You recently retired your long-time partner, an even-keeled barrel horse, at age 15. She’s sound and in good spirits, but owes you nothing more. As you watch her grazing contentedly in her pasture, however, you think, “She sure is a great mare. Maybe I should breed her?”
If her breeding soundness is questionable or you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars, wait several years, and chance ending up with a less-than-desirable foal, perhaps you should pump the brakes.
But if your mare is healthy and has qualities or bloodlines you can’t find elsewhere, then why not? Just know what you’re getting into—both time- and money-wise—and make smart breeding decisions first.
Should I Breed My Mare?
Ah, the question only you can answer!
When counseling clients who are facing this decision, Benjamin Espy, DVM, Dipl. ACT, a private practitioner who specializes in equine reproduction in San Antonio, Texas, tells them to consider four things:
The industry “Considering the plight of the unwanted horse, what’s going to happen to this horse that you’re making?” he says. “How is it going to pan out if this horse doesn’t end up how you dreamed it?”