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Member
Posts: 47
| An old timer told me it was best to breed them every year. He thinks if a mares needs a rest, she will abort or not catch at all! What do you all think? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 550
| I don't really have any broodmares, but after a few years of breedings I would think it would get too late in the year, which would cause a rest year. |
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 Midget Lover
   
Location: Kentucky | Bump. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 902
Location: Qld Australia | The older the broodmare gets, the less inclined I am to put in a rest year. (I never give them a 'rest' anyway so to speak.) Sometimes due to circumstances they do not go in foal and as someone else said it gets too late in the season for futurity foals so I will hold them off until early in the following year.
I have been told by many experienced breeders and vets to not 'rest' older mares, keep them in foal. (If healthy.) As this promotes and encourages ease of breeding. I have however been told this is not true by a vet I respect highly.
In the last two years I have had two sperate older broodmares (one 22 the other 17) not go in foal and then too late in the season to try again. Both these mares went in foal first time the following season.
In saying that, my broodmares are kept in fantastic condition. I believe this is the key to successful breeding, plus KNOWLEDGE. Know where in the cycle your mares are and keep in tune so to speak. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 600
Location: Oklahoma & Texas | I Agree older broodmares are easier to breed if you keep them bred...I may be inclined to rest a younger one IF I had a hard time breeding the year before and she caught late and delivered a late foal I may want to rest her so I could breed her earlier in the next year however if the mare is older then 13 I'd probably be more inclined to just keep her bred. |
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Who Wants to Trade?
Posts: 4692
| We only rest ours if there is a late foaling date or issues. Right now we have 2 open mares that are new to us for this year because they were ET-ed last year. 2 others who foaled late and didn't take right back, and the rest are bred.
Some mares carry a lot longer than others (we have one who is consistently around 360-365) so every few years she needs an off year to get backed up. |
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 Canine Carryout Queen
Location: Oklahoma | We try to keep them bred every year ... as that is their sole purpose for us - we do not ride our bred mares. They are very well taken care of and feel like they should carry every year (there's always exceptions... foaling problems, late foaling date, etc)
especially older mares... |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | OP, I have rested one of mine and had only one issue getting her bred back. I hope you don't mind me asking but what is the majority age of pensioning your mares?
I have a mare that I would like to to to ride once again after she delievers her maiden foal. If she rides I'll do so a few years then have her as a replacement to the broodmare band. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 387
| I've got a question kinda about this, When do you guys retire a mare from breeding? how old is too old? I know it depends on the mare but average.
I just retired my old rodeo horse, she had a colt when she was 3 and now shes 18, she is due the first week of march, and iv got a contract for this year and im thinking about next year already. shes in great shape, but shes a lil sore and stiff in her old age. |
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 Best of the Badlands
Location: You never know where I will show up...... | kuhlmann - 2014-02-04 7:25 AM We only rest ours if there is a late foaling date or issues. Right now we have 2 open mares that are new to us for this year because they were ET-ed last year. 2 others who foaled late and didn't take right back, and the rest are bred.
Some mares carry a lot longer than others (we have one who is consistently around 360-365) so every few years she needs an off year to get backed up.
Ditto. |
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Best of the Badlands
Location: You never know where I will show up...... | zansbeunogal_2268 - 2014-02-04 8:17 AM I've got a question kinda about this, When do you guys retire a mare from breeding? how old is too old? I know it depends on the mare but average. I just retired my old rodeo horse, she had a colt when she was 3 and now shes 18, she is due the first week of march, and iv got a contract for this year and im thinking about next year already. shes in great shape, but shes a lil sore and stiff in her old age.
Depends on the mare. In the past, I've had several that have foaled well into their 20's. Depends on the kind of shape they are in and how reproductively sound they still are at that age. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 915
Location: SE KS | I only breed mine every other year. I can't bear to have my baby in someone elses care. That's just how it is for me!! |
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Member
Posts: 47
| Thanks for your comments everybody! Good to know what everybody else is doing. |
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Folks on-line