Broodmares

[DeirdreBarlow]

I have 2 questions for you "breeding people" :D . . .

1) If you're buying a mare purely to breed from, is there a special vetting you can get done to assess her suitability (assuming she's never bred before)?

2) What age would you consider the cut off point to be with regards to putting a mare in foal for the first time?

Thanks for reading :) .

[Mehitabel]

1 - a reproductive vet can do a breeding soundness exam - i am not certain of the details, but it checks ovaries, hormone levels, pelvic girdle size and other things. what i wouldn't rely on a vet for is whether the mare is worth breeding from in herself - for that you;'d want ot consult an expert on the breed or type.

2 - mid teens, for me. she'd have to be pretty special to go much later - the risks of not conceiving and complications during birth go up as she gets older. our foundation broodmares have had their last ones this year at 24 and 23 respectively.

[DeirdreBarlow]

Thanks Mehitabel - do you have any idea how much these breeding vetting's cost?

[Mehitabel]

no i don't, i'm afraid.

[DeirdreBarlow]

OK, thanks :)