous with giving these gals time off from it! Haha |
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 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | I give my broodie time off. She is an older mare and I have never had trouble getting her back in foal but I have heard the same thing. |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
| I'm sure there's the exception, but generally nature will make you take a year off here and there no matter what. Unless you can get a mare to catch on foal heat every year, you'll end up breeding in August before too many years. Also, stuff happens. You name it - tears, slight infections, twinning, extender reaction in shipped semen, other issues that will either take too long to clear up or will force a year off. All of my mares have had something here or there that's given them a year off.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 838
Location: Georgia | In my experience, giving a year or so off hasn't caused any problems. I just always make sure to do a culture and/or flush before trying to get them back in foal... I'm pregnant this year as well so my girls are getting the year off, again. |
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Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | I'm thinking of letting mine take a year off since we are getting so late in the year. I could catch her on foal heat, but that's really not my favorite thing to do. |
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 BHW's Lance Armstrong 
Posts: 11134
Location: Somewhere between S@%&# stirrer and Saint | I liked my babies being born in January and February so if my mares weren't settled by March 31 I would give time off. |
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  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | The only mare I breed is my retired barrel horse. I gave her a year off by accident after her first foal only because she didn't take and by the time we did a ultrasound it was too late IMO to rebreed. I'm so thankful I did. I now have a 2 yr old that I can start, a new baby on the ground as of a couple weeks ago and I won't try to rebreed until next year. I'm not in this to sell. I'll keep all the brats for myself. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I am breeding my black mare back for what will be the third foal in a row for her. After this one I am giving her a year off because next season we are already planning on breeding my sister's JOH mare and my Lucy possibly… we want 2 foals a year so that will give her a break, then we can back her up early for the next next one. |
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Do you give your broodmares time off?