Learn the methods of preparing your horse for castration.

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

This is the second half of a two-part series. Need to review Part 1?

Before Castrating

To prepare your colt for gelding, make sure he is in good health and current on deworming and his vaccinations. A little time spent getting the horse accustomed to being handled prior to the surgery can make the post-gelding experience much easier and less stressful for all. Horses can be gelded in either the standing position or anesthetized and lying on the ground.

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When anesthetics were unpredictable with a narrow safety margin, most horses were castrated standing, but with today’s safe and effective short-term anesthetics, most horses are gelding while anesthetized and lying on the ground. My criteria for gelding a horse in the standing position are that it is tall enough, halter broken and does not mind palpation of the scrotum or water splashing on its hind legs.

As a young veterinarian, I always required that before doing a standing castration, the horse be halter broke and I could palpate his testicles without him resisting or kicking. I found out in the middle of a castration that some horses don’t mind having their testicles palpated, but they explode when blood drips on their hind legs. And so I test them by throwing water on their lower hind legs while washing the scrotum prior to the surgery. Horses castrated in a standing position are usually tranquilized and a local anesthetic is injected prior to the surgery.

If a horse is to be gelded anesthetized on the ground, he should get a pre-anesthetic followed by a short-term anesthetic that will last 15-30 minutes. Horses under short-term anesthesia can be stimulated by light and noise, so a towel is usually placed over his eyes and an attempt is made to minimize noise. The scrotum is washed thoroughly and incisions are exteriorized by blunt dissection and then emasculators are used to crush the spermatic cord to prevent bleeding. The incisions are not sutured but left to drain.

Following gelding, horses should receive a tetanus toxoid booster (if his vaccinations are current) or both a tetanus toxoid and a tetanus antitoxin injection if he has never been vaccinated. Your veterinarian will advise you on what is best for your horse. Generally, antibiotics are not administered. If it is fly season, it is a good idea to apply an insect repellent.

After Castration

After surgery, it is recommended the horse be placed in a small paddock or stall for 12 to 24 hours to ensure adequate clotting. If he is stalled, bed the stall with straw rather than shavings. Shavings can contaminate the wound and cause infection.

Beginning the day after gelding, the horse should be exercised at a trot for at least 15 minutes twice a day to decrease swelling and to stimulate drainage of any post-surgical fluid that might accumulate. Exercise should continue for about two weeks.

Post-surgical complications are rare but can occur. The most common is excessive swelling of the scrotum that extends into the lower hind legs, usually due to premature closure of the incision. If increased exercise does not resolve the problem, contact your veterinarian. In rare cases where the horse has an unusually large inguinal ring, small intestines might protrude from the incision. This is a true emergency, and your vet should be contacted immediately.

After castration, semen remains in the horse’s accessory sex glands and the portion of the vas deferens not removed during gelding. There is usually enough present for one ejaculation, so gelded, mature horses should be kept separated from mares for 30-45 days. Depending on the age and maturity of the horse, it might take several weeks for the horse’s testosterone levels to decrease and he might still be aggressive. Stallions castrated after maturity (6 years of age or older), especially those that have bred mares, might continue to express stallion-like behavior, including developing an erection and attempting to breed mares.

I know we all want to produce better horses, protect the integrity of the breed and decrease the number of unwanted horses. Castrated colts don’t reproduce.

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It’s one tool to decrease the number of unwanted horses.

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. Those decisions usually start with deciding whether or not a young foal has the potential to be successful in the show ring or on the track and eventually in the broodmare band or standing at stud. Because a stallion has the potential to sire hundreds of foals, the decision to geld a colt is especially important.

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My father was in the commercial cattle business and he always said, “It takes a good bull calf to make a good steer.” Following that good advice, we always picked out the best bull calf to castrate and show in our 4-H steer class at the local fair. I have the same opinion on horses. Generally, less than 1 percent of each year’s colt crop is good enough to become a breeding stallion.

Why Castrate?

