# Breeding a older pony mare



## DBNKCritterCranny (Apr 19, 2010)

I am wanting to breed my older pony mare. Any help, ideas, or insight would be great ! Here is info on this mare: I have owned her for 24 years. She has gave me 7 foals, the last was born 7 years ago. This mare is now probably 28. Does NOT look it, just now starting to get a small sway back, does not act old. I still ride her and she is still hard to hold back after all these years !! She has always foaled with no troubles. I am wanting to breed her to a small pony stallion, he is around 39" tall. So, has any one bred their mares at this age after so long of not having a foal ??? Please help, as I would LOVE to get one more baby from her that I will keep ! This mare is 11.1HH or so, big boned and very stout !

Thanks !


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## disneyhorse (Apr 19, 2010)

Oh just a soapbox... but...

I think that mares in their 20's have deserved a retirement. Especially if they have paid their dues as broodmares or show horses. They deserve brushing and cookies and little jogs to keep them in shape.

Unless this is a super super valuable horse that you really need to carry on bloodlines, I'd forgo breeding.

I doubt she'd even take very easily at that age, and it would be hard on her no matter how healthy she is. It's not the pregnancy but the nursing that may really drag her down.

Isn't there a cute foal you could buy, to give a good home to?

Sorry, just not a fan of breeding very old horses. She's very lucky to be that age to begin with.

Good luck,

Andrea


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## AnnaC (Apr 19, 2010)

Sorry to have to say it, but I would not attempt to breed from a mare of this age. She may look/feel fine now, but she is only having to 'support' herself. In 07 my old mare (23) suddenly decided to make a grab at one of my boys on the one night he was left out with the herd and she was with them. She lost condition in the last month before foling, inspite of my efforts, foaled easily (thankfully) and from then on put everything into her foal, leaving nothing much for herself, again inspite of my feeding and really good grazing. (Have to also admit that her colt is not the strongest of lads now inspite of careful care and attention.) Following weaning I had a real struggle to get her through the next winter, but she picked up so much over last summer - fat, sassy, plus always being the one to lead the herd into racing and chasing games! To look at her, one could be tempted to breed again. But I never would, she is here to enjoy the retirement she richly deserves.

Also I would never forgive myself if something happened to her just because I wanted 'just one more foal'! I think you must ask yourself whether you could face taking the chance of losing your mare at foaling - she is obviously a mare you care about!

Anna


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## muffntuf (Apr 20, 2010)

I echo the last two posts, she is retired, leave her be or take a 90% chance of loosing her during, or after delivery. Can you buy back one of her foals?


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## shetlandponylady (Apr 21, 2010)

I wouldn't risk it. By the time you did all the breeding and foaling, and raising a foal. You could go out a purchase a new little one she could bond with and play with. This would be so much better for you and her. You would get what you want and she would get all the rest she needs. A win win situation for all. Cindy


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## alphahorses (Apr 21, 2010)

I have to agree with everyone who has posted so far. (And would add that an 11.1h 28 yr old pony should only be ridden by a very light person, if at all).

By some estimates, a 29 yr old pony (the age she will be when she foals) is equivalent to a 65 yr old woman giving birth. No matter how fit that 65 yr old is, she is not meant to carry or give birth to a child at that age.

When I was growing up, someone sold us a mare that was 12 according to the registration papers. At about age 15 we decided to breed her once. This was not her first foal, and she was in excellent condition. I rode her on miles of trails several times a week, and barrel raced her - and she was winning. She starting losing weight during the pregnancy, then foundered for the first time in her life. She barely had enough milk for the baby, and there was nothing we could do to keep weight on her. We weaned the foal early - which brought its own set of problems - and never could get the weight back on her. We finally had to put her down.

When we went to register the foal, we found out from the registry that someone had tampered with the registration papers. She was 22, not 12 when we purchased her - and 25 when we bred her. We were inexperience and had been taken.

My point is, this mare whom I loved went from healthy and happy to having to be put down, all because, in our ignorance, we bred her at an old age. NO FOAL is worth that.


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## Ellen (May 2, 2010)

We had and old Arab mare in my youth that had been a broodmare for us for years. But we retired her at 22. Then at age 28 she got bred thru the fence and had her last colt. Our experience was as bad as Ronaele's and my father felt totally reponsible for her passing. She just never bounced back. I was young and don't remeber all the ins and outs of her death, as I was sheltered from it by my Dad and Grandpa, but she did go from an aged riding mare in excellent health enjoying her retirement to a bag of bones.

It was just something we could have completely avoided. That was the last foal at my Dad's farm, ever. It wasn't until my husband and I started our own farm we ever had foals again. But I will say when my first foal was born, and arab pinto colt my Dad was like a kid at Christmas! We couldn't pull him out of the stall! Now he puts in his order for a brown and white pinto every year. We have yet to have a brown and white pinto.

Sorry, I guess I got off track there, Ugh!


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