or do I? Where does one go to purchase stocks for use by the vet. I would rather have my mares palpated,U/S and A.I’d at home, than shipped off for weeks to the vet.
Do you find that mares settle easier when they are at their home on familiar turf with their BFF’s around? What are the pros and cons?
Thanks in advance!
[QUOTE=SillyMe;5712132]
or do I? Where does one go to purchase stocks for use by the vet. I would rather have my mares palpated,U/S and A.I’d at home, than shipped off for weeks to the vet.
Do you find that mares settle easier when they are at their home on familiar turf with their BFF’s around? What are the pros and cons?
Thanks in advance![/QUOTE]
Can’t say one way or the other whether or not mares settle easier at home over a vets, but it’s certainly easier and more convenient with them at home and less chance of contracting something from another horse :).
But, here are the stocks we use and we absolutely love them. Even when dealing with a horse that is…well…less than sane, they are safe, bars will move out of the way or drop out from underneath the horse if necessary. Everything is wide diameter and SMOOTH…so no sharp edges for a horse to get hung up on. Having used a variety of types of stocks and having seen what happens when something EXPLODES in stocks, I’m happy with these 
http://www.horsestocks.com/vet.htm
Good luck!
I have the same stocks that Kathy linked to in my barn and also love them. They were set in concrete when I built my barn - so not sure how installation would work in an existing barn. I installed them basically in a wash stall sized area, centered so that there are several feet between the stocks and walls on each side, a half-wall in front that allows good ventilation into the barn, and open in the “back” to lead into the stocks. It makes it easy when breeding a mare with a foal at her side - the foal can stand comfortably next to mom between the stocks and the wall. I’ve also used the stocks for working with young horses on things like floating teeth, clipping, etc. - they’ve all happily walked right in because they’re so open and airy, but they’re also solid enough to hold them steady.
While I really would love breeding stocks in my barn that is not currently an option. My vets have no problem doing all my repro work in my stalls. We twitch if necessary, have the mares stand half in a doorway and have never had an issue. While it is not ideal it has worked well for us so I would certainly not say that breeding stocks are mandatory unless you vet won’t do the work without them.
What do you mean, stand half in a doorway?
I’ve bred a few mares here with AI, no stocks. I think the vet tranqed those he was not sure about. I’ve had about 40 foals here in 20 years, no live cover.
I know of a young mare who was moved from home to a ranch to use their stocks. She was okay with the initial exam with a mild tranq and given three injections that day. Two vaccines, and a Proston. So 4 needles. (!!!)
When they tried to tranq her to put her in their stocks two days later, she would have none of it.
Project stalled and on hold – maybe for a long time – while the mare is in ground training for better handling.
I cannot blame a vet for wanting stocks. But mares feel safer at home in a situation when something unfamiliar is happening.
Probably means rump out of stall door and the rest of the animal in stall.
I AI my own mares and the vet helps with the timing. No stocks. If a mare was stinky about the palp or AI (and they are generally ALOT more resistant to a rectal palp then they are about the AI part), I would put them in my horse trailer (a straight load) with a heavy horse blanket draped across the butt chain. Oats in the manager. Very happy mare.
No issues.
However, I had to sell that trailer, and one of my mare’s (who the vet doesn’t like) waved her hind foot at the vet once this spring and the vet got semi-hysterical…said she would NOT palp my mares without stocks, etc. Can’t really blame her…last year a horse kicked and broke her arm while she was taking a rectal temp!
So I had the local carpenter guy built this REALLY heavy sliding “door” on one of my stalls that mimics the door to a stock. Weighs a TON!!
Only trick is that you have to back the mare right up to it for it to work, but since I’m at the mare’s head, it’s ok.
Of course, now the vet has to be the one to slide it back and forth, so that will teach her to complain;)
For AI, I do all of it alone…I have NEVER had anyone hold the mare(s) and they are just standing with the rope draped loosely around the post in the stall. NEVER had an issue…even with maidens.
One mare was abit of a challenge this year because her Schroeder filly kept trying to “help”, but we still (hopefully) got the job done. I’ll know for sure this Thursday.
Now, if I was ultrasounding and had no one to hold the mare, I might consider stocks, but otherwise…see no need.
And in answer to your question, I have a far better conception rate since I’ve been doing my own thing here at the ranch then when I sent my mares out.
But I think it’s more because I care more than 90% of the vets I used…
We had a local welder build ours to our plans and love them. We included a slim “baby” stock beside the large normal one - this has proved invaluable for moms peace of mind when the foal is at her side. Everyone has there safe and secure place to stand without people needing to hold them.
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