Breeding smaller stallion to taller mare....

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

I'll try to keep this from being too explicit, LOL! I have an outside mare here for breeding, and she is 38", my stallion 31.5". We are hand breeding, and he is able to mount her and doing his best, but I'm really wondering if he is reaching far enough...He is still "belled" when he comes out of the mare and some watery fluid drips out of him and the mare as he dismounts, but not anything thick. I want to do my best to get this mare in foal, I can't remember if they have to be able to reach and get a seal on the cervix to be effective...

I did try backing the mare up to a cement pad that is about 4-5" high which helped a little with the height difference and the mare is really good and will stand solid without moving, but his hind feet did step off the edge some when he was mounted, he backed off and didn't finish breeding her. I couldn't say I blame him, I couldn't hold him up, and I didn't want him falling off the side. I didn't ask him to try again, because I won't ask him to do something I don't feel is safe. I had him cover her on the ground again. Do they eventually learn where the edge is and should we keep trying with the cement pad? I've heard about digging a ditch or using a step up trailer, but I think it would be the same problem as the cement pad, he would still dance around on his hind feet at the edge, even when she is standing with her back legs right against the edge.

I won't put him at risk to get the mare bred, if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen, but was just curious how others handle it.

 

[chandab]

I'll be interested in what others say. I have a 31" stallion and most of my mares are B-size. He did breed a 35" mare a couple years ago with success, I used a cut-out behind the barn, so he was uphill a little bit. I'm currently trying to breed him to a 36 or37" mare, yesterday was successful with a dirt hill; today she was out and tried to kick his teeth out.

So, now for wait and see.

 

[shadowpaints]

all but one of our mares are above 35 inches tall with a few right around 38. our stallions are 31 and 33 inches tall. with the taller mares we sometimes do have to hold him up LOL we have one person holding the mare and i handle the stallion so far we have had pretty good success!

 

[Bess Kelly]

My breeding stand was of wood. There was a section cut out in center of one edge, leaving wood on each side -- like a boat dock, step off on either side.

I had a very small piece nailed on top of the eadge she backed up to, so that there was about a 1/2" tall lip where stally stood just behind her.....so as the activity got going, there was a tiny bit of "catch" to his slipping up foot. Not foolproof but, helped. As they get some practice, the foot placement gets more control.

My little guy would get excited if he saw us flip the mounting stand down from where it was leaned up against the fence

Always hope, right?

The thick ejaculate isn't the portion carrying the most sperm, I've been told. It's the thin portion. And there is almost always some dribbling. Closer to cervix the deposit, the better it is for the swimmers success.

I'd be more concerned the stally might have some back strain with the jumping and reaching technique......sometimes a small dirt elevation is all that you need. Usually decent traction with that. Remember, it only takes ONE.

 

[bannerminis]

My stallion has covered a taller mare. He is 31 1/2" and she is between 37" - 38" and he was up on his tippy toes but seemed to get all the way in there and like that he was also still belled when he pulled out and like the other mares she would have the urge to squat after being covered so I think he is getting the job done.

She would be due back in season this week if she hasnt taken - they are currently running together so I will be keeping an eye out for signs that she is being covered again.

 

[MindyLee]

Im breeding a outside mare who is aprox 38-39" right now to my 30.5" stallion.

I thought I was going to have to put him in or on something to reach BUT thankfully he is well equipted!

He actually can reach to my surprise and get the job done without assistance.

LUCKY ME!

 

[Sandy B]

I am dealing with a small stallion/tall mare deal too. My stallion was getting it done but was falling off too fast. The first time around he only settled 2 mares. So this last time we did this. We place the mare on a slight hill, facing down. My daughter holds the mare, I handle the stallion and then my husband gets behind the stallion and when he is breeding her, he supports him from getting tipsy up there. When the stallion "quiets' down up there and wants to smoke a cigar (I am sure you all know what I mean), my husband actually scoops him up and closer to the mare. The stallion starts to move his feet when he is ready to dismount. He settled three additional mares the next heat cycle. I hope this helps. I am sure it looks a bit peculiar from the street

 

[Eagle]

