Best Time to Breed

[Tabetha]

Hello All!!

I am wondering what you think is the best time of the year to breed your mare?

I am just starting out, and I want to be the best breeder I can be. I am only starting out breeding 1 mare at the moment, as that is all I have and plan on having for atleast this year.

Thanks

 

[Riverrose28]

If you put your mare under the lights starting in Jan., then you can start breeding in March, but the best months for conception are April, May and June. Maybe Nathen will chime in as he has lots of experience with breeding horses and is very knowledgable on this subject.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

When do you want the foal? Everyone's best is different, based on their facility, their goal, and their resources.

 

[HGFarm]

Keep in mind, they are considered a year old as of January 1st, according to the registries. Also depends on your climate I guess. It amuses me to hear about putting mares under lights as our winter climate here is so mild, so horses cycle year round and certainly are by March already on their own.

 

[targetsmom]

I like Nathan's answer and would just add that the best time to breed is 11-12 months before you want the mare to foal!! So for our climate in New England, NOW is a great time to breed. I don't want the foals born so early (e.g. February) where I have to worry about snow and keeping the foal warm. And It is really nice to have them all foal - like they did this year - and be done BEFORE our first horse show in mid-May. And it was extra-special nice to get all LIVE foals this time too. Then the mares & foals can be on pasture all summer and the foals can be weaned in early fall.

 

[Riverrose28]

You've gotten some really good advice here, I will add that I live in Southern Maryland, I see you are in Maine, which is much colder, so now would be a good time for you to breed your mare, so that when the foal is born it won't be too cold of too hot. I've had foals born at both extremes and hot is better then cold. I like to show in the breeding class, such as mare and current foal of yr., etc. so I do tend to breed early in the year, but I have an indoor that is really warm, so Nathans advice would apply here. Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.

 

[Miniv]

Good advice given......For us the most important aspect is that it's not too cold when the mare foals. So, being in Maine you probably want to consider that. We try to aim foalings between April, May, June........and we're in Oregon.

However, if you have a facility to provide warmth and comfort for mare and foal in early spring and plan on showing the mare/foal, you can take that into account. Also make sure you have foal blankets ready, especially for the foal's first 24/48 hours. It takes them some time to regulate their natural body temp. We also have Heat Lamps available if needed, but we use them with caution because there is always a fire hazard. A safer but much more expensive heat source is a Kelgo. Many people swear by them.

 

[chandab]

When I breed my mares depends on two main things our weather and our calving season. I want them born when the weather is decent (so probably after at least April, May is better), and they need to be born after calving season, as we are busy enough with calves, so foals are born starting after we are pretty much done with calves (which is about now). Last year, I got a late start, so homebred foals won't start arriving til June/July.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Horses cycle based on light, not temperature. Doesn't matter how mild the weather is, if its dark out! People in Florida use lights, very successfully.

 

[Carolyn R]

As stated, things can be manipulated to help control a mares cycles/ conception rate, but you need to think about your plans for next year. When I exposed mares, I would they to base it around my family's plans for the following summer. I never wanted to burden my father with caring for very young foals or having mares that were extremely close to foaling when we went away, so I would breed with that in mind. As Nathan said, someones ideal timeframe may not work for someone elses life/schedules. I think my favorites were August at the wind down of summer or March, not the dead of winter, but plenty old enough and stable enough that I wasn't on edge leaving them for summer vacation when the time came.

 

[Jill]

Our foals have been born from January - May. My favorite time is actually January (so February - early March breeding most likely). I liked it because by the time the flies were becoming bad, the foal was old enough for vaccines, and I just enjoyed the foal more that time of year. I aim to breed for that next season

 

[Tabetha]

Thank you ALL for your great comments and knowledge. Yes, I live in Maine, so we have cold winters here. My plan was breeding now at the end of this month (may) as I know April is not too cold in Maine. I do not have the luxury of a heated barn, but I do have heat lamp if need be.

The reason I asked is that I have a friend who breeds Paints, and she breeds in March/May (she doesn't have heat either). My goal for breeding and overall, I want to be able to get a good name in the mini/breeding community, so to me, it is better to start out right, and get the most knowledge you can to get a better start. It has taken me a while to research and find what I wanted in my stud and mares looks and breeding to even think about having a foal.

I did not want to be the kind of person who just jumps in with both feet, and knows nothing of faults and pedigree.