Preparing a mare for breeding starts months before she sets foot on the stud. Breeding a horse is expensive, time-consuming and full of variables you can’t control, but getting the preparation right can make the difference between a smooth season and a costly one.

One commercial breeding operation estimates that the cost of breeding a horse and keeping it to three years old sits at around £15,000 – before backing and production costs are added.

Breeding soundness examinations

Whether you’re sending your mare to stud for natural covering, taking her to an AI (artificial insemination) centre, or having your vet inseminate her with chilled semen in her own stable, the pre-breeding checks she needs are essentially the same. The mare doesn’t have to travel for the disease risks to apply – semen and equipment do – and a vet performing AI at your yard will want to see the same negative swabs and certificates that a stallion stud would ask for.

Before any mare is bred, she needs what vets call a breeding soundness examination – essentially a full pre-breeding MOT. It’s a catch-all term for the checks your vet runs to confirm she’s healthy, free from infection, and physically capable of conceiving and carrying a foal.

It says nothing about her quality as a riding horse or her temperament; it’s purely a check on her reproductive health. Done properly and in good time, it protects your mare, any other horses she may come into contact with, and your investment.

Why swabbing matters when preparing a mare for breeding

Venereal bacteria – those passed between horses at covering, or carried on semen and equipment during AI – are the single biggest infectious risk to a breeding operation. They can quietly reduce fertility, are awkward to treat, and one of them, the organism that causes contagious equine metritis (CEM), is notifiable in the UK, meaning vets are legally required to report it.

A confirmed case can shut down movement on and off a stud entirely.

Three bacteria are of particular concern: the CEM organism itself, and two others called Klebsiella and Pseudomonas. All three are covered by the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) annually updated Codes of Practice – voluntary guidelines that apply to all breeds of horse and pony, not just thoroughbreds, and the standard reference that most reputable studs and AI vets will expect mares to have been tested against.

Mares and stallions can carry any of them with no outward signs at all, which is exactly why swabbing isn’t optional.

Swabs are taken by your vet from the clitoral area (and, separately, from the lining of the uterus when the mare is in season). They’re then tested at an HBLB-approved laboratory by bacterial culture, PCR (polymerase chain reaction), or both. PCR, which detects bacterial DNA directly rather than waiting for a culture to grow, is now widely used alongside traditional culture.

A few practical points worth knowing:

• Swabs must be taken after 1 January of the breeding season in which the mare will be covered or inseminated. A negative result from the previous year doesn’t carry over.
• Clitoral swabs can be taken at any time and from pregnant mares, including before foaling.
• Endometrial (uterine) swabs must be taken when the mare is in season, because the cervix needs to be open.
• Allow at least seven days for results. If something positive turns up, you’ll need time to treat the mare and re-swab before breeding goes ahead.
• Get the testing done in good time. If your mare is travelling, that means before she leaves home; if she’s being inseminated at the yard, it means before the semen arrives. Either way, no certificate means no breeding.

Once everything comes back clear, the mare is issued with a laboratory certificate confirming her status for the current season – the BEVA mare certificate is the standard document. No reputable stallion stud will cover a mare without seeing it, and no reputable vet will inseminate one either.

EVA and the wider disease picture

Equine viral arteritis (EVA) is the other infection every breeder needs to think about. Mares should be blood-tested for EVA after 1 January and within 28 days of covering, and stallions must also be EVA-free – a point that matters just as much when you’re using imported semen as when you’re sending your mare to a UK stud.

The 2019 UK outbreaks were a reminder that the virus doesn’t only affect Thoroughbreds, and recent disruption to vaccine supply has made surveillance and biosecurity even more important. Talk to your vet about current testing recommendations for both your mare and the stallion you’re using.

Equine herpesvirus, strangles and other infectious diseases are also covered in the HBLB Codes, and any responsible stud or vet will expect mares to be up to date on flu and tetanus vaccinations as a minimum.

For some breeds, there’s an additional layer of pre-breeding screening to think about. As Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS of Endell Equine Hospital previously told H&H, “further tests [may be needed] if there’s a risk she’s a carrier of a breed-specific inheritable condition, such as hoof wall separation disease in Connemaras.” Your vet or breed society will know what applies.

The physical examination when preparing a mare for breeding

Swabs are only half the picture when preparing a mare for breeding. Your vet should also give the mare a thorough physical check before breeding goes ahead.

Externally, the focus is on the vulva, which provides the first line of defence against infection ascending into the uterus. If the vulval lips don’t form a good seal – common in older mares, those in poor condition, or mares with poor conformation – air, dirt and bacteria can be drawn in.

A short procedure called a Caslick’s operation can fix it: the vet stitches the upper part of the vulva closed under local anaesthetic, leaving a small opening at the bottom for normal urination. It’s a routine job that prevents a lot of larger problems.

Internally, the vet examines the ovaries, uterus and cervix by rectal palpation, almost always combined with ultrasound. The vagina and cervix are also examined visually using a speculum. Hamilton-Fletcher recommends “a full gynaecological examination of the external genitalia and the cervix for conformation and health, and an ultrasound examination of the uterus and ovaries to look for cysts, tumours and other abnormalities that might suggest breeding complications”.

Cervical damage – usually tearing or scarring from a previous difficult foaling – is one of the things they’re looking for, because it directly affects the mare’s ability to conceive and carry.

Ultrasound will also pick up uterine cysts and free fluid. Cysts can interfere with conception and embryo monitoring; fluid in the uterus needs to be cleared before breeding.

For mares being inseminated at home or at an AI centre, ultrasound has a second job: tracking the mare’s cycle so that insemination is timed as close to ovulation as possible. Chilled and frozen semen both have a short window of effectiveness, so the scanning becomes part of the routine, not an optional extra.

In some cases – particularly with older mares, mares with a history of pregnancy loss, or mares whose history is unknown – your vet may recommend a uterine biopsy. A small sample of the uterine lining is examined under the microscope, and the degree of scarring (fibrosis) it shows is one of the best predictors we have of whether the mare is likely to carry a foal to term. For a heavily fibrotic uterus, the honest answer may be that breeding isn’t worth pursuing.

Hygiene and the human factor

It’s easy to focus on the mare and forget that bacteria travel on hands, equipment and clothing too. Disposable gloves, changed between every horse, separate sterile equipment for each animal, and clean water are basic requirements wherever breeding work is happening. Reputable studs run tight protocols; ask about them if you’re new to a yard.

Plan early, save money later

The single most useful thing an owner can do when preparing a mare for breeding is start the conversation with their vet in good time – ideally in late autumn or early winter for a spring covering. That gives you room to swab, blood-test, address any conformational or uterine issues, get the Caslick’s done if needed, and have certificates in hand before the stud or AI vet asks for them.

Breeding will always involve a degree of luck. The preparation is where you give yourself the best possible chance.

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

How much does it cost to breed a horse? H&H crunches the numbers

Getting ready for your mare to foal: useful advice for first-time breeders

Insurance for broodmares and foals – how can breeders protect themselves?

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Equine breeding season occurs in the spring and summer. It is during this time that mares go into recurring cycles of oestrus, giving a window of approximately five to seven days in roughly every 21 days in which a mare is “in season”.

Breeding a mare takes careful preparation and precision, with plenty to work out in advance. From choosing a stallion and selecting a broodmare to working out how much it costs to breed a horse, a healthy amount of research should go into your decision.

When are mares in season?

Mares are seasonally polyoestrus, which means they recurrently come into season at a particular time of year. Generally speaking, a mare’s breeding cycles take place between April and October. However, this – and cycle length – can vary horse to horse.

In winter, a mare’s reproductive system goes into a rest period, known as anoestrus. After this winter inactivity, the cycle usually begins again in spring.

The mare does not suddenly begin to cycle regularly, but has a “transitional phase” when the length is variable. Once the mare is truly in the breeding season, her oestrus cycles last around 21 days.

Equine breeding season – understanding the oestrus cycle

Most mares have a 21-day oestrous (breeding) cycle. This is divided into:

• Oestrus (average five to seven days)
• Dioestrus (14–16 days)

The cycles begin at puberty (approximately 18–24 months) and continue throughout the mare’s life.

Oestrus

During this time, the mare is receptive to the stallion. Typical signs of oestrus include:

• Adopting a urinating stance, raising the tail raised and uritinating in small squirts
• Opening and closing the vulval lips, known as “winking”

During this time one or more ovarian follicles enlarge and burst, releasing an egg. This is ovulation.

The mare normally ovulates approximately 24 hours before the end of oestrus, and its exact timing is only determined by performing ultrasound scans of the ovaries.

Dioestrus

The mare’s receptiveness ends and she may flatten her ears, swish her tail or squeal/kick out at the stallion.

How long is a mare pregnant for?

If breeding is successful, mares are pregnant for about 11 months, though a gestation period anywhere between 320 and 350 days is completely normal for horses.

Manipulating a mare’s breeding cycle

Factors such as daylight, nutrition and temperature influence the equine breeding season.

Daylight controls the production of hormones that trigger a mare’s cycling. Therefore, the natural breeding season in the mare is strongest from May until August, when the days are longest, and the weather is warmest.

During the spring, or the months of February to April, the weather is unpredictable and the daylight hours relatively few. This irregularity and limited daylight window creates variability in the mare.

At this time, it can be difficult to predict when the mare will ovulate. This makes is all the more tricky to determine an accurate time to cover or use artificial insemination (AI). Therefore, it is not cost-effective to breed her, whatever breeding method you choose.

During the early equine breeding season, it’s possible to artificially manipulate the mare to encourage normal cycling, which can shorten this uncertain transitional period. Vet use two main methods to do this.

Light

Studies have shown that artificially increasing daylight to 14–16 hours daily for a minimum of eight to 10 weeks can induce normal cycling.

Progestogens

Progesterone treatment suppresses the release of luteinising hormone (LH), which allows LH to build up and be stored.

When progesterone treatment is stopped, a surge in LH induces a strong oestrous which usually results in ovulation.

ReguMate (Altrenogest) given orally once daily for 10-15 days is commonly used during the transitional period. Mares come into season four to seven days later and ovulation occurs seven to 12 days after treatment has stopped.

Vets also use progesterone releasing devices, which are placed in the vagina for 10–12 days. These medicines are shown to encourage ovulation and result in more successful insemination.

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Breeding your own horse is, for many owners and riders, an appealing proposition – the chance to produce exactly the type of horse you want, from bloodlines you’ve chosen, with every stage of their development in your hands. But how much does it cost to breed a horse?

It’s certainly not a cheap way of getting your next horse, and the costs involved with breeding a horse are often significantly higher than buyers and breeders anticipate. It’s important to say upfront: most small-scale breeders don’t make money from breeding horses. “Making a bonfire out of banknotes would be a cheaper hobby,” as one hobby breeder puts it.

Caroline Ironside of MFS Stud Farm in Scotland, who has been breeding sport horses for 30 years, calculates that she needs around £9,000 per foal simply to break even – and that’s before accounting for the value of her own time, her land, or her stabling.

As Eva-Maria Livesey, executive director of British Breeding, points out: “Our foals are actually remarkably cheaply priced, given that there’s a lot that goes into them that breeders don’t even think about as a cost.”

Understanding what goes into producing a horse helps explain why good youngstock costs what it does – and why, more often than not, the breeder is subsidising your purchase.

It’s also worth knowing that British breeders operate at a structural disadvantage compared to their European counterparts. In Germany and the Netherlands, horse breeding is classified as agriculture, giving breeders access to subsidies, tax advantages and cheaper land and feed that British studs simply cannot access. In the UK, horse breeding is classified as a leisure industry – regardless of how professionally it is run. The result is that British-bred horses often cost more to produce than equivalent horses on the Continent, for reasons entirely outside the breeder’s control.

Costs involved with breeding a horse

I’m going to lay out the costs of breeding a horse. All prices quoted are approximate and based on prices at the time of publishing (April 2026). These costs will vary significantly depending on your location, whether you have your own land and facilities, and whether everything goes to plan, which, with horses, it often doesn’t.

I’ll cover the costs of:

• Stud fee
• Veterinary fees
• Stud keep charges
• Cost of foaling down
• What can go wrong – and what it costs
• Subsequent costs
• What happens next

Stud fee

While natural covering is still used, artificial insemination (AI) with chilled or fresh semen is the most common method of breeding sport horses. Stud fees can vary from a few hundred to many thousands of pounds – importing semen from a top international stallion can cost £2,000 or more – but an average fee for a good, proven stallion is likely to be in the region of £1,000 plus VAT.

If you’re using a stallion standing abroad, be prepared for significant additional costs on top of the stud fee itself. Post-Brexit, a single semen shipment from Europe that once cost around £30 now costs in the region of £240, with mandatory veterinary documentation adding a further £25. Health papers, collection and delivery charges can add £150-200 or more to the bill. If your mare fails to hold on the first cycle – which is far from unusual – those shipping costs alone can exceed the price of the semen itself.

“Before we’ve even started, our costs are way up compared to European breeders,” as one breeder puts it.

Veterinary fees associated with breeding

Vet fees are unavoidable, but most studs offer all-in-one packages in conjunction with a veterinary practice. Prices vary from around £275–450 plus VAT for the first cycle using chilled or fresh semen, though costs have risen in recent years partly due to the consolidation of equine practices into large corporate groups.

Package components vary, so make sure you understand exactly what is and isn’t included. Packages for maiden mares and those over 18 can cost more. You can opt to pay vet fees in the usual way rather than via a package if you prefer.

If you’re using frozen semen or embryo transfer, costs increase considerably – a full embryo transfer package from a top-level mare can run to £4,500 or more, with recipient mare hire adding a further £1,000 on top.

Stud keep charges

If your mare is to be covered naturally, she’ll need to go to stud. The use of frozen semen requires a high level of veterinary attention, so sending your mare to a specialist stud is recommended. With fresh and chilled AI, it is possible to breed from an experienced broodmare at home.

The length of stay at stud will vary. If you live locally, your mare can travel to and from the stud between insemination and pregnancy confirmation. But a resident mare that doesn’t hold for two or three cycles could be away for three or four months.

Grass keep will lessen costs, but these will soon add up if you want your mare stabled.

There’ll also be routine costs to consider – teeth, feet, and worming – as well as specialist feed in the last trimester and booster vaccinations prior to birth.

Cost of foaling down

Experienced breeders can foal their mare at home, although the vet will need to attend afterwards to check the mare and foal. If you decide to send your mare to stud to foal, she will need to arrive in good time and stay until the foal is strong enough to travel home. As well as the foaling fee – typically around £400-500 – there’ll be around four weeks’ keep, some of which will be stabled.

What can go wrong – and what it costs

It’s worth remembering that complications occur all too often, no matter how much care is taken or expertise deployed.

A joint infection can add £4,000 or more to your costs. A retained placenta will require immediate veterinary treatment – typically around £250. A retained testicle in a colt can cost £750 to correct. A plasma transfusion for a foal that has not received adequate antibodies from its dam can run to £1,000. And that’s before accounting for the possibility of losing a foal or a mare entirely.

As one breeder who has experienced all of the above puts it: “Where there’s livestock, there’s dead stock.” When budgeting for breeding, build in a contingency – ideally of several thousand pounds – for complications you hope will never arise.

Subsequent costs of breeding a horse

Once the mare and foal are home, the ongoing costs begin. The foal will need a passport, microchipping, sometimes a DNA test, and registration with the relevant breed society. If he is a colt, there may also be the cost of castration, typically around £500.

If you chose to keep the foal, you’ll then likely need to keep the foal for at least three years before they are backed. Over this time, you’ll be paying the normal costs of keeping a horse, such as feed, worming, vaccinations, and foot trimming.

For those without land, field rent and livery charges must be factored in. Budget a minimum of £2,500 per year for basic keep, though the real figure is often considerably higher – one commercial operation estimates it costs an average of £15,000 to take a horse from conception to three years old when all costs are properly accounted for.

And this is before backing and production costs, which is where the value of a horse increases significantly – but where the expenses do too.

What happens next

The table below covers costs up to the point of backing – but it’s worth understanding that this is where the significant value increases begin, and where the costs continue to climb.

A horse that goes from unbacked to backed sees a notable spike in value, simply because it can now be ridden. From there, value tends to plateau between the ages of four and six, while the horse is developing but unproven.

In dressage, for example, the movements that really move the market – flying changes, the beginnings of piaffe and passage – typically emerge at six or seven in a professionally produced horse.

Each additional year of keep, training, and competition entry fees adds to the total cost of production.

So how much does it cost to breed a horse?

The table below gives an approximate guide to the costs involved in breeding a horse from conception to three years old, assuming everything goes straightforwardly — which it often doesn’t. Travel costs are additional, and if your foal is a colt, castration costs will also apply.

Is it worth it?

For most small-scale breeders, the honest answer is that it rarely makes financial sense. The costs are high, the risks are real, and the market for youngstock is currently challenging.

And yet the breeders who remain are, almost without exception, passionate advocates for what they do – producing horses with individual care and attention that, at its best, results in animals that are better prepared for long-term soundness and rideability than those raised in larger, more industrial operations.

If you’re considering breeding your own horse, go in with your eyes open, your budget stress-tested, and a healthy contingency fund. But if you do produce a horse that goes on to fulfil its potential – knowing you were there from the very beginning – there are few things in the equestrian world quite like it.

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also enjoy reading:

Do you really know enough to put your mare in foal? I love my horse, but I regret breeding him…

7 things you always wanted to know about breeding, but were too embarrassed to ask

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Insurance for broodmares and foals – how can breeders protect themselves?

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Feed balancers for horses have risen in popularity over the years – and for good reason. The best feed balancers are more than a vitamin and mineral supplement, and when fed at the correct amount a balancer will provide your horse with all the nutrients he needs.

The best feed balancers allow you to get all the essential nutrients into your horse, in a low-volume and low-energy way, which is particularly helpful if you’re watching your horse’s waistline or you’re actively trying to help your horse lose weight.

Of course, nutritional requirements change with age and workload, so like other feed products not all feed balancers are created with the same goal in mind. Balancers can usually be divided into one of the following groups…

• light balancers – formulated to provide all the nutrients they are likely to be missing from the restricted diets of good-doers and horses in light work
• performance balancers – designed to support competition horses and those working hard
• senior balancers – formulated to support digestion, comfort and movement in older horses
• stud balancers – aimed at stallions, pregnant or lactating mares and youngstock with higher protein requirements

We’ve rounded up a selection of some of the best feed balancers for horses to help you find the right feed for your horse…

• light balancers
• performance balancers
• senior balancers
• stud balancers

NB: Cost per day has been calculated using the maintenance measure for a 500kg horse in light work (where there was variation) and the RRP of the smallest available bag/tub. Some products require you to feed more in certain situations, which will increase the cost per daily measure, while buying a larger bag/tub will likely decrease it – these costs per day are a guide only.

