Just curious to how old is to old for a mare to have their first foal, and if there are more problems with first time breeding in older mares compared to younger ones? When I say older I mean like 9-12
9 to 12 years old is not too old to try for a first foal, and no particular problems with a mare of this age would be expected due to her age. When the mare starts to get older than this, late teens nearing 20, her fertility is reduced, less likely to become pregnant, and less likely to carry to term successfully, if it is her first pregnancy. But there are never any firm “rules” about this. Even an old mare (like near 20) CAN successfully produce a first foal.
Thank you. I have a 9 year old mare I would love to have a foal in the future. Someone told me once that if they are older then four they have a very difficult birth.
I wouldn’t be concerned about a nine y.o. In fact, I have a nine y.o. maiden in for a frozen semen breeding as I type, and things look great. However, as mares get older one of the main problems is a tight cervix, which can result in uterine fluid, and difficulty getting pregnant. Older mares in general can be less fertile, and are more likely to have difficulty carrying a foal to term.
This is all very Interesting thank you and wish you well with your mare. Now my mare is 14h Paint/Belgian/Welsh Cob. I have been looking at friesian stallions and draft crosses now is that too big for my mare or would that be alright?
Our 19 year old, maiden, TB mare just had her first foal one month ago. No problems or complications for the mare, but no milk/colostrum for the foal. The vet administered plasma and the foal was treated for meconium impaction, but I don’t think that was related to the dam’s age. She had been a live-in companion to the stallion for 3 years without producing a pregnancy , though!
What sort of animal are you hoping to breed from your grade mare? In what discipline do you want ride the foal when it matures?
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Not sure the thought of those kind of horses just randomly jumped in. But I would rather breed to a Quarter or Paint. I am interested in Barrel racing mostly.
If you want to barrel race then buy a nice foal as a prospect, I would not start with your mare!
No offense, I love a good grade, but not when you get too many parts in the mix.
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For the price of a stud fee you can get a nice young ottb to barrel race and save yourself years and money.
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Your mare has a bit of draft in there, generally not something lending itself to speed and agility as required in barrel racing. If you want to fool with starting a youngster, buy a youngster and skip the minimum of 3 years from conception through gestation then 2 years waiting to even start to think about starting it all the while paying and paying and paying feed guy, farrier, Vet etc.
And if you buy one, you can pick something naturally quick and agile. And don’t listen to people who don’t know what they are talking about, like the one who claimed mares over 4 have a harder time foaling…you need seek advice from people who are experts.
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Ahh, this mare? https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/western/10087942-discipline-ideas-direction
She is very pretty, but there is nothing about her that needs to reproduce, she has done nothing, does not look to be outstandingly built, she is what she is, a great family horse maybe.
My mare is a Morgan X Belgian/QH…I think it is a great mix, but it automatically made her a non breeder in my eyes, apart from the fact that she is badly put together and has a shitty outlook on life…
Find out what your cute mare enjoys doing, and enjoy it with her, if it turns out that she wants to be a jumper, and you want to barrel race, then sell her to someone who wants to jump, and buy a barrel prospect.
Breeding is the hardest thing out, if you truly love your mare, the risk you take is a stress on both of you, because although the % of mares that have a hard time is very very low, if it happens to you then you have lost 100%.
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