How long to wait to breed again?

[mrsh]

How long do you all wait till you breed from your mare again? Do you wait till the foal is at least 6 months or a couple of years?
I have a friend who breeds the Welsh Ds and they are in foal every single year. My other friend waits a year after the biorth of the first and then breeds again.
What is the right and the wrong way especially with dales?

[anna85]

There is no right or wrong way.

Penny has had a foal every year for the last three and is going back to the stallion this year, she actually craves to be with foal, adores them and she is a picture of glowing health; we genuinely believe she thrives on being pregnant.

Ruby, we are not so sure about. She had a foal this year and will probably have another next year but she is pretty foal proud so its whether she will tease to the stallion as to whether we let her go round a year but she will defiantly be back in foal next spring if not this year.

It is dependant on the mare, their other jobs as such and also you. Our mares are broodmares and thats it really, they aren't ridden so either they stand in the field empty or they stand in the field with a foal brewing. The minute they show signs of not being happy with that situation you just have to reassess and decide whether they need a year off or whether they are just not happy with being mothers, we are careful about our broodmares and choose those that are good breeders. There are some mares on the dales that have had foals nearly every year of their fertile lifes and they look fantastic on it.

[mrsh]

Thank you Anna for that. Very good reading and a lot to think about. When you say Penny has had a foal every year, how old is the foal when you put her back in foal? Do you have her covered in hand or let her run with the stallion?

I have three that are riders and ridden most of the time but ive been offered some brood mares to breed my own stock to start with.
The horses all live at home with me as we have a very good equestrian property, plus we have the money to fund it. We dont want people to think we are breeding to make money. Its to breed some nice ponies for us when the older one retire in the next 6 years.

[anna85]

Ahhh don't worry, its impossible to breed to make money so people won't think that lol Lucky you being offered some Dales broodmares - they are like gold dust at the moment!! If there are any you don't want please feel free to send them our way LOL!!!

We were going to catch Penny on foal heat (so thats 10 days after the birth of the foal) but we completely missed it (doh!), so she is due in season today so we will probably cover for the first time in a couple ofdays time. The foal is about 4 weeks old now. We cover inhand, we simply can't risk the stallion to cover in the field. He is out showing twice a week at this time of the year and a mis placed kick from a stropy mare in the field could damage him so easily. We normally just have someone hold the foalie behind a fence but in front of the mare so she can still see the foal.

It is lovely having foals about, they are such time wasters and its really really nice to see them grow up either with us or in their new homes.

[mrsh]

Forgive me for sounding dumb Anna but do you have a stallion at your place? I guess you do if you will put Penny back into foal with her 4 week old foal at foot.
So if thats the case what do people do who dont have a stallion at home? Do they load mum and bubba in a wagon and take them? Im taking notes,lol.

I will reveal loads more about the 2 broods when its a dead cert. One is a dead cert and will be here in 8 weeks time and she is preggers so foalie should be a april one. The other im not sure about yet. got a lot of thinking to do. This has to be right for all of us.

Ive got a double foaling box and area plus paddock which will be perfect the mares and foals, but like you say they are time wasters as ive been up my mates place looking at her Welshies. Spent 3 hours doing sod all but taking photos and admiring the antics of these babes. They are just too precious for words.

[anna85]

Yes sorry, we've two. Lowhouses Black Magic and a 2 year old Colt - Colliery Magic. Yes, most people just load up mare and foal but I should think they wait at least until the first proper season (4 weeks) or maybe the later seasons (7 or 10 weeks old) depending on times of years. You sound like you've got it all sorted and congratulations on the broodies and good luck.

[mrsh]

OMG you have a Colliery stallion? WOW you are so lucky. That breeding has some of the most wonderful looking ponies.
Thank you for fully answering my questions. Its very much appreciated indeed.

[anna85]

lol thankyou, he's a lovely chap. We've only had him about 2 months now but we're v.pleased with him.

[mrsh]

You dont do AI with him do you? I'll have some if you do for our brood . Ive always fancied a Colliery foal. Talking of these foalies is making me all broody now,lol.

[anna85]

Sadly not MrsH, we've looked into it for the senior stallion but its too much time away from home to do it.

[shirlnjazz]

Anna you are a minefield of information, suppose its all the 1st hand experience and the care your family take over your ponies.
Someday if I have a stud I want it to be like yours