Light balancers: what’s on the market?

Performance balancers: what’s on the market?

Aimed at good-doers in work, this low-calorie balancer provides all the nutrients you’d find in a competition mix or cube, but without the associated calories, making it ideal for horses who are stressy or excitable but require nutrients for health and performance.

Low levels of starch and sugar also make it suitable for horses prone to gastric ulcers. It can be fed as the sole concentrate, alongside any type of forage, or added to reduced quantities of other hard feeds, to ensure a fully balanced diet.

This balancer contains turmeric, black pepper, oils and glucosamine to promote healthy joint function and movement. It contains carefully formulated levels of essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients alongside complete hoof, respiratory and digestive supplements. Can be fed dry, damp or soaked.

This balancer is a low-calorie source of vitamins and minerals with additional digestive, hoof, recovery, immune, and protein support. It is ideal for topping-up natural vitamin levels in forage and is described as suitable for all horses.

This concentrated formula is described as suitable for all – from the family pony to performance horse. It contains key ingredients to optimise gut function, combined with optimum nutritional supplement specification that balances a high-fibre, low-concentrate, or performance diet.

This highly nutritious, low-intake balancer comes in the form of a mix. This allows it to provide a higher level of fibre and oil, which support stamina, and the inclusion of micronised maize helps to provide a higher energy level when compared to traditional pellet balancers.

This balancer provides digestive and immunity support in addition to everyday vitamins and minerals. It is rich in amino acids to support muscle development and topline, high in antioxidants and contains pre- and probiotics.

Designed for good-doers in medium to hard work that do not need extra topline or muscle development, this balancer provides everything your horse needs in a small amount of non-heating low-calorie feed.

It contains a multi-supplement that is described as including the levels of micronutrients normally only found in high quality specialised supplements.

Senior balancers: what’s on the market?

Formulated for horses over the age of 14, this balancer contains the correct levels of vitamins, minerals and nutrients in the diet, along with additional supplements to ease the ageing process. It includes digestive, hoof, coat, skin, respiratory and joint supplements. Can be fed dry, damp or soaked.

Providing comprehensive nutritional care for older horses, this balancer comes in the form of a cereal-free mash, which allows it to be ingested easily, even when dentition is poor.

It is low in sugar and starch and contains omega-3 to support joint mobility and muscle suppleness.

This balancer supports digestion, comfort and movement in older horses. It is high in antioxidants to support immune health and has probiotics and prebiotics to support digestive health. It also contains high levels of glucosamine, MSM and omega-3 to support joint health.

Designed for elderly horses that are prone to weight gain, this balancer combines the benefits of a low-calorie feed balancer and a joint supplement

in a cost-effective way.

It’s formulated without cereal grains and provides only low levels of sugar and starch, which helps to maintain healthy hindgut function and avoid loose droppings.

Stud balancers: what’s on the market?

NB: We have not calculated a cost per day for the stud balancers below as feeding rates vary greatly with stage of pregnancy for mares as well as age for youngstock.

This balancer provides optimum nutrition for all breeding stock. It can be introduced from 3 months of age and, being low calorie, it is ideal for good-doers, supporting even growth rates without encouraging weight gain.

Its quality protein and elevated levels of vitamins and minerals, including chelated minerals for improved bioavailability, support foetal development as well as helping ensure the mare is receiving the nutrients she needs to produce good quality milk.

Formulated for performance horses and growing young stock, this balancer supports consistent, steady growth rates for youngstock.

It contains elevated levels of vitamins and minerals, and includes nucleotides for quality cell replication, pre- and probiotics, plus essential omega-3 and -6 oils.

This nutrient-rich balancer, specifically formulated for broodmares, stallions, and youngstock, contains a long-lasting gastric acid buffer and prebiotics to support gastric and hindgut function.

It has been formulated to help promote bone strength and correct limb development by providing quality protein, vitamins A, D and K, plus essential micronutrients such as elements calcium and phosphorus.

This balancer is a concentrated source of vitamins and minerals, packed with additional support supplements for stallions, mares, foals and youngstock. It is low in starch and includes key amino acids, hoof support and vitamin E, which helps support fertility and milk quality.

It also contains MOS and FOS prebiotics and ActiSaf yeast – a probiotic which supports a healthy hindgut environment of fibre fermentation and nutrient uptake.

This scientifically formulated, pre-digested feed balancer supports and balances a pasture-based diet for equine stud animals. The highly palatable nuggets, which are large enough to be eaten off the floor, contain amino acids that support quality lean muscle and skeletal growth and development.

DHA, a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid, is included to support semen motility, mare postpartum recovery, foal feeding behaviours and development.

This balancer, designed to support breeding and youngstock, is whole cereal free, low in starch and sugar, which makes it suitable for fast-growing foals and horses with more excitable temperaments. It can be fed alongside a forage only diet or alongside the existing ration to support nutrient intake.

All types of breeding stock will benefit from the elevated inclusion of antioxidants, including vitamin E, which supports immune function, colostrum quality and can help to support optimal muscle function.

Designed for youngsters who hold their condition well and to complement a forage-based diet, this balancer is a low-calorie nutrient-rich growth formula for safe and even development. It’s suitable for foals, youngstock and pregnant or lactating mares.

TopSpec Stud Lite Feed Balancer provides most of the benefits of TopSpec Stud Feed Balancer, including a multi-supplement combined with a feed, but on a low-calorie, low-protein base, making it ideal for youngstock and broodmares that are good-doers.

What is the best balancer for horses?

The best balancer for your horse depends on why you’re feeding it and your horse’s individual needs – different balancers serve different purposes.

Balancers often provide a wide range of nutrients, if your horse has a particular issue or demand on his lifestyle, a specific supplement – such as one of the best joint supplements for horses – may provide him a greater benefit. It’s also important to note that, in most cases, you need to feed an electrolyte in addition to the balancer if your horse requires one.

When choosing a balancer, check whether it suits your horse’s workload and dietary needs. Always introduce feeds gradually and follow recommended feeding rates. Most feed companies offer free nutritional advice, so if you’re unsure which is the best feed balancer or other product is right for your horse give them a call to discuss. You can also read through some advice they gave H&H on how to choose a feed balancer for your horse.

Can you feed a balancer on its own?

Balancers often come in a pellet form, making them suitable to be fed on their own – and this is one way balancers differ from supplements. Adding chaff to the bucket feed, however, is a great way of extending your horse’s eating time.

You might also be interested in:

Veteran supplements: what’s on the market?

What is a feed balancer? H&H explains…

How to choose the right feed balancer for your horse

How are feed balancers different to vitamin and mineral supplements?

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Preparing mares and foals for the show ring can be one of the most rewarding experiences for a breeder.

The judging process typically involves the mare and foal being judged separately, but the pairing of dam and youngster is also taken into consideration by the judges.

To show a mare and foal, both animals should have been trained correctly to walk, trot and stand in the ring on the go-round, in the line-up and in front of the judge. Alongside this, both horses will need to cope with the busy atmosphere of a show, and be confident to load, travel and stand on the horsebox.

There’s a lot to consider when showing a mare and foal, but if the right preparation is done the rewards can be plentiful. These top tips from two of the circuit’s most established breeders are sure to help you if you’re considering prepping your own combination for the ring this term.

Who are our experts?

Jerome Harforth is one of the showing world’s most respected and knowledgeable producers. He also founded the renowned Stanley Grange Stud. Jerome has produced countless Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and Royal International (RIHS) winners under saddle, and he is also a highly regarded in-hand producer.

He has won the HOYS in-hand supreme final multiple times, with broodmares such as Pumphill Belladonna, Whalton Heavens Above, Rotherwood Take A Peep, Catwalk, and Crafton Blithe Spirit. In 2024, Jerome secured the title again, handling Evelyn Tate’s riding pony filly, Kirkwood Tabitha Twitchit.

Kitty Bodily and her mother, Jill Williams, have been breeding Welsh ponies and cobs for more than 40 years under the Glebedale prefix. The Glebedale Stud has produced several champions with impressive CVs, including 2018 HOYS M&M Pony of the Year Glebedale Mumbo Jumbo, 2016 HOYS M&M first ridden winner Glebedale Jubilee, and 2012 HOYS In-Hand Supreme Pony of the Year Glebedale Ding Dong.

Their stock has triumphed at major fixtures across the country, from the Royal Welsh to the BSPS and NPS championships. Other stars include in-hand show mare Glebedale Savannah, dual in-hand and ridden stallion Glebedale Jumanji, and mini contender Glebedale Sancerre.

Should I show my mare and foal?

During a class, both mare and foal will be judged and placed individually, although when weighing up whether a pair is suitable to show, the quality, condition and temperament of the mare are usually the priority for breeders.

“The mare needs to be of show standard, but a healthy-looking foal is very complementary to a mare,” says Jerome. “While the mare is the focus, the foal needs to have certain traits; it needs to look well, and the limbs need to be correct.

“You don’t want to travel and show a foal if it’s over at the knee or down on its pasterns. Wait until they are strong enough and see how he develops.”

Kitty adds: “When picking a prospect show mare, she’s got to have good conformation, movement, and limbs, and also a good amount of depth — all aspects any in-hand pony should have.

“Then, our decision about who to show comes down to the judges who will be judging throughout the year, and what types they prefer.”

Kitty says that the broodmare’s temperament is an important consideration.

“Some mares don’t like the job, and others love it,” she says. “Some of my best breeding mares aren’t always my best show mares, and often, a champion show mare isn’t the pony that breeds you the next champion! You can have the most tremendous mare, but she might not produce one as good as herself.

“It’s often about luck and the experience of knowing which mare to pair with which stallion. I often find that the older a mare is, the better she produces.

“What we all like as individuals, though, is very much down to preference — and breeders all have their own idea of the perfect pony that we’re striving to breed.”

6 expert tips for preparing mares and foals for the show ring

1. Preparing your mare

While foals usually don’t hit the ground until spring time, the Glebedale team begins planning their upcoming show season the winter before. If they like the look of an in-foal mare, they’ll keep her in from November through the colder months with the hope of showing her the following summer.

“We’d feed her so she can maintain her condition — but not excessively, as ponies should never be overdone with a foal,” says Kitty. “We preferably like our mares to foal outside, as it’s more natural for them.

“This year, we don’t have any senior mares to show, but that doesn’t mean we won’t pull one out of the field in July if she’s looking particularly well after a few months of grass.”

Some of your preparation will depend on the level you’re aiming for.

Jerome explains: “If you just want to take your mare and foal to a local agricultural show for a run out, you could likely just pull them out of the field, tidy them up, and go. But if you want to compete on the county circuit, the process requires a lot more attention to detail.”

Jerome agrees that the planning for preparing mares and foals for the show ring begins before the foal has even been born, around Christmas time: “Your mare needs to be stabled in the evening and likely fed two hard feeds per day well before foaling. Once she’s foaled, you won’t be able to ‘furnish and top’ her for the ring, but you can maintain her condition.

“I would never rug her before she foals, aside from putting her out on cold days with a turnout rug. I’d then rug her once the foal is two weeks old, being very careful with rugs that have leg straps and fillet strings, for safety reasons.”

If your mare has been shown under saddle in previous years, she may have an advantage over an unshown or unbroken mare.

“She’ll likely sit up in the bridle more if she’s been ridden,” Jerome says. “A good job for September or October could be working your mare in some tack — a bridle and roller — encouraging her to work in an outline and accept the contact.

“Long-reining and lunging can be very beneficial in helping her learn how to sit into the bridle while moving forwards.”

2. Preparing your foal

When a foal is born, Kitty allows time for it to bond naturally with its dam before introducing any handling.

“We’ll spend time getting them used to humans in the stable, and after a couple of weeks, we’ll pop a foal halter on them,” she says. “Once they’re happy with this, we gradually start walking them out beside the mare until they get used to it.

“I don’t feed my foals until they’re about a month old, as they get everything they need from the mare.”

“Prior to a show, we’ll trim the head — and we’re ready to go. We keep everything basic.”

Jerome follows a similar routine. Within a few days of birth, he begins leading the foal to and from the paddock.

“I’d put a stable rubber around the lower part of the foal’s neck,” Jerome says. “Then I’d place my left hand on the rubber and my right on the foal’s rump and walk alongside the mare.

“I always lead the foal from the off-side of the mare initially. If you lead from the near side, the foal tends to lean into the mare and can trip you up or stand on your feet. From the off-side, the foal stays more upright and closer to the mare.”

Once the foal is confident walking beside the mare, it’s time to begin short periods of leading it independently.

Jerome says: “It’s what will happen at a show, so do practise this at home. Around the same time, I’d begin picking the foal’s feet up. Get someone to gently hold or caress the foal while another person lifts the feet.

“If needed, you can also put them in a lightweight, secure rug. At about a month old, I’ll start letting the foal nibble on some foal creep feed.”

Jerome is not a fan of standard foal slips and instead prefers miniature horse headcollars.

“These smaller headcollars, made for miniature horses, are much more secure and substantial on a foal’s head, so I always prefer to use one when training and showing,” he says.

3. Travelling to shows

Preparing mares and foals for the show ring inevitably involves travelling. It’s important to give the pair plenty of room in the lorry or trailer with enough bedding on the floor.

“We’d only ever take the mare and foal, and perhaps one youngster, so there is plenty of space for them in the box,” Kitty says. “Our foals travel loose and when they get to the show the foal needs room to lie down and suckle.

“I’d always take a feed for them in the middle of the day, and I’d ensure that everything is kept as a calm and comfortable as possible.”

Kitty adds: “Showing a foal can stand them in good stead. It gets them used to travelling and standing on the lorry and gets them into the routine of going to a show.

“We never do many shows – perhaps four max per year – with our mares and foals. Some can get stale to it, while others can get cheeky and overly confident. Plus, doing too much puts strain on the mare.”

4. Tips for the ring

Your performance in the ring is directly correlated to the work you put in at home, like with any type or breed of show animal.

“Your foal is going to be more stressed at a show, naturally, so do ensure you’ve done enough leading practice,” Jerome advises.

“Turnout wise, I present plaited horse and pony foals differently. I don’t usually plait a pony foal’s mane until the coat he’s born with has completely grown out. Traditionally, you don’t plait a horse foal’s mare. I like to see foal’s tails plaited but never pulled.”

5. The foal handler

Not every handler is the right person to show a foal and only an experienced show person should be tasked with handling duties.

“It’s definitely not the easiest job and the foal handler is the person most likely to get kicked,” Kitty said. “I’d usually ask family or a very good friend to take my foal, and I’d ensure we’d done enough work at home beforehand.

“Showing a mare and foal is a team effort and the foal handler really needs to know what they’re doing, putting themselves in the right position and being quick on their feet – especially when showing a Welsh breed!”

6. A shop window

Why might you choose to prepare mares and foals for the show ring? Aside from giving foals valuable early-life experience, Kitty explains her deeper motivation.

“It’s hugely rewarding — seeing your homebreds out there is a feeling I struggle to put into words,” she says. “We love showing as a family; it’s our hobby and the shows are a shop window for us to promote our stock.

“But breeding is our main passion — we’re obsessed. Foaling season is the most joyful and stressful time of the year, and when you see a foal that has that something extra, even after all these years, it’s so exciting. All foals are special, but sometimes you get that extra-special one who you know is going to be a star.

“Glebedale Jubilee is an example — as soon as she dropped onto the floor, I knew she was going to be incredible. But even if a foal isn’t destined to be a show ring superstar, they all have a job to do.”

Jerome equally enjoys showing mares and foals in the ring.

“A mare and foal is a complete package, and in an overall championship, they’re often a very strong contender — irrespective of type, size, or breed,” he concludes.

Did you enjoy this article on preparing mares and foals for the show ring? You may also like to read these…

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Insurance for broodmares and foals – how can breeders protect themselves?

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For small-scale breeders with just one or two broodmares, welcoming a healthy foal is a thrilling moment – but it’s also a time of significant risk.

While professional breeders often accept some losses as part of the job, for small-scale breeders, a single incident can be devastating as the cost of breeding a horse is huge in the first place. Having the right insurance in place is one way to help manage those risks and protect both your mare and foal throughout the breeding journey.

Does standard horse insurance cover a broodmare and foal?

The short answer? Not really. Most standard equine insurance policies do cover broodmares, but usually only for general accidents, illness or mortality. If death results from pregnancy or foaling complications, a standard policy typically won’t pay out unless you’ve added specific breeding cover.

Equally, most standard veterinary fee policies exclude pregnancy-related issues, such as complications during foaling, injuries sustained during covering (whether natural or AI), or fertility treatments. However, some insurers will still cover illnesses unrelated to pregnancy, such as tendon injuries, even if the mare is in foal.

“Breeding risks generally aren’t included in standard policies,” explained Alice Holbrow, equine and partnership manager at Agria. “While we will insure a broodmare, in the UK, we apply a blanket exclusion to anything related to breeding risk.

“Breeders would need to look for specific breeding risk cover, but that can be difficult to find, as most products currently aren’t really designed for the amateur market.

“Breeding is inherently high-risk, and from a commercial perspective, it’s easier to insure, as the expectation is that experienced professionals are managing the process.”

To be fully protected, you’ll likely need to explore specialist broodmare insurance – but be aware, many of these products are geared towards professional, sport horse breeders and can come at higher costs.

Brokers like KBIS, SEIB and Lycetts work with multiple underwriters to create bespoke policies, which aren’t always widely advertised but can include cover for veterinary fees, pregnancy complications, and loss of foal.

“We have a team of specialist brokers who can offer advice on the cover available to you and provide bespoke insurance products,” said Beth Hutchinson, account executive at Lycetts. “Policies to consider would include insuring the mare for all risks of mortality and emergency surgery costs.”

KBIS also offers a standard catastrophe breeding cover product. This includes protection for accidental external injuries and specific foaling risks such as uterine tears and C-sections.

“In addition, the same policy covers the foal for the first 89 days,” said Harriet Walker, KBIS operational manager. “It doesn’t cover congenital problems or illness, but most risk at that stage comes from foaling injuries or the foal’s early movements as they find their feet.”

When can you normally insure a foal?

