March 5, 2010
Generally less than 1 percent of each year’s colt crop is good enough to become a breeding stallion.
By Dr. Thomas R. Lenz in The American Quarter Horse Journal
It is a fact that unwanted horses, genetic diseases, a declining sales environment, poor production outcomes and horses that do not meet our expectations are often the result of poor breeding decisions. Read the rest of this entry »
February 26, 2010
After Greg and Page Impressive won at the Cow Palace, Page Impressive was retired to stud.
By Honi Roberts in The American Quarter Horse Journal
When Greg and Mary Whalen sold their pretty sorrel mare Page Boys Pearl to Duane “Dude” Noble, they retained the first right of refusal on the mare’s first colt.
It proved to be stellar foresight after Dude’s daughter and their farm manager, Tommy Ryan, guided the fancy mare to three AQHA world championships, earning performance and halter points in a show career that included 60 grand and 14 reserve grand championships. The Whalens weren’t disappointed, either, when Dude bred her to Pretty Impressive. Read the rest of this entry »
February 19, 2010
About 85 percent of antibodies are transferred to the foal in the first six to eight hours, so your veterinarian should check the foal at that time to ensure that everything is normal.
By Andrea Caudill in the Q-Racing section of The American Quarter Horse Journal
This is the last of the four-part series. Need to review Part 1, Part 2 or Part 3?
After the Big Event
Any of these things not happening is a cause for alarm. If the foal is normal, you should begin considering the timing of his first checkup. Don’t turn the baby out until he has had his checkup.
February 12, 2010
According to Dr. Ben Espy, it is a very rare and special occurrence for you to see a mare have a foal.
By Andrea Caudill in the Q-Racing section of The American Quarter Horse Journal
This is the third in a four-part series. Need to review Part 1 or Part 2?
Foaling
February 5, 2010
Being prepared for any circumstance upon the new foal's arrival is extremely important.
By Andrea Caudill in the Q-Racing section of The American Quarter Horse Journal
This is the second of a four-part series. Need to review Part 1?
Suggested Foaling Kit
January 29, 2010
Before the foaling date, give the mare all the vaccines you want the foal vaccinated for, because the baby will acquire the antibodies when he takes his first drink of colostrum after birth.
By Andrea Caudill in the Q-Racing section of The American Quarter Horse Journal
The months of planning and waiting are about to pay off for breeders around the world – their mares are preparing to deliver the next generation of champions.
If this is your first time, or if you need a few refresher tips, the Racing Journal consulted with Dr. Ben Espy on things to keep in mind.
Getting Mama Ready
1. Watch her figure. It’s pretty common to feel sorry for the mother-to-be as she grows larger, but it is best for her health to keep off the pounds. Don’t give in to feeding her more until she begins lactating in her final few months.
“Foaling is an athletic event, and it’s really critical that these mares are in good shape,” Dr. Espy says. “It’s very well-respected in the reproductive and nutritional communities that pregnant mares only need the same amount of calories as a non-pregnant mare or gelding up until the last three months of gestation.”
January 22, 2010
False pregnancies are not uncommon, so don’t rely exclusively on teasing to determine whether a mare is pregnant.
By Dr. Patrick M. McCue for The American Quarter Horse Journal
In mares, 5 to 10 percent of estrous cycles end in false pregnancies. They’re common enough that you should know how to recognize them.
Normally, a mare ovulates follicles one to two days before she goes out of heat. A corpus luteum, or “CL”, then develops and begins to produce progesterone.
The CL of a nonpregnant mare produces progesterone for about 14 or 15 days during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle. At the end of that phase, the mare’s uterus must determine pregnancy, a process called “maternal recognition of pregnancy.” First, the embryo produces a chemical signal and, second, the uterus detects the signal.
If the uterus doesn’t find that signal, the endometrial lining of the uterus releases prostaglandins that travel through the bloodstream to the ovary and destroy the CL. Progesterone levels drop rapidly, and the mare develops another follicle and returns to heat. This cycle repeats itself multiple times each breeding season in a nonpregnant mare.
If an embryo is present, no prostaglandins are released, the CL is preserved, and more progesterone is produced. Progesterone is a key hormone for maintenance of pregnancy. It also prevents the mare from returning to heat.
More Progesterone
In some instances, a nonpregnant mare’s CL can produce progesterone beyond the normal two-week lifespan and a mare won’t return to estrus. The term for persistent progesterone production by a CL is pseudopregnancy, or false pregnancy.
January 15, 2010
Improved vaccination programs and control of stray animals have been effective in preventing rabies in most pets.
Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. The virus is secreted in saliva and is most commonly transmitted by an infectious bite.
Only mammals can get rabies; birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians do not.
Improved vaccination programs and control of stray animals have been effective in preventing rabies in most pets. If you have animals that spend time roaming the land, it is important that you follow these guidelines to help control rabies:
January 8, 2010
Ticks can be responsible for the spread of equine piroplasmosis
Equine piroplasmosis, a disease most commonly transmitted by ticks, has recently been identified in three New Mexico horses during a racetrack screening program.
The infection is caused by protozoa – Babesia caballi or Theileria equi (formerly Babesia equi) – and affects horses, donkeys, mules and zebras.
According to a report Read the rest of this entry »
December 18, 2009
By Tena Bastian in “The Foal is the Goal”
You have made the decision to breed your mare, and the search is on for the perfect stallion. “WHOA!” Back up a couple of steps and ask yourself a few important questions before you go “stallion shopping.” First and foremost, why do you want to breed your mare?
Is it because you think a “baby” is so incredibly cute and would be fun to have around? Well, he is cute and certainly can be fun, but there is also a lot of work involved. For example, is there sufficient space in your barn to accommodate a birthing mare? Do you have properly fenced pasture and secure areas for schooling? Read the rest of this entry »
December 11, 2009
By Tena Bastian in The Foal is the Goal
Once you’ve found a few stallion prospects for your mare, there are a still a few things you should do before you choose your foal’s sire and breed your mare.
Visit the Breeding Facility
Once you have narrowed your field to three or four prospective stallions, it is time to check each breeding facility, preferably in person, which should pass your inspection before you sign any contract. In order to get a good idea of how well your mare will be cared for while on the stallion owner’s premises, you need to see how he cares for his own horses. Ask for references from previous clients and talk to them first-hand, if possible. Read the rest of this entry »
December 4, 2009
By Honi Roberts in The American Quarter Horse Journal
Is your glass half-full or half-empty? Attitude – as well as the reality on the ground – shapes and creates the environment in which we live and operate.
Take the venerable Jerry Vawter, for example. Having bred and trained Quarter Horses for nearly 50 years, Jerry described the current downturn as one of several slumps he has negotiated, “a little bump in the road … the perfect opportunity to build up an incredible broodmare band.” Breeders who do this, he said, should be ready when buyers come knocking at the door.
You won’t find Jerry crying in his beer. Read the rest of this entry »