Recipient mare size and OCD

[EchoHop]

Can anybody point me to any research or articles relating to the size of a recipient mare relative to the Dam and an increased risk of OCD, please?

I have the opportunity to take a recipient mare and embryo. The recipient mare is a big draught horse (10 inch bone) and around 16.2h. The dam is a round 17.3h warmblood and the sire 16.3h Dutch with a neutral OCD score.

I’ve been warned about putting a warm blood embryo into a draught recipient due to the increased nutrition increasing the risk of OCD. I’m keen to learn more before I make a decision.

Links to any studies / articles and personal experiences appreciated!

thanks

[JB]

The riding horse/draft horse deal is about decreased nutrition. The deal is the light/riding horse foals need high nutrition (as they all do), but can’t drink the volume of milk that draft foals drink. So, draft breeds have less nutrient-dense milk so the foals aren’t over-fed nutritionally.

But the light horse foal doesn’t drink the volume, so gets short-changed on the nutrition.

I’m not sure if you’re talking about a draft mare - bred for pulling - or an Irish Draught kind of “draft”. The difference is important.

[va2txrider]

On a separate but related note, how do pony foals out of larger horse mares fair? Any OCD issues?

[EchoHop]

Thanks for reply - the draught recipient is a shire x Percheron - she is around 16.2h. The dam is a big girl (17.3 with around 9.5 cm bone)

[EchoHop]

Thank you - I will do that! And just to clarify, I made a typo, the dam’s bone is 9.5inchss, not CM!! 😳