Trouble getting experienced mares to settle

[garyo]

We have two very experienced stallions and one rookie stallion. We exposed 5 mares to the stallions, two each to the experienced ones and one to the rookie. Two were put in a pasture for an extended period of time (months) with a stallion. Two were hand bred every other day through their heat cycles for three months. And the final one was hand bred for two months every other day during her heat cycle. In addition, one of the experienced stallions broke a chain to a gate and got in with five mares for an afternoon. As of today it appears we may have only one of the pasture bred mares that are in foal. I do not know what to think. The experienced stallions have covered everything they have bred in the past. None of the horses, mare or female have any discharge of any kind or appear to have any type of infection. I have contacted a local equine repro vet and it will be pretty costly ($1000) to have everyone in the breeding stock cultured but that is what I am thinking I need to do. The mares appear to be cycling regularly, are all in good weight (maybe a little fat since we were letting them eat hay free choice as we thought they were preggo). They get strategy, beet pulp and orchard/alfalfa hay. Suggestions?

 

[chandab]

I really don't have any good answers, but...

Before forking over $1000 or more on soundness and fertility exams, I'd start with pregnancy tests and see if any took and are just showing "heat" anyway. [My AQHA mare that I had, was bred, confirmed in foal twice and still showed like she was in heat to any male around.] So, I'd do the pregnancy tests first, get the results, then go from there and decide what you want to do next. Sorry I don't have a better answer.

 

[midnight star stables]

I'm glad I don't breed by myself at this time - it sure can be tricky!

I'm sending you good thoughts.. I hope they are bred for you.

 

[Barbie]

Gary & Ruth-

Hope it's just raging hormones causing them to appear to cycle. I've heard from several people this year that are having problems getting their mares to settle - I'm one of them. Bred Peanut for 10 days to an outside stallion and she didn't catch. I know she had several good breedings while there. Because I don't have a stallion here, I borrowed a stallion to tease with when I brought her home. She was ultrasounded open and ultimately I did breed her to the stallion I borrowed as I love him too. Haven't had her ultrasounded again yet, but her cycles were certainly weird this year and I am not holding my breath. Inquiring minds want to know so will be making an appointment for an ultrasound soon.

I sure hope your girls are pregnant - good luck.

Barbie

 

[Katiean]

You know, even with a stud on property I have never seen my girls come in heat. Even when they were running with my colt, I never saw him mount them or them teasing him.

 

[garyo]

The "courting behavior" we are seeing with these "hoped they were bred" mares is pretty obvious. If it were going on at your place it would be hard to ignore. The stallions are in paddocks that adjoin the mare's paddock. There is screaming on the part of both, the turn of the ladies tushies to the fence, the attempted mounting of the mares through two layers of fence, winking and squirting from some of the females...you get the picture.

I think I forgot to mention in my original post. All of these mares have foaled before with no problems or history of abortions. Two had late term deceased foals previously.

Ruth

 

[Katiean]

I have one question; Did you use feed through fly control? The reason I ask this is I have seen mares not get in foal for a couple of years after this treatment. I could be wrong.

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

One of my vets this year has made several comments about people here in Tennessee having trouble getting their mares to settle, regardless of breed of horse. I am not one of those people, as I have 10 mares ultra sounded in foal.

Anyway, my vet feels it's because of the weather. Here, we've had so much rain this spring along with much cooler temps. Back in the beginning of May one of the local weather people stated that by May 6th of this year we had already received our normal rain fall for the entire month of May and in those first 6 days the sun had been visible for only 4 hours.

I believe my vet is correct with his thoughts because normally here I'll have a few mares cycle year round. Those who don't usually start cycling in February. One of my "older" seasoned broodmares didn't even come into heat until the end of April this year.

 

[garyo]

We use a typical worming rotation and spray on permethrin (did I spell that right?) fly control. No daily wormer or feed through fly control. We had several freezes last winter including two hard freezes into the spring. Then we had a very dry hot spring/early summer. Since then it has rained into the fall. Perhaps the weather has played a role.