Owners tend to castrate colts for two reasons. The first we’ve already discussed, and that is to keep only the very best to perpetuate the breed. The second is that stallions are testosterone-driven and can be aggressive and potentially dangerous to other horses and people.

The AQHA Handbook lists several undesirable traits, including parrot mouth, cryptorchidism, homozygous for HYPP and excessive white with underlying pink skin. Other than being homozygous for HYPP, horses possessing one or more of these conditions are not prevented from being used as breeding stock or participating in AQHA events.

I know I possess a veterinarian’s bias, but if we’re going to continue to improve the breed and minimize the number of horses that fail to meet our expectations, we should geld colts that possess any of these undesirable traits. Of course, that decision is made more difficult if the colt is an extremely good athlete or has perfect conformation.

I believe that if a colt has a marginal pedigree, possesses undesirable traits or does not possess exceptional breeding potential, he should be gelded early in life, just prior to or following weaning. Some of the advantages of early castration are that the colt never develops stallion-like behavior or secondary sex characteristics.

In addition, colts castrated at 4-6 months of age generally experience few post-castration complications such as weight loss, excessive scrotal swelling or infection. I like to castrate colts two or three weeks prior to weaning and then turn them back with their dams where they can get plenty of exercise and a little TLC. I’ve gelded colts as young as 30-45 days of age and they do fine.

Colts gelded prior to puberty often grow taller than if they were left intact until after puberty. The testosterone surge at puberty (18-24 months) triggers closure of the growth (epiphyseal) plates in the long bones of the legs and the horse stops growing taller. The theory is that colts gelded at less that one year of age do not experience the pubertal testosterone surge that allows more long-bone growth and extra height.

Stay tuned next week for the second half of this story.

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He was a Blue-Ribbon stallion with a heart of gold.

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.“He was one of the two or three best sons of Impressive,” says Greg, an AQHA Professional Horseman. “A badly damaged knee had ended any possibility of a show career, but that wasn’t something passed on genetically. He was a gorgeous horse, and Charlie Dobbs and Tommy Manion – two smart horsemen – discovered him.”

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On February 1, 1982, Page Boys Pearl gave birth to Page Impressive. The Whalens hoped that one day he would be the perfect cross on mares by their AQHA world champion halter stallion, Smooth Town.

“Page Impressive was a really nice colt,” Greg says. “Although, when we first saw him – in a pasture with other colts – his tail was chewed off, and he didn’t look worth the money we paid!”

At 9 months, “Page” moved to the Whalens’ Blue Ribbon Farms in Clements, California, his home for the rest of his long life.

“He was kind and smart,” Mary recalls, “and never pinned his ears or was naughty.”

“Page was fun to show, too,” Greg remembers. “At 15.3 hands, he wasn’t big by today’s standards – but big enough – and so correct. He had great hocks, a deep heart and long hip line. He was just a neat horse!”

Greg showed Page Impressive through his 3-year-old year. He earned his Superior in halter and 45 grand championships. After they won at the Cow Palace, Page Impressive was retired to stud.

“Not long afterward, a young man working for us asked if he could ride Page,” Greg says with a chuckle. “He’d worked for Dick Shrake and was a good hand, so I said, ‘Sure.’ He ponied colts off him, then asked if he could take him down to the Stockton show grounds and ride around. He did and came home with quite a few bookings to Page!”

The Whalens noted that the stallion consistently improved on the mares brought to him, and that amateurs frequently trained his colts, because they were so good-minded and easy-going.

Both Whalens grew up with horses: Mary’s father raised horses, and she became an AQHA member more than 60 years ago; Greg’s dad bought and sold horses for the U.S. Army Remount program, and as a young man, Greg rodeoed professionally for a dozen years.

“We grew up with a respect for horses,” he says. “We try to understand their minds, and strongly believe in daily turnout and letting a horse be a horse – carefully, not carelessly. Page was hauled to shows with other studs and stalled across the barn aisle from Smooth Town, his best friend for 20 years.”