For a normal horse insurance policy, foals are typically eligible for coverage at around 30 days old. “We have no age-related policies, and our lifetime equine insurance covers them from 30 days until the end of life,” Alice explains.

But there are specialist policies for younger foals. Lycetts and KBIS, for example, offer cover from 24 hours old, which gives you peace of mind during those critical early days after birth. Veterinary fee cover, however, usually starts a bit later, typically around 90 days old.

If you want coverage even earlier, you’ll need in-utero insurance. Some insurers – like Lycetts – offer cover for foals from around 42 days of gestation, and this isn’t limited to thoroughbreds. While in-utero insurance is more common in the racing industry, many providers will also insure sport horse foals – although it can be expensive.

Do your homework and check the small print

It’s essential to read the terms and conditions of any policy carefully. Pay close attention to exclusions, claim procedures and age limits. Some policies require specific health checks or declarations at certain stages of the pregnancy, and you’ll want to know exactly what’s expected to avoid invalidating your coverage.

Also, be aware that some policies exclude certain interventions, such as assisted foaling or treatment for retained placenta – check your terms carefully.

If in doubt, speak to an equine insurance broker who understands breeding risks – they can advise on the right policy for your setup.

“The key message for consumers is to read your policy wording carefully before putting your mare in foal and consider whether those risks are covered,” Alice added. “If you’re in any doubt, pick up the phone and speak to your insurance company – each provider will have different terms and conditions.”

The bottom line on broodmare and foal?

Standard horse insurance is unlikely to give you full protection for your broodmare and foal, but there are specialist options out there if you want extra peace of mind.

It’s worth weighing up the risks and speaking to both an expert and your current insurer to decide what level of cover feels right for you.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Everyone knows a “moody mare” – whether their hormones are causing them to be difficult to handle, ride or train, or are interfering with a broodmare’s natural breeding cycle, it can present a real challenge. But this is something that the best supplements for moody mares can often help with.

The length of a mare’s natural breeding season varies, but it typically starts around March/April each year, so early spring is a great time to begin supplementing to encourage regularity, reduce unpredictability and support more consistent behaviour, which will in turn lead to improved performance and a happier horse.

Supplements for moody mares: what are your options?

Here is a selection of the best supplements for moody mares that are currently available, including the manufacturers’ descriptions of their products…

NB: Cost per day has been calculated using the maintenance measure for a 500kg horse in light work (where there was variation) and the RRP of the smallest available tub. Some products require you to feed more in certain situations or a loading dose, which will increase the cost per daily measure, while buying a larger tub will likely decrease it – these costs per day are a guide only.

Dodson & Horrell Stroppy Mare

Form: Powder

Sizes: 1kg

RRP: £18.78 for 1kg

Daily measure: 30g

Cost per day: £0.56

A comforting blend for a hormonal mare that includes herbs that support hormonal function and the reproductive system, as well as having calming properties.

NAF Five Star Oestress

Form: Liquid

Sizes: 1l, 2l, 5l

RRP: £39.99 for 1l

Daily measure: 25–50ml

Cost per day: £1.00–2.00

This supplement compliments the natural oestrus cycle by encouraging regularity and supporting hormone balance. Also available as a powder.

Equine America No More Moods

Form: Liquid

Sizes: 1l

RRP: £25.99

Daily measure: 15–30ml

Cost per day: From £0.39

This supplement contains micronutrients that help to balance hormones, contribute to relieving muscle tension and support a calm mare.

Premier Performance Sassy Mare Plus

Form: Powder

Sizes: 480g, 960g, 1.3kg, 1.92kg, 3.84kg, 9.6kg

RRP: £26.25 for 480g

Daily measure: 16–32g

Cost per day: £0.85–1.75

Formulated with a specific blend of herbs, minerals, vitamins and amino acids to support hormonal balance, wellbeing and overall calmness.

Equine Products UK Mood Balancer

Form: Liquid

Sizes: 1l

RRP: £28

Daily measure: 30ml

Cost per day: £0.84

Designed to maintain normal behaviour and temperament so that performance doesn’t suffer.

Global Herbs FriskyMare Plus

Form: Powder

Sizes: 1kg, 5kg

RRP: £43.50 for 1kg

Daily measure: 25g

Cost per day: £1.09

A mix of traditional calming herbs that help manage the behaviours and comfort of cycling mares, reducing unpredictability and aggression caused by hormone levels.

EquiNutritive Moody Madam

Form: Powder

Sizes: 1kg, 3kg

RRP: £45.99 for 1kg

Daily measure: 30g

Cost per day: £1.38

This natural mare supplement is a carefully cultivated mix of seven dried herbs combined to maintain hormone balance and support your mare through her season.

Science Supplements HormonAid

Form: Powder

Sizes: 1.55kg

RRP: £44.99

Daily measure: 51g

Cost per day: £1.19

Designed to work alongside the natural cycle of the mare, this supplement helps to relieve tension and support a more amenable demeanour. It contains vitex agnus-castus extract, which helps to ease transitions through the oestrus cycle, selected herbs that encourage a stable mood, vitamins that promote a good mental attitude and magnesium, which helps to ease hormone associated muscle cramps or tenderness.

Hilton Herbs Easy Mare

Form: Liquid

Sizes: 1l, 3l, 5l

RRP: £32.95 for 1l

Daily measure: 25ml

Cost per day: £0.82

This supplement contains medical grade herbs selected to help support a balanced hormonal system and offer mares comfort during their seasons.

Cavalor Venus

Form: Liquid

Sizes: 500ml, 2l

RRP: £42 for 500ml

Daily measure: 20ml

Cost per day: £1.68

A herbal extract that supports the hormonal balance in sensitive and moody mares by helping to regulate the hormonal cycle.

Omega Agnus Castus

Form: Powder

Sizes: 1kg, 3kg

RRP: £14.99 for 1kg

Daily measure: 30g

Cost per day: £0.45

Agnus castus is linked to supporting a healthy pituitary gland and endocrine system. This allows horses to healthily self-regulate their metabolism, growth, reproductive system and response to stress. It’s also a powerful antioxidant that contains compounds that ease stress and low mood.

How to choose the best supplement for moody mares

Most hormonal supplements for mares are made of a combination of a range of herbs that are known for their regulating and calming properties. They are available in both liquid and powder form. Your horse may have a preference to one over another, you need to make sure your horse is receiving the recommended dose or they won’t receive the benefit.

We’ve calculated the daily cost of all the supplements featured in this guide to help you compare them easily. To make it as comparable as possible, we’ve used the smallest tubs available, but if you’re better off buying a larger volume of supplement if you can as the daily cost can become significantly lower.

If you compete with your horse then it is important you make sure any supplements you use do not contain any prohibited substances.

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Equine breeding veterinary specialist Emma Houghton MRCVS from Bell Equine in Kent, explains what owners need to know before attempting to breed from older mares, while Selene Scarsi speaks to breeders who have done so successfully

Maybe your mare has finished a long competitive career, or you can only now afford to put her in foal. But is she still a good prospect for breeding if she’s in her teenage years or beyond? Breeding from older mares comes at a cost in terms of fertility, which peaks at six- or seven-years-old. Studies have shown that both pregnancy and foaling rates decline markedly after the age of 12-13.

Mares very rarely progress as far as a reproductive senescence (menopause). But as they age, the interovulatory period (time between seasons) increases, and their oocytes (eggs) are of poorer quality.

The 60% chance per cycle of a healthy mare becoming pregnant when mated with a fertile stallion reduces to 20-40% if she is older. This means that she may need to be covered over more cycles to achieve a viable pregnancy, which increases veterinary, stud and semen costs.

Reasons for reduced fertility

•  Older mares are more likely to suffer from pregnancy loss during gestation. A significant number occur in the first 40 days (known as early embryonic loss); a mare aged 11-plus is up to four times more likely to lose a pregnancy than one aged two-four. Another study has shown incidence to be as high as 20% for mares over 18 years (compared with a 6-15% occurrence in younger mares). Chromosomal abnormalities of the embryo, aged oocytes and poor uterine conditions are the main cause of this embryonic loss.
•  Poor conformation is another factor. Older mares may have reduced integrity of the protective barriers of the reproductive tract — including the vulva, vestibular seal and cervix. Their vulva can tilt, which, alongside a sunken anus, may result in defecation onto the vulva, causing contamination of the reproductive tract and the risk of uterine infection.
•  Older, maiden (first-time) mares are more likely to have a tight, fibrotic cervix. All mares develop a transient inflammatory response to breeding, but this is usually cleared naturally by healthy, younger mares. In older mares with a fibrotic cervix, the fluid is unable to drain as efficiently and can accumulate, requiring veterinary treatment and management.
•  The mare’s uterus may have a poor ability to nurture the pregnancy due to age-related development of endometrosis (uterine degeneration). This can occur in both maiden mares and those that have previously foaled.
•  Ovulation failure is seen in approximately 5% of cycles, but increases to 13% in older mares.
•  Uterine cysts can be identified in 55% of older mares that have been previously bred. While small cysts are unlikely to cause a problem, numerous large cysts may inhibit normal embryo development and require surgical removal.
•  Older mares may be suffering from age-related conditions, such as Cushing’s disease, which can cause irregular or absent oestrus cycles.

Should I breed from my older mare?

There are other points to consider.

The mare should be in a good body condition, or on a rising plane of nutrition. She should also be sound, as any chronic lameness may worsen when the foetus becomes heavy.

If she’s a maiden mare or has just foaled, she is more likely to become pregnant than if she is barren (not covered or failed to conceive in the last breeding season). In addition, knowing the reproductive history is important as 33% of mares that have experienced abortion subsequently aborted in the following pregnancy. Any previous reproductive trauma or infections should be taken into consideration.

Choosing a fertile stallion is essential. In the UK thoroughbred population, 20% of stallions have been associated with increased early embryonic losses — this may be due to management, venereal diseases and mare-stallion gene incompatibility, but also due to genetic abnormalities of the stallion.

While your breeding method may be dictated by stallion choice, artificial insemination (AI) is the preferred option for older mares. With natural cover, a significant amount of contamination can occur, which could lead to fluid accumulation or infection.

Mares can also experience chromosomal problems: an aged oocyte with a chromosomal problem may either not develop or develop to an early stage before it then regresses, resulting in pregnancy loss. And finally, an older mare may produce a smaller, poorer-quality foal because her uterus has developed age-related changes that result in poor placental development.

Improving the odds

Practical measures can increase your chances of success when breeding from older mares.

It is important to screen for venereal diseases by testing for equine viral arteritis (EVA), equine infectious anaemia (EIA) and contagious equine metritis (CEM). Your vet will also perform a thorough gynaecological examination to assess her perineal anatomy, before performing ultrasonography of the uterus and ovaries.

Once she is in season, an endometrial swab should be taken to test for uterine infection (endometritis) — and any infection should be treated before breeding continues. Due to the higher risk of endometrosis in older mares, a uterine biopsy may be performed to help determine the degree of degenerative uterine changes present and assess the prognosis of a successful breeding.

Ideally, older mares should only be inseminated once per cycle due to their increased susceptibility to post-breeding inflammation. Plan the procedure as close to ovulation as possible. Ovulation-inducing drugs such as Chorulon or Ovuplant are frequently used to assist with this.

Another examination is required post-breeding, to ensure that ovulation has occurred and to assess any fluid accumulation. It is vital that fluid is cleared from the uterus before the embryo descends from the oviduct into the uterus, at around day six. If necessary, uterine lavage and drugs such as oxytocin may be used.

For mares with poor perineal anatomy, a Caslick’s procedure can be performed. This involves suturing the vulval lips together to prevent air and infection entering the vagina.

Breeding from an older mare can be rewarding, but risks and lower fertility rates must be taken into account. It is recommended to consult vets that are registered on the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Approved AI list, as these vets will have been on regular reproductive courses and are therefore up to date with the latest research in this area.

Breeding from older mares: what experienced breeders say

By Selene Scarsi 

Caroline Ironside of MFS Studfarm in north-east Scotland has successfully bred from several older mares, all of whom have been at the stud for many years.

“Most of the mares at the stud are over 14, and all have been with us for a long, long time. This means that we have a really good idea of what they match well with; we know what does and doesn’t work with them, and the type of stallion they can go to,” says Caroline.

“When you see their stock under saddle, you get a much better idea of temperament and rideability – there is less unknown, whereas often with a young mare it’s a complete guess in terms of what they’ll produce.”

Of course, the older the mare the more difficult it is to get her in foal, but Caroline ensures a daughter of her mares remains at the stud, in order to keep the line going.

“Once they are in their 20s, most will have a foal every second year. We base it on the mare and how they’re looking health-wise,” says Caroline. “If they don’t go in foal then we’ll leave it and try the next year. If they can’t, then we retire them.”

In terms of management, special attention is paid to nutrition. “Some mares are good-doers and others lose condition quite easily, but you do tend to notice a greater loss of condition as they age – carrying a foal takes more out of them, so we need to supplement a little bit more,” says Caroline. “We take blood samples from older mares, just to check they aren’t missing any essential vitamins or minerals.

“We home-grow our hay and haylage, and the feed is tailored to balance that, so there’s plenty of attention to feeding regardless of age. However, the older mares will have a slightly more tailored diet to be triple sure there are no inconsistencies or deficiencies.”

Emma Blundell of Mount St John Stud adds: “An older mare might not have as much milk, the milk might start losing some of the nutrients, or the colostrum might be of lesser quality. We test all the colostrum irrespective of age, as sometimes it’s not as good and foals will require supplementation, but this is more likely to happen with older mares.”

Independent equine nutritionist Fiona Watkins agrees: “Once the mare’s forage and concentrate requirements are met in full, a breeder may want to look into specific supplementation that may affect milk and colostrum quality. This includes omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E – particularly beneficial for its antioxidant properties – live yeast and dietary protein.”

Conception rates

When it comes to breeding from older mares, Emma insists that the key is treating each horse as an individual.

“Some mares at 21 look like they’re 16, others less so. They will tell you when they’ve had enough. The conception rates will be lower with older mares: some might get in foal, but will struggle to maintain the foal because of the condition of the uterus,” she says.

“We ensure all of our mares are in top shape before delivery, with regular turnout and time on the horse walker, but I cannot stress enough how much of a physical exertion having a foal involves. There’s lots of extra weight – not just the unborn foal itself but the fluid around it, too – and it’s a lot to carry around all the time, especially towards the end. This inevitably takes its toll much more on an older mare,” explains Emma.

For those who are able, embryo transfer (ET) – the technique of removing (flushing) an embryo from the uterus of one mare (the biological dam) and placing it in the uterus of a younger recipient mare – can be the best of both worlds.

“It’s such a great way of ensuring you hold on to the really special genetics, but are then able to give the pregnancy to a younger mare who can run around the field and enjoy the process a bit more,” says Emma, who uses ET for around half of her foals.

“We’ve had lots of mares come to us at 18, after their previous owners couldn’t get them in foal, and they’re now still breeding in their 20s by ET with no issues.”

“Tricky to handle”

International grand prix rider Nikki Crisp put her retired international grand prix mare Pasoa in foal to the up-and-coming grand prix stallion Durable, when she was 21. In May 2019, aged 22, Pasoa gave birth to her first foal, a healthy big colt named Danoa (William).

“Historically Pasoa was so tricky to handle that I never seriously considered ET when she was competing, or inseminating her when she retired at 18; she didn’t owe me anything, and I didn’t want to traumatise her,” say Nikki.

“It was only a few years later as we were having another mare inseminated that I decided to give it a try, almost on a whim, and with the idea that we wouldn’t force it – we wouldn’t induce a cycle, for instance. Surprisingly, she was totally fine with the entire process: because the repro vet was busy with her behind as opposed to her head or neck, she couldn’t have cared less.

“Because of her age there was possibly some loss of elasticity in the uterus and we went for a ‘cross every T and dot every I’ approach, flushing her for a full week, really cleaning her out, and we also had her on Regumate to support the developing embryo. But she scanned in foal first time and gave birth to a huge, healthy colt and she’s clearly adored being a mum.”

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Credit: Jon Stroud

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Credit: Future

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Equine breeding veterinary specialist Emma Houghton MRCVS from Bell Equine in Kent, explains what owners need to know before attempting to breed from older mares, while Selene Scarsi speaks to breeders who have done so successfully

Maybe your mare has finished a long competitive career, or you can only now afford to put her in foal. But is she still a good prospect for breeding if she’s in her teenage years or beyond? Breeding from older mares comes at a cost in terms of fertility, which peaks at six- or seven-years-old. Studies have shown that both pregnancy and foaling rates decline markedly after the age of 12-13.

Mares very rarely progress as far as a reproductive senescence (menopause). But as they age, the interovulatory period (time between seasons) increases, and their oocytes (eggs) are of poorer quality.

The 60% chance per cycle of a healthy mare becoming pregnant when mated with a fertile stallion reduces to 20-40% if she is older. This means that she may need to be covered over more cycles to achieve a viable pregnancy, which increases veterinary, stud and semen costs.

Reasons for reduced fertility

•  Older mares are more likely to suffer from pregnancy loss during gestation. A significant number occur in the first 40 days (known as early embryonic loss); a mare aged 11-plus is up to four times more likely to lose a pregnancy than one aged two-four. Another study has shown incidence to be as high as 20% for mares over 18 years (compared with a 6-15% occurrence in younger mares). Chromosomal abnormalities of the embryo, aged oocytes and poor uterine conditions are the main cause of this embryonic loss.
•  Poor conformation is another factor. Older mares may have reduced integrity of the protective barriers of the reproductive tract — including the vulva, vestibular seal and cervix. Their vulva can tilt, which, alongside a sunken anus, may result in defecation onto the vulva, causing contamination of the reproductive tract and the risk of uterine infection.
•  Older, maiden (first-time) mares are more likely to have a tight, fibrotic cervix. All mares develop a transient inflammatory response to breeding, but this is usually cleared naturally by healthy, younger mares. In older mares with a fibrotic cervix, the fluid is unable to drain as efficiently and can accumulate, requiring veterinary treatment and management.
•  The mare’s uterus may have a poor ability to nurture the pregnancy due to age-related development of endometrosis (uterine degeneration). This can occur in both maiden mares and those that have previously foaled.
•  Ovulation failure is seen in approximately 5% of cycles, but increases to 13% in older mares.
•  Uterine cysts can be identified in 55% of older mares that have been previously bred. While small cysts are unlikely to cause a problem, numerous large cysts may inhibit normal embryo development and require surgical removal.
•  Older mares may be suffering from age-related conditions, such as Cushing’s disease, which can cause irregular or absent oestrus cycles.

