Breeders - How do you decide when to pension a mare?

[Lakeway]

Other than the most obvious reason - health- what are your criteria for pensioning a mare? I know people who go by age, number of foals she's produced, etc...

Thanks...

[pokeyman]

Other than the most obvious reason - health- what are your criteria for pensioning a mare? I know people who go by age, number of foals she's produced, etc...

Thanks...

Hello. I go by how tough her pregnancies are on her.....If she starts having a hard time getting pregnant; staying pregnant; or having a live foal; or if she struggles to maintain her weight during lactation than I start to think about pensioning her. Of course, you also take into account age and number of foals; whether she has had any difficult births or any anatomical issues like lacerations and stuff.

I think the most common death for older mares is a foaling complication so that is something to think about. Some breeders will just keep breeding especially if the mare is really valuable and the foal would be worth more than the mare if she should die (sorry, just being honest with reality).

People, like myself, who own their own farms probably pension more. I suppose if someone didn't have their own farm and was paying board than they might keep breeding (thinking they do not want to pay upkeep for a mare that is not in production). But, all breeders are different...

[Retrospectiv]

I think the most common death for older mares is a foaling complication so that is something to think about. Some breeders will just keep breeding especially if the mare is really valuable and the foal would be worth more than the mare if she should die (sorry, just being honest with reality).



No kidding on that one. Assume everyone knows about that very nice HND mare's death. That was disgraceful.

[Jas]

For us, it's about listening to the mare.

This year we'll be breeding a 20 year old mare. She's in amazing condition and her uterus is in great condition. She's had a year off and there's not a single thing that's telling us she's not able to easily and safely carry a foal and give birth to it without complication.

On the other hand, we'll be pensioning a 17 yo mare this year and a 14 yo mare next year because of cervix issues. We could continue using them and make them go under the knife each year with repairs or C-sections, but I'm just not interested in doing that to my horses. They deserve better. So both will head to the pensioners field at my boarding farm unless I can find them a great home as riding horses.

[tbredgirl]

I have to agree about pensioning due to health, number of foals produced, and age. One thing to definitely consider is in fact how hard it is to get the mare in foal, keep her in foal, and get a live foal.

If it is an older mare, these are things to consider, but also realize that this can happen in younger mares as well. Another thing to think about is how big the ovaries look on ultrasound. Ask your vet what they think. If there is a pattern of follicals (sorry about misspelling) not being big, and the mare not staying in heat, or if they "hang" or don't ovulate when they should, consider that that mare may not get in foal or stay in foal.

[WesternDreamer]

No kidding on that one. Assume everyone knows about that very nice HND mare's death. That was disgraceful.

Glad I'm not the only one who was furious reading about that.

[mimi6920]

I was on fire about Daijin. They didn't even pretend what their motives were. Truth be told, I am also on fire about Aurora. I think Aurora had earned her retirement, but instead she died at 23 of a ruptured uterine artery.

[Retrospectiv]

Glad I'm not the only one who was furious reading about that.

You're most definitely not.

They had placed an ad in the BH or the Cdn TB magazine a while back which I'm sure you saw. Basically a speech on why embryo transfers should be allowed and the situation with a very valuable but unnamed mare (unnamed in the ad) who'd had problems, couldn't get in foal and then couldn't carry to term. After what that mare had given them to persist in doing that to her, only to c-section her and lose her. Beyond disgraceful.

[Retrospectiv]

I was on fire about Daijin. They didn't even pretend what their motives were. Truth be told, I am also on fire about Aurora. I think Aurora had earned her retirement, but instead she died at 23 of a ruptured uterine artery.

Does anyone know what kind of health Aurora was in though? She may have looked perfectly healthy, inside and out. Lots of older gals do ok, even though I absolutely hate reading so many 'died of foaling complications' reports every spring.

With Daiijin, most everyone knows of her problem foaling, years of being barren and then being unable to carry to term. There's no way in hell that mare should have been sacrificed for just one more foal.

[Lakeway]

Thanks everyone, great information, and some things I hadn't thought about.

I have to admit, part of the reason I asked was Aurora's death, and wondering if there was a general age that most feel it's time to stop. As someone else mentioned, it does seem that older mares do have more of a tendency for uterine artery rupture.

[FlowerEssence]

Glad I'm not the only one who was furious reading about that.

Nope, you weren't.

[ElPrado1]

done