“Page showed his priorities one time when he got out,” Mary recalls a twinkle in her eyes. “It was spring, and we had about 120 mares at the farm. Someone put Page in the arena overnight but left the gate open. The next morning, he was next to our house, contentedly eating grass – he couldn’t have cared less about the mares! Greg was upset because it’d rained, and Page was sinking into our beautiful lawn!”

Page Impressive’s first AQHA world champion was Yellow Page in western riding and later Platinum Page, AQHYA world champion trail horse. Multi-AQHA world champion Mr Yella Fella by Page Impressive and out of the Smooth Town daughter, Lets Skip Town, has been the nation’s leading sire of open halter winners and open point-earning halter horses since 2005 and is currently owned by Gary and Linda Gordon of Fossil Gate Farms.

“Mr Yella Fella is everything we hoped for the Page Impressive-Smooth Town cross,” Greg says.

Page Impressive sired 586 foals during his long, productive life. They’ve earned 10,065.5 halter points and 2,478 performance points; 182 halter ROMs and 40 performance awards. He died in April 2009 at 27.

“One of the nicest horses I’ve had the good fortune to own,” Greg concludes.

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Brush up on what steps to take after the new baby arrives.

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

• Follow the 1-2-3 Rule. When the foal has arrived normally, remember:

1. By one hour he should be standing.
2. By two hours, he should be nursing aggressively.
3. By three hours, the mare should have passed the placenta.

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.

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• Welcoming Baby. According to Dr. Ben Espy, when the foal is born, it is important to make sure she is lying on her sternum and that you remove any extra placenta or amniotic fluid. Then vigorously rub her with two or three beach towels to stimulate her skin. Stick a finger or piece of straw up her nose to get her to sneeze or cough and clear his airways. When the baby is alert after a few minutes, leave the stall and let the mare finish her work. Don’t cut the umbilical cord, either – it will happen naturally, typically by the mare standing up while the baby is still attached. This causes less blood loss than if a human cuts it. Once it breaks, disinfect the stub with dilute clorhexidine two to three times in the first 24 hours. When the baby is standing, give her two enemas.

“The majority of foals will defecate by themselves, but I recommend using enemas on all foals,” Dr.Espy sayes. “The most common cause of colic in neonatal foals is meconium impaction. Of the small portion of foals that colic, using an enema will eliminate a lot of them, and there’s nothing you can do wrong by using one.”

Also save the placenta, if you can, in a plastic bag that you put in a refrigerator or in a cooler on ice.

“Veterinarians can tell a lot by the placenta,” Dr. Espy says. “It’s a great idea to save it, but it’s not critical. So there’s no reason to panic if your mare foals outside and the placenta is covered in dirt and half-trampled on.”

• Doctor Visit. 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. Typically, a veterinarian will check for a heart murmur, for any fractured ribs that happened during birth (which can puncture a lung if the foal is turned out) and might pull blood to do an IgG test to ensure the foal has gotten adequate immunity. Some foals will allow you to tube them with colostrum. If done past the window of time that foals have to absorb antibodies through their intestines, a foal with low antibodies will be given IV plasma.

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Create the best environment for a mare that is ready to foal.

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

1. It Happens Fast. “I think what people need to realize is how rapid and athletic an event it is,” Dr. Ben Espy says. “It is very violent and very fast. A normal foaling will only last 15 minutes. Typically, if a foal doesn’t come out vaginally within about 20 or 30 minutes, it is dead. On rare occasions, you may have a dystocia (difficult birth) and get the foal out in about 45 minutes, but that is very rare.”
2. Keep a Low Profile. It is important to remember that mares have some ability to delay birth until they feel safe.

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“A lot of old-timers say the foal will decide the day of foaling, and the mare will decide the time,” Dr. Espy says. “What that means is, very frequently you can have mares in the first stage of labor – sweating and all that kind of stuff, and if you turn on the lights in the barn or walk past their stall, they can literally go to eating and stop at will. A lot of people believe that’s sort of the old inherited ability to avoid predators or predation — the ability to stop labor.”

