# Youngest you would have a mare covered?



## Chinchilla (4 March 2018)

As title says....what is the youngest age of mare you would happily get them bred at? 
And say why please. 
Thank you 
(Sorry if I've got terminology or anything wrong I know 0 about breeding really).


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## DabDab (4 March 2018)

I've put 'older than 4', purely because I think a mare's mature conformation and ability to be useful herself should be assessed first before breeding from her.

However, I do know a number of career broodmare who had their first foal around age 3 and have produced some lovely offspring. But those are usually with breeders who have very established lines and have a fairly good idea of what kind of mare they have (as often they bred her themselves)


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## The Fuzzy Furry (4 March 2018)

I have in the past put a well built or precocious filly in foal at 3, usually to stave off backing fully and to see what offspring would be like. 
This is because my mares used to compete from around 5yrs  for 2 or 3 years then time out again for 1 or 2 foals before coming back into work again.

Have certainly never covered 2 yr olds tho.


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## Chinchilla (4 March 2018)

Thank you for the responses so far  
Out of interest what are the potential repercussions for mare and foal if the mare is bred young, say gives birth when has just turned 3?


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## Equi (4 March 2018)

Well the first thing is shes not fully grown herself so the foal may struggle to get through the birth canal. Ive got a two year old filly and I cant even imagine her being in foal - shes still such a baby both physically and mentally.


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## tallyho! (4 March 2018)

I too would have to see what the mare was like as a riding horse and see what the conformation turned out like if the intention for the foal was the same.... wouldn't breed from a difficult mare... even if conformation was good.

Personal experience has also shown that traits from the lineage can come back despite a confirmed "type". You have to watch what you're doing.


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## ILuvCowparsely (4 March 2018)

Chinchilla said:



			As title says....what is the youngest age of mare you would happily get them bred at? 
And say why please. 
Thank you 
(Sorry if I've got terminology or anything wrong I know 0 about breeding really).
		
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I put over than 4 -  as I would not cover a mare before 6 as I wan't her to  put her groceries into growing and into her bodies needs before forcing her to carry a foal.


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## popsdosh (6 March 2018)

I have put 2 as its not so much of a worry from my mind set as I have experience of it . im afraid many cope with first time motherhood at three better than at six. I know a lot will be horrified however it is only certain fillies and to shorten time span of genetic gain in sport horses. It is very much the norm in some of the best breeding programs. There are lots of myths about why you shouldnt but thats all they are. All of mine then go on to compete after the foal is weaned.


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## popsdosh (6 March 2018)

ILuvCowparsely said:



			I put over than 4 -  as I would not cover a mare before 6 as I wan't her to  put her groceries into growing and into her bodies needs before forcing her to carry a foal.
		
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If your forcing a mare to carry a foal?? you are indeed doing something wrong. It would be normal within a herd of mares for them to have their first foals at three.


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## JJS (6 March 2018)

I put four years, as I wouldn't judge anyone else for breeding at that age, but personally I don't think I'd cover before six. Up to that point, they're still doing so much growing themselves that I'd rather their energy went into that than into cooking a foal. Having said that, Mary was covered at four, and I got her as this gangly, babyish creature.







By five years old with a foal at foot she'd matured into this, so I can't say it did her too much harm!







My bigger bugbear, and one that I experienced myself, is that it's a damn sight harder to iron out issues or expect inexperienced mares to cope with certain scenarios when they already have a foal at foot. I saw plenty who were able to hop back in the saddle before their babies were even weaned, but doing the same with a mare who's barely been ridden away is a completely unfair ask in my opinion. Similarly, fixing a fear of the farrier or getting a horse comfortable with something new is all much harder when they have a little one to worry about, so my preference would be for a more experienced broodmare.


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## Chinchilla (11 March 2018)

JJS said:



			I put four years, as I wouldn't judge anyone else for breeding at that age, but personally I don't think I'd cover before six. Up to that point, they're still doing so much growing themselves that I'd rather their energy went into that than into cooking a foal. Having said that, Mary was covered at four, and I got her as this gangly, babyish creature.







By five years old with a foal at foot she'd matured into this, so I can't say it did her too much harm!







My bigger bugbear, and one that I experienced myself, is that it's a damn sight harder to iron out issues or expect inexperienced mares to cope with certain scenarios when they already have a foal at foot. I saw plenty who were able to hop back in the saddle before their babies were even weaned, but doing the same with a mare who's barely been ridden away is a completely unfair ask in my opinion. Similarly, fixing a fear of the farrier or getting a horse comfortable with something new is all much harder when they have a little one to worry about, so my preference would be for a more experienced broodmare.
		