Should I breed from my older mare?

There are other points to consider.

The mare should be in a good body condition, or on a rising plane of nutrition. She should also be sound, as any chronic lameness may worsen when the foetus becomes heavy.

If she’s a maiden mare or has just foaled, she is more likely to become pregnant than if she is barren (not covered or failed to conceive in the last breeding season). In addition, knowing the reproductive history is important as 33% of mares that have experienced abortion subsequently aborted in the following pregnancy. Any previous reproductive trauma or infections should be taken into consideration.

Choosing a fertile stallion is essential. In the UK thoroughbred population, 20% of stallions have been associated with increased early embryonic losses — this may be due to management, venereal diseases and mare-stallion gene incompatibility, but also due to genetic abnormalities of the stallion.

While your breeding method may be dictated by stallion choice, artificial insemination (AI) is the preferred option for older mares. With natural cover, a significant amount of contamination can occur, which could lead to fluid accumulation or infection.

Mares can also experience chromosomal problems: an aged oocyte with a chromosomal problem may either not develop or develop to an early stage before it then regresses, resulting in pregnancy loss. And finally, an older mare may produce a smaller, poorer-quality foal because her uterus has developed age-related changes that result in poor placental development.

Improving the odds

Practical measures can increase your chances of success when breeding from older mares.

It is important to screen for venereal diseases by testing for equine viral arteritis (EVA), equine infectious anaemia (EIA) and contagious equine metritis (CEM). Your vet will also perform a thorough gynaecological examination to assess her perineal anatomy, before performing ultrasonography of the uterus and ovaries.

Once she is in season, an endometrial swab should be taken to test for uterine infection (endometritis) — and any infection should be treated before breeding continues. Due to the higher risk of endometrosis in older mares, a uterine biopsy may be performed to help determine the degree of degenerative uterine changes present and assess the prognosis of a successful breeding.

Ideally, older mares should only be inseminated once per cycle due to their increased susceptibility to post-breeding inflammation. Plan the procedure as close to ovulation as possible. Ovulation-inducing drugs such as Chorulon or Ovuplant are frequently used to assist with this.

Another examination is required post-breeding, to ensure that ovulation has occurred and to assess any fluid accumulation. It is vital that fluid is cleared from the uterus before the embryo descends from the oviduct into the uterus, at around day six. If necessary, uterine lavage and drugs such as oxytocin may be used.

For mares with poor perineal anatomy, a Caslick’s procedure can be performed. This involves suturing the vulval lips together to prevent air and infection entering the vagina.

Breeding from an older mare can be rewarding, but risks and lower fertility rates must be taken into account. It is recommended to consult vets that are registered on the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Approved AI list, as these vets will have been on regular reproductive courses and are therefore up to date with the latest research in this area.

Breeding from older mares: what experienced breeders say

By Selene Scarsi 

Caroline Ironside of MFS Studfarm in north-east Scotland has successfully bred from several older mares, all of whom have been at the stud for many years.

“Most of the mares at the stud are over 14, and all have been with us for a long, long time. This means that we have a really good idea of what they match well with; we know what does and doesn’t work with them, and the type of stallion they can go to,” says Caroline.

“When you see their stock under saddle, you get a much better idea of temperament and rideability – there is less unknown, whereas often with a young mare it’s a complete guess in terms of what they’ll produce.”

Of course, the older the mare the more difficult it is to get her in foal, but Caroline ensures a daughter of her mares remains at the stud, in order to keep the line going.

“Once they are in their 20s, most will have a foal every second year. We base it on the mare and how they’re looking health-wise,” says Caroline. “If they don’t go in foal then we’ll leave it and try the next year. If they can’t, then we retire them.”

In terms of management, special attention is paid to nutrition. “Some mares are good-doers and others lose condition quite easily, but you do tend to notice a greater loss of condition as they age – carrying a foal takes more out of them, so we need to supplement a little bit more,” says Caroline. “We take blood samples from older mares, just to check they aren’t missing any essential vitamins or minerals.

“We home-grow our hay and haylage, and the feed is tailored to balance that, so there’s plenty of attention to feeding regardless of age. However, the older mares will have a slightly more tailored diet to be triple sure there are no inconsistencies or deficiencies.”

Emma Blundell of Mount St John Stud adds: “An older mare might not have as much milk, the milk might start losing some of the nutrients, or the colostrum might be of lesser quality. We test all the colostrum irrespective of age, as sometimes it’s not as good and foals will require supplementation, but this is more likely to happen with older mares.”

Independent equine nutritionist Fiona Watkins agrees: “Once the mare’s forage and concentrate requirements are met in full, a breeder may want to look into specific supplementation that may affect milk and colostrum quality. This includes omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E – particularly beneficial for its antioxidant properties – live yeast and dietary protein.”

Conception rates

When it comes to breeding from older mares, Emma insists that the key is treating each horse as an individual.

“Some mares at 21 look like they’re 16, others less so. They will tell you when they’ve had enough. The conception rates will be lower with older mares: some might get in foal, but will struggle to maintain the foal because of the condition of the uterus,” she says.

“We ensure all of our mares are in top shape before delivery, with regular turnout and time on the horse walker, but I cannot stress enough how much of a physical exertion having a foal involves. There’s lots of extra weight – not just the unborn foal itself but the fluid around it, too – and it’s a lot to carry around all the time, especially towards the end. This inevitably takes its toll much more on an older mare,” explains Emma.

For those who are able, embryo transfer (ET) – the technique of removing (flushing) an embryo from the uterus of one mare (the biological dam) and placing it in the uterus of a younger recipient mare – can be the best of both worlds.

“It’s such a great way of ensuring you hold on to the really special genetics, but are then able to give the pregnancy to a younger mare who can run around the field and enjoy the process a bit more,” says Emma, who uses ET for around half of her foals.

“We’ve had lots of mares come to us at 18, after their previous owners couldn’t get them in foal, and they’re now still breeding in their 20s by ET with no issues.”

“Tricky to handle”

International grand prix rider Nikki Crisp put her retired international grand prix mare Pasoa in foal to the up-and-coming grand prix stallion Durable, when she was 21. In May 2019, aged 22, Pasoa gave birth to her first foal, a healthy big colt named Danoa (William).

“Historically Pasoa was so tricky to handle that I never seriously considered ET when she was competing, or inseminating her when she retired at 18; she didn’t owe me anything, and I didn’t want to traumatise her,” say Nikki.

“It was only a few years later as we were having another mare inseminated that I decided to give it a try, almost on a whim, and with the idea that we wouldn’t force it – we wouldn’t induce a cycle, for instance. Surprisingly, she was totally fine with the entire process: because the repro vet was busy with her behind as opposed to her head or neck, she couldn’t have cared less.

“Because of her age there was possibly some loss of elasticity in the uterus and we went for a ‘cross every T and dot every I’ approach, flushing her for a full week, really cleaning her out, and we also had her on Regumate to support the developing embryo. But she scanned in foal first time and gave birth to a huge, healthy colt and she’s clearly adored being a mum.”

You may also be interested in…

Getting ready for your mare to foal: useful advice for first-time breeders

12 tips to help you choose the right stallion for your mare

How much does it cost to breed a horse? H&H crunches the numbers

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

If you have ever dreamed of breeding a foal, you’ve probably wondered what makes a good broodmare? And if you own a mare, you have probably considered the possibility of breeding from her. But the reality is that indiscriminate breeding is a problem in the UK, and while breeding from your beloved mare may seem like a lovely idea, it is important to be objective about whether she would truly make a good broodmare.

Aspiring breeders put a great deal of time and thought into their choice of stallion, quite rightly. But the same amount of consideration should be given to the mare as well, if not more – after all, she is the one who will be carrying precious cargo for 11 months, giving birth and nurturing the foal. And just because she is physically able to carry a foal, does not mean she should.

When it comes to assessing a mare to see if she has what it takes to be a good broodmare, the first thing to do is to honestly ask yourself what you want to breed, and your reasons for doing so. The cost of breeding a foal is substantial, the process can be complex and there is no guarantee you will achieve the desired result.

The next step is to take a long, honest look at the mare in front of you. Decide what you like about her, and what you don’t like – be as critical as possible. And remember that most people unwittingly don rose-tinted glasses when looking at a much-loved horse, so ask a professional to assess her too. Build up an objective picture of her strengths and weaknesses, and consider what you would be happy for a foal to inherit.

So what makes a good broodmare?

Three of the most important aspects to consider when assessing whether a horse would make a good broodmare are conformation, temperament and pedigree.

1. Look closely at the mare’s conformation – she should be balanced from back to front, with structural correctness and everything in proportion, as well as good feet, bone and girth. Consider her soundness record – you don’t want her to pass on inherent weaknesses to a foal. It is also very important to have a vet assess her perineal and reproductive conformation. Look carefully at her movement too, but don’t simply focus on how big or spectacular her paces are; instead assess their natural rhythm and correctness first of all, and look at how the mare uses her body.

2. Consider her temperament, trainability and rideability, and what you want her offspring to inherit. This is why it is crucial to know what it is you want to breed – if your aim is for the foal to grow up to be a safe all-rounder, or amateur’s competition horse, you need them to have high levels of rideability and a sane, sensible character. If, on the other hand, you are aiming to produce a top sport horse, you will usually require a ‘hotter’ temperament, but with a great deal of trainability and willingness to learn. Do not rely on the stallion to bring the temperament you want in a horse – at the very least, a good broodmare would be gentle, easy to handle, willing and sane.

3. Find out as much as you can about the mare’s pedigree. As well as helping you decide which stallion would best complement her, this will also give you a great indication of whether she will produce the sort of foal you are hoping to breed. Do your research into your mare’s damline; look at any other foals her dam or second dam have produced to gain an understanding of which traits are typically passed on and what has worked well before. Look as far back into a mareline’s history as possible, keeping an eye out for graded mares who may have produced successful horses. Credentials like this increase the chances that her offspring will also possess good potential for success.

Other things to consider in potential broodmares

1. The age of the mare. While there is no definitive age at which a mare should no longer be bred, fertility tends to start declining from around the age of 13, and this becomes of greater relevance if the mare is a maiden (has not previously had a foal).

2. Previous offspring. If the mare has had foals in the past, make sure you find out as much as you can about them as this will give a great indication of what your mare could produce in the future, as well as how suited the mare is to the breeding process itself.

3. The mare’s routine and schedule. If she is still competing, or for whatever other reason is less suited to carrying a foal, you may wish to consider embryo transfer, whereby an embryo is flushed from her and inserted into a recipient are to be carried to term.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

At the recent CSI2* at Kelsall Hall EC in Cheshire, showjumper Ronnie Lee Jones maintained his prolific winning ways, but this time with a pair of broodmares, both of whom returned to the competition ring as they were otherwise standing in doing nothing over the winter.

The Essex rider had bought 18-year-old mare Areeb OL and 15-year-old Abeer II OL from Old Lodge Stud, owned by the late Prince Torki.

“We bought them as broodmares to breed from, in November,” explained Ronnie. “They’ve not jumped in the ring for years, we got them straight out the field, manes and tails to the floor – you’d never think they were the same horses, they looked like Welsh mountain ponies.

“While the weather was bad they were stood in, so we thought we may as well play around with them before March, when we start the reproduction side of things,” he added. “They are both fantastic and very sound.”

Former King George V Gold Cup contender

Between them, Areeb OL and Abeer II OL claimed a hat-trick of bronze classes at Kelsall Hill’s inaugural international show with Ronnie in the saddle, including the Synovium Horse Health & Incrediwear UK CSI* 1.20m final.

Areeb OL (Cornet Obolensky x Spartan) was hugely successful for long-time partner Nicole Pavitt and later Mark Armstrong, jumping at Horse of the Year Show and the King George V Gold Cup at the Royal International Horse Show. Areeb’s daughter Troo Contest, by former Old Lodge stallion Super Trooper De Ness jumped up to 1.40m with Sian Edwards.

Abeer II OL (Berlin x Cardino) was ridden by Steven Franks, then Louise Whitaker, and had been out of the ring since 2017.

Ronnie Lee Jones: “She goes in a little snaffle with no martingale“

“Areeb used to jump 1.60m and is very hot – you have to be quiet with her and we don’t ride her much at home, we lead her through the forest off the other one, but she’s very fast.

“Abeer is so lovely, like an old pro, she goes in a little snaffle with no martingale and is usually ridden by my partner, Alex, but I prised her away for this show!“

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Equine frozen embryos are cropping up more and more in the world of sport horse breeding. Embryo transfer, and the sale of embryos already implanted in a recipient mare, has been around for a few years, but now, with scientific processes allowing for more effective and reliable freezing and thawing of equine embryos, more buyers and breeders are exploring the possibility.

Equine frozen embryos: how does it work?

An embryo is the result of a successful fertilisation of a female egg by a male sperm cell. This embryo is then flushed from the mare (if fertilisation does not take place via ICSI) and can be frozen using vitrification, a method of rapid cryopreservation. The embryo can then be preserved in liquid nitrogen to be stored or transported, and transferred into a recipient mare at a later date.

Advantages of frozen embryos

The possibility to freeze and transport embryos offers a convenient way to buy and breed horses, as well as preserving and making available valuable genetics. It allows breeders to delay the implantation of the embryo into a recipient mare to a date of their choosing, for example if embryos are flushed from the donor mare in autumn, then can be frozen, stored and implanted early the following spring.

It also allows for easier import and export of embryos, as it eliminates the need to transport a mare carrying a live embryo, thus opening up a much larger market for the trading of embryos.

The opportunities they offer

Embryo auctions are not new, but frozen embryos are appearing more and more in catalogues of major auctions such as Zangersheide and Ekestrian. The growth of the online auction, partly accelerated by the pandemic, has expanded the market further, allowing embryos to be bought easily from anywhere in the world.

But auctions are not the only means of purchasing a high-quality frozen embryo. The launch of Mares of Macha (MoM), by Belgian entrepreneur Klaas de Coster, alongside Belgian Olympic bronze medal-winning showjumper Pieter Devos, has given breeders the chance to select and purchase frozen embryos from top quality damlines. Under the tagline “Access proven breeding”, MoM offers frozen embryos from their roster of top-class mares for sale online at set prices, moving away from the competitive bidding nature of an auction.

“We noticed that it was difficult to access the best bloodlines – the most common way to do this was via auctions where only the highest bidder could get an exclusive foal. To make this easier, we had to do something different,” says Pieter. “We try to find the best mares in the world and offer all the embryos for fixed and accessible prices on our website.”

Current prices range from €7,750 for a Baloubet Du Rouet embryo out of Vibelle Z up to €25,000 for a Heartbreaker embryo out of Olympic mare Sancha LS. MoM also offers an optional “no pregnancy, no pay” warranty, and under this will arrange for implantation as well as transportation of the embryo.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The equine breeding industry is brimming with pioneers and once in a while, a new concept emerges that makes you stop and take note. “Access proven breeding” is the buzz phrase behind Belgium-based Mares Of Macha (MoM), which offers frozen embryos boasting only the finest genes via the best damlines. The name originates from a goddess in Irish mythology, who is often depicted with a foal, and underlines mares as the cornerstone of breeding.

The enterprise is the brainchild of Belgian entrepreneur Klaas de Coster, alongside Belgian Olympic bronze medal-winning showjumper Pieter Devos and commentator and auctioneer Frederik de Backer – a team bursting with passion and knowledge on their mission to give breeders around the world access to some of the most coveted bloodlines in showjumping.

“We noticed that it was difficult to access the best bloodlines – the most common way to do this was via auctions where only the highest bidder could get an exclusive foal. To make this easier, we had to do something different,” says Pieter. “We try to find the best mares in the world and offer all the embryos for fixed and accessible prices on our website.”

The concept has been years in the making, but from day one, the MoM team have been handpicking their mares according to at least one of three strict markers relating to performance, offspring and damlines, which they pinpointed from extensive research into the sport’s top performers. So she either needs to be a proven sport mare – placed at 1.60m five-star level – or to have already produced an extreme sport horse herself or to be directly out of an extraordinary sporting bloodline.

“‘Extraordinary’ is important there and we don’t think there are too many,” stresses co-founder Klaas, who has been immersed in the showjumping world for 12 years through his sound and lighting company and has already bred grand prix horses himself.

He struck gold with his first purchase from Stephan Conter, Goya, a quality daughter of renowned broodmare Usha Van’t Roosakker by Kannan and a full-sister to several five-star grand prix horses.

“For us, Usha was one of the most amazing breeding mares in the world, so to have a direct daughter was important – we paid a lot of money, but we had a plan and we believed in it,” says Klaas.

MoM now boasts a roster of around 40 black-type mares, boasting some of the world’s most coveted gene pools. Werly Chin De Muze (pictured below), the foundation mare of US stud Spy Coast Farm, meets all three markers – she produced Eric Lamaze’s 2012 Olympic contender Derly Chin De Muze, also the dam of Daniel Deusser’s top mare Killer Queen VDM, she jumped 1.60m herself and came directly out of the outstanding mare Qerly Chin.

Other mares include Whoopie C, the dam of Daniel Deusser’s Tobago Z, Cascha Della Caccia (by Cassini I), who produced Cian O’Connor’s European partner PSG Final, and “the icing on the cake” Contara, the dam of the world’s leading sire Chacco-Blue.

Then there is a string of top performers such as Molly Malone, Sancha LS and, grabbing the headlines recently, Toveks Mary Lou, one of a few mares in partnership rather than sold to MoM. When you can combine these with some of the best sires including Chacco-Blue, Emerald and Comme Il Faut, it’s no wonder the team’s client base is global.

“The three of us tend to pick the stallions together – it’s very subjective though,” says Pieter, who hails from a family steeped in breeding expertise. “Often our clients select the stallion themselves but sometimes they pick their own stallion.”

‘In the best hands’

The magic happens in Italy. The mares reside at the Mares Of Macha farm, Borgo La Caccia, located to the east of Milan and only half an hour away from Avantea, a clinic that specialises in advanced technologies for animal reproduction, led by Dr Cesare Galli, using the ovum pick up (OPU) technique followed by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). At Borgo La Caccia, which also boasts a vineyard, the MoM herd of broodmares enjoy the region’s lush grass and Mediterranean climate all year round.

“If one of my top mares retired tomorrow, I wanted to be able to stand 200% behind the fact I would send her to my own breeding farm in Italy,” says Pieter. “So we’ve done everything to make sure they’re in the best hands over there – we have our own team, our own farm and everything is under our control.”