So camping by a mare’s stall is probably less productive than you think – flipping on the lights or a radio or just staring at the mare might cause her to delay the birth.

Invariably, if you fall asleep for 10 minutes or go to the bathroom, they’re going to have the foal while you’re gone,” Espy said. “It’s pretty much worthless to camp out and really believe that you’re going to see a foal being born. It’s very, very rare and a special occurrence for you to see a mare have a foal.”

Stay tuned for the last part of this four-part series.

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Prepare for the birth of the new foal by completing your foaling kit with these items.

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

• Cell phone: To make calls and – if it’s a multipurpose phone – take photos, video, surf the Web or post instant blog updates.
• Contact information: Vet’s phone number, someone who can help in an emergency.
• Notebook and pen or dry-erase board: To take notes and keep track of intervals and record normal vital signs.
• Flashlight and batteries: If there isn’t adequate lighting in the barn.
• Three clean beach towels: In case you need to help clean up the foal.

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• Self-adhesive wrap: Enough to wrap the mare’s tail up before she foals. Braid the tail, fold it in half, then wrap from the base of the tail down to the bottom – but if you choose to wrap the tail, remove it as soon as possible as it can cause the mare to slough her tail.
• Ivory soap: Use to wash mare’s perineal area and udder.
• Two enemas: Use to help relieve foal’s constipation so that he can pass meconium (first manure). Hospitals may donate expired human enema bags that have to be thrown away anyway, or enemas can be purchased at a grocery store or pharmacy.
• Five to 10 obstetric sleeves and exam gloves: In case you have to assist in a difficult foaling. Get them from your veterinarian.
• Dilute clorhexidine: To dip the umbilical stump. Put in a shot glass or film container and use it to dip the naval.
• Lubrication: To lubricate an enema or if you have to assist the mare. Check with your veterinarian for a recommended amount, up to a gallon.
• Twine: Have two or three feet of string or twine available in case the mare doesn’t immediately release the placenta, to keep her from stepping on it.
• Stethoscope: To take mare’s vital signs.
• Garbage bag: To put the placenta in.
• Nylon pulling straps: Use per veterinarian’s recommendations. A nylon dog leash can also work as a substitute. It is no longer recommended to use chains as this can permanently damage or disfigure a foal’s legs.
• Frozen colostrum: An emergency supply if the mare does not produce any, or produces an inadequate amount. A foal must receive about two quarts during the first six to eight hours of life to ensure adequate transmission of antibodies. If your veterinarian doesn’t have any in stock, you can “rent” colostrum from colostrum banks, such as the ones at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital or Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Kentucky, by paying for frozen colostrum and then getting a refund if you return it unused.

Stay tuned next week for the third part of this four-part series.

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Prepare for the new arrival with last-minute preparations and an on-hand foaling kit.

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.”

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When you do increase the feed, it should be about 1.2 to 1.3 times the amount of calories as a non-pregnant mare, preferably in the form of fat calories instead of an increase in carbohydrates.

2. Boost Immunity. At 30 days out from her foaling date, the mare should be dewormed with a dose of ivermectin and a dose of pyrantel. The combination is used to combat intestinal parasites that are resistant to one of the dewormers; there doesn’t seem to be a population resistant to both. A Caslick procedure done to the mare should be removed. Also at that time, give the mare all the vaccines you want the foal vaccinated for – the baby will acquire the antibodies when he takes his first drink of colostrum after birth. It will be safer for both horses, and it’ll save you money – “you can vaccinate two horses for the cost of just the mare,” Dr. Espy says.

