2011 Breeding Season

[Joanne]

We live in the Pacific Northwest and have continued to have rain into June.

 

I know many of you are having summer heat in spring.

 

I am curious how this unusual weather is effecting your breeding season and If you know how your 2012 foaling season is shaping up.

 

 

 

 

[cretahillsgal]

I'm having some trouble. My mares are not coming into heat. And no, they are not already bred. No foal heats shown at all. We are in a severe drought. The worst in many years. And I think that may have something to do with it.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Our mares either didnt come into a foal heat or came into it at 14 days so we ended up missing a couple. a couple mares still havent come into heat at all but we do have a decent number of mares already bred and they have not come back in so hopefully are bred. I have 8 possibly bred mares that havent come back into heat at my location, not sure about how many at my parents' place.

 

[ohmt]

It has been very cold here- rainy and in the 50's which has been so annoying since we have winter for 9 months out of the year anyway.

Our mares have been cooking their foals extra long, BUT no problems with mares not coming into heat yet (knock on wood). Usually I have problems with mares with foals coming into season, but have bred back a couple and the rest are teasing the poor stallions.

 

[targetsmom]

Weather has been quite variable here in New England - no drought anyway!! Our mares seem to be having a contest to see who can stay in heat the longest. One was 18 days, one was 14 days. Kept the stallion happy....

 

[Magic]

It's been very cold and rainy here, it's actually raining right now, sigh... if we ever can get the first crop of hay cut and dried to be baled it will be a miracle.

Anyway, our mares have been slow to come into heat, but they are finally beginning to. We're only going to breed five or six mares this year-- had five foals this year even though we have over 20 breeding-age mares-- so waiting for the RIGHT mares to come into heat will be the issue. So far one mare has been bred (not sure if she's settled), another has been in heat and being bred for a week, and another was bred for the first time last night. Still waiting for three other mares.

I wish we could send this over-abundance of rain to those of you who need it!

 

[Sandy B]

Northern California here so yes we have had rain and cold weather in to June. We have had long and erratic heat cycles. And mares we think are bred and acting like they are coming in to heat but not their "normal" heat and refusing stallion. Its been crazy!

 

[Riverrose28]

I'm not breeding again this year, I have too many to give the individual care that I would like to, and had to let my help go. But! Our mares started coming in the end of Feb. and are still cycling like clock work, stallions know when they are in and when I walk one past any mares paddock they let me know if I'm not paying attention. if I wanted to bred this year, I don't think it would be a problem at all.

 

[Kelsey - Vandy's Farm]

We have had issues. Some mares haven't come in season. Some haven't come out of season lol

 

[a mini dream come true]

I'm just breeding for one foal this year. She is in heat now so we'll see how it goes. Maybe she will settle. Fingers crossed.

 

[Becky]

I have had mares not cycle at all this year until mid May which is very unusual for Oklahoma. I have other mares that are not getting in foal and these are dependable broodmares. Strangest breeding season I've encountered in all my years of breeding.

 

[Eagle]

Northern California here so yes we have had rain and cold weather in to June. We have had long and erratic heat cycles. And mares we think are bred and acting like they are coming in to heat but not their "normal" heat and refusing stallion. Its been crazy!

Same problem here in Italy. We had a very cold long winter and now it should be lovely and warm but it is wet and cold. The mares came in season late and they are lasting over 12 days, then they are having "strange" heats that last a few days. My poor stallion was so frisky at the beginning of May and now he is knackered. I pulled him out of his stall last night at 22.00 to cover a mare as we had been to a wedding all day and he just looked at me as if to say "what now

but I was asleep" Lmao

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

I'm glad it's not just me!

We have two new to breeding stallions, but it's been odd to say the least. Either they aren't interested in the mares (in with them of course - the other side of the fence oh yea!), or the mares are in total 'stay away from me' mode.

I finally pulled all the mares. I'll file stud reports, keep track of dates but as far as foals for 2012 - good guess! I'm totally fine if it's a zero foal year, but I'd love to see the babies too!

 

[Sandy B]

Well I can say I feel much better now hearing you all are having a strange breeding year too. I mean, I know I am rusty at the whole hand breeding deal but its not that hard when you tease daily and keep accurate records. These mini mares are keeping me on my toes and confusing the heck out of me

 

[Joanne]

We will have a few days of nice sunny weather, followed by a week of rain and cold. I think our horses are just confused!

Some of the horses have not found their rhythm yet. They are hanging on to their winter coats too!

 

[Minimor]

Well, I guess the problem is you are all trying to breed your mares. I'm not breeding anyone here, and the silly mares seem to be in heat all the time, one after another, each like clockwork. It's been this way since January at least--we commented different times how these mares just didn't quit at all for the winter.

We had a very late, cold spring, snow didn't go off until mid April, and since then it's been wet and much colder than normal, now we get a hot day here & there but still not normal summer weather.