| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| flosskins |
Posted - 05 Jan 2010 : 4:31:57 PM
Just out of interest, who among you have successfully bred older broodmares, and at what age would you stop breeding them? I have worked on a stud where one of the mares was still breeding easily at 22 but wondered if that was unusual? |
| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Kharidian |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 8:29:33 PM
Karen Caley's old pure-bred mare Rose Aboud is in her twenties, still looking fantastic and still breeding - luckily - or I wouldn't have my gorgeous colt foal Alkara Cassino (Chips)! Chips has been with me for 4 weeks now, settled really quickly, has a big fanclub as he is SO sweet, gentle, cuddly and just adores being kissed on his darling little nose! He is full brother to Alkara Bassino who won the yearling Futurity at Malvern this year......and Rose is in foal to H Tobago again!
Caryn |
| cammarch |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 8:20:26 PM
This is my 16 year old mare taken on Boxing Day 2009, she is in foal, but just loves her hunting, hadn been ridden for 5 years but the huntsman didnt have a horse for the season, now reckons i cant have her back!!! |
| moatside |
Posted - 06 Jan 2010 : 11:56:55 AM
Lots of "mature" mares breed well into late teens/twenties - if they have foaled before and are fit and healthy then as VJC & NatH say - nature will decide.
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| NatH |
Posted - 06 Jan 2010 : 10:32:33 AM
I think if nature intends them to have a foal it will allow them to conceive.
Older brood mares 'ROCK'! |
| debs |
Posted - 05 Jan 2010 : 9:36:21 PM
Love Popova and Picasso, stunning pair! Looked at your website last year when I was looking, you have some wonderful horses.... but I'm just a happy hacker! |
| vjc |
Posted - 05 Jan 2010 : 8:31:20 PM
I agree will everyone elses comments, but nature does usually has the last say, although most folks would cease breeding around the mid twenties at the latest. The oldest mare i have bred off was 22years and she looked fab even after foaling! its all down to the way you look after them and also their breeding aparatus (for want of a better word!!) The only thing is with older mares they can foal much quicker and sometimes the amnion can be much tougher, hence the incidence of foals dying incased in the birth bag, so it is wise to make an extra effort to be there for the new arrivals sake as well as the mares. |
| flosskins |
Posted - 05 Jan 2010 : 8:17:32 PM
thank you! my mare is 18 and has had 2 foal before so from reading your comments i'm hopeful that it would be ok to attempt to breed from her this year. the vet has said everything is working as it should be and she is very fit and healthy so fingers crossed all will go well!! |
| pintoarabian |
Posted - 05 Jan 2010 : 7:44:16 PM
Popova was 24 when she produced our Kubinec colt, Picasso Kossack. As you can see, she looked great and he has grown up to be a fine, strapping young man.
Photo by Sweet
Photo by Sweet |
| Mrs Vlacq |
Posted - 05 Jan 2010 : 7:36:11 PM
Lots of our best foals have come from older mares and we regularly breed from our teenage mares; someof our foundation stock bred well into their 20s, late 20s with the old grey ladies! As long as they are fit and well, hold weight etc it is fine. As they get older we tend to go for the 'cover them once and if they want to give us a foal, then great' mentality. |
| deb a-c |
Posted - 05 Jan 2010 : 7:36:05 PM
Good producing mares have been likened to a well oiled machine, that if you breed every year or every other year then she will continue to produce offspring because this is what her physical/psychological pattern is and it is the norm, subject to good conditions being maintained (food, warmth, shelter, care).
There are older mares who continue to produce into their mid/late twenties.
I dont think this is a moral issue, mares in a herd would produce until they were not able to and that is just nature each and every mare being different.
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| s.jade |
Posted - 05 Jan 2010 : 7:22:18 PM
Someone locally had a mare foal at 27 - an accident which they didn't realise until she was about 6 months in. She foaled safely and was a good mum - she had everything on her side being fit and healthy prior to covering, and carefully monitored all the way through. Wouldn't risk a mare of that age intentionally though! |
