What age do you breed a mare?

**DDK Arabian Farms** · Subject: What age do you breed a mare? Mon May 11, 2009 10:48 am

I have heard from the warmblood breeders that they breed there mares at age 3. Then the arabian breeders say not to breed until the mare is 5+ in order to not stunt there growth. What do you think is the best age to breed a mare?

Cache · Subject: Re: What age do you breed a mare? Mon May 11, 2009 11:22 am

I personally don't like to breed until they're 5. But I realize there are lots of other people out there that breed WAY earlier. I bought a mare last year who had been bred when she was 2! She ended up loosing the foal prior to it being born...and the whole ordeal was very rough on her. She's small...poorly developed...and very, very hard to keep in any decent condition. Some of that may be her...but I attribute some of it to her early breeding as well. She should have been focused on growing up herself...not trying to grow a baby!

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Jennifer
http://www.stormfirearabians.com

"The revolution in horsemanship is a revolution in relationships--
between horses and people and the world in which they live."
--The Revolution in Horsemanship; Dr. Robert Miller, Rick Lamb

"As long as we do not ask the horse to forget who he is,
he will remind us of who we want to be."
--If I Had a Horse; Melissa Sovey-Nelson

**Amigo** · Subject: Re: What age do you breed a mare? Wed May 13, 2009 8:37 am

DDK Arabian Farms wrote:

I have heard from the warmblood breeders that they breed there mares at age 3. Then the arabian breeders say not to breed until the mare is 5+ in order to not stunt there growth. What do you think is the best age to breed a mare?

I sure wouldn't breed before at least age 4, and 5 or 6 would be better. Just like the colts/stallions, I think they should be at least well-started under saddle first, though for different reasons. I feel that if a colt doesn't get some constructive training before he starts breeding, that he'll have a problem focusing on work when mares are around later - all he'll want to do is breed. Whereas with mares, if you don't get them started before you start breeding them, you just might never get around to it later. The way I get around to breeding my mares, they could easily get into their teens before they ever got a 'boyfriend' Laughing

. I don't breed early, and I don't breed often.

**Ranyiah_86** · Subject: Re: What age do you breed a mare? Wed May 13, 2009 11:59 am

Amigo wrote:

DDK Arabian Farms wrote:

I have heard from the warmblood breeders that they breed there mares at age 3. Then the arabian breeders say not to breed until the mare is 5+ in order to not stunt there growth. What do you think is the best age to breed a mare?

I sure wouldn't breed before at least age 4, and 5 or 6 would be better. Just like the colts/stallions, I think they should be at least well-started under saddle first, though for different reasons. I feel that if a colt doesn't get some constructive training before he starts breeding, that he'll have a problem focusing on work when mares are around later - all he'll want to do is breed. Whereas with mares, if you don't get them started before you start breeding them, you just might never get around to it later. The way I get around to breeding my mares, they could easily get into their teens before they ever got a 'boyfriend' Laughing

. I don't breed early, and I don't breed often.

So it would be kosher to breed my going on 14 year old mare? Of course as long as she passes the breeding exam.

_________________
Christina Malley
proudly owned by Dawns Dee Lite, a NY bred purebred crabbet/polish/Eygptian/saudie Royal lines arabian mare

**Amigo** · Subject: Re: What age do you breed a mare? Wed May 13, 2009 12:08 pm

Ranyiah_86 wrote:

Amigo wrote:

DDK Arabian Farms wrote:

I have heard from the warmblood breeders that they breed there mares at age 3. Then the arabian breeders say not to breed until the mare is 5+ in order to not stunt there growth. What do you think is the best age to breed a mare?

I sure wouldn't breed before at least age 4, and 5 or 6 would be better. Just like the colts/stallions, I think they should be at least well-started under saddle first, though for different reasons. I feel that if a colt doesn't get some constructive training before he starts breeding, that he'll have a problem focusing on work when mares are around later - all he'll want to do is breed. Whereas with mares, if you don't get them started before you start breeding them, you just might never get around to it later. The way I get around to breeding my mares, they could easily get into their teens before they ever got a 'boyfriend' Laughing

. I don't breed early, and I don't breed often.

So it would be kosher to breed my going on 14 year old mare? Of course as long as she passes the breeding exam.

Absolutely - I've bred older maidens than that, with no problems.

**aandmequestrian** · Subject: Re: What age do you breed a mare? Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:27 am

I bred my 12 year old ex-show horse this year for the first time. She took in 2 covers during 1 heat cycle. She was bred to our 2 year old stud. I knowwwwwww, maiden mare, maiden colt, what was I thinking. They were both as good as gold, natural service. They forgot to read the book, LOL. I agree with the 4 and over advice , and the get them broke advice. Generally I would like horses to have proved themselves in some fashion, wether as a halter horse, or as a proficient riding horse in some type of discipline. JMHO

**Mortazavi Farms** · Subject: Re: What age do you breed a mare? Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:42 pm

I agree too. We got a mare a few years ago, as a broodie. She was 5 at the time, I think. I had her started before we covered her. We've only bred one mare early, out TB. Her first breeding, she was 3 or 4 years old. However, she has an old injury and can never be ridden.

And, you think 2 is young? I received a marketing email a couple of weeks ago, offering ET on a yearling, next year. She's not even a weanling yet!

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Stacy Mortazavi
Mortazavi Farms, home to Akdar Brins, sire of champions

**simone_ck** · Subject: Re: What age do you breed a mare? Tue Aug 04, 2009 1:45 pm

yeah, I think that ET on yearlings it a bit much myself. but, no judgement, lol.