Not what I wanted, but is OK

[Reble]

Not good to be this late in breeding, but noticed my Stallion and this one mare which I thought was bred,

decided to breed last night, watched them on our camera..

Should mention my horses can go in and out all year round..

Not looking forward to the higher hydro bill!

They will have a late baby if this breeding took, will be able to deal with it, well on the bright side, , the foal will be able to be socialize all winter long, and get me out to the barn more often & will have a foal ready to go to their new home early spring.

Well wait and see. Hope this precious baby is healthy and I am sure I will enjoy this one. Usually have no foals left to enjoy during the winter months, and I sure do love my babies.

 

[Matt73]

Is there any chance that she is in foal? I know that others on here have seen mares that were in foal being bred.

 

[ruffian]

I've had bred mares stand and be bred again. One 2 days before she foaled. We called her the hussy

 

[Reble]

Is there any chance that she is in foal? I know that others on here have seen mares that were in foal being bred.

I did have one mare that bred right up till she was 9 months, and had a healthy foal.

No this one is nice and slim and trim.. She did have a foal in April so did not think she would wait this long to decide it was time.

Have a big heat blower, also a big generator, and heat lamps, barn is warm and well insulated, we did that years ago, with the blow on foam stuff. This makes a big difference when you need to go out..if she has a late baby, and can only hope the weather is not like this year, but nice like last winter would be best. We are prepared if it does happen.

 

[GrandmaC]

Ok keep in mind I'm new and learning, but you guys don't keep your mares and stallions separate?

Maybe cause I'm use to the full sized horses this surprises me.

(Note, above comment not to be mean, is sincere question not due to the original post

but due to the responses saying this happened to them too. Was kind of surprised.

 

[Genie]

I love my October baby

. What a doll and so nice to socialize with ONE little one during these cold winter months.

He is gorgeous and loves to please. I believe I am right to say that I can show him in yearling classes this spring as well?

SO congratualtions on your "catch" colt or flly

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I don't know if that would be a good idea- if the mare foals in December (likely at this point) the foal would turn one year old Jan 1st- even if he was only three-four weeks old....

 

[bfogg]

If you want to email me at home I can tell you if she is bred or not.

If that that will help.

Hugs

Bonnie

 

[Reble]

Ok keep in mind I'm new and learning, but you guys don't keep your mares and stallions separate?

Maybe cause I'm use to the full sized horses this surprises me.

(Note, above comment not to be mean, is sincere question not due to the original post

but due to the responses saying this happened to them too. Was kind of surprised.

No problem, should feel free to ask.

When we raised Paso Finos, had only one stallion and kept them on our property in a herd setting with our 3 mares.

Now, with our minis, we only have 5 mares and one stallion for breeding, so again can do this, not all have this luck, but we have been successful, during the day we also have 3 geldings that join the herd, so this has been our way of doing things and has been for 23 years of breeding.

We like seeing how nature works in a herd situation, and everything is find the way we do ours.

Our biggest problem is our one mare that runs the herd.

She says what goes on and when..

This is not for all, and some cannot do this at all.

 

[Sue_C.]

Ok keep in mind I'm new and learning, but you guys don't keep your mares and stallions separate?

Maybe cause I'm use to the full sized horses this surprises me.

(Note, above comment not to be mean, is sincere question not due to the original post

but due to the responses saying this happened to them too. Was kind of surprised.

Many do let "nature take it's course", but I treated my minis the same as my regular horses...and that meant KNOWING when my foals were due because I orchestrated the breeding. I am far too "controlling" to allow any unexpected foalings, and when I was working...that just wasn't feasible anyways. Besides, I wouldn't want a month old yearling either. LOL!

That said, it is a choice that the owner made, and is well-prepared to handle the results.

 

[Reble]

If you want to email me at home I can tell you if she is bred or not.

If that that will help.

Hugs

Bonnie

Bonnie is the best, yes she says April is pregnant with a filly, but not sure if she will carry full term..

So hope she does and bless Bonnie for telling me all about her.

She is very good at being able to communicate with animals.

She was right on about other things going on with her..

 

[Tremor]

Bonnie is the best, yes she says April is pregnant with a filly, but not sure if she will carry full term..

So hope she does and bless Bonnie for telling me all about her.

She is very good at being able to communicate with animals.

She was right on about other things going on with her..

Woah, she was able to tell you that she was pregnant, and the gender? Woah, maybe I need to email her too!

 

[Genie]

I think Bonnie is going to be a busy girl

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

First - definite thumbs up on Bonnie Fogg - the woman is amazing. Her animal communication skills, can give you goosebumps. Definitely worth every penny I've spent and would recommend her to anyone with a difficult animal. Heck if I had $$ I'd keep her on retainer, she's that good.