3. Be Prepared. Most foalings happen so fast that a vet won’t have time to arrive if there is an emergency, so don’t expect him to be able to provide live assistance. Most veterinary assistance that produces a normal foal will come over the phone. Prepare by watching videos, reading books and talking to your vet about what a normal birth looks like, and know how to deal with emergencies, such as a red bag emergency. Figure out and write down your mare’s normal vital signs at rest. If she begins to colic or have other problems after birth, you will need to be able to differentiate between what’s normal and what’s not for your mare.

Stay tuned next week for the next part of this four-part series.

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Learn how to recognize this condition in your mare.

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.

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If a mare loses the embryo after “maternal recognition,” false pregnancy can result. Other causes of false pregnancy can be diestrous ovulations, severe uterine pathology, and potentially inadequate prostaglandin release.

Mares have one chance per estrous cycle to determine their own pregnancy status and to “recycle” themselves if they are not pregnant. The CL will be spared if a mare becomes pregnant and stays pregnant past the time of maternal recognition of pregnancy (days 12 to 14, postovulation). Mares that lose their pregnancy after the window of opportunity for maternal recognition will retain their CL.

Check with ultrasound

False pregnancies are not uncommon, so don’t rely exclusively on teasing to determine whether a mare is pregnant. Mares that fail to return to estrus two to three weeks after going out of heat are not always in foal. An ultrasound examination 14 to 16 days after breeding can determine whether a mare is pregnant and detect the presence or absence of twins. A recheck at 25 to 35 days can verify whether the mare is still pregnant.

Pseudopregnant mares will not return to heat as long as the CL is producing progesterone. The lifespan of a retained CL can be two to three months. If the condition isn’t diagnosed and treated the breeding season could be over.

False pregnancy is easy to treat if recognized. A single dose of prostaglandins will destroy the retained CL, and the mare will return to estrus in three or four days. However, the mare must be examined by ultrasound before she receives prostaglandins to be sure she is not pregnant. Pregnant mares that are given prostaglandins will lose their pregnancies.

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Keep your breeding operation safe from this deadly disease.

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:

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• Have your veterinarian vaccine your dogs, cats, ferrets and select horses and livestock. He/she will advise you regarding the recommended or frequency of the vaccination.
• Do not let your pets roam far. Keep cats and ferrets indoors and supervise or keep dogs in close proximity when outdoors.
• Don’t leave exposed garbage or pet food outside, it will attract wild or stray animals.
• Wild animals should never be kept as pets; they pose potential rabies threat to others, including you.
• Observe all wild animals from a distance; teach children to do the same. Though a wild animal may seem tame, it should not be handled.
• If you see a wild animal acting strangely, report it to the city or county animal control department.
• Bat-proof your home and other structures to prevent bats from nesting and allowing access to people.

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As the equine piroplasmosis investigation unfolds, let’s look at how the disease affects mares and foals.

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 posted by the American Veterinary Medical Association, Theileria equi results in more severe infection and disease, resulting in the destruction of up to 20 percent of the horse’s red blood cells. Some affected horses die within 24 to 48 hours of onset of clinical signs.

Breeders should be aware of the disease’s impact on mares and foals. Intrauterine infection of foals can occur. Foals infected in utero may be aborted or may be born anemic and weak. Foals born to infected dams, but that are not infected in utero, will usually become carriers of the disease.

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Affected horses may be feverish and become anemic with an increased breathing and heart rate. This is a result of the decrease in number of circulating red blood cells and the associated reduction in oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

Red-tinged urine and jaundice develop due to the release of free hemoglobin into the blood from ruptured red blood cells. If sufficient amounts of free hemoglobin are present in the bloodstream or if a sufficient number of erythrocyte (red blood cell) aggregates accumulate, kidney damage and subsequent failure can result. Because it is the primary organ involved in removing damaged red blood cells, the spleen is usually enlarged.

AVMA also reported that as many as 50 percent of affected horses will die. This number is highest for equine infected with T. equi.

Spread of Disease

Dr. Peter Timony of the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center told The Horse that the parasites are blood-borne and consumed by ticks that ingest the blood from infected equine. The ticks then transmit the disease by biting uninfected equine. This is the primary source of spreading the disease. Ticks carrying the parasites can be moved via hay, bedding, feed and vegetation.