Klaas explains: “Our vet checks each horse weekly and if they’re ready, they go in and if they’re not, they go back in the field. We don’t use any hormones. You can do OPU every three weeks, but we do a maximum of six OPU sessions per winter – that’s roughly the same as you could with embryo transfer.”

The successfully fertilised eggs are frozen before being shipped to a reproduction facility in Belgium, where they can begin their journey to their new owners.

After investing in their mares, the easy way for MoM to recoup their costs would have been to sell their embryos at auction, which has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, leading to skyrocketing prices. But their decision to ensure “access proven breeding” means they sell all the embryos themselves at fixed prices.

“We had many discussions about how to do this because everyone was doing it through auctions,” explains Klaas. “But access proven breeding is not auctions – that’s highest-bidder proven breeding – so we decided to do it completely differently.”

The MoM website provides a tantalising shop window for their catalogue of frozen embryos and is brilliant in its simplicity – after selecting your mare and choice of embryo from the stallions they’ve been paired with, it’s yours at the click of a button.

“Transparency is key, so we divided our mares and their embryos into four fixed-price categories,” explains Klaas. “All embryos are offered for sale directly – none are kept back.”

‘Access proven breeding’

This access-for-all philosophy means their client base stretches from big-money breeders buying multiple embryos to people seeing it as investment, to sell at auction further down the line to local hobby breeders looking for a new bloodline.

“It’s so easy for breeders – they buy the embryo, we ship it and we can implant it – we can even add a guarantee that you’ll have a pregnant mare,” says Klaas. “The only thing we don’t know is the sex. We’re getting breeders from all over the world. It’s really cool.”

Looking to the future, the team also invests in future MoM mares. The aim is to integrate them into the programme later on, but to first give them every chance to prove themselves in the sport. They currently have six future MoMs, with three jumping under the MoM prefix – Toupie De La Roque (pictured below), Isaura and Coleraine Des Bergeries – and three youngsters, who are grazing in the fields for the time being.

“It’s not about creating embryos, it’s about building a community for people with a love for breeding and a love for the sport,” says Pieter.

Klaas pays tribute to his passionate colleagues, who have proved invaluable on this exciting journey.

“It hasn’t been easy, but we have an amazing team,” he says. “Frederik de Backer is all over the world, he sees lots and he has an encyclopaedic knowledge and a really clear and brilliant mind. Pieter knows how difficult it is to find good horses – he’s at the top of the sport and knows where it’s going, what type of stallions to look at – and his parents have so much experience in breeding, so he was a great match too.”

The oldest MoM embryos will be turning three this year and it feels as if sport horse breeding is on the cusp of an exciting revolution.

“Having better horses all over the world is good for everyone – of course, they have to be produced and that’s the next step, but if it’s not in the horses in the first place you have nothing to develop,” says Pieter.

Klaas adds: “Of course, we have no guarantee, but having these really good mares to breed from does increase the luck. Then add in a good stallion and the chances of producing a good jumping horse are bigger still.”

The plan is to stick within the showjumping world, where their enviable expertise lies “although never say never” to dipping their toes into dressage breeding, says Klaas.

Pieter adds: “The dream would be that in five or 10 years, a breeder will phone me up and say, ‘We have this fantastic horse we bought from you as an embryo, would you like to ride it?’ But we are just a group of young people, a new generation, with new ideas, always looking forward and doing something we really believe in.”

Taking frozen embryos to USA

Mares of Macha work closely with Spy Coast Farm in Kentucky, one of the USA’s most highly regarded sport horse breeders, and last year shipped the first batch of Chacco-Blue frozen embryos over the Atlantic. It is hoped this partnership will also help bring US bloodlines to Europe.

“We decided to partner up because we felt similar aligned interests in regard to breeding, as well as a bunch of mutual trust,” says Spy Coast’s founder Lisa Lourie. “I thought it was a brilliant concept, so much so that I was willing to sell them one of the best bloodlines in the world, the Qerly Chin De Muze/Werly Chin line. It’s the democratic nature of their business that really appeals to me – rather than one person owning a terrific broodmare and deciding who they breed to, what they produce and how they disseminate it; this way, pretty much anyone can buy an embryo from that mare.

“They’ve put a lot of statistical work into it to figure out which mares are appropriate and which stallion matches are good, and I can benefit from their analysis too.

“I think it’ll take a little while for the USA to catch up, but it’s exciting.”

Toveks Mary Lou offspring heads to UK

Somerset-based British team rider James Wilson runs Hill House Sport Horses alongside girlfriend Heather Larson, but had never bought an embryo before hearing about Mares of Macha.

“It really was a dream to get hold of some of these bloodlines, so I thought let’s have a go,” says James, who has ended up buying a handful each year.

His Catoki colt out of Whoopie C sold for £40,000 at the Bolesworth Elite Foals Auction, while he’s kept a full-brother to PSG Final and an Arera C offspring by Chacco-Blue. To acquire the bloodlines of Henrik von Eckermann’s outstanding mare Toveks Mary Lou (pictured above) would have once seemed impossible, but he’s acquired an embryo by stud Zangersheide’s stallion Aganix Du Seigneur Z, which is set to be implanted this spring.

“I’d originally spoken to Henrik to find out if they might be doing embryos from her and I kept pushing, but nothing came of it until Klaas got in touch to say they had Mary Lou,” says James. “I said yes straight away!”

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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Whether you run a stud or are looking to breed your own foal, here’s our pick of broodmares for sale on the H&H website this week, or if none of the below suit your needs, start your search for your next horse here. Our website has more horses than ever currently listed for sale – thanks to our partnership with SEIB, we are now offering all standard horse for sale adverts for free. Have you got a horse to sell? Place your free advert here

Horse & Hound does not support any activity that isn’t in line with the current Government guidelines, nor buying horses unseen. If the current guidelines for your region allow viewings to take place, please ensure they are conducted in accordance with the latest social distancing rules.

1. ‘Excellent mum’

Height: 17hh

Age: 13

Selling points: “This bay roan Clydesdale broodmare is an excellent mum. She has foaled all on her own with no complications. She will be put back to 18.3hh Clydesdale stallion. Both are registered with the Clydesdale Horse Society. Only selling due to stud closure.”

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2. ‘Excellent breeding’

Height: 16.1hh

Selling points: “This pink papered KWPN broodmare is in foal to a 18.3hh Clydesdale. She has excellent breeding and is a great mover. Last year’s foal is incredible and will make 17hh+ . She is confirmed PD (March 2022). The best of both worlds; sports horse x heavy. Only selling due to stud closure.”

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3. ‘Reserve champion’

Height: 16.3hh

Selling points: “This KWPN broodmare, Zenica, is Sandro Hit x Olivi x Juventus x Wellington x Amor x Pericles xx on the stallion’s side and she is in foal to Frankie Lee (24 April 2021). Zenica was reserve champion of the province Limburg (Nld) as a three-year-old. Zenica is also the grandmother of the promising grand prix horse Vamos Amigos (by Vitalis) ridden by Cathrine Dufour. Zenica has a dark bay foal at her foot which was born on 13 February. Its sire is KWPN premium stallion Kaiman (Dark Pleasure x Gribaldi).”

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4. ‘Beautiful’

Height: 14.2hh

Age: 16

Selling points: “Camp Lilly is a very traditionally bred mare By Glanns Owen (x Abbeyleix Owen) out of a Cong Admiral mare. She stands at around 148cm and is a smart, eye-catching mare, who moves very well. This mare is easy to do, lives in or out, with mares or geldings. She is thought to have been broken in a previous home. Lilly has previously had her own foals and been a recipient mare for embryo transfers. She is a great mother and easy to get in foal. She has been scanned in foal for 2022, due to foal end of March to Glencroft Go For Gold, a top jumping stallion for the future – at only seven years old, he has over 60 SJI points, jumping up to 1.10m. He is by I Love You Melody and out of Grey Rock Trish who is by Derrigragh Robin. He is a full brother to international jumping pony Blackwoodland Rock.”

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5. ‘Lovely model’

Height: 14.2hh

Age: six

Selling points: “This NPS registered mare has been shown lightly with success up until she was three. She was lunged and long-reined as a youngster but was then put in foal and produced a stunning filly foal, which has been retained. She is an ideal breaking project or broodmare. She is known to weave in stable but this is manageable with a weave bar on stable door and yard routine. She is good to catch/lead/farrier/vaccinations all up to date.”

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NB: Horse & Hound has not checked the accuracy of the claims made in these adverts and cannot be held liable if the information included above is inaccurate in any way

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Headmore Stud in Hampshire has been producing some seriously impressive dressage horses in recent years. But dressage breeding was never the original plan for stud owner Sarah Oppenheimer and her daughter, international grand prix rider Alice Oppenheimer. 

On episode 52 of The Horse & Hound Podcast – which also marks the show’s one-year anniversary – Alice explains how her mother “accidentally fell” into breeding after she took on a thoroughbred hunter as a broodmare after the death of her owner.

“Mum started breeding some eventers, as that was her thing at the time. But Darren and Suzanne Lavendera were based just down the road and one day Darren rang up my mum and said, ‘You’ve got to come and see this colt we have just imported; he is unreal’. So mum popped round to see him and came back saying that she had fallen in love with this colt – his name was Dimaggio and she was going to use him on the thoroughbred mare we had,” recalls Alice. 

“So when Dimaggio was three years old and started covering, mum was one of the very first people to use him, in that first year. The pairing created Headmore Donato, who was owned by Nicky Morris and was the dam to Maeve Morris’ Headmore Footloose, who has now won four national titles.”

As well as Dimaggio, who went on to become a legendary sire, one of the most significant horses in the Headmore breeding programme was Rubinsteena (Ruby). The Rubinstein I daughter was bought from Julie Deverill at Half Moon Stud and went on to become a star broodmare for the stud. This “amazing” mare, winner of the H&H outstanding mare award in 2019, was the dam of, among others, Alice’s grand prix horses Dirubinio, Diffinity and Davina, plus the younger mare Bella Ruby, currently winning at small tour level. 

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“It is so special competing home-breds. In 2019 these three all stepped up to grand prix level and I love that I have a photo of all three of them as foals,” says Alice. “The relationship we have with them is amazing – I know them like the back of my hand and, being related, they do all have similarities.

“Another huge part of producing horses that you have bred is that it’s not like buying a horse, when you can pick what you want. When you breed to have to be able to adapt and learnt to ride the horse you’ve bred. It’s a slightly different way of riding, in that you have to be able to adapt, rather than choose horses that suit you.”

To hear more from Alice, tune in to this week’s episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, available for free on all major podcast platforms.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Equine viral arteritis may be rare in the UK, but we cannot afford to be complacent, warns Karen Coumbe MRCVS

WITH vague signs and the ability to spread undetected via silent “shedder” stallions, the infectious disease equine viral arteritis (EVA) has the potential to cause havoc within the UK breeding industry.

EVA is caused by the equine arteritis virus and is found virtually worldwide, including in mainland Europe where there is high horse population immunity and low-grade signs of the disease.

Evidence suggests the global incidence of EVA is increasing. While the UK has remained relatively unaffected, this means our equine population has little or no immunity and would be highly vulnerable to infection when or if the virus recurs here again.

EVA is unusual in that it is spread by both respiratory and venereal routes. The disease is rarely life-threatening to healthy adult horses, but can result in abortion in broodmares and, infrequently, death in young foals.

The most serious issue is that some stallions are apparently healthy carriers of infection, shedding the virus in their semen. Mares mated with or inseminated by such shedder stallions may become infected and spread the disease to others by the respiratory route.

The disease can be transmitted by all forms of artificial insemination (AI); neither chilling nor freezing will destroy the virus, which is preserved in the semen. Antibiotics commonly used in semen extenders have no effect on its survival. The consequences of an outbreak could be devastating, both for individual studs and the wider equine industry.

How the equine arteritis virus spreads

• Through venereal contact between mare and stallion
• From stallion to mare at AI, through infected semen
• Via droplets from the respiratory tract, spread by coughing and snorting, through any close contact, such as in yards, turnout or at shows
• Through contact with aborted foetuses, or fluids and placentas of mares who aborted due to EVA, or during foaling

High-risk situations

MECHANISMS are in place to prevent the introduction of equine viral arteritis to the UK via semen imports.

Any semen imported should be certified by an official vet from the country of origin, to confirm that the stallion is free from infections – including EVA.

In the UK, only vets and certified AI technicians are allowed to inseminate mares. It is their responsibility to notice the lack of certification, whether paper or electronic, to acknowledge this is an illegal import that should be rejected, and to report the infringement appropriately.

The British horse industry must do all it can to protect itself from any further outbreaks. EVA is classified here as an exotic notifiable disease, which means that a case must be reported to the authorities if it is identified in stallions, or mares that have been bred or inseminated in the past 14 days.

High-risk situations for spread of the disease include any import and also the covering or insemination of mares, and when they are later foaling down, or whenever there is movement of horses between premises.

As horses which have EVA and are capable of passing on the disease do not necessarily show clinical signs, control and prevention is based upon blood testing to identify carriers.

Owners and breeders need to be aware of the potential risks of EVA. Equally, vets must remain vigilant. The disease should be considered a possibility until it can be ruled out by diagnostic testing of any suspects.

It would seem that most of the recent EVA infections in the UK have been carrier stallions, first detected by routine serological (blood) testing conducted for international trade, pre-purchase or pre-breeding purposes, and not identified through investigation of clinical disease.

Be cautious, however, and monitor your inseminated mare for signs of illness, which is one way the disease has previously been detected.

Physical clues include fever, lethargy and depression, conjunctivitis (pink eye), nasal discharge, nettle rash-type skin lesions and swelling of the eye socket, lower limbs, scrotum or udder.

All of these signs are vague, so lab tests are required to confirm the diagnosis. Proper investigations can identify the presence and level of antibodies by testing blood, and can also screen for the actual virus in blood, semen and other samples.

When a mare aborts her foal, or if a newborn foal’s death could be EVA-related, the mare’s clinical history and blood samples should be sent to the lab along with samples from both the placenta and the dead foal.

Prevention via vaccination

There are reliable, readily available tests to control equine viral arteritis. The main method of prevention is vaccination, particularly for stallions, accompanied by blood tests on all horses prior to breeding to confirm that they are free from infection.

Semen can be tested to ensure it is safe for insemination, and also to identify whether a stallion is shedding the virus. More than one EVA outbreak, such as that in South Africa, has been caused by semen sent from Europe that subsequently was reported to be infected.

In the UK, the vaccine is used to protect stallions but not mares. The timing of the vaccine is crucial, so it should be administered under strict veterinary guidance. A blood test must be taken beforehand to show that the stallion has no antibodies, because post-vaccination tests cannot distinguish whether antibodies present are from infection or immunisation.

It is vital for breeding, sale and potential export purposes that any such blood test results are received and properly documented in the horse’s passport before vaccination – and that the vaccination is administered every six months.

Certainly, no mare or stallion should be used for breeding until there is a definite clear lab test signalling that it is safe to go ahead. A test is likely to cost less than £50 and can save a huge amount of hassle.

Even if a stallion is destined for competition and not breeding, it is still wise to arrange a basic blood test before purchase and importation – and to double-check the horse after arrival.

Treatment for equine viral arteritis

THERE is currently no treatment for EVA. While some people have suggested that anti-testosterone medication can reduce shedder status in stallions, this is unreliable and not recommended.

The problem will be eliminated if the horse is castrated, as only stallions are persistent shedders. Otherwise, such horses must be isolated under Government movement restriction orders and managed extremely carefully. Some are re-exported.

Currently, the UK Government publishes details of restricted infected horses on its website. The same website has a review of the 2019 UK outbreak, which reveals the capacity for spread of infection by respiratory means, rather than just through covering, and the relatively large number of horses involved.

The review also highlights the importance of making sure that horses coming from countries where EVA commonly occurs (Spain, for example, in the 2019 outbreak), into countries such as the UK, where it is not routinely present, should be properly tested as negative before importation and retested after arrival. Quarantine is also an important factor to consider, along with being aware of where your horses have travelled, so that any spread of infection can be tracked.

The health of all of our horses is put at risk if these vital checks are ignored. Insist on clean certificates for all breeding horses at the start of every breeding season, be extra vigilant and consider quarantine with new arrivals – especially those that are imported. This is a serious equine disease, which has the potential to be a major impediment to international horse travel.

Detailed Codes of Practice for 2021 can be found at the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) website: codes.hblb.org.uk

H&H 11 February 2021

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A key cause of the loss of early pregnancies in horses has been identified. H&H hears from those involved in the research to find out more, as well as veterinary experts in their fields to understand the wider implications of the findings...

A chromosomal defect is the cause of many equine pregnancies’ early failure, it has been found, in a discovery that could lead to new diagnostic testing.

Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) found that aneuploid pregnancies, where the number of chromosomes is abnormal with a copy of a whole chromosome duplicated or lost, is a key cause of pregnancy loss within the first two months. Early miscarriage has been difficult for vets to manage as its cause is often unknown.

The researchers, led by Mandi de Mestre, reader in reproductive immunology and head of the equine pregnancy laboratory at the RVC, worked with seven vet practices to gain access to samples from across the UK and Ireland. They found that about 20% of the pregnancies lost were aneuploid.

Until now, chromosomal defects such as aneuploidy have only been reported as a rare condition in young horses with developmental disorders.

An RVC spokesman said: “This study explains why the condition is so rare in horses, with most embryos and foetuses possessing this genetic change dying very early in development, as is also observed in human pregnancy. The study highlights the need to reconsider this genetic condition both in pregnancy loss, but also for early developmental disorders.”

Dr de Mestre said the team’s findings would help researchers develop diagnostic tests, “which would offer hope to thousands of owners of breeding mares”.

“A diagnostic test would allow them to make informed decisions on treatment strategies and to advise on whether they should invest in further attempts to breed a mare, benefiting both horses and breeders,” she said. “I would like to thank both The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and our collaborators at Texas A&M University and the participating veterinary surgeons for their support on this project.”

James Crabtree, an independent veterinary consultant in equine reproduction and stud medicine at Equine Reproductive Services, said the study is important as the cause of many pregnancy losses is unknown.

“The team at the RVC have been great to work with and very understanding of the challenges we face in practice, while considering our clinical judgements and reasonings with care and attention,” he said.

“It has been a great privilege to work with the RVC on this research project and we look forward to further collaborations.”

