Best age to breed

[mrsh]

Can someone here tell me what the best age is for breeding a dales and when is the best years to stop? Im gettin all the info needed right now.

Is 2 years too young? Is 25 too old even if its had loads of foals?

Looking forward to all the input on this.

Thank you.

[flintfootfilly]

I think I asked the same question a few months ago on the old board, and there were some interesting answers there and from individuals I spoke to. Shame all those old posts have gone from the old Dalesfans, but never mind.

You do hear of some people putting fillies in foal at 2, to foal at 3, and some people believe that may help limit the growth of a particularly big youngster, though I'm not aware of any scientific evidence for that.

Others might wait til the filly was at least 3 before sending her to the stallion, and some may wait much later than that. There is a school of thought that likes a mare to have had a foal before they are physically totally mature - something about having the first foal before the mare's skeleton becomes more fixed in place.

A few people mention 10 as being a good age by which a mare should ideally have had her first foal, as the conception rates apparently go down beyond that age. Again, I'm not sure what scientific evidence there is for it, but that's what a few breeders have said.

And there again there are a lot of mares (of various breeding) who compete until their teens, and then start having foals when their competitive career is over.

So it's a huge range.

My Dora, who's just scanned in foal is 23 this year. I spoke to a few people about the idea of trying for another foal from her. Some folk think that a mare will only carry on conceiving if she's kept in foal every year or at least every other year. Apparently some mares to stop having seasons, while others continue having seasons even as they get older. Looking back through the Dales stud book, there have been a number of mares who've foaled in their 20's. I think I found one who foaled at the age of 27. I think I've heard of a couple of mares who had their first foal when they were into their 20's, and everything went fine. But then again, foaling is a risky business for mare and foal whatever age.

Difficult one, isn't it!

Sarah

[acorn]

I would not intentionally breed a 2 year old filly (accidents can always happen and we had a colt get out with a couple of 2yo fillies last month but thank goodness no harm was done and both came back into season this month).

Breeding at 3 to foal at 4 is early enough. It is nice to have a foal early in life even if the mare will spend most of her life being ridden or driven.

We had a lot of problems getting my old pony mare in foal for the first time in her teens. However, some old mares however go on producing foals well into their 20s and pregnancy and lactation do not appear to take too much out of them if they are in good shape!

[mrsh]

Thank you ladies for the input. Given me something to think about. I wonder what others think? I too thought that a 2 year old was a bit young so that is why i asked the question. Also thought it was a bit hard on a youngster being put in foal to stop it growing. Is there any proof this is fact?
Its ok as my new mare is 12 years old and had 4 foals so far. She is now in foal but was thinking to the future in case she had a filly. Id want to keep it and breed from her as well but i too was thinking 4 to 5 years. A friend stated she put her Welsh D filly in foal at 2 years and so many months. Seemed far too young for me.

[jet]

When is your foal due? Hope you can put some pics on when it arrives!
We were going to put our Jodie in foal at 10 but it would have been her first foal and I would have worried so much. Yours sound ideal being 12 and already having had four foals. Hope all goes well for you!

[mrsh]

My foal is due in april. Think its the 3rd week of april 2007. Cant have her till im 110% sure foal is safe as she has a long way to travel to me and i dont want her to lose the baby.
I sure will take tons of photos of it when it arrives. I keep going over the foaling box making sure its perfect, and checking the foaling field as well. Scared to death something could go wrong. Feel like im the one about to give birth,lol.
Im told she is a fantastic mare with her foals. Been advised to put her back to a stallion when the foal is at least 4 weeks old as i want her to have a baby every year if possible. Her old owner stated that she hasnt had any problems so i can see how it goes.

[billbow]

I don't have much experience of breeding but for what its worth I'll add what my vet told me when I asked the same question. He said that if you triple the age, then that is roughly the same as a woman of that age having a baby. So if the mare is 3 that's like a pre-adolescent. If the mare is 12, that's like a 36 year old woman. If the mare is 20 that is like a 60 year old woman. That's not to say these ages can't be done, but fertility can diminish with age and there are skeletal and joint considerations, especially with youngsters. I hope that is some help. Jill

[mrsh]

Thank you Jill for your input as well. As she has had 4 foals im pretty happy that things are ok with her. So that makes her 36 years old eh? Not sure if id want to breed her at 20 but saying that if she is fit and healthy and my vet gives me the all clear then i just might.

[acorn]

I think you have to be VERY careful drawing parallels between equine and human years.

I have never bred a mare in her twenties but have seen quite a few over the years and most of them clearly enjoy motherhood (and it stops them trying to pinch other mares' foals)!

Obviously, one would not breed an older mare who is not doing well or who has health problems or severe arthritis but if the mare's conformation is above average and health is good, where's the harm in trying?

Plus, some of the older mares have less common bloodlines and good lines are always worth preserving!!