Breeding your mare every year

[alliekat]

I was reading a discussion on FB where someone was putting down a breeder for breeding her mare every year. How many breeders do this? I have to say we try to breed ours every year barring any complication. I don't like to keep older mares open if they are still actively being bred. So taking the economy and money factors out. How many of you breed every year. This person also complained about the every other year breeder. I think if a mare gets in foal easy and stays in foal easy with little intervention, then how bad could it be for them? Look forward to hearing others opinions.

[EquusMagnificus]

Being open is an evolutionary anomaly for a mare, IMO.

They were made to be in foal... Each year, barring any health or fertility issues.

[alliekat]

Being open is an evolutionary anomaly for a mare, IMO.

They were made to be in foal... Each year, barring any health or fertility issues.

This pretty much sums up my feelings too. Look forward to hearing others opinions. Thanks for sharing.

[TrueColours]

Every year here as well, especially with the older girls ...

[rodawn]

Being open is an evolutionary anomaly for a mare, IMO.

They were made to be in foal... Each year, barring any health or fertility issues.

I'm also of this opinion.

Humans interfere with mares, a lot, meaning, we control when they can and cannot have foals. We tend to keep them in rather unnatural settings, and health or economics decides whether she gets to have a foal each year or not.

[Sonesta]

With this reasoning, you could say that human females are created to be pregnant every year as well. After all, before contraception, women often had many, many babies - and mortality was high.

I see no physical necessity to breed a mare every year.

[EquusMagnificus]

With this reasoning, you could say that human females are created to be pregnant every year as well. After all, before contraception, women often had many, many babies - and mortality was high.

I see no physical necessity to breed a mare every year.

Yes, but actually, anthropologist found that women were made to have babies every 3-4 years (being on top of the food chain and needing a certain supply of food to reproduce). Our babies and children would technically be nursed until that point as well. I thought it was fascinating!

[Sonesta]

Yes, but actually, anthropologist found that women were made to have babies every 3-4 years (being on top of the food chain and needing a certain supply of food to reproduce). Our babies and children would technically be nursed until that point as well. I thought it was fascinating!

If "women were made to have babies every 3-4 years" then nature would not let them ovulate every month starting a couple weeks after birthing.

[kookicat]

If "women were made to have babies every 3-4 years" then nature would not let them ovulate every month starting a couple weeks after birthing.

That just proves God is a man...

[showjumpers66]

I feel that the mares retain their reproductive health better if they are bred every year. Typically, the mare will tell you when she needs a year off.

[horsechick]

I feel that the mares retain their reproductive health better if they are bred every year. Typically, the mare will tell you when she needs a year off.

This

[MysticOakRanch]

I feel that the mares retain their reproductive health better if they are bred every year. Typically, the mare will tell you when she needs a year off.

I agree. We don't do all mares every year, but some of them may go 2 or 3 years in a row. Especially with older mares, if you don't breed them regularly, they can become hard to breed. Seems like nature's way of telling us 'keep them pregnant'!

[ise@ssl]

We breed every other year. We leave our foals on the mares longer, as studies show they have a lower incidence of ulcers with this time line. We also cut the colts while they are still on the mares and wait until they are 6 months or older and do it in the late fall or early winter.

With the economy we have some that we left open for 2 years. I have never seen any statistical data that shows the conception and production of a life foal is higher in mares bred every year as compared to those that are not. A lot depends on the individual mare and the stallions she is bred to with respect to fertiility.

With all the horror stories out there about abandoned, starved horses or breeders who are going under financially or not giving top care, I just don't understand how anyone can be breeding all their mares every year in this economy.

[TrinitySporthorses]

I am glad we are discussing this. I always thought a mare should have a year off every 2-4 years but one of my current mares is making me rethink this. She has conceived the first try every time, maintains her weight very well (too well? LOL), and MOST importantly- she is so content when she's preggo!
It seems that, if she's healthy and so happy, why stop the cycle? She had a 2009 foal, then a 2011, is due this year and will be re-bred for 2013, making it 3 in a row. I am seriously considering doing 4 or 5 in a row if she doesn't give me a reason not to...

[ise@ssl]

Well if you only have one mare it's a different situation.

[Kerole]

I do not object to breeding a mare every year.

I have 4 mares. 3 of them I breed every other year. But the 4th is an older mare, more valuable to me, and is running out of years to produce. She is 17 and currently carrying her 10th foal.

I have always believed that an older uterus is easier to get in foal if they don't have much time off. But you're right, I have not seen the data to back this up...

Anyone know of any research on this?

[HyperionStudLLC]

Nothing wrong with breeding a mare every year

[EquusMagnificus]

If "women were made to have babies every 3-4 years" then nature would not let them ovulate every month starting a couple weeks after birthing.

Well typically, women still nursing a child without ovulate... But that was a theory, and of course, it would have been applicable to women million of years ago. Hardly comparable to today's women. But we're off on a tangent!

[Forte]

I don't see why you wouldn't breed a mare every year, is she is healthy, happy and fertile. Now if the mare is in poor condition or dropping weight, that's another story. I am giving my broodie this year off, but that is more for financial reasons.

[3Dogs]

For some of us small breeders it isn't about health but economics! And timing. Have a lovely TB mare. She had a great foal...maiden. But in no registry. So, THIS year, I want to see if I can get her inspected, get her approved, evaluate the foal at length, decide in a tough economic environment IF she should be bred again, WHO I should breed her to, and see how her lovely filly does " in the market".
Thus NOT breeding can be a well reasoned decision and nothing to do with having a happy healthy broodmare - more about not winning the lottery