British Equine Veterinary Association president elect Huw Griffiths told H&H the cause of early embryonic loss had been “the topic of much debate for some time”.

He said: “The causal factors are varied, as are the possible treatments available. Increased knowledge regarding the cause of embryonic loss will help the stud vet make informed choices as to which mares are the most likely to have repeated issues, versus those who have a rare genetic mismatch.”

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Unless a mare is to be used solely for breeding, her maternity leave must come to an end as she begins, or resumes, a ridden career. But when will she be ready for work?

Lucy Brock MRCVS, of Pinkham Equine Veterinary Services, explains that the period up until weaning is long enough for the average mare to recover from the rigours of carrying and delivering a foal.

“During pregnancy, the mare’s abdomen muscles and her prepubic tendon, which runs from her sternum to her pelvis, will stretch,” says Lucy. “Her musculature will have altered from carrying the weight of the foal and she’ll have lost top line, and her ligaments will slacken during the run-up to the birth.

“Five to six months is the recommended period before mare and foal are separated, so this weaning window allows time for any inflammation to go down and for general muscle recovery to begin,” she adds. “It’s worth asking your vet to check she is ready to be ridden, however, especially if she had difficulty foaling or needed a caesarian section.

“The mare is always distracted with a foal at foot, so it would be unusual to ride her before weaning,” Lucy continues. “There’s nothing particularly wrong with starting a little sooner, as the uterus is usually back to its normal size after a couple of cycles and the blood supply should regress nicely.

“While gentle exercise will help to get any excess fluid from the pregnancy moving, ridden work is difficult if the mare is still nursing — and I would have concerns about the foal’s joint health and development if he was expected to run alongside.”

Easy does it

After weaning, Lucy suggests waiting for a week or two to allow the mare to settle before starting a gradual exercise programme.

“The saddle fit will need to be checked, as she will be a different shape after foaling,” says Lucy.

“An older mare or one who has bred multiple foals is likely to have poor conformation behind, so she may suck in air through her vulva,” she adds. “Any contamination of the uterus could affect future breeding prospects, so your vet may recommend a Caslick stitch, where the lips of the vulva are sewn together.”

How your mare bounces back from foaling will depend on her age, her breeding history and how fit she was before pregnancy.

“You wouldn’t know that some three- and four-year-olds had ever foaled,” Lucy says. “It can take time for an individual to regain the right musculature, however, so it’s important to progress at an appropriate pace.

Ref Horse & Hound; 3 October 2019

The arrival of twin foals tends to hit headlines. When breeding mare Didi Van Weltevreden delivered not just one foal this spring but two, her connections were certainly surprised.

“We hadn’t realised that she was carrying a twin foal, until the birth,” says Marjolijn Takke of Beukestein Stables in Maartensdijk, the Netherlands. “She had developed a really big belly towards the end of her pregnancy, but the vet told us that was normal as the mare is big.

“When the filly foal arrived and was not that large, we joked that there might be another one in there,” Marjolijn continues. “Then Didi started to labour again and delivered the second foal, a colt.”

Didi’s double delivery is indeed remarkable, according to Dr Charles Cooke MRCVS of Equine Reproductive Services.

“As a prey animal, a newborn foal must be ready to leap to his feet and run,” he explains, pointing out that other baby mammals that have the “pack” to protect them remain helpless, with their eyes shut, for some time. “To ensure this happens, the mare’s placenta provides all the foetus needs but will only really sustain one foal satisfactorily. Twin pregnancies can occur, however, when a mare ovulates an egg from each of two follicles and both eggs are fertilised.

“Carrying twins is risky,” adds Charles. “It is essential that the mare has an ultrasound scan 15-16 days after covering to see if she is in foal, address any twin/triplets or prepare her for re-covering if she isn’t pregnant — and another at around 18-20 days if there is any evidence or suspicion of a second pregnancy. Some mares are also scanned at 28 days to confirm a single, healthy foetus.”

Twin foals: the chances of survival

While some twin pregnancies may reduce to a single spontaneously in the first few weeks, Charles explains that prompt action is preferable. It is usual for the vet to “squeeze” (crush) one by hand at the 15-16 day exam, when the procedure is relatively simple and has minimal effect on the remaining embryo.

Didi was scanned several times by the vet during her early pregnancy, yet a second embryo was never spotted. How does a twin foal remain undetected?

“Identifying a twin pregnancy can be difficult” explains Charles. “A pregnancy can be surprisingly similar to a uterine cyst, which is a dilation of soft tissue in the uterus, so an embryo nestled up against cysts can ‘blend in’. Repeat scans can help.”

“If the embryos settle next to each other at the base of the same uterine horn [arm], they are in competition for space and nutritional contact with the uterus. They might both be lost or reduce spontaneously, although this cannot be relied upon and happens later than the 15-16 day vet squeeze. Manual reduction is always the best option for a single, healthy pregnancy. Those in separate horns can develop independently, which usually leads to problems in mid-late pregnancy.

“Complications include musculoskeletal issues for the mare, uterine trauma and infection, or abortion with possible ‘dystocia’ [delivery problems].”

If twins are born live, their combined weight is often the same as the single foal the mare’s uterus is designed to carry, explains Charles. They tend to be very weak with an increased risk of neonatal illness.

“Twin foals are always a worry and are to be avoided where possible, so ultrasound examination in early pregnancy is something we always recommend,” he says. “When they do occur and survive, they are headline news for a reason.”

Ref Horse & Hound; 22 August 2019

The Horse & Hound outstanding mare award for 2019 has been won by Sarah Oppenheimer’s prolific broodmare, Rubinsteena (Rubinstein x Donnerhall).

The fantastic foundation mare of the Oppenheimers’ Headmore Stud, in Hampshire, died last year at the age of 22, leaving behind an extensive dressage dynasty who are winning at national and regional level.

The award was presented to Sarah by Horse & Hound’s dressage and sport horse breeding editor Polly Bryan, at the annual British Breeders Dinner and Awards Ceremony, organised by the British Horse Foundation.

Sarah Oppenheimer bought Ruby (pictured below) from Julie Deverill at Half Moon Stud, who herself had bought the mare as a foal from Christian Heinrich.

“Ruby has produced so many lovely horses for us; every single one of them has been a superstar, and we still have some of her offspring that haven’t been seen out yet,” Sarah told H&H. “She was just amazing — it didn’t matter which stallion you used on her, you got a star. She will leave a total legacy for us — we’re starting to have her grandchildren now. Ruby really was part of the family, and we owe her everything.”

Among Ruby’s most successful offspring currently on the circuit are Headmore Wimoweh, an 11-year-old by Wiowode who recently made a successful grand prix debut, Headmore Dirubinio (by Dimaggio), who was reserve winter advanced medium music champion in 2018, just behind his full sister Headmore Davina, an inter I winner at Hickstead CDI in 2018 and third at the nationals, and Headmore Bella Ruby, who was fourth in the national six-year-old final in 2018.

“Without Ruby we would have only one horse on our yard— everything else I ride is one of hers,” said Alice.

“All of them have a temperament and rideability that you can’t train — they have to be born with it. They all have this desire to work and please their rider; you get them between the white boards and they just seem to know their job.

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‘She loved being a broodmare’: final farewell to star dam

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Breeding FAQ: caring for the pregnant broodmare

Tips on caring for the pregnant broodmare

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“We used to laugh about Ruby and call her cantankerous, but in a good way,” she added. “She was a very strong mare, who really liked people but wasn’t such a big fan of other horses. If she had a foal at foot she wouldn’t let any other horse near her — she was a really good mum.”

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With the nominations now open for the 2018 Horse & Hound Outstanding Mare of the Year Award, to be presented at the British Breeders Awards Celebratory Dinner on Saturday 12 January 2019, we take a look back at some of the fabulous mares who have been honoured with this prestigious award to date…

Faerie Dazzler (2017)

Last year’s winner was Trisha Rickards’ “brave and feisty” mare Faerie Dazzler, whose offspring went on to succeed at the very highest level.

Born at the Catherston stud in 1990, Daisy competed at the top level in eventing under David Green. Her best result was a ninth-place finish at Saumur CCI3* in 2001, before retiring from competition the following year.

She produced six foals, with the now 13-year-old Faerie Dianimo, by Keystone Dimaggio, finishing 17^th individually at the 2016 Rio Olympics with New Zealand’s Jonelle Price. The 12-year-old Xavier Faer, by Catherston Liberator, has also followed in her footsteps with Jonelle’s husband Tim, finishing third at Badminton 2017.

“Being a breeder, I always think the mare is more important than the stallion. If your mare gives good stock you can do a lot with them,” says Trisha, who still has Daisy, now 28, at home at Brockenhurst Park in Hampshire.

“Daisy owes me absolutely nothing; she has a nice life and she’ll stay here in the park for the rest of her days. She still babysits her youngsters when they come back for a holiday — she likes to put them in line!”

World’s Finest (2016)

When a mare’s legacy includes a world bronze medallist as well as national champions, you know she is something very special. Indeed, the 2016 winner was one of the Hawtins Stud’s foundation mares, the now 24-year-old World’s Finest (Wolfie, pictured above and top), by Weltmeyer.

Among Wolfie’s offspring are Carl Hester’s World Equestrian Games ride Hawtins Delicato, and Charlotte Dujardin’s multiple national champion Hawtins San Floriana, as well as several other regional and young horse champions.

“I love my mares so much. Everyone talks about stallions all the time, but the mare is such an important part,” says the Hawtins stud’s Judith Davis.

“As breeders, we’re the keepers of the marelines, with responsibility to move them forward. If you make bad decisions then you’re not progressing the line and building it for the future.”

Seven Percent (2015)

When Suzy Mainprice heard that her then 21-year-old Hanoverian mare Seven Percent (Shirley) had won the 2015 Horse & Hound outstanding mare award, she cried.

“I bought her in Germany with her dam for very little money,” Suzy says. “I was flabbergasted, particularly as people are importing mares costing £100,000 and we’ve only ever used our own stallions on Shirley, not top ones from Europe.”

The performance-tested mare by Sherlock Holmes has had 14 foals. Among these was the Pascal daughter Private Eye, who produced the Paralympic horse Double Agent.

“Seven Percent felt like she was designed with a place for you to sit and was so trainable,” says Suzy. “She’s the cleverest, kindest, most wonderful mare and her progeny inherit that.

“Everyone who’s had one from her is always after another. They’re so beautifully balanced and trainable.”

Whitton Daisy (2014)

This award is not limited to sport mares, and the 2014 winner certainly proved that. The Suffolk mare Whitton Daisy beat a host of successful mares from the Olympic disciplines to pick up the prize, much to the surprise of her owners, Tom and Sandy Walne.

Daisy has produced six foals, providing a much-needed boost to this critically endangered breed, and of these have had significant success on the county show circuit.

“I just can’t believe that out of all the mares up for the award Daisy was chosen. I was quite expecting a polite letter saying she wasn’t what fitted the criteria for the award,” said Sandy.

Woodlander Dornroschen (2013)

The 2013 winner was picked up by the Woodlander Stud’s Lynne Crowden for the brilliant mare Dornroschen. This daughter of Dimaggio, bought in-foal from Brightwells Auction, went on to achieve much international grand prix success under Michael Eilberg, who also rode her daughter Woodlander Farouche to become double world young horse champion.

Both mares have since been retired from sport, but 16-year-old Dornroschen’s legacy is still going strong; she has two licensed stallion sons in Franz Ferdinand and Freddie M, and Farouche’s son Woodlander Wild Child is a champion stallion.

Waldfee (2012)

The 2012 H&H-sponsored outstanding mare award went to Waldfee, John and Julie Deverill’s foundation mare at the Half Moon Stud. Her most famous offspring was Half Moon Delphi, ridden to team silver by Michael Eilberg at the 2014 World Equestrian Games, but among her 13-strong foal crop were several other advanced dressage horses.

Waldfee, a grey mare by the Hanoverian sire Westwall, died in the summer of 2012 aged 20.

Continued below…

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Kings Mistress (2011)

It’s impressive enough for one of a mare’s offspring to reach the echelons of four-star eventing, but Mary King’s Kings Mistress was dam to three top eventers.

Her most well-known is the third of the three, Kings Temptress, a mare by Primitive Rising who clocked up 10,099 British Eventing points and won the Kentucky CCI4* in 2011. She also twice finished in the top 10 at Burghley.

Her other two daughters, Kings Gem and Kings Fancy, also went on to international success.

Nominations for the 2018 H&H Outstanding Mare of the Year Award close on Monday, 3 December. To nominate your mare, click here.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday

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Alice Oppenheimer has paid tribute to Headmore Stud’s star broodmare Rubinsteena, who has died aged 22.

“Ruby” is mother to a dressage dynasty, with her offspring winning across the levels at regional and national level.

“We didn’t buy her initially to breed from,” Alice told H&H. “She had a couple of foals before we bought her and the intention was to bring her back into work, but thank god it went the way that it did.

“It didn’t matter which stallion we used, she always gave us an amazing foal — we were so lucky. She was so correct in her conformation and her movement, she was very special.

“All [her offspring] have a fantastic work ethic, are very kind horses and love people, they genuinely want to do the work.”

Sarah Oppenheimer bought Ruby from Julie Deverill at Half Moon Stud, who herself had bought the mare as a foal from Christian Heinrich.

Her most successful progeny include Half Moon Frizzante, who won the 2012 elementary open title at the 2012 winter championships and won at small tour level. She is also the dam of Headmore Davina, winner of numerous national and regional titles who qualified for this year’s British Dressage National Championships at small tour.

She had three offspring competing at the 2018 winter championships: Headmore Dirubinio (by Dimaggio), Headmore Davina (by Dimaggio) and Headmore Bella Ruby (by Belissimo M).

Her 2008 foal, Headmore Wimoweh, made his grand prix debut in August at Bury Farm high profile show, finishing third on 67.57% at his first attempt.

Her 2016 foal Headmore Valentina was awarded an elite premium at the British Breeders/British Equestrian Federation Futurity with a score of 9.7, the joint-third highest ever mark.

“She was a fantastic mum, knew exactly what to do,” said Alice, adding it was almost as if she would say “take it away” when the foals reached six months old.

Continues below…

‘Her heart made her’: rider pays tribute to four-star mare

The eventer has said goodbye to her European Championships partner, who would ‘never give up’

Mary King retires former Kentucky winner Kings Temptress

The British star shares her memories of her homebred and her plans for the mare’s future with H&H

‘Wannabe cob’ turns her hoof to international eventing

The mare who was ‘kicked out of a riding school’ has completed her first one-star

“She was quite bossy so the foals always had that herd instinct that makes them rideable as they were so used to having someone in charge, they look to the rider for guidance and support.

“She loved being a broodmare, I genuinely think that was her calling in life.”

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The breeder of a champion broodmare who has been put down aged 20 has paid tribute to her “special horse”.

Future Illicit Affair (Mirage), who was owned and bred by Julia Hodkin of Future Sport Horses, was discovered with colic symptoms on Monday afternoon (17 September).

Julia told H&H: “The vet thinks she may have had a haemorrhage because she went downhill in the space of minutes. She was happy and eating in the morning, then in the afternoon when she was re-checked she was down and clearly in a lot of pain. Something went very wrong, very quickly.

“The vet attended and did all she could but Mirage was showing signs of going in to shock and collapsed. In discussion with the vet we felt she was unlikely to survive the journey to hospital given the speed of her decline and the symptoms she had, and the chances of her successfully recovering from any surgery she had, were limited. I therefore took the hugely emotional decision to stop her suffering any further.”

The 16.3hh mare, who was by The Outlaw out of the thoroughbred mare Classic Fayre (by Brianston Zipper xx), was the first foal bred by Julia, and became the foundation mare for her stud, producing the life graded SHB(GB) stallion Future Illusion as her first foal. She had been bred for a sport career but suffered a serious injury as a weanling.

“She jumped a huge five-bar gate and got stuck halfway, separating her sacrum from her pelvis. It was touch and go for three months on whether she would come sound, but eventually she did,” said Julia. “We had her professionally broken and she was lovely, she had lots of talent, but there was no point in pushing her in a competition career when she was already carrying a weakness.”

Mirage received head studbook grading with the Sport Horse Breeding (GB), winning titles including broodmare diploma at the BEF Futurity, champion sporthorse broodmare at the National Hunter Show in 2005, sport horse broodmare and hunter broodmare champion at the Suffolk County Show 2007 and local hunter broodmare at the East of England county show in 2007.

“We hardly ever took her out showing but when we did she nearly always won. She was a lovely easy mare, but when you took her to a show she liked to show off – when she got in front of a crowd, she knew she was good. Her son Future Illusion inherited her stage presence,” said Julia.

Mirage’s first foal, Future Illusion by stallion Fleetwater Opposition, won many titles including champion foal at the National Hunter show and lightweight hunter foal sport horse foal, going on to an eventing career with Jeannette Brakewell and a dressage career with Kelly Aldous. Future Illusion was retained by Future Sport Horses and the stallion is life-graded with SHB, life-approved AES and licensed with Breeders Elite studbook.

His career ended as it began, as a champion — Emotional tribute to multi-garlanded Welsh cob lost in lorry accident

“It took him a long time to mature into the magnificent specimen he became”

‘I felt the luckiest girl in the world’: final farewell to former four-star eventer

The horse, who completed Badminton and Burghley in his former career, finished his career with success at lower-level eventing

‘I owe him so much’: final farewell to former Badminton winner

‘I’ll miss you and will always hold fond memories of you. I owe you so much. One day we’ll meet

“The achievement I’m most proud of is that The Queen used him three years ago for her Horse of the Year Show mare Stardust, so Mirage has a royal grandson,” said Julia.

In addition to Future Illusion, Mirage bred six other top foals including Royal International Horse Show finalist Future Illicit Opposition, and county show winners Future Illicit Heights and Future Inspiration. She was in foal to Julia’s “very exciting” colt Future Guilty Pleasure when she died.

“Mirage was an amazing mother, she loved her foals,” Julia said. “She was a very kind mare, and just a very special horse. She was no trouble at all, and was a joy to own. It’s really hit us hard losing Mirage and her foal so unexpectedly.”

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

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Mammary tumours are exceedingly rare in the horse, occurring much less frequently than in other mammalian species such as humans and dogs.

The factors that protect horses from such tumours are not yet understood, but are of considerable interest. If such factors could be identified, they may provide insight to help reduce the incidence of breast cancer in other species.

When mammary tumours do occur in equines, they are generally invasive and spread to other organs. Tumours can be present alongside mastitis, so further investigation should be undertaken if a horse with mastitis does not respond as expected to medical therapy.

