Should I, shouldn't I?

[lucydales]

Try putting Amy in foal?! She'll be 14 this year. Can leave it much longer if we're going to try. Decisions, decisions, what does everyone think??
I've found her a nice boy who'll come visiting...!

[rose]

Is Amy a maiden?

edited to add: Is the stallion experienced?

[harveydales]

I haven't the experience to advise you on this but wish you luck with whatever you decide. Perhaps you could have a word with some one like Jo Ashby?

[Debbie]

For me, the first questions would be directed towards her vet. Is she maiden? Is she in good condition? What does the vet think??

Any mare, no matter the age, is 'at risk' for dying during foaling. Its just a part of life. It even happens with people, its just most of us forget that. Only you can decide if you're willing to take that risk.

I do think you'll have a good chance of her 'catching', although I know fertility does decline with age. I know of 19 year old maidens that caught first time out, and foaled with no problems, but again, this is where a full vet exam of her reproductive bits would be the most helpful.

Best of luck, and please, if you really, really don't want to, or your vet says otherwise, don't feel pressured to put her into foal.

[rose]

I agree there. It's all a huge risk
To me i would never risk it again as we sadly lost one whilst being put infoal; she was a maiden and was only 10. I personally wouldn't risk it unless the stallion was experienced.
Best of Luck.

[lucydales]

Thanks for your replies. Amy is a maiden but comes into season big time and gets really peed off with the geldings cos they won't do the business!! I did spot Pants "pushing" her round the field when she first arrived and was in season but to no avail! LOL!
I was thinking of Samuel Peeps (on Jo's recommendation) as he will travel and I don't want to send her away.
I haven't had her vet checked yet so probably should get that done and have her swabbed at the same time if all looks well.
The big decision for me is also taking on more hosses to look after given my health is not tip-top at the moment, but if I leave it another year Amy's older/more risk and I would like her to have a foal. It was Jo at the Area 5 clinic that encouraged me to go for it actually!!
Still pondering! I really appreciate your thoughts. He wouldn't visit till June so have a bit longer to decide! What's the latest month for them to be serviced?
I really should do more reading up before I set off on a hair-brained scheme!

[dollylanedales]

Well, I decided to get some riding and driving done with Molly before considering getting her in foal .....I thought after 3 years of enjoying her, I could then start breeding from her. She was 7 then. Unfortunately, she did not come up in foal, so we had to try again last year, and this now makes her 9.

It has crossed my mind, that perhaps I should not have had my three years of enjoying riding and driving her, and got her in foal earlier, as maybe starting to breed at a later age was causing problems. Although, my vet did not think this was the problem, it was just bad luck.

Whether you go ahead and try to breed from Amy is up to you, Lucy. You may be lucky and she will get in foal first time. Yes, there are risks, but these are present with mares of any age I suppose. But you have to be prepared, like me, to be disappointed if it does not happen - but at least you have tried!!

There is also the fact that you will lose the use of your mare for a while (I seem to have done very little with Molly for the past two years, due to her either being with the stallion, waiting to see if she is in foal, etc.) and sometimes I have wished I have never thought of breeding from her .....it is a very stressful time, emotionally and financially too. But if you do get a foal at the end of it, then thats brilliant.

One more thing, a friend of ours arrived to an unexpected foal in his field - his 14 year old mare had foaled. That was her first foal, and mum and foal were absolutely fine.