Breeding a young mare

[Lord_Helpus]

I know this is done in Europe; even Sapphire had 2? offspring before she started showing over fences…

How old should the mare be when she foals? I was thinking of breeding at 3, so the mare will foal when she is four. By then it would be appropriate to start her, so she could learn her flatwork at 4 and begin her jumping work at 5.

I would not breed a two year old; and I would have no trouble breeding a 4 year old (foaling at age 5). It is the year in between I am curious about. What would be the downside?

[crosscreeksh]

I “would” breed at 3 to foal at 4 if the mare showed some maturity. We breed TB’s and ISH’s and they don’t really mature until after 5, so we wait a bit longer, but I don’t think there is any harm in breeding at 3 as long as good nutrition and care is maintained.

[Hillside_H_Ranch]

I breed mine at 3 years old. I either back them before breeding, or most often, after they are in foal. Just walk, trot, canter and then they have the rest of that year off. As a four year old, I start riding them again when the foal is a few months old and then they start jumping and go into sport as a 5 yr old. Generally works beautifully.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=Hillside H Ranch;8279779]
I breed mine at 3 years old. I either back them before breeding, or most often, after they are in foal. Just walk, trot, canter and then they have the rest of that year off. As a four year old, I start riding them again when the foal is a few months old and then they start jumping and go into sport as a 5 yr old. Generally works beautifully.[/QUOTE]

This is what I’m thinking of doing with one of my keeper fillies.

[Highflyer]

We had one (racebred TB) a number of years ago that was bred at 3 and foaled at 4. The foal developed joint ill at the breeding farm that was not treated and required surgery and months of stall rest and the mare did not handle it at all well. She went on to have five or six more foals, and the last one that she had (at 10 or so) cut itself pretty badly and also required months of stall rest-- and I was amazed how much better the mare did with everything.

So I do think that a mare that seems not quite grownup yet mentally can be very difficult if things don’t go perfectly.

[caballogurl]

I looked at purchasing a mare in Europe that was out of dam that was bred at two years old and three when she foaled:eek:. I personally wouldn’t breed that young, but again this was a very well known stud farm. Now breeding at three and foaling at four is a whole different scenario.

I purchased my mare as a coming four year old this winter. I bred her this year and then started her under saddle. Really as long as they handle it well, you can lightly hack them and keep them in shape well into their pregnancy. My mare is super mellow and will probably still go on trail rides or really light hacks until 8/9 months pregnant. Again every mare is different in maturity and physique. My mare will have a break while nursing her foal and then as soon as the foal weans go right back into work. Either way at coming 5, I usually give all my horses a break, so she really isn’t losing too much time out of the saddle. I think coming three or coming four is the perfect age to breed. If you look at a lot of mares in Europe, they are bred at 3 and 4 and then go into sport halfway through their five year old year. If the mare foals early in her 5 year old year, say February 1rst. She could easily be back under saddle by mid July. I say go for it :)!

[goodmorning]

I wanted to breed my 3yo. Probably could’ve bred her as a 4yo too, plenty of time to bring them along & I think the tendency is to rush them along a bit too much anyways. Even with my own, they have so much to offer when they are young, you have to remind yourself to slow down. Pregnancy would sure help with that. But, She was special, and I couldn’t take the risk. I knew I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself. Wish I had, but, happy with my decision.

[melhorse]

I would never breed a two or a three year old! The hips and spine do not fully develop until 5 so unless you want a good chance of a sway backed mare-don’t do it.

[Beentheredonethat]

World Cup before last there was a breeder’s conference and this issue came up. The thinking was the same. No one would breed a two year old but they do frequently breed at three to have a baby at four because of the same reasons. I talked with one Dutch breeder about the issues with breeding at two, and she felt that the ligaments in the hips get stretched too much when bred that young and it causes issues with never being able to get really strong.

[goodpony]

I don’t breed mine till four–I start them lightly under saddle at three and then breed at four. Some might me more appropriate for breeding at 3 but I have found waiting that one extra year adds some mental maturity–especially with a maiden.

[half_pass1]

I was thinking this same thing the past week. We have an 18mo filly who I am going to start very slowly next winter with the aim of having her going kindly under saddle, out to a few young horse shows at three and then the summer/autumn off and then work starting again in the following winter when she is almost 4.

I would like to breed from her because she has a good pedigree and fantastic conformation (scored 9.5 at her foal show last year), but now I am thinking that I don’t want to just breed the pedigree and conformation - I also want to breed the abilities she has as a sports horse. Just like stallions, I think mares should also prove themselves under saddle before entering a breeding program. If she does well as a four year old I would then have to make the decision to go on and do the 5 year old classes or breed with her.

[RunningwaterWBs]

I bred my mare at three and she foaled out at four. You do need to be mindful of the risks – there are health risks and you have to go into it realizing your horse may be viewed as a bit behind others’ competition/ sport schedules as a result of the time off – but in my experience this can work out well and I’d definitely do it again.

My mare had a foal after inspection but before her MPT, so achieved her Elite status upon completion of the MPT. As an added bonus, her filly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r7h8Ym8HIw&feature=share (please note: the announcer for some reason says my mare has other offspring – she doesn’t) was named top filly of her inspection and went on to be named an Elite Mare Candidate and Champion Mare at her inspection. Despite only producing one foal, my mare at age 7 has a pretty good production record, which may help with future foal sales when she eventually becomes a fulltime broodmare.

[winter]

I had two mares that I started when they were 3. Since I didn’t have time to ride and show both, I bred one and showed the other. The bred mare I rode the whole winter she was in foal, then she foaled at 4. The foal was so nice that I re-bred her to foal again when she was five. She will start back to work soon and be showing when she is 6. I would do it again but likely only the one foal since she will be behind her peers starting to show at 6.