Ultrasound can be useful to evaluate the structure of the affected gland and also to guide biopsy sample collection. Biopsy is required to confirm the diagnosis and to identify the type of tumour that is present.

In human breast cancer patients, the presence of oestrogen receptors (a group of proteins found inside and on the cells) in biopsied tissue is used as a prognostic marker — a biological characteristic that can be measured and evaluated to predict the course of the disease.

These receptors have also been identified in the biopsied tissue from some equine mammary tumours. This suggests that hormones may play a role in the cause of mammary tumours in the horse, as in other species.

Radical surgery may be performed to remove such tumours but the prognosis in these cases is frequently poor.

Managing mastitis

A more common mammary condition is mastitis, an infection of the mammary gland. This usually — but not always — occurs in lactating mares or following weaning of the foal.

Typically, the mare’s udder is enlarged and can be warm and painful to touch. Abnormal mammary secretions are usually present and milk may be lumpy or blood-tinged. An irregular gait may be the first abnormality noted, sometimes with oedema (swelling) in front of the mammary gland. In severe cases the mare may also be dull and off her feed.

Treatment of mastitis involves stripping out the affected quarter of the udder to remove all milk. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are also helpful in more severely affected cases. Abscesses can occasionally form within the mammary gland, which may require more lengthy antimicrobial treatment or surgical drainage.

The prognosis is generally good for a horse with mastitis, although future milk production may sometimes be reduced.

Inappropriate lactation may be observed in both pregnant and non-pregnant mares. Premature lactation in the pregnant mare may be a sign of fetal distress or indicate other complications associated with pregnancy, such as placentitis, and should be investigated immediately.

Lactation in mares that are not in foal usually coincides with the mare coming in to oestrous (season). This is more commonly seen in overweight mares and sports horses. Treatment is not usually required in these cases and milk should not be stripped out as this will encourage further milk production.

Conditions affecting the mammary glands are much less common in horses than in other species, but they do still occur.

Any change in size or shape of the glands should therefore prompt veterinary evaluation.

Ref: Horse & Hound; 4 February 2016

The broodmare Seven Percent was the recipient of the Horse & Hound outstanding mare award at this year’s British Horse Foundation’s breeders’ awards dinner in London (16 January).

Suzy Mainprice’s 21-year-old performance-tested Hanoverian mare by Sherlock Holmes x Western Star was imported as a yearling and has produced 14 foals.

“I bought her in Germany with her dam for very little money,” Suzy told H&H. “When I heard ‘Shirley’ had won, I cried. I was flabbergasted, particularly as people are importing mares costing £100,000 and we’ve only ever used our own stallions on Shirley, not top ones from Europe.”

After having her first foal, Seven Percent was left empty in order to compete her performance test.

“I even rode her myself a few times,” added Suzy. “She felt like she was designed with a place for you to sit and was so trainable. She’s the cleverest, kindest, most wonderful mare and her progeny inherit that.

“Everyone who’s had one from her is always after another. They’re so beautifully balanced and trainable.”

Suzy described the award as “a great boost at this cold time of year”.

“I’m so grateful to everyone who has bought her offspring; it’s them who have done the hard work.”

Seven Percent had half a dozen foals by Pascal, including the filly Private Eye. She in turn was matched with Donnersohn to produce Double Agent, now an international para dressage horse with Canada’s Bert Sheffield.

In 2015, Seven Percent had three progeny and one grand-daughter qualified for the British Dressage winter championships at Hartpury: Pik Panther, Unsolved, Ultimate and Double Agent.

Also honoured at the dinner was the late Richard Matson, who was awarded the SEIB meritoire for his outstanding contribution to British breeding.

Richard died last month and his award was collected by his sons Tullis and Edward.

Richard was a judge, president, committee member, council member, trustee, chair and vice chair of numerous organisations and worked tirelessly to drive up standards in agriculture, rare breeds and equestrianism.

Richard was the senior partner at Shropshire’s pioneering Twemlows Stud, which he set up in the 1990s and is now run by Edward, with the corresponding Stallion AI Services next door, run by Tullis.

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Sara Longworth of Waverley Stud offers advice on what to look for when selecting a future competition prospect

So you’ve decided you want to buy a foal with potential. Here Sara Longworth of Waverley Stud provides advice on what to look for when selecting a future competition prospect.

Watching a foal mature from a playful baby into a strong, healthy four-year-old, ready for young horse classes, remains one of the most rewarding experiences for any rider or owner, to be enjoyed with the highs and lows along the way.

When looking to purchase a foal there are many things to think about, and often the best place to start is with you. How confident and proficient a rider are you? How far do you want to go in the sport? What kind of horse do you like to ride and has given you your best results? What sort of support do you have in terms of training?

It is no use buying a hot, spectacularly moving youngster if the temperament will unnerve you when it comes to the time to get on, or throw you off balance in the sitting trot.

Being clear about your requirements when you start looking for any new horse is important, but when it is a baby you can’t try, it’s crucial. So what else is there to consider?

For us the mare is paramount – in many ways the most important part of the equation. Not only will she supply half the genes, but she will carry the foal for nearly 11 months and nurture it for at least its first six months helping to form the foal’s initial experiences and behaviours.

A sensible mare will often produce sensible children, if paired with the right stallion!

A few points to consider:

• Mares are like stallions from a breeding perspective: they should possess traits that the breeder wants to replicate (e.g. conformation, gaits or ‘rideability’) in the progeny. This is the only reason to use a mare and the only reason to use a stallion.

• Look at the mare and be honest with yourself! Is she a type you personally like? Do you see traits you would like replicated in a horse you would like to own? Has the foal inherited them?

• Are there any other offspring available for you to look at so that you can see if points of outstanding conformation (or otherwise) are reliably passed on to her children?

• Bloodlines are key, and so are mare families. Take time to look into their history and go back as far as you can. For example one of our 1A State Premium Mares, Waverley Dalloway, is from the Aricia damline, which goes back to 1901 and has earned well in excess of €1million. She is the child of Elite and State Premium mares and also full sister to the Hannoverian mare champion of 2011 in Verden and to a stallion which licensed in Verden in 2012.

Credentials like this increase the chances that her offspring will also have potential. Three of our mares are Elite as well as State Premium — having been awarded the title through the quality of their offspring, i.e. because they have bred licensed stallions or other state premium mares or successful dressage horses; and their families number numerous licensed stallions and sport horses.

Again, associations like this increase the chances that new offspring will be trainable and of the right

quality. If the grandmothers were not quality mares there is a chance the offspring won’t be either. Many people look like their grandparents — it is the same with horses!

• Temperament and trainability in a dressage horse are key — so look carefully at these two aspects in the mare and any of her existing offspring. Remember sharpness is not synonymous with lack of trainability. A placid dull horse can also be hard to train.

Sharp horses can be bold, very clever and very trainable, but they need experienced handling and have to be right for the buyer. A good indication of trainability is that the foal or young horse should have done everything asked of it to date — successfully!

What and how much it has been asked to do will be age dependent. This will often be dependent on its ability to trust the humans around him or her — and breeders must begin to earn the trust of their foals from the first minutes and hours of a foals life.

• Good conformation would be next in importance; whatever the future holds for your foal, it has to be physically capable of doing the job. The movement of foals, even within the first six months, will indicate whether their conformation will allow them to ‘sit’ for the higher movements in dressage; and whether or not they are athletic enough to do tempi changes, and extend and collect within the pace. Conversely poor conformation can increase the risk of injury, especially if the goal is high level competition.

• How important are flamboyant gaits? For some they are a must — but they are not always a sure indication of future talent. Carl Hester always says that Valegro had a very unremarkable trot when he selected him; but most professionals will look for a good canter and a good walk (‘good’ being defined by activity, rhythm and swing).

At Waverley Stud, Sara aims to breed five or six quality foals per year — concentrating on quality not quantity.

Sara said: “Our aim is to produce a high quality foal with the best bloodlines, that will be capable of performing at the highest level in the world of dressage.

“There is no perfect horse. But as a breeder, our reputation depends on the quality of the foals we can offer and our aim is to always produce the very best youngsters we can by selecting the right stallion to compliment and improve each of our supremely well qualified ladies.

“Stallions must self-evidently bring something to the party in terms of their conformation, type and gaits, but must also be performance tested through excellence in sport or their own rigorous performance testing process (licensing alone is not enough, for us, to justify using them).

“2015 looks set to be an exciting year as the stud grows with more broodmares and some fantastically bred foals to look forward to.”

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The breeders of a rare Suffolk Punch have won the 2015 Horse & Hound outstanding mare award.

At the British breeders’ awards dinner held at the City Grange Hotel in London on Saturday, 10 January, the breeders of Whitton Daisy were presented with the prestigious H&H outstanding mare award.

Recipients Tom and Sandy Walne (pictured below, with H&H’s Sarah Jenkins and Alice Collins) were surprised to receive the award, having been up against a raft of successful mares from the Olympic disciplines.

“I just can’t believe that out of all the mares up for the award Daisy was chosen. I was quite expecting a polite letter saying she wasn’t what fitted the criteria for the award. I still haven’t come down to earth yet,” said Sandy, who received enthusiastic applause when picking up the trophy.

“This means so much to us — we put everything in to this and are delighted to be recognised like this.”

Whitton Daisy has produced six foals to date (four fillies and two colts), all of whom have had significant success on the county show circuit. Daisy stood best mare and foal at the Suffolk Show with her 2010 colt Whitton Teazel.

The Walnes were overwhelmed by the positive feedback and support they garnered following the award.

“It was incredible how happy people were for us,” added Sandy. “And for her to be a rare breed and on the critical list; the award is the icing on the cake.”

Tom and Sandy were gifted Whitton Daisy’s mother Gurty after her former owners failed to get her in foal. With the help of the Suffolk Horse Trust — The Colony Stud at Hollesley Bay — the Walnes managed to get her in foal and produce Whitton Daisy.

The runner-up was Graham Worrell’s late mare Purdy, the dam of the successful para horse Purdy’s Dream (pictured with Emma Sheardown) and the grand-dam of the showjumping stallion Argento (John Whitaker).

The winner in 2014 was Lynne Crowden, who picked up the accolade on behalf of her mare Woodlander Dornroschen, dam of the double world young horse champion, Farouche.

New beginnings for British breeders

This year, there was also excitement surrounding the recently formed British Breeders’ Network.

The guest speaker, Woodlander Stud’s Lynne Crowden, impressed upon the audience that the formation of the network offers breeders an opportunity to address concerns over the industry in the UK and make it better and more inclusive. The network aims to improve British breeding’s profile both at home and abroad, educate breeders and drive sales of British-bred horses.

Anyone wishing to register their interest is asked to email info@britishbreedersnetwork.org

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Retirement beckons for two Irish National Hunt stars, after running with tremendous credit at the Punchestown Festival this week (29 April-3 May).

Trainer Willie Mullins called time on the career of supermare Quevega after she finished runner-up to Jetson in Punchestown’s World Series Hurdle on Friday (1 May) — a race she has won 4 times.

This was the first time the 6-time Cheltenham Mares’ Hurdle winner had been beaten since 2009.

The 10-year-old will embark on a new career as a broodmare.

Mr Mullins described Quevega as irreplaceable, and that she will “leave a huge gap in our yard”.

She won 16 of her 24 starts, including 4 Grade 1s and a total of £749,279 prize-money.

Meanwhile, former champion chaser Sizing Europe looks set to round off his own stellar career after clocking his second win in Wednesday’s Boylesports.com Champion Chase (30 April). Connections mentioned the expected retirement, but it has yet to be confirmed after the 12-year-old looked spring-heeled in coming home 5½ lengths clear of David Pipe’s Ballynagour.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained gelding has won every major 2-mile chase, including the Arkle, Tingle Creek as well as the Queen Mother. His owner Alan Potts has said he wanted the horse to finish on a high.

He has won 21 of his 42 starts, 8 of them at Grade 1, and nearly £1.25million prize-money. He was unlucky to be in the same era as Sprinter Sacre — who beat him in both the Queen Mother and the Boylesports.com Champion Chases last year.

H&H’s official betting partner PaddyPower is offering 3/1 on both Hurricane Fly and Jezki in the 5.30 at Punchestown today. Place your bet now

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A group of 5 fillies worth an estimated €1m (£830,000) have died after being electrocuted during Storm Darwin (13 February) in Ireland.

The yearlings were in a paddock at Kilfrush Stud, Knocklong, Co Limerick, when an electricity cable snapped and the current travelled through the ground, killing the horses instantly.

The alarm was raised by a member of staff, who went to check on the horses during the storm. The horses were checked 3 times daily.

One of the fillies — a daughter of New Approach — was purchased for the stud in November for €510,000 (£420,000).

Stud manager David Ryan, of Aran Bloodstock, said that while all the yearlings “had great potential”, the New Approach filly was a “rare commodity, which doesn’t come on to the market often”.

Mr Ryan bought the filly as breeding stock to build up a quality broodmare band for the stud’s Qatari owner, Mubarak al-Naemi. The 300-acre stud was purchased last summer for an undisclosed sum.

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A product that could transform thoroughbred breeding by allowing foals to be born closer to 1 January will go on the market next year.

Dr Barbara Murphy of University College Dublin (UCD) has created the Equilume mask, which shines light to the mare‘s eye, advancing her season.

“The thoroughbred industry maintains mares under artificial light, from 1 December to when they are scanned in-foal,” said Dr Murphy. “But keeping horses in for that time is expensive and many mares are happier at grass. The mask can be worn in the field with a headcollar.”

The mask provides timed, low-level blue light to a single eye from dusk until 11pm.

It limits levels of the hormone melatonin, which inhibits a mare’s reproductive activity during winter months.

Dr Murphy said research in Ireland has shown that 20% of mares foal up to two weeks later than their due date. But those wearing the Equilume should foal on time, which is another benefit.

The mask was tested in Ireland, Kentucky and Japan.

Irish breeder Dermot Cantillon said: “Having used the masks during this year’s breeding season, I am sure they will be a major success.”

Other potential uses of the light mask include treating equine jet lag and enabling show horses to shed their winter coats earlier.

The Equilume should be on the market by August next year and will cost around €300.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse and Hound (16 August 2012)

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Scientific advances mean the chances of getting your mare in-foal – no matter what her age – are increasing.

To give your mare the best chance of conceiving and delivering a healthy foal, there are some important practical measures you can take.

These include:

• Ensuring she is in good physical condition: she should be well-covered, not obese nor underweight.
• Giving her a reproductive MOT: this examination will ensure she is in the best physical shape prior to attempting breeding.
• Monitoring her closely: familiarise yourself with her seasons, so that you always know where she is in her cycle.
• Using highly fertile sperm: this will increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.

To read the full veterinary article on boosting your mare’s fertility see the current issue of H&H (26 January 2012)

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• For the best chance of keeping a clear health status, only allow your mare to mix with other late pregnant mares who have a clean bill of health
• Observe mares in late pregnancy very carefully — at least twice a day. The sooner a possible complication is picked up, the greater chance of avoiding an abortion
• Vaccinate against equine herpes. The vaccine is given at approximately two-month intervals on three occasions during the second half of pregnancy
• Any changes in udder development or signs of lactation should be noted. Running milk from a prematurely enlarged udder is a very bad sign in a pregnant mare
• The hindquarters and perineal (vulval) area of the mare should be checked. If there is any discharge, veterinary assistance should be sought

For the full veterinary feature on abortion, see the current issue of Horse & Hound (21 April, 2011)

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If you’re thinking of breeding from your mare, there are physical conditions you should take into account, either because they can be inherited or because they may affect whether a mare can carry a foal to term. Below are some examples…

Sweet itch: It has been well established that there are genetic aspects to susceptibility to this serious skin condition, known scientifically as Culicoides hypersensitivity or insect bite hypersensitivity.

A breed predisposition is well documented for Icelandic and Welsh ponies. In addition, the disease does seem more common than would be expected in shire and Friesian horses and Shetland ponies.

Again, many environmental factors can affect the seriousness of the condition in any particular horse or pony. Nevertheless, a recent article suggested that, because of the probable inherited predisposition with the disease, affected animals should be removed from breeding programmes.

Sarcoids: There are degrees of susceptibility of horses to sarcoids and this has a heritable component. It is known that some families of horses are very badly affected with sarcoids and this can be seen through many generations.

However, if the environmental conditions are not right, the horse will not be affected no matter how susceptible it is. This is one of the reasons why it is difficult to give definite advice about the advisability or otherwise of breeding from horses with sarcoids: even if there is, as thought likely, inherited susceptibility to sarcoids, other factors also need to be present.

In broodmares it may be important to consider the location of the sarcoids; if they are around the udder it may be better not to put the mare in-foal as there is evidence for transmission by contact.

Weak hindlegs: In some horses, as they get older, the fetlock and suspensory apparatus of the hindlimbs begins to lose their strength and the fetlocks get nearer and nearer the ground. An in-foal mare carries an enormous extra weight, so it is important to consider carefully the ability of the mare to carry this as she gets to the end of a long pregnancy.

For the full article on assessing your mare for breeding, see the sport horse special issue of Horse & Hound (10 March, 2011)

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• Your mare may have great sentimental value, but if she’s lost you money for the past four years, keep her as a pet.
• Decide what you intend to do with the foal. If you’re looking to sell then you can’t ignore the market’s demands. If you don’t produce a well-conformed, reasonably bred animal by a fashionable sire, the odds are stacked against you. A good-looking mare with a decent temperament from an improving family will help your case.
• The market’s views on stallion are enormously fickle. You’ll struggle if offering something by what’s deemed a “cold” sire when you come to sell. Don’t over-cover your mare by going to a stallion she doesn’t merit.
• There’s very little scope for profit at the lower end of the market and you’d be better off owning 20% of a £100,000 mare than all of one worth £20,000.
• If you’re breeding to race your own horses, then you have much more leeway. There are plenty of uncommercial, winner-producing stallions and the most successful operators in the long run are owner-breeders who have developed their own good families rather than looking just for profit at the sales.

This is an extract from a feature in the bloodstock special in the current issue of Horse & Hound (3 February, 2011)

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Q: What vaccinations do I need to give my mare during pregnancy?

You should ensure that your mare is vaccinated against EHV at 5th, 7th, and 9th months of pregnancy to avoid EHV-related abortion, plus all the normal vaccinations. Please speak to your vet who will be able to help you ensure your pregnant mare is properly vaccinated.

