Start with your favorite mare
Once you select the stallion for your mare, the fun begins! There are many steps to breeding your horse, but this step-by-step guide is here to help guide you through the process.
Reserve a breeding
Once you find the stallion you hope to breed your mare to, it is imperative to submit the stallion contract for the breeding year to reserve your spot. Popular stallions and competition stallions usually have limited breedings.
There are a wide variety of stallion contracts out there.
Live cover is a natural breeding. The most hand's off approach is pasture breeding. Pasture breeding is where a stallion is turned out with a band of mares in a large pasture for a breeding season. Nature takes it's course and if all goes well, mares are checked for pregnancy in the fall.
Live cover can also be supervised via a traditional technique called in-hand breeding. Mare's cycles are tracked and monitored either via teasing or ultrasound. The mare will be brought to the breeding area in a halter and lead rope, rank mares are usually wearing breeding hobbles or leather boots on the hind hooves to protect the stallion from injury. The stallion will be brought to the breeding space in a halter on a long lead shank or lunge-line. Naturally, the stallion will cover the mare. Ovulation can be tracked via ultrasound or through continued teasing.
There are a wide variety of stallion contracts out there.
Live cover is a natural breeding. The most hand's off approach is pasture breeding. Pasture breeding is where a stallion is turned out with a band of mares in a large pasture for a breeding season. Nature takes it's course and if all goes well, mares are checked for pregnancy in the fall.
Live cover can also be supervised via a traditional technique called in-hand breeding. Mare's cycles are tracked and monitored either via teasing or ultrasound. The mare will be brought to the breeding area in a halter and lead rope, rank mares are usually wearing breeding hobbles or leather boots on the hind hooves to protect the stallion from injury. The stallion will be brought to the breeding space in a halter on a long lead shank or lunge-line. Naturally, the stallion will cover the mare. Ovulation can be tracked via ultrasound or through continued teasing.
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Artificial Insemination (AI) is a vastly popular method among modern horse breeding. Semen can be collected from the stallion and then a technician can use a pipette to inseminate the mare on-site reducing the risk of injury to both the stallion and the mare. Additionally, semen can be processed for shipping throughout the continent and world.
Frozen semen is cryogenically preserved indefinitely (given viable conditions are maintained). In general, it is assumed that pregnancy rates with frozen semen range between 30-45% per cycle. A major advantage of breeding with frozen semen is that you can order frozen semen before the breeding season and keep it on hand the entire season without concern to time sensitive shipping windows. Click here to learn more about frozen semen from Colorado State University. Cooled semen is processed and ideally used within 24-48 hours for best results depending on stallion. Research suggests that breeding with cooled semen results in pregnancy rates of 40-65% per breeding cycle. Breeding with fresh semen is extremely appealing and successful. However, current shipping has become challenging and can be a gamble as it depends on overnight shipping. |
Tracking your Mare's heat cycles
In North America, breeding horses is most successful between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. I start tracking my mare's heat cycles beginning in the end of April. The first two heat cycles of a year that a mare goes through are typically referred to as "transitional heats" and are not viable for maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
You can check the mares heat cycles via ultrasound with your veterinarian or a teasing stallion. Depending on the mare, sometimes you can track mare's heat cycle with a gelding.
You can check the mares heat cycles via ultrasound with your veterinarian or a teasing stallion. Depending on the mare, sometimes you can track mare's heat cycle with a gelding.
Insemination
Wether live cover, AI frozen, or cooled, once a mare is about to ovulate, it's time for insemination. It is best practice to inseminate the mare before and after ovulation for best results, if possible.
Pregnancy Detection
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The first ultrasound after ovulation is one of the most stressful moments in the breeding process. The first ultrasound is typically 14-17 days post ovulation. It is important to make sure to detect for twins and in the event the mare is not pregnant, you can coordinate with your veterinarian and stallion agent to ensure your mare does not miss her next cycle.
Assuming everything goes well, this is your first chance to see your foal! Learn more about early equine embryology here Learn more about equine embryo imaging via ultrasound |
Baby Dahlia Ferox DS during the twin check!
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The Pregnancy
Solidago B at day 320 (with Dahlia Ferox DS on board!)
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Your mare will need to continue her balanced diet. Some of the most important things to remember on top of standard horse care is Pneumabort Vaccinations at months 5, 7, and 10.
Mares typically foal around day 340; however, anywhere in the window between 320 and 360 is considered normal and healthy. Prior to day 320, it is essentail to prepare your foaling area, compile your foaling kit, and establish a good working relationship with your local veterinarian. |
Foaling!
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Foaling is the 15 minutes we have been working and waiting the last year for. It's essential to make a good plan with your veterinarian professional. Everyone has a different foaling set up and plan. Most foaling goes perfectly to plan, but it never hurts to research as much as you can prior to foaling to be prepared.
Here is a link to Colorado State University's guide |
Solidago B and her foal, Dahlia Ferox DS
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