The Decision:
Should I breed my mare?

So, you're thinking about breeding your mare? That's exciting!

Here are two sets of questions to help you decide if this is really the right thing for you - Do I really want to raise a foal? and Is this the right mare to breed?

PART I: Do I really want to raise a foal?
Of course you do!! Who doesn't?? Our hearts do, that's for sure. But life usually turns out a little better if we take a step back from our initial excitement and look at things logically as well. So here are some questions to help you look at this more realistically and decide if this is actually the right choice for you…

  1. Your Skill Level - The first thing you should consider is your own abilities. In general, raising a foal is not for beginners this is advanced work and the consequences of doing it poorly can be devastating, for people and for the foal. That said, there are a few very unusual breeds, such as the Rocky Mountain Horse, which are much easier to raise well and much more forgiving of mistakes, and can be successfully raised by beginners.  Click here to learn more about what it takes to raise a foal right.
  2. Time - While it is possible to leave the raising of your foal largely up to its mother, you will still need to put in a minimum amount of work in order to keep the foal healthy as it grows. (It will need to be taught enough to be haltered and lead on a lead rope, pick up its feet and be handled so it can get its feet trimmed and its monthly worming medicine.) And if you want a horse you can interact with safely as it grows, you will need to put in a lot more than minimal work. Click here to learn more about what it takes to raise a foal right.
  3. Facilities - Not all pastures or fencing are adequate for the needs of foals and the wrong situation can be deadly to a foal or its mother. Once your foal is six months old, its needs are not much different from any other horse. But young foals are often small enough to fall asleep against a fence, roll over as they wake, and get up on the opposite side of the fence from their mothers. This can send both foal and mother into an absolute panic and cause serious injury to both. Also, foals are much more curious than older horses. They will eat, chew on or otherwise mess with anything they find. Look around your pasture and your barn. Are there sharp edges or anything else a horse shouldn't chew on in there? In terms of the birthing itself, there is a lot of leeway in what kind of facilities are adequate. We like to have a large stall big enough for the mother to lay down, toss and turn, and not get jammed up against a wall. But there are a lot of scenarios that work. Talk to us about it, if you are unsure of your own facilities.
  4. Cost - While raising a foal  doesn't have to be expensive, there are costs involved beyond the initial breeding fees for which you should be prepared. There are pregnant mare costs, birthing costs, vet costs, equipment costs, extra feed costs and training costs for a start. These vary depending upon (among other things) where in the country you live, but click here to get a general idea of what these costs might be).
  5. Outcome - What is your goal in raising this foal? The experience itself? For sale? To have a horse to ride for yourself once it is grown? Make sure your goals are realistic and that you understand what it will take to accomplish them. Here are some things to think about in that regard…     
  1. What is your ultimate goal in raising a foal?
  • Keep it, raise it to be a riding horse - This can be a great and rewarding thing to do if you are experienced at handling foals or know you can do a good job of it. Foals require strict discipline when young or they will not learn boundaries with people and may become dangerous adult horses. If you are up to that challenge, make sure you understand the time commitment involved (it will take 3-4 years before you can have your foal trained to ride), and the financial commitment (especially in terms of training - training young horses is an advanced skill and if you don't have experience with this you should plan on having a professional train your foal once it is full grown.)
  • Keep it for enjoyment - This can be a great and rewarding thing to do if you are experienced at handling foals or know you can do a good job of it. Foals require strict discipline when young or they will not learn boundaries with people and may become dangerous adult horses. Even if (especially if) you don't intend to ride this horse, but only to keep it as "one of the family" you still need to teach it to be safe and respectful of humans as it grows.
  • Sell it - Most breeders breed their mares for just this reason, and it can be a great experience, if you prepare well. The first thing to do is to choose a mare and stallion who have good marketability in your area. Most foals wont bring more than $500 until trained to ride - less than you will spend on the pregnancy expenses. If you want to make money on your foals make sure you are breeding for something special - something unusual that is currently brining in enough money to make your time and effort worth while. For instance, Rocky Mountain Horses and Gypsy Vanner horses tend to sell for quite a bit more than most other breeds right now. A paint horse or a palomino will also bring in more money than many other colors. And finally, a foal who is really well handled, respectful and unafraid of people will bring a lot more than a foal who has just been allowed to live free in the pasture all its life.
  • Give it away - This I highly recommend against ever doing. I have occasionally had horses who, for whatever reason, I felt I should not try to sell, but wanted to find committed, good homes for. However, every single time I have placed such a free horse that placement has ended up falling through or being a bad situation for the horse. Charge money for your horse - even if you don't care about the money. If you don't, the people who take it on will not be as committed to doing right by that horse as if they had put money into its purchase. (There may be some exceptions to this if you find just the right home for the animal through other means than just advertising. If you run an add for a “free horse” you will get dozens of responses, mostly from people who don't really have any real commitment to your horse. The chances of finding the good home among all the bad ones is slim when you have fifty plus people to learn about. However, if you find someone willing to pay money for your horse it is not always a bad thing to do to then waive the fee at the last minute.)
All right. So you’ve decided that you are up to the challenge of raising a foal right and you are ready to do it. There is still one more question to consider…

PART II: Is this the right mare to breed? 

But she's the only mare I've got - she has to be, doesn't she? As hard as it is when you are ready to raise a foal, if you don't have the right mare, you are probably better off not doing it. Here are some questions to help you determine if your mare really is a good candidate to breed....
  1. Health - A vet exam can help you determine if your mare is a "good candidate" for breeding. But what does this mean exactly? Mostly it has to do with how successful your mare is likely to be at getting pregnant and carrying a pregnancy to term and if she has any genetic defects which would be bad to pass on to a foal. If the vet finds reason to doubt her ability to successfully have a healthy foal, you may want to reconsider spending the money (and possibly risking her life) in the attempt.
  2. Conformation - Does your mare have any physical qualities you wouldn't want to pass on to a foal? 
  3. Personality - This should be one of the most important questions in deciding if you should breed your mare: Do you like her personality? The fact is, even apart from genetics, your mare will significantly influence the personality of her foal. She is the one who will teach him how to interact with the world and how to feel about everything around him. Weaning early and separating the two of them can mitigate a negative influence sometimes, but regardless, she is always going to have a lasting effect on how your foal interacts with you and the rest of the world.
  4. Use of - What do you want this foal for? If for riding, then be sure you are aware that you will need to wait 3-4 years before you can actually ride it, and much longer before it becomes a stable, experienced riding horse. Also, keep in mind that most mares who have babies are not themselves ridden or used for work while they are raising their foals. While they can be ridden within a month of having their babies, this will be more complicated and requires some extra work on your part.
  5. Experience - Has your mare ever raised a foal before? 
  6. Age - How old is too old to breed a mare? We have often bred mares well into their 20’s. It depends on her health and physical condition and whether she’s had babies before. (An experienced mare is more likely to do well at an older age than a maiden mare). We recommend checking with your vet on this one.
  7. Risks - Are you aware of the risks involved in breeding and birthing for your mare?

We love raising foals. It’s one of the most meaningful parts of our business and our lives. By no means do we intend all these questions to discourage you from having this experience as well. But we also love horses and want to be sure that all horses have good lives. For your horse’s sake and yours as well, we want to help you be sure you are prepared for the reality of the responsiblity you are taking on. 
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That said, rising Rocky Mountain Horses gives us (and you!) a real edge up in this regard. Rockies (and usually, half-rockies as well) are almost always a great deal easier to raise well than other breeds. These horses are so forgiving that even people new to horses all together are often able to do well raising foals of their own, with the right guidance and education. Contact us for this! We are always willing to help!