Foaling and young/maiden mares

[WashingtonCowgirl]

So I am possibly getting a very young mini mare who has been in with a herd most of her life (read: just barely halter broke) That herd also includes an unrelated stallion, so she may or may not be pregnant. (If you want more details I'd be happy to give them, just PM me)

So, what risks am I looking at if I decide to get her? What are maidens, especially very young maidens, more at risk to than an adult mare?

 

[Joanne]

Michele how young is this filly/mare?

Is this a rescue situation?

What is her height and stature? Same for the possible stallion ?

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

Michele how young is this filly/mare?

Is this a rescue situation?

What is her height and stature? Same for the possible stallion ?

Now its unknown if I am going to get her, they have someone else coming to look today. She is 2, 35'', not real refined but not bulky either. Been in with a 37-38'' stud. It sounds a little sketchy from the little correspondence I've had with them, but I'm not entirely sure.

 

[Matt73]

That's a bit scary... At 2 she's still growing. Everything at that age is still growing (musculoskeletal, organs, including the uterus and other reproductive organs etc....cervix, hips etc.). My Lex was 4 when she had her first and it was a very tight squeeze; she actually tore her cervix during delivery...and this filly was not big at all. Thankfully, it was a small tear and with flushing and oral antibiotics she was 100% in a couple of weeks. I waited two years to breed her again and it was a very easy delivery

.

I guess what I'm saying is that one of the main problems you may see is a difficult delivery; a maiden will have a bit more of a tight squeeze anyway, and then you add immaturity to that...:s. I hope she's not in foal, but if she is you really can't afford to not be there when she does foal (and have a vet on standby)...but you know that

 

[supaspot]

a friend of mine bought a yearling and later found out that she was pregnant , she had a very stressful wait but the mare gave birth at 2years old with no problems , she was only around 33ins too

 

[mshasta88]

Interesting, what is the coarse number? I'm going to check with my school to see if this is an accredited class that will transfer sense I need it to finish my Bachelors next year.



I would proceed with caution. I bred a mare once as a two year old and she foaled at three years old. Even thought she looked mature enough and the pregnancy didn't take a toll on her outer appearance, I was unable to get her in foal again until this year. This was a three year gap of breeding every heat cycle all breeding season. I was present for the birth and after birth so there couldn't be an infection which leads me and my vet to the conclusion that the first pregnancy may have taken its toll on reproductive development.



I will never breed anything under 3 again. With that said, Sometimes even 3 year olds might not be mature enough for pregnancy.