Breeding from your own Horse - Should I do it?
Producing our very own horse-of-a-lifetime is something many of us dream of doing someday. From the moment foal-season kicks off, we’re surrounded by lovely stories and super-cute images of beautiful foals frolicking with their mothers in luscious, knee-high, summer pasture. To be able to nurture a horse through every phase of their life’s journey is a wonderful notion.
However, not everyone who breeds their horses are respectful of the consequences. Just as with puppy farming in the canine world, some unscrupulous, indiscriminate breeders see only what the foals they’re breeding could fetch for sale, with no care for the lives they’re creating.
Fortunately, there are some supreme stud farms and breeding-focused veterinary centres dotted around who provide a comprehensive and knowledgeable service from conception, to foaling, to weaning and beyond.
In order to help you decide whether breeding from your mare is the right decision for you both, we’ve compiled resources for you to consider. We will also be visiting the controversial aspect of breeding, alongside the alternatives.
** Discount Equestrian advise you contact your vet before taking any action towards breeding from your mare! **
So, firstly, let’s establish why you want to breed your mare. Is it because:
- She is no longer able to work, so you want her to have a higher purpose?
- She has a phenomenal temperament and you love her dearly, so you’d adore a foal with her desirable traits?
- She was remarkably successful at competing in your chosen discipline, so you’d like to continue her prestigious lineage through her progeny?
- Breeding a foal would be an exciting experience, plus you could earn some money from selling the foal upon weaning?
Secondly, let’s consider the consequences of each reason:
- If your mare has suffered an injury, is retired from ridden work, or you’re fed up of seeing her without a purpose, breeding from her will put her body under intense stress. Whether you wish to sell that potential foal or not, you must consider carefully whether it is worth putting your mare through such undue risk.
- You need to be prepared to put your mare through 11 months of pregnancy, then the stress of labour, followed by the effort required to raise a healthy foal in order to breed a horse who may or may not inherit your mare’s desirable traits. It is also worth considering whether you would be willing and able to keep the foal.
- If your mare is to be bred to a successful stallion, you’d need to decide which would complement your mare best. Then you have to determine whether you’re willing to see your mare through every phase of the journey, or, whether you’re going to have to invest resources in a knowledgeable, trustworthy stud farm.
- Just as with human pregnancies, there’s possibility for things to go devastatingly wrong at any moment. You would have to be prepared to invest all your time and effort into a venture that could end badly for both your mare, her foal and your bank balance.
Thirdly, significant financial ramifications aside, you have to understand the impact breeding your mare will have on her wellbeing. Please discuss these impacts with your vet!
You also need to be confident of your ability to handle a foal from the day they’re born. Foals are cute and cuddly, but situations involving both foals and broodmares can become dangerous in inexperienced hands.
A useful document explaining how to prepare your mare for conception can be found as follows: https://www.penbodevets.co.uk/downloads/Preparing%20the%20mare%20for%20breeding.pdf
As well as the above document, here is some helpful information describing in more detail the process of caring for your mare throughout her pregnancy and dealing with the birth – as well as some information about how to prepare in the case something goes wrong: https://www.severnedgevets.co.uk/blog/pregnant-mares-and-foaling
Perhaps you’re reconsidering breeding from your mare. In which case, this helpful article from Horse & Hound might help you find the foal of your dreams: https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/features/importance-mare-breeding/
As stated by the BHS, “Accurately gauging the number of horses currently in the United Kingdom is impossible. The most recent and widely accepted estimate came from the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) survey conducted in 2006 which placed the number at 1.35 million. However, there are very reasonable grounds for considering this to be an underestimation.
It’s clear that there are more horses, ponies and donkeys than there are experienced and knowledgeable homes available to care for them.”
Therefore, might you be prepared to utilise your valuable experience and resources to rescue a young horse instead of breeding from your own mare? Should you consider rescuing over breeding, we applaud you! As wonderful as raising a foal from birth can be – and as important as it is to maintain rarer breeds along with continuation of elite equine lineage – there is absolutely no reason that a foal or youngster you rescue couldn’t go on to be your perfect equine partner.
You can learn more about the British Horse Society (BHS) ‘Think Before You Breed’ Campaign here: https://www.bhs.org.uk/our-work/welfare/our-campaigns/think-before-you-breed
Ultimately, the decision is yours.
Whether you decide to breed from your mare or not, we at Discount Equestrian wish you all the very best with your next equine endeavour! We can help you with deciding the Supplements and Horse Wear and Equipment products you require to help keep you new youngster in great condition.