Timony added that the use of contaminated syringes and needles on unexposed animals may also be a method of transmitting the disease. The disease could additionally be transmitted through blood-contaminated semen of infected stallions.

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Prevention and Control

According to the Institute for International Cooperation in Animal Biologics, a World Organization for Animal Health Collaborating Center, carrier animals or infected ticks can introduce equine piroplasmosis into new regions. Equids are usually tested for this disease during importation. IFA and ELISA tests are highly sensitive, but complement fixation may not detect all carriers.

Disinfectants and sanitation are not generally effective against the spread of tick-borne infections. However, eliminating contact with ticks and preventing the transfer of blood from one animal to another are vital.

In endemic areas, the use of acaricides (pesticides that kill ticks), together with frequent examination of horses and immediate removal of ticks (since parasite transmission does not occur immediately), may help prevent infection.

If an infected animal is discovered in a piroplasmosis-free region, the animal must be quarantined and kept from all contact with ticks.

Is it a good idea to breed your mare?

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?

If you do decide to breed you mare, you may need to register that foal one day. To learn more about how to register your foal, download our FREE Guide to Registering a Quarter Horse report.

Once you breed your mare, you will have approximately 11 months to see that she and her baby have a large, dry, well-lit stall and ample turnout space with strong, safe fencing available to them.

When Breeding Your Mare Is a Bad Idea

Are you breeding your mare because she is absolutely uncontrollable, and you have been told that it will settle her down? I remember one woman, in particular, who had booked her mare to our stallion.

One day, she called, saying that she and her sister couldn’t tell whether or not the mare was ready to be bred. (In cases like this, we often ask the owner to bring the mare to use so we can “tease” her with our stallion. A “silent” mare – one who does not show visible signs of being in heat – is more likely to show signs of being ready if she is nearer a stallion.)

The day they were due to bring the mare to our barn, the woman and her sister arrived early and, since I wasn’t there, turned the mare out in one of our small paddocks. She was obviously upset, sweating all over her body and pacing the fenceline so intensely she had made a small trench along it.

As I filled her water trough, I asked the owner to remove the horse’s halter. The owner looked at her sister and asked her to do it. Her sister responded with, “I am not going in there with that crazy mare!”

The owner then asked me to remove it, so I entered the paddock while they watched. The mare immediately pinned her ears and came at me with bared teeth. I stood there quietly while the two women cringed.

The mare threatened me until she saw that I was not intimidated by her actions. Her aggression turned into curiosity, and she calmed down enough to allow me to approach her. I got a lead rope with a chain and calmly put the chain over her nose – just in case I needed it for control.

Wanting to learn more about her and why she was so upset, I walked her around the paddock for a while; eventually she settled down but obviously did not have good manners at all.

I asked the women about the mare because they had originally told me she was an “easy keeper.” They admitted they were frightened of her, and they had decided to breed her for the sole purpose of calming her down.

At this point, I was wondering how we would ever get her in the barn, never mind breed her. So, I presented the owner with this scenario: what would happen if the mare got into trouble when foaling and the veterinarian could not safely go into the stall and assist?

Once you breed your mare, you need think about naming and registering your foal. Let AQHA help with our FREE Guide to Registering a Quarter Horse report.

After some discussion, the owner and her sister sensibly decided to work on the mare’s manners for a while and consider breeding her in the future.

Breeding may indeed settle a mare down for a while, but in 11 months, you will not only be faced with dealing with her – and in very close quarters – you will also have another horse in the barn that is just like her.

It has been our experience that a great deal of your mare’s disposition is passed on to her foal. Of course, the disposition inherited from the stallion also plays its part, but the foal learns quite a bit by example, and for the first few months, he will be spending his time with his mother.

