Are there any signicant concerns about breeding a mare in her teens for the first time? She is healthy, and a wonderful horse conformation /temperament wise.
I would have your vet do a breeding soundness exam, but as long as she is healthy, I wouldn’t have any great concerns. Good luck!
I bred a maiden mare at 12, she had the foal at 13, no problems. She took first try. Then rebred her for her second, no problems, took again first try.
It can be more difficult breeding a teen-aged mare. One of the common problems is a tight cervix, which results in uterine fluid. I bred a fourteen y.o. mare who got in foal successfully, but she was well managed by a therio. Be sure you have someone who is experienced do the breeding.
Hace a complete breeding check done by the vet first. The oldest I would consider breeding a maiden mare is 15, to foal at 16, and that is only with a good vet check and a vet on call during the entire pregnancy.
Bred a maiden mare at 13 to foal at 14, no issues. Didn’t use a special repro vet. She took on the first cycle of cooled semen, carried 347 days, uneventful foaling, healthy foal, fine recovery. It can be done.
My mare was a maiden. She was bred at 15 and foaled without incident on June 15th this year as a 16 year old.
We did a breeding exam before and she didn’t have anything of note for my vet to be concerned.
She did not take with the fresh cooled semen on her first try. Since the stallion was away on her second cycle, they used frozen and she took. Her pregnancy was without any real incident.
Her foaling was pretty easy and fast - although she did it standing up (she was confused it seems) and was pretty standoffish from her foal. After about an hour she finally went to investigate her filly and then it was love at first sight. She has been a fantastic mom, had great milk, and filly has been healthy
(knock on wood that they continue both being super healthy 
)
[QUOTE=clint;8774347]
It can be more difficult breeding a teen-aged mare. One of the common problems is a tight cervix, which results in uterine fluid. I bred a fourteen y.o. mare who got in foal successfully, but she was well managed by a therio. Be sure you have someone who is experienced do the breeding.[/QUOTE]
The exact problem I am having with my 13 yo, we´re on the last stretch this and next week before end of breedingseason. Experienced reprovet (1000 + mares/year) and he said it was the most common problem with mares above 10 yo that hasn´t had a foal the last 5 years. Can I ask, what is a therio (english not my first language and did not manage to translate that)?
Therio= theriogenology, the science of animal reproduction. (namely horses, here)
Theriogenologist, someone who specializes in animal reproduction.
It was my understanding the primary issue with teenage maiden mares was getting them in foal. Are labor and delivery issues more frequent than not as well?
[QUOTE=Virginia Horse Mom;8782606]
It was my understanding the primary issue with teenage maiden mares was getting them in foal. Are labor and delivery issues more frequent than not as well?[/QUOTE]
I am also interested in what others have to say about this. The mare I am thinking of breeding is very dear to me and I wouldn’t want her to be at risk
According to my vet, once you get the older maiden in foal foaling isn’t usually a problem, or at least, the tight cervix isn’t a problem. With my mare, it wasn’t. Once she got in foal, she foaled easily. However, foaling problems do exist, in any age mare.
