Five Reasons Not To Breed Your Mare
By mosquito
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16th Jul 2011 •
6,243 views
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19 comments
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When you have a horse you love, and it’s a mare, it’s tempting to dream of the day when she could have a foal for you. But it’s a big decision to breed your own mare, and not one to be taken lightly, or just because you want a little ‘mini-me’ of your beloved mare. Here are a few reasons to reconsider if you are planning to breed your mare!
1. Breeding is risky
It’s not as easy as it sounds. Getting a mare in foal is a game of chance, and getting a healthy foal takes some luck. You could find yourself with big vet bills if anything goes wrong, and mares in foal need special care. Plus, you never know quite what personality or conformation your foal will have, no matter how carefully you choose the stallion!
2. Raising a foal takes experience, patience, and money
Are you really ready for a foal? Foals have many training stages as they grow up, and you need to be confident in your skills for each and every one of those stages. Do you have the right facilities to train and care for a foal? Do you have the knowledge, or a trainer who can help you? Can you honestly say you can handle it if your youngster rears up, tries to bolt, or tries to test your will? Remember, from the time you breed your mare you are looking at at least three years before your foal is ready to ride, and all that time you will still be working hard and spending money!
3. Is your mare really worth breeding?
If you mare has any genetic problems, or because of injuries from conformational defects can’t be ridden, then you should rule out breeding right away. Nothing is more pointless – even heartbreaking – than when people breed mares with conditions like navicular disease just because they can’t be ridden anymore. All that happens is you end up with a foal that eventually will also be injured, in pain, and unrideable. Look critically at your mare and ask yourself if she’s good enough to justify having a foal. No matter how loveable your mare may be, if she has poor conformation, a dubious temperament, or is prone to injury, then don’t breed her. Look at countries like Holland – mares there have to pass stringent tests before they are approved for breeding, and it works – Holland produces some of the finest performance horses around!
4. Good stallions cost good money
A bad horse costs the same to keep as a good one, and take it from me the smallest part of your investment in breeding will be the stud fee – compare that to what you’ll spend over the life of your foal and it’s insignificant. My point? Stud fees are not the place to cut costs. Always choose the best stallion you can, with the intention of trying to improve your mare. But that usually means spending a bit of cash. Add that to what it will cost to care for your mare and the foal, and then see if you could buy a nice yearling or a two year old for the same money. Breeding a mare rarely makes good financial sense when you look at it that way, plus buying a youngster means you’ve taken out a lot of the risk and know what you’re getting, and you still have the fun of training!
5. Too many horses already
And here’s the big one - there are plenty of nice horses out there already. It’s a bit like getting a puppy – as long as there are unwanted horses going to auctions, it’s hard to justify breeding any but the very best mares. If you want another horse, even a young one to raise and train, try shopping around first. This way you have a horse that really needs you, and you could even save a horse from a tragic end. If you honestly have the skills to raise and train a foal, then you probably have the skills to handle a retired racer, a horse needing rehab, or maybe even a mustang. I’ve also been really surprised at the quality of horses I’ve been able to find for small prices, especially these days when many owners can’t afford to keep their horses anymore.
Of course, if you are serious about competition and need a certain type of horse and you have a top class broodmare, then by all means go for it. However, if you are thinking about breeding because you have a mare and you want another horse, then please think again. For the same money, you could get a nice horse where you know the conformation and the temperament, and maybe even a really classy pedigree too. Better still, you could get yourself a great horse that really needs a home! |
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Spyricale
Thank you! I can't tell you how much an article like this was needed. I hate seeing people go around saying, "oh we'll breed my maresy becuz shez sooo cute and fun and loving! i want a foal to train and grow up with!" Seriously, in this market, this is NOT the time to be backyard breeding. I could go on and on about this.
We breed very few foals, and only own and breed the finest sport horses who have been proven, shown, and inspected. If the parents are injured and cannot show (due to an accident....not conformation), then their foals will be proven.
Great article.
Thank you! I can't tell you how much an article like this was needed. I hate seeing people go around saying, "oh we'll breed my maresy becuz shez sooo cute and fun and loving! i want a foal to train and grow up with!" Seriously, in this market, this is NOT the time to be backyard breeding. I could go on and on about this.
We breed very few foals, and only own and breed the finest sport horses who have been proven, shown, and inspected. If the parents are injured and cannot show (due to an accident....not conformation), then their foals will be proven.
Great article.
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Jul 16, 2011
• 4,255 views
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Jul 16, 2011
• 4,255 views
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Prarie Rose
Such a great article. Nice to know for the future. Thanks :)
Such a great article. Nice to know for the future. Thanks :)
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Jul 16, 2011
• 4,272 views
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Lucky horse
They are really good reasons, thanks
They are really good reasons, thanks
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Jul 17, 2011
• 4,396 views
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kingfisher
This is such a need Article! Well done!