If your mare’s manners are suspect, see if her personality is something that can be remedied with time and attention, or whether it is a trait that you would be best not to reproduce.

When Breeding Your Mare Is a Good Idea

There are also excellent reasons why people decide to breed their mares. Some do it for sentimental reasons: for example, they may have a mare that is getting on in years and she has proven to be exactly what they have always considered the perfect horse.

Others breed their mare for profit. If you have a mare that possesses a trait or traits that are in great demand, whether it is her beautiful conformation, excellent disposition, flawless bloodlines, or something otherwise desirable and marketable, you really should consider reproducing those characteristics with the intention of selling the foal for a profit.

Correcting a flaw in your favorite mare by breeding to a particular stallion with traits that counteract the flawed area is another sensible way to complement your breeding program.

Whatever your reasons may be, I suggest you give careful thought to what will become of the foal once he is born. Whether you keep and raise him for your own recreational use, use him to improve the overall quality of your herd, or find a niche in the market and sell him, I urge you to have a plan ahead of time.

There are many factors to consider when breeding  your mare.

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.

Ask the stallion owner if he breeds live cover or artificially inseminates mares. If he does live cover, ask if he requires every mare to have a clean culture performed by a licensed veterinarian prior to breeding. (This is to make sure that she is free of disease). He should require proof that a mare’s vaccinations are up-to-date and that she tested negative on her annual Coggins test (the blood test that detects the presence of antibodies for equine infection anemia – “swamp fever”). Keep in mind that your mare may be staying at his facility for a while, so if the stallion owner does not require a clean bill of health for your mare before she arrives, the chances are she will be in a barn with other horses who may or may not have current vaccinations or testing.

After you’ve bred your mare and she’s had the foal, it’s time to consider how you will train the youngster. The Low Stress Colt Starting DVD with AQHA Professional Horseman Curt Pate is a good option!

If a stallion becomes sick, his sperm quality and quantity can be altered for as long as 120 days, which means that he may not successfully breed mares that season. This is not a chance that a breeder should be willing to take. You can contact the farm’s veterinarian to ask about its overall breeding program, the health of its stallion and the reputation of the owners, but obviously, you’ll need to first ask the stallion owner to give his veterinarian permission to give out such information.

If possible, spend time with the stallion’s handler in order to gain firsthand knowledge of the stallion’s disposition and the handler’s ability to control the horse. (You can arrange to meet them at a show that they may be planning to attend.)

The Importance of Preparation

To make sure he is reputable and responsible, verify that the breeder has filed necessary paperwork with his stallion’s breed association in a timely manner, and check to see if the association has ever suspended him for failure to do so. This information is a public record and should be available for the asking. Doing your homework before you breed your mare can save you time and money later.

Choosing a Veterinarian

You will need a veterinarian with experience in reproduction to be available to help you throughout the breeding process, and later, monitor the progress of you mare during pregnancy and foaling. Regardless of which method of breeding you choose, this vet will be an important member of your team. To determine if you’ll feel comfortable depending on this veterinarian in the coming months, ask him or her questions, such as:

• What training and experience have you had in equine reproduction?
• How long have you been involved in breeding horses in my area?
• How available are you to answer questions that may arise during pregnancy and foaling?
• What method of breeding do you prefer and why?
• Do you own and use ultrasound, or do you simply palpate mares? (I prefer a vet with an ultrasound, which provides detailed views of the developing foal.)
• If I should decide to breed via shipped semen, will you inseminate my mare on my farm?

The questions you should ask your veterinarian are going to depend greatly on the method of breeding you choose. In my opinion, the only stupid question is the one that goes unasked. And, as with stallion owners, how willing a veterinarian is to discuss your worries, walk you through procedures and provide attentive care to your mare – and you – can help you decide whether you want him on your team.

Once you have a foal, his first days of training are very important. Learn how AQHA Professional Horseman Curt Pate starts his youngsters with his Low Stress Colt Starting DVD with AQHA Professional Horseman Curt Pate is a good option!