how old is too old in breeding?

[minihorsecwgrl]

So I have this awesome mare that has had babies before, I bought her two years ago with her last baby. She is 12 now and I was just throwing around some idea of maybe breeding her again, not that I will, just thinking. I have heard that it can be dangerous to breed a mare after a break from breeding? Is she too old to breed if I decide to go through with this? Just some thoughts I would like an answer to..........

thank you!

 

[bevann]

If you want a baby to keep for yourself I would breed her.If you are thinking about a baby to sell I would forget it(too many Minis for sale at CHEAP prices)I have bred mares that had a few years off and 12 is not too old for breeding.Many Minis are still producing in their late teens

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Good advice ^. Agree if you want to keep the baby sure, keep her healthy and moderate excercise shouldn't be a problem. 12 isn't terribly old, mares still breed in their 20s. But if you are just wanting to breed and make money, no its not worth it. IMO it's more dangerous to keep breeding a mare year after year, and unnecessary.

 

[chandab]

Aside from the normal risks in breeding minis, it shouldn't be any more risky breeding her as a 12 year old after having had time off.

Not a mini, but I only bred my AQHA mare for two foals, they are 6-7 years apart; her first was at like 6-7 years old, her second she was 12-13 years old; she had little to know problems with either (actually, I think she may have had more problems with her first, as she carried nearly a year, and the foal was huge, the second wasn't carried so long, nor so big, but has matured bigger).

 

From the mares I bred around here over the years, she's got another 10+ good years to go. The harder part sometimes comes when an older mare (18+) has several years between babies, some have said. I've never had a problem with the older ones, except sometimes it's a bit harder to keep them in good shape and weight after the birth -- to be ready to breed again for the next year. But a 12 year old is just "prime".

Good luck! And if you decide to breed, I hope you'll join us on the LB Mare/Foal forum. We'd love to watch with you!

 

[minihorsecwgrl]

thank you guys for all the info! I am going to keep it, I bought her with her baby at 1 week and it was a blast training him and watching him grow and I am excited to hopefully do it again!

 

[HGFarm]

12 is not old at all. I have known of mares that foaled into their 20's.

 

[Miniv]

Ditto that 12 is not old.... As they get close to 20 it is harder to keep them in good weight.

 

[paintponylvr]

Our Hackney mare was 16 when she was bred for the first time, 17 when she had her first foal (we purchased the pair when the colt was 1 week old).

and 21 when she had her 7th/last foal for us.

She was sold in 2006 (23 yrs old) as a lesson riding pony for a dressage barn... She lived to be 33. She was a treasured lesson mount those whole last 10 years.

This mare was 17 when she had her first foal for us (not her first foal) and 20 yrs old here with her 4th foal for us -

and 24 here with her 5th foal for us (her last - we sold her in March 06 at age 25 as a children's riding pony and again she was ridden into her 30's)...

I treasure the older mares that are very good with their foals! Our larger pony mares didn't have the same issues that some mini mares can have. You have to make the decision to breed her yourself. It could be a hard pregnancy/birth and you have to weigh that possibility against want/love for your mare.

 

[sfmini]

As long as the mare is in good health and can conceive and maintain weight, she is healthy enough to breed. We are waiting on one in her early 20's to foal now. Her dam stopped conceiving 3 years ago and the last foal she had was the easiest on her, she actually gained weight while nursing her. The mare we are waiting on is one of our best broodmares, and will be bred back, we know a hiatus could end breeding for her.

We are also very relaxed about everything, don't worry about dates, ultrasound, the mare is bred or not, will foal when it is time to foal. This year is interesting as it is three generations of mares all bred to the same stallion who is a 1/2 brother to the oldest of the 3. So far, we have two bay splash blue eyed foals, and the mare we are waiting on had the exact same 3 years ago.