I made a wooden platform with the centre cut out for the mare like Bess Kelly's , i screwed a rubber mat on top so he doesn't slip. It took him a few times to get the hang of it but he too now gets excited when he sees it down. He is 28" and has covered a mare of 35"

 

[eagles ring farm]

We breed our 28.5" stallion to our 37" mare

on a dirt hill is best for us

but it is kinda histerical

my husband holds the mare

and when Bow mounts

he grabs his front leg to help him stay up

I'm at the rear holding him up best I can by 2 handfuls of mane

and leaning on him with my body

he ends up usually with his back toes off the ground and

swinging between the mares back legs

I can't let him go till he gets his footing

as I did once and he just rolled away backwards

not that he seemsed to care about rolling away

But he has gotten her in foal 2 years and we are trying for 2012

It's a challenge but we love the combination of these 2

so worth the work

 

[Miniv]

Eagles Ring -- You have a very patient mare! LOL.

We used to have a 28 inch stallion (who has since passed), but to breed him to taller mares we used a wooden pallet which was covered with a sheet of plywood, and some indoor/outdoor carpeting was tacked on top of that.

 

[AJ]

While I mainly use platforms, palletts/railway ties/hills, another workable way is to pick a corner of the fence and park the mare parallel to one side and nosing the other. Note the back leg location and dig a hole, depth dependant on height difference. In this way it is easy to push the mare back enough that he does not move forward and slip into the hole. With nose to fence, it prevents mare from moving ahead.

 

[anyssapark]

I have had success with my stallion breeding a mare 14" taller than him (i bred him to an arabian pony) by putting them on a hill. Her head facing down.

He covered her easily on a reasonably steep hill, and she'd happily stand. I could just hold the mare, and he'd get the job done - it was a one person job. Although with a not so patient mare, a second handler would be helpful to help the stallion keep his balance.

Goodluck

 

[shorthorsemom]

Okay, thank you so much ladies for giving me my 999th reason not to become a breeder. Hats off to you dedicated and interesting people that breed these short little guys.

I am still chuckling at the pictures rolling around in my mind now after reading this thread.

Maybe I will become an entrepreneur some day and invent little miniature horse stilt shoes that you can strap on your stallions feet to lift them up like little platform shoes.

hmmmmm.

 

[Charlotte]

We use a 'breeding deck' too. Just a wooden deck with a slot cut out to back the mare in. Cowboy is 25 1/2" and has easily covered 35-36" mares. The deck has rubber mats on it and a rubber mat tacked on where the mare's back legs are which sticks up several inches. Cowboy dances around A LOT when breeding and he has stepped off a time or two.

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Some stallions are capable of breeding mares regardless of size.

We've had a few under 30" mares breed up to 36" mares with no problem, and I've had one that absolutely wouldn't go near them. He would breed the smaller ones, but nothing over 34". One shorter guy was very good and angling them downhill, and it was funny watching him get the mare in the right position, but he did it, with almost 100% cover rate.

I know people that have dug a hole for the mare and back her in too.

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

Thank you everyone for your replies! Some very intersting and funny stories.

As an update I ended up using a slight bank to help decrease their height a few inches, and then I got a shoulder under his hind quarters to "boost" him up a little more so his hind feet did end up off the ground. Thankfully this mare is solid and won't move, and my stallion trusts me too! He has come a long way since last year when the mares had to be tied in a stall so there were no distractions, and I had to coax him that it was okay. Only one moment of slight panic on my part when he "relaxed" on top of the mare and I wasn't sure how to get him down (had visions of him rolling over backwards), but he woke up and I could gently set his hind legs down again. Crossing my fingers the mare doesn't come back in heat in 3 weeks!

shorthorsemom, There will never ever be videos or photos of breeding time at my place!!

If you want to see the show, you have to come over and help hold the mare.

 

[eagles ring farm]

when there's a will there's a way!!!

glad you got her bred

we are hoping the same with our 28.5 x 37"

don't let her come back in heat

 

[bannerminis]

Well it looks like Banner managed to settle his taller mare (she is about 6" taller) first go as she is 24 days today from last cover and no sign of any action between them. But she will stay with me another couple of wks just in case she pulls a Shimmer on me ie. looks to have taken only to decide to have a 3 day passing fancy 6/7 wks later and thats the one she takes on lol