This is such a need Article! Well done!
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Jul 17, 2011
• 4,254 views
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Simplicity
Great Article. I loved it.
Great Article. I loved it.
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Jul 17, 2011
• 4,252 views
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Dark Star
Thank you for posting this!!!
Backyard breeding is pointless. Look at my gelding Archie for example. He definitely would not be my first choice to breed a mare to, but he has 6 accidental babies running around because his old owners couldn't control him (Back when he was a stallion), not only did that add to the useless trail horse numbers, but it also ruined a perfectly good horse mentally (he hasn't been the same since)
Now unless your horse has speed or show titles, or big points in halter or pleasure or whatever, do NOT put more useless horses into the market. You are making it harder for the *REAL* show quality horses to get sold. That is why many horses go to slaughter, too many bored people in the world let their useless mares breed to useless stallions, resulting in a useless baby.
Sorry for all of you out there that say "No horse is useless" Hate to burst your bubble kids, but many horses in this world are.
A pure opinion by Dark Star. don't like it? I don't ca
Thank you for posting this!!!
Backyard breeding is pointless. Look at my gelding Archie for example. He definitely would not be my first choice to breed a mare to, but he has 6 accidental babies running around because his old owners couldn't control him (Back when he was a stallion), not only did that add to the useless trail horse numbers, but it also ruined a perfectly good horse mentally (he hasn't been the same since)
Now unless your horse has speed or show titles, or big points in halter or pleasure or whatever, do NOT put more useless horses into the market. You are making it harder for the *REAL* show quality horses to get sold. That is why many horses go to slaughter, too many bored people in the world let their useless mares breed to useless stallions, resulting in a useless baby.
Sorry for all of you out there that say "No horse is useless" Hate to burst your bubble kids, but many horses in this world are.
A pure opinion by Dark Star. don't like it? I don't care.
Very true article!!
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Jul 17, 2011
• 4,254 views
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FreeRein
great article. some people really need to hear this though they dont want to.
great article. some people really need to hear this though they dont want to.
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Jul 17, 2011
• 4,253 views
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Estella Noire
Great article! So many people think having a foal will be a breeze-think again!
Great article! So many people think having a foal will be a breeze-think again!
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Jul 17, 2011
• 4,259 views
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Jul 17, 2011
• 4,255 views
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Jul 18, 2011
• 4,252 views
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Jul 18, 2011
• 4,294 views
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Soul Horse
I could understand a goodblood lined mare with great stats...But I agree some people are just out of reality.
I could understand a goodblood lined mare with great stats...But I agree some people are just out of reality.
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Jul 18, 2011
• 4,289 views
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Jul 18, 2011
• 4,365 views
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Topthorn Equestri
Very nice! I've always wanted a young horse that I can grow up with & train. I was GIVEN a 3 year old just a couple months ago. He was already here on earth & needed a good home! He has AMAZING bloodlines and I didn't have to pay anything for him! The owner just couldn't afford to put him into training and asked if I had a use for him. He's coming along great, and I get to train him myself!
Very nice! I've always wanted a young horse that I can grow up with & train. I was GIVEN a 3 year old just a couple months ago. He was already here on earth & needed a good home! He has AMAZING bloodlines and I didn't have to pay anything for him! The owner just couldn't afford to put him into training and asked if I had a use for him. He's coming along great, and I get to train him myself!
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Jul 19, 2011
• 4,281 views
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Jul 20, 2011
• 4,260 views
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Artista
Very well written article. Too many people breeding unproven mares because "they're pretty." Definitely something that should be addressed on an even larger scale, imho.
Very well written article. Too many people breeding unproven mares because "they're pretty." Definitely something that should be addressed on an even larger scale, imho.
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Jul 26, 2011
• 4,287 views
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Run Free
I completely agree. I dont want to breed my mare, no matter how affectionate and beautiful she is. I know she is too young now anyway but even in the future I would rather buy a youngster than breed my mare. My dad has a brilliant stallion but he always asks the owners wether their mare is healthy enough before letting his stallion breed. He has put some of his mare in foal to the stallion but only mares he bought at the sales as a broodmare.
I completely agree. I dont want to breed my mare, no matter how affectionate and beautiful she is. I know she is too young now anyway but even in the future I would rather buy a youngster than breed my mare. My dad has a brilliant stallion but he always asks the owners wether their mare is healthy enough before letting his stallion breed. He has put some of his mare in foal to the stallion but only mares he bought at the sales as a broodmare.
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Jul 27, 2011
• 4,264 views
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Aug 10, 2011
• 4,332 views
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