Second - stallions/mares year-round. Many people do keep them that way and it is much more natural and in general keeps a stallion sane. The people from the big horse backgrounds know of stallions that never get to interact with any other horses and wonder why they're explosive when let out of their confined life. If I only owned 2-5 mares and a stallion (baring they were all compatible breeding-wise) I would keep them together. But we don't, and our boys all run together year-round without issue. Do they squabble, of course, but my mares can get into some kick-fights, that are no comparison. I don't like keeping horses in solitary confinement, they're herd animals and I personally feel the more 'herd-like' their life the less overall health issues/problems you have. BUT, it's really knowing your situation (temperament of horses, facilities, etc.), it's not one size fits all.

Third - late foals. Never again if I can help it. We had the 'non-foaling' year last year (three stallions + fence jumps/creativity = six foals), with the last one born November 8. He's technically a yearling now, but only two months old. If you show you're at a disadvantage. Winter weather and foals - no thanks! But then Binks (the last foal) is so gorgeous, we're impressed with our stallions mare selection - lol.

Best of luck with your mare and congratulations on the new foal you have on the way.

 

[HGFarm]

Well, it does sound like you are prepared and ready, no matter what.

I personally DO seperate my stallions at the end of our breeding season. I like a more controlled setting for spring babies and it is so hot here by the end of May (hitting over 100 by then) and gets hotter into the summer that I do not want summer babies. There is no good way to keep them cool for weeks and the risk of losing one here is too great.

My boys have never minded being seperated when the season is done. They all know the routine and dont stress about it.

I agree, different farms have different routines and it is just being prepared that is the main thing, and it seems that all is ready in this case! Good luck, and we want updates next year on the baby!!

 

[manelyminis]

Wow, Michelle@WescoFarms, your information in your second paragraph is so right on! I come from the "big" horse background where the stallions are always confined and kept separate from the mares, and they can be soooooo dangerous during breeding season. Have had several friends nearly killed by their 1200-1400 pound studs when breeding due to their confinement issues. I was so pleasantly shocked when I got into minis that the stallions can actually live out in the pasture with their mares and babies all year round!

And I have been fortunate enough to own 2 mini stallions now that this type of arrangement has worked out wonderfully!!! You would never even know my stallions weren't just another mare in the herd. They are great babysitters with the foals and are even the first ones that come running up to anyone entering their pasture to be petted and loved on. Another advantage to owning minis over big horses!

Manely Minis

 

[Sue_C.]

I was so pleasantly shocked when I got into minis that the stallions can actually live out in the pasture with their mares and babies all year round!

It isn't that large breed stallions CANNOT be kept in a herd environment, but rather, the fact they are not because there is not nearly the unsupervised breeding going on as there is with the miniature breed. What I mean, is that someone with a few large breed mares, is not likely to want them ALL bred, every year...which does seem to be true in the miniatures. Personally I know of several Appaloosa, and Quarterhorse stallions which live out 24/7 with their small herds of older mares. When an outside mare comes in, she is hand bred, never thrown out with the herds.

I kept my stallion separated, but generally with a buddied-up gelding.

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

Interesting topic!!

'Big' horses are left in herd settings at times, usually in situations with large areas as space decreases injuries.

Horses are seasonal breeders (usually, as nothing is 100%). Once the shortest day of the year is past (12/22), the pineal gland starts to sense the day becoming longer. It usually takes 30 days for the pineal gland to sense this and 30 more days for it to have a full effect on the ovary leading to normal cycling (usually the end of February or beginning of March). Stallions as well as mares go through this (although stallions are always fertile) as testicular size and testosterone increases in spring.

The reverse happens after the longest day of the year 6/22.

The period during January and February are a transition and 'false' heats during this time are termed transitional heats. They usually have little pattern to them and do not produce a breed-able follicle even though heats are quite strong.

Pregnant mares do show heats at times, but in this case I think transition is more likely. If that's true then she's not likely to be pregnant (but again, this is usually as nothing is 100%).

Dr Taylor

 

[Matt73]

There are plenty of big stallions that I handled and rode when I showed hunter/jumper. Absolutely none of them were kept with mares (and none ever did live-cover, actually). The risk to the mares and the stallion is too great; these were horses that were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. There are many other reasons to not keep stallions running with mares. They were stalled next to geldings and other stallions and had lots of turn out. At home and at shows they were always extremely well-behaved; standing next to geldings, other stallions, and mares. They knew when it was time to work. It's how they are raised/trained, not who they're turned out with.

 

[Reble]

Interesting topic!!

Dr Taylor

Would like to WELCOME YOU to the forum from Ontario Canada