Mare Health After Foaling
March 18, 2009
The American Association of Equine Practitioners answers a reader’s question about riding a mare shortly after she foals.
The American Association of Equine Practitioners offers great advice for this mare owner. AAEP is an AQHA educational marketing alliance partner.
Question:
After a mare foals, how long will it be before she can be ridden again? And how long should I wait to breed her again? I have a 5-year-old Quarter Horse mare that foaled recently with no problems.
Answer:
As for breeding the mare, it depends on your goals for her and her offspring. In many disciplines, Thoroughbred racing as an example, you want the foals born early in the year because of age and racing guidelines. In many instances, people will attempt to breed back a mare on her foal heat. In most cases, I like to breed back mares on the cycle just after foal heat. It certainly does not hurt to wait longer, just keep in mind what time of year the foal will come around next year. If you wait too long each season, soon you will have a season in which it will be too late to breed. This is not necessarily a bad thing; it just depends on your breeding program and your needs.
I may be a bit conservative, but I usually do not push mares into riding until the foal is weaned at around 5 months of age. It is probably safe to ride the mare a bit earlier. Just remember that she is using a lot of energy to produce milk for the foal, and you should have her at a slightly higher plane of nutrition as a result (body condition score of 6 or 7 out of 9). Also, some mares are very concerned about watching their foals, so riding may be less than productive because the mare cannot concentrate on the task at hand, and it may also be a bit risky. For these reasons, I personally feel it is best to begin riding again after the foal is weaned. If you want to ride this mare a lot, it may be best to take her out of breeding for a few seasons.
Dr. Damon O’Gan, Austin, Texas
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8 Comments on “Mare Health After Foaling”
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June 7th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
[...] Mare Health After Foaling America Horse Daily Posted by root 4 hours ago (http://americashorsedaily.com) Comments add a comment name required e mail required 2009 america horse daily powered by wordpress Discuss | Bury | News | Mare Health After Foaling America Horse Daily [...]
June 8th, 2009 at 10:34 am
When does a mare start her normal heat cycle after the “Foal Heat” is it 21 days or 28 days?
Thanks
June 9th, 2009 at 7:11 am
Tammy,
Foal heat is approximately 7 days post-foaling, after that it’s normal, approximately every 21 days: 14-17 days out, under the influence of progesterone, 5-7 in heat, under the influence of estrogen.
Foal heat can be a bit more unpredictable, lasting longer or shorter than a regular heat cycle – it depends on the mare.
Christine Hamilton, Editor, The American Quarter Horse Journal
October 11th, 2009 at 2:55 am
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April 15th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
How long should I waint to ride my mare after she gives birth thow?
August 13th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Hello, I own a 5 year old Dutch Warmblood mare that I am wanting to breed. Is September too late to breed her? I know many people who have bred their mares as late as December and they’ve had nice, healthy foals. I live in Oklahoma. Also, I am worried about the breed registries and keurings. Would being born in August affect getting their registration done and going to their keurings? The baby would be eligible AWS, RPSI, and possibly Oldenburg.
August 17th, 2010 at 7:28 am
[...] early embryo loss if she does become pregnant. She should be receiving a diet formulated for lactating mares with foals at side according to the feeding directions and may need to feed her three times per [...]
August 27th, 2010 at 4:02 am
[...] for a medically safe and straightforward means of blocking estrus or inducing contraception in mares. However, there might be serious issues regarding future reproductive performance in a limited [...]