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N'aww baby Mary so cute - out of interest has she changed shape much since having Flower?


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## JanetGeorge (11 March 2018)

If I am keeping a filly to breed, I will cover at 3 - assuming she is well grown.  Never had a problem with that.  If I am not then keeping them on, will back after weaning.  I DID have one who had her first at 4, one every year for 6 years and as I was cutting down, I then backed her and sold her.  She's now started low level eventing - turning up at the same competitions as one of her daughters.


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## JJS (14 March 2018)

Chinchilla said:



			N'aww baby Mary so cute - out of interest has she changed shape much since having Flower?
		
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She spent months after having her with a pretty impressive baby belly - we used to joke that she looked more pregnant post-baby than she did when she was in foal! She also lost a lot of topline towards the backend of pregnancy, and although I'm confident it will return with proper work, she does have quite a prominent spine still 10 months down the line. Aside from that, I don't think you'd look at her and know she'd foaled anymore, whereas in the first few months it was obvious to anyone.


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## Chinchilla (18 March 2018)

JJS said:



			She spent months after having her with a pretty impressive baby belly - we used to joke that she looked more pregnant post-baby than she did when she was in foal! She also lost a lot of topline towards the backend of pregnancy, and although I'm confident it will return with proper work, she does have quite a prominent spine still 10 months down the line. Aside from that, I don't think you'd look at her and know she'd foaled anymore, whereas in the first few months it was obvious to anyone.
		
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Hmm ok. My mare had her first foal when she'd just turned 3 in her old home and looking at before/after pics the difference is enormous  (As is she :lol: )


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## JJS (19 March 2018)

Chinchilla said:



			Hmm ok. My mare had her first foal when she'd just turned 3 in her old home and looking at before/after pics the difference is enormous  (As is she :lol: )
		
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I was quite concerned that Mary would have a broodmare tummy forever, and considering it looked like this for a long time, you can see why! 







However, we were back to being nice and trim by around November time, and she's a perfectly normal shape from the side too.







The Appy mare she lived with is the complete opposite. I've known her for years, as she was originally owned by my old riding school before a friend bought her. We know she's foaled before, likely more than once, and to this day, that's still immediately obvious when you meet her, despite the fact it's been well over a decade since she was last on mummy duties.


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## Chinchilla (19 March 2018)

JJS said:



			I was quite concerned that Mary would have a broodmare tummy forever, and considering it looked like this for a long time, you can see why! 







However, we were back to being nice and trim by around November time, and she's a perfectly normal shape from the side too.







The Appy mare she lived with is the complete opposite. I've known her for years, as she was originally owned by my old riding school before a friend bought her. We know she's foaled before, likely more than once, and to this day, that's still immediately obvious when you meet her, despite the fact it's been well over a decade since she was last on mummy duties.
		
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Oh dear, mine's an appy. (or spotty anyway). I feel sorry for the saddle fitter then lol!! :lol:


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## Rollin (1 April 2018)

equi said:



			Well the first thing is shes not fully grown herself so the foal may struggle to get through the birth canal. Ive got a two year old filly and I cant even imagine her being in foal - shes still such a baby both physically and mentally.
		
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I had an enquiry from someone in France, for my Cleveland Bay stallion.  I did ask some questions about the mare.  I then received a reply that the person enquiring did not own the filly who was just two years old!!  The owner did not want to breed from her and I would never have accepted her for a 16.3hh stallion with 10" of bone.  Poor baby.  I have a superb CB mare who has given us 3 beautiful fillies but she had already had a foal die before I bought her - aged 4 years.  I am not in favour of covering under the age of 4 years.


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## Chinchilla (1 April 2018)

Rollin said:



			I had an enquiry from someone in France, for my Cleveland Bay stallion.  I did ask some questions about the mare.  I then received a reply that the person enquiring did not own the filly who was just two years old!!  The owner did not want to breed from her and I would never have accepted her for a 16.3hh stallion with 10" of bone.  Poor baby.  I have a superb CB mare who has given us 3 beautiful fillies but she had already had a foal die before I bought her - aged 4 years.  I am not in favour of covering under the age of 4 years.
		
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Rollin I know you breed but how many years have you been breeding?


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