can a 2 year old filly breed?

[minister man]

Hi there,

I have been looking for a second Miniature horse to put together with the one I have in a team. I have been offered a filly that is just coming two. My concern is that she has been running in the pasture with about 20 other miniatures. One is a mature stallion, and there are also 2 - yearling colts in the herd. I ask if there was any chance she would be in foal, and was told, not at her age. I am not against raising a foal from her, but she is too young for my liking. What do you think? she is a beautiful little filly, would you take the chance on her?

 

[atotton]

Yes it is very possible. The farm where I had bought my first 2 miniatures had a 18 month old filly get bred.

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Two year olds can get bred and foal. Same like a young teenage human. Just because they can, doesn't mean they should!

<<I am not against raising a foal from her, but she is too young for my liking. What do you think? she is a beautiful little filly, would you take the chance on her?>>

If you are prepared to deal with foaling out a young filly, potential loss of the foal/mare (any breeding that can happen), and you like her enough, you could take that chance. The biggest issue will be you don't have a cover date so she could have became pregnant (if she is) at any point in time. Which means watching her from the first date she was in with the stallion until she's out of that situation.

 

[minister man]

Ok, Thanks for the advice. As far as I know she has been "out with the herd" since weaning, so a foaling date may be a problem.

 

[Miniv]

A filly can even get pregnant as a YEARLING, so yes.

 

[minister man]

Ok, This mare is a two year old, but only by a few weeks. I guess I will assume that she is bred............. She is a nice little filly and needs a home, since they don't want her. I will probably take the chance........... I just have to make sure I know where she is going to foal. How big is a miniature foaling box? I guess there is a chance that a foal may come in the winter, so I would have to make sure I could be prepared for that too. If I can get a plan for those things, just incase it is necessary then I will probably take her.

 

[chandab]

Minis can foal in a 10x10 stall, possibly smaller if she's a smaller mini (much of the room in the stall is what you need for maneuvering if she needs help). [Dog coats make good foal coats, if it should come in winter (and you can't find a mini foal blanket).]

There is a pregnancy test available for mares called WeeFoal, the 38 test isn't as accurate as the 120 day test (think I got the numbers right). And, the vet can ultra-sound or do a blood test, as well (not all vets will ultrasound minis because of their size, but you can always ask).

I think I'd do the same and give her home.

 

[minister man]

I have spoken for the filly and will be getting her in a couple of weeks when I get all my ducks in a row. My daughter( 15) suggested that rather than buy a team harness, she would like to train her to do Jumps and stuff like dog agility trials do. Where could we find books/ videos about such training, and what do they actually call it when Miniature horses do that type of performance? thanks

 

[chandab]

I think it would be called in-hand Trail, in-hand Obstacle, in-hand jumping and hunter; but I'm not positive, since I don't show. I'm sure someone will come on let you know if there are books.

 

[minister man]

I got some more information today. The filly will be arriving Tuesday night, because Wednesday is a paid holiday so I will be home to oversee things.

The lady says that "if" she is in foal, it would be a very recent thing. The stallion wasn't with the mares until he broke out of his pasture the end of march. Once he was in with the mares, she just left him there. IF she did foal next march or april she would be almost 3. At least that gives us an idea when we would need to watch her.

 

[targetsmom]

Some breeders do breed 2 year olds, but like others said, it is like a teenager giving birth.

If you are interested in something like dog agility, there is the International Horse Agility Club that offers information (book and DVD) and has monthly ON-LINE competitions members can enter from anywhere in the world. I just entered my first competition last month by setting up the "Starter" course in our small ring, having someone videotape me taking my mini through it, uploading to YouTube and then entering and providing the link. Because I entered on the last day for that course (there's a new one about every month) I got results within 2 days along with comments for each of the ten obstacles. http://www.thehorseagilityclub.com/

 

[minister man]

The new filly has arrived....... I picked her up tonight. She is going to take some work, she has never been handled much......... We will start to change that tomorrow.

 

[Ashley]

yearling colts can breed too, so if she was running with them it could be any time.

 

[AngC]

How big is a miniature foaling box? I guess there is a chance that a foal may come in the winter, so I would have to make sure I could be prepared for that too.

Our comedy of errors did not involve a foaling box, so I don't think that's a hugely critical point? Our Coco went into labor early by about a month. She was still roaming around with our blind stallion. My husband did a head count prior to leaving for work in the morning and we had an extra (very cute) spotted munchkin out there. The vet and I had to search for the placenta-thingie. ...not something I would want to repeat, based on what I've read about miniatures and foaling issues.