How long can I ride my mare for while she is pregnant?

Ideally she should not be ridden after 200-230 days of gestation.

Can my pregnant mare go out with other horses?

With other mares, yes, as long as they get on fairly well. Geldings may present a danger. Some geldings are still able to achieve an erection, and will mount (and penetrate) a mare, given the opportunity. If this were to happen with a pregnant mare, and the penis penetrated the cervix, it would almost certainly cause an abortion.

What special feed requirements do pregnant mares have?

You should ensure that your mare receives adequate food through the winter, ideally complemented with a quality stud balancer. Through the last 3-4 months of pregnancy, she should be on an increasing plain of nutrition to enable her to cope with the increased demands on the unborn foal, without allowing her to become overweight.

What wormers can I use on my pregnant mare?

Certain wormers should not be used on pregnant mares. For example, Equest Pramox should not be used on a pregnant mare, and Eqvalan Duo should only be used after the first 3 months of pregnancy. Check with your vet or retailer.

When will my mare start to look pregnant?

This will vary from mare to mare. A mare with normal body condition will probably begin to look obviously pregnant in her third trimester of pregnancy, around 7-8 months into her pregnancy at the earliest, but it can be easily confused with a mare simply putting on weight. You may be able to see weight gain or change of shape before this point, but it is not a reliable indicator of pregnancy.

If you are unsure about whether or not your mare is pregnant, please consult your vet for an ultrasound scan and/or blood test.

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Q: My pregnant mare is in season. Has she aborted the pregnancy?

Not necessarily. Although mares generally do not cycle once they are pregnant, around 10% of mares will show at least one season during their pregnancy.

Additionally, some mares may appear in season when they are not actually cycling. Submissive behaviour such as squatting and urinating in the presence of other horses may be mistaken for oestrus behaviour.

The best way to tell is via an ultrasound scan. Make an appointment with your stud vet.

My pregnant mare has blood coming from her vulva. Has she has aborted the pregnancy?

Blood coming from the vulva is not normally a cause for concern. In the vast majority of cases, it is caused by varicose veins in the vagina rupturing. Blood then leaks from the vulva. In some cases a lot of blood can be seen, and it may be preferable to have these varicose veins treated by your vet.

My mare has a thick purulent discharge. Has she aborted the pregnancy?

Discharge that appears purulent could be a sign of abortion, and so should be taken seriously.

My mare is lactating prematurely/bagging up very early, has she aborted the pregnancy?

Premature lactation could be a sign of impending abortion, and so should be taken seriously.

My mare’s temperament has changed while she is pregnant. Has she aborted the foal?

The temperament change may or may not be related to the pregnancy. It is possible that her behaviour is being affected by the discomfort of carrying the foal, or the hormones produced by the foal and placenta.

Alternatively it could be unrelated to the pregnancy.

If you are concerned about your mare’s pregnancy status at any stage, please discuss this with your stud vet.

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Q: Is my mare in foal?

It’s not possible for anyone to tell for certain from a photo, or even from seeing the mare in person for an external examination. A blood test, rectal palpation and/or ultrasound scan are the only things that will confirm the mare’s pregnancy status for you.

Try not to ask friends, family or post photos on forums asking this question. It will not provide you with any useful answers. Speak to your vet instead.

How soon will the vet be able to see the pregnancy?

Early stage pregnancy should be visible by ultrasound from 14 days onward (10-11 days with a high quality scanner and an experienced vet).

Pregnancy can be palpated by an experience vet from 18 days onward.

When should my mare be scanned?

The normal scanning dates for pregnancy detection and twin management are 14 days, 28 days, and 50-60 days. If twins are detected at 14 days, then additional scans and treatment may be necessary.

When will I be able to see the foal’s heartbeat?

The heartbeat starts to become visible from 24 days onward.

Why is it so important to detect and deal with twin pregnancies?

The equine uterus is not designed to carry multiple pregnancies. If a twin pregnancy is allowed to progress then in most cases it will cause pregnancy loss. In fact, twinning is the leading cause of late-term abortion and the second biggest cause of embryonic loss in the early stages of pregnancy.

Twin pregnancies must be dealt with by day 28 after ovulation, as after that stage it is likely that both pregnancies will have to be terminated, and the mare may not cycle again until up to 100 days later which could mean missing the whole rest of the breeding season.

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My mare is difficult/chronically lame, should I put her in foal?

You should discuss this carefully with your vet. Difficult behaviour and chronic lameness may be due to your mare’s genetics, in which case she is probably not a good candidate for breeding.

Is my mare too old to have a foal?

This is extremely difficult to answer. Mares’ fertility declines from around 12 years old, but unlike humans, equines do not go through a “menopause” or anything similar.

Generally we do not recommend putting mares in foal past their 17th year (foaling in their 18th) although a number of people breed from their mares well into their 20s.

Get your stud vet to give your mare a thorough breeding examination and general health check, and talk through the options with them. This will give you the answers you need to make a sound decision.

Is my mare too young to have a foal?

Although many fillies are fertile from 6-8 months old, they are not normally physically or psychologically mature enough to carry and raise a foal until they are 3 years old. Some two year old mares may be mature enough to be bred, but it will depend on the individual mare.

Consult your vet and ask their opinion.

Is my mare too fat/skinny to get in foal?

Mares that are underweight or overweight will be more difficult to get in foal. Fat mares are often more difficult than skinny mares, although neither condition is ideal for a broodmare. Body condition score should be maintained at around 5-6, but no more than 7.

Please consult your vet if you are worried about your mare’s weight/body condition.

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A pony rescued by World Horse Welfare has adopted an orphaned foal.

Grey Welsh mountain pony Lightning has been matched to a thoroughbred colt called Jerry, after her own foal was put down last month.

Lightning arrived at Belwade Farm, Aberdeenshire, thin and lice ridden in January.

She had been found living among car batteries, broken wood and metal with five other ponies.

As she had been living with a stallion, staff at the centre blood tested to see if she was in foal, but the results came back negative. But as time went on staff noticed she was gaining weight, and so tested again. And once again the blood tests came back negative — which can be the case if there is something seriously wrong with a foal.

But then on 22 July Lightening gave birth to a chestnut filly.

“We couldn’t believe it when we found Lightning had given birth, especially after two negative tests,” says centre manager Eileen Gillen. “But sadly after a couple of days it became apparent that the foal was brain damaged and we had no option but to put her to sleep.”

The centre began looking for an orphan foal for her to adopt and contacted the National Foaling Bank in Shropshire.

Jerry had been recently orphaned and was being looked after at the Royal Dick Veterinary College in Edinburgh, so it was arranged to bring him to meet Lightning.

“We all held our breath as they were carefully introduced to one another but to our relief Lightning took to him straight away and has been a fantastic foster mum,” said Eileen. “She even lifts her hind leg to allow him to suckle more easily.

“Lightning has been through so much and she is such an amazing pony. It was a very special moment and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house I can tell you.”

Jerry will stay at Belwade Farm until he is old enough to be weaned and returned to his owners, whilst Lightening will be rehomed through the charity’s loan scheme as soon as she is ready.

Visit: www.worldhorsewelfare.org

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Q: The recent falling out between a stud and its agent has left breeders who bought semen for artificial insemination (AI) from the agent in the lurch. Can broodmare owners protect against such commercial disputes?

CA, Devon

The dispute between a Belgian stud and its France-based British agent has left breeders who bought semen from the agent with difficulties obtaining covering certificates, passports and branding (news, 19 February). H&H asked several breeding experts for their advice to worried broodmare owners.

The Defra-approved Glenwood Stud in Northumberland imports semen from various EU states. Co-proprietor Valerie Williams believes there are many reputable semen agents available.

“However, things can go wrong,” she said. “We have encountered problems such as semen being sent from Germany by road, instead of air, and semen that has been verbally guaranteed to be sent with the necessary health certificates, when there were none available. Broodmare owners should do their homework and should also talk to the stud working with their broodmare.”

Jonathan Pett of Trojan Stud in Carmarthenshire said: “We use a couple of different semen agent and deal with some studs directly,” he explained. “We use agent for most of our imported semen purely for ease — one agent will have several studs on their books, and will sort out all the paperwork.”

Carol Brown of Gloucestershire-based semen importers, Equine AI, recommends using well-established agents who could: “Provide information on a range of stallions and their semen quality, arrange importation, ensure the required health papers accompany the semen, notify Defra, and track the delivery,” she said.

“Another option is to choose a semen agent who provides all of this, plus an artificial insemination centre — the complete package.”

David Ashby of sport horse insurers Amlin Plus believes there is no cover available to insure against a semen agent severing ties with a stud.

“However, anyone can take out prospective foal insurance from 42 days post-covering — or artificial insemination — or 60 days post-embryo transfer on a foetus,” he said.

Information

Amlin Plus, tel: 020 7423 0920 www.amlinplus.co.uk

Equine AI/Willesley Equine Clinic, tel: 01666 881026 www.equineai.co.uk

Glenwood Stud, tel: 01661 886453 www.glenwoodstud.co.uk

Trojan Stud, tel: 01267 275 676 www.trojanequine.com

This Q&A was first published in Horse & Hound (12 March, ’09)

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Q: Until recently we had a mare on loan. As she can only be used as a light hack we decided, with the owner’s agreement, to breed from her. The owner would have nothing to do with the foal.

In July 2007, the mare was covered, but was tested not to be in foal. Our circumstances then changed so, because she wasn’t in-foal, we returned her to the owner.

However, by chance, we found out that the mare was in-foal. The owner ignored all contact with us until we sought legal advice and wrote to her.

She wants to keep the foal to recoup incurred and future expenses until the foal is weaned. Our offer to cover her costs was declined.

We only had a verbal agreement with the mare’s owner. Who really “owns” the foal and how can we reach an amicable agreement?

LC, Cumbria

“Generally, a foal will belong to the owner of the mare,” said Stuart Farr of Laytons Solicitors.

“But, as this example clearly demonstrates, in cases where mares are loaned out and then used for breeding, the position can become complicated.

“Owners in similar cases may argue that a decision to cancel a loan agreement and return a mare, for whatever reason, has brought the relationship to an end,” explained Stuart.

“As a consequence, there is a danger that the person who took a mare on loan may have waived their rights to any foal unless it can be shown there was a clear agreement to the contrary.

“Even so, subject to what is agreed, it may still be possible to claim a part-share in the foal or recover the expenses incurred if, in particular, the owner did not pay for the mare to be covered.

“Even if the owner accepts there may be a valid claim to full or part ownership of the foal, the owner is under no legal obligation to accept an offer to pay expenses.

“Once a mare is back in the owner’s possession, the owner may exercise a right to keep the foal — a lien — until a reconciliation is agreed. However, a lien does not necessarily carry with it an automatic power of sale if the expenses are not paid at a later date.”

According to Stuart, there may be ways to resolve such disputes if direct discussions don’t work.

“Mediation is proving popular, especially in cases where the likely legal costs associated with a claim may exceed the amount in dispute,” he said.

“However, legal advice should be sought as to the best way to manage any dispute.”

Lucy Jay from law firm Travers Smith added that this case clearly demonstrates the importance of putting in place a comprehensive written agreement when loaning a horse.

“Such agreements should cover all eventualities so that, when a dispute arises, as in this case, the parties’ respective rights and obligations are clear,” she said.

“Breeding arrangements can turn out to be extremely problematic. For example, what happens if the mare dies during labour, or if the loanee wishes to return the mare before the foal has been born? A written agreement could set out what was to happen in all such circumstances, as well as more basic terms as to ownership of the foal, duration of the loan or lease, care of the mare during pregnancy and insurance.”

Information

Laytons Solicitors Tel: 0161 8342100 www.laytons.com

Travers Smith Tel: 020 7295 3000 www.traverssmith.com

This Q&A was first published in Horse & Hound (19 June, ’08)

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When feeding a broodmare in the winter it is important to keep condition on, but what diet should be fed to avoid tying-up (azoturia)?

Horse: 17-year-old 16hh Thoroughbred

Feeding issue: broodmare, has been prone to tying-up during the winter in the past

Owner’s thoughts: “When in hard work, ‘Franky’ was prone to tying-up after 5-10min, especially if the weather was frosty or cold. She’s now expecting her second foal — her first was born last year.”

Work schedule: Franky usually competes in showing and affiliated dressage. At present, she is in light work, and at Christmas the workload will cease until her foal is weaned.

Current diet: 1kg alfalfa chaff; 300g (dry weight before soaking) unmolassed sugar beet; 1kg soaked bruised oats; oil; mineral and vitamin supplement, twice daily.

Suggested feed programme: Franky requires a diet to provide excellent nutrition during pregnancy, yet one that will not instigate an episode of tying-up.

Your feeding regime is relatively sound and relevant to Franky’s current workload. As her pregnancy progresses and you wind down her work, reduce the oat levels accordingly, cutting them out just as she stops work.

The foal is due in May, so she will not require a stud ration until the latter part of February. These interim months coincide with her peak period for tying-up, so feed her the same as you would any horse at maintenance level, concentrating on a high-fibre diet.

• Feed high-fibre cubes with a fibre content of around 20%. These will replace the oats and can be fed at a rate of 3kg a day. The supplement you are feeding replaces deficiencies in the oats, so continuing with it is optional.
• Continue feeding alfalfa chaff at a rate of 1kg a day.
• Oil — up to 200g a day.

For the final three months, slowly introduce a stud ration to replace the high-fibre cubes. Pay attention to the grass quality and quantity and, if necessary, increase the stud ration to coincide with foaling and early lactation (months one to three).

Bringing up baby

Foetal growth is most prolific during the final three months. Over feeding the mare on a stud ration prior to this time could cause obesity and possible problems at foaling. It may also initiate tying-up.

Requirements for the first six months of pregnancy differ little from general maintenance and the mare should be treated as such. Use low-energy rations as a base feed, topping up with a conditioning ration if she suffers weight loss. Nutritional requirements will double during the first three months of lactation and this should be taken into account.

This feeding case study was part of H&H’s feeding special issue, published on 12 October, ’06

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Breeders should plan well ahead of the breeding season to put a mare in-foal. This allows a suitable stallion to be selected and the mare to be prepared.

Although some mares experience a heat (oestrous) cycle all year round, most have a rest phase during the winter and early spring. Their breeding cycle begins naturally some time in spring. Once the mare is truly in the breeding season, her oestrous cycles last 22 days, on average. This tends to be slightly longer in the spring.

Daylight has the most important influence on a mare’s reproductive performance. The production of the hormones that “switch on” the mare to cycle is controlled by the amount of daylight. This results in foals born in the spring and early summer, when environmental conditions should be optimal for foal survival. Therefore, the natural breeding season of the horse in the northern hemisphere is from May until August. This is the time when highest pregnancy rates are likely to occur.

But man has his own ideas of when mares should foal. Consequently, breeders attempt to cover mares in the winter and early spring. This means manipulating the mare’s breeding cycle so that she comes properly into season earlier than nature intended.

Artificial lighting

Experience has shown that 16hr of light stimulus (artificial and natural) is adequate to make a mare cycle earlier. This means providing light from 7am until 11pm. The artificial light is best added at the end of the natural daylight period.

The light in the stable must be bright enough. This means a 150-watt clear bulb in the middle of a 4x4m box. If a strip light is used this should be 1.3m (40 watt). Care should be taken to eliminate shadows because they can prevent a good response.

Also extra lighting must begin early enough. Generally, a minimum of 8-10 weeks is needed.

Mares should be in good body condition when they begin to have extra lighting. A mare should be in a rising plane of nutrition at the start of the breeding season and have ribs that can be felt, but not seen. The neck should be reasonably well covered and the withers rounded. There should be fat around the tail head and no hollowness through the quarters. Research has shown that only a moderate level of body fat is necessary for adequate reproductive performance, so mares should not be fat.

Hormones

Several hormones can be given to induce ovulatory heats early in the breeding season in barren and maiden mares. This helps ensure foals are born early and reduces pressure on the stallion because foaling mares are ready to be bred.

Progesterone/progestagen withdrawal therapy has been used successfully in mares coming to the end of a two-month artificial light programme. Progesterone can be administered for 10-15 days orally as the synthetic progestagen altrenogest (equine Regumate).

Hormone implants (Ovuplant) have been recently licensed in the UK, but only around 50% of mares will respond and several implants may be needed.

Twice daily injections of another synthetic hormone (Receptal) may induce ovulation in mares that have not started their cycle, but results are much better when used in mares during their first spring cycle.

Other factors

It is often felt that the presence of a stallion can encourage a mare to cycle. Although there is no good scientific evidence of this, if all else fails, it may be worth trying. A good flush of fresh grass is undoubtedly helpful in stimulating early cycling.

This veterinary feature was first published in full in Horse & Hound (15 December, ’05)

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Breeding horses is a time-consuming and expensive business. To optimise their chances, owners need to know before the breeding season how best to ensure their mares are free from any diseases that could not only reduce the likelihood of conception, but also severely disrupt breeding activity at the stud.

While unforeseen problems can always occur even with the ideal broodmare, there are procedures that help to decide if a mare is suitable for breeding. This does not refer only to the quality of the horse or its temperament — rather it is an assessment of the reproductive health of that particular mare. Collectively, these procedures are known as the breeding soundness examination.

Venereal or sexually transmitted infection is a risk, and swabs are taken as an essential health precaution. A swab is a small piece of cotton wool twisted on to the end of a thin plastic rod. The cotton wool is touched on the part of the reproductive tract to be checked for bacteria, then sent to a laboratory.

What swabs are needed?

The mare’s clitoris (just inside the vulva) is swabbed to look for bacteria that are venereally transmitted. These bacteria are very important because they can cause reduced fertility and are difficult to treat successfully. The clitoral swab does not have to be taken when the mare is in season and can be also taken from pregnant mares before they foal.

In confirmed cases of certain venereal diseases, the law prevents the movement of horses on and off the premises. This can have devastating consequences for a breeding enterprise.

It is preferable to swab the mare before she goes to the stud (as long as this is after 1 January). This is for two reasons: the result is not available for seven days and, more importantly, if positive, the mare can be treated before being sent to stud.

Once the all-clear has been given, mares are issued with a laboratory certificate confirming their disease-free status in the current breeding season. A mare must not be used for breeding until all swab results are negative and the certificate has been shown to the stallion owner. In many cases, mares are simply carriers of venereal disease and show no outward signs of infection.

Poor hygiene measures can also spread disease and it is vital that strict precautions are in place and adhered to when working with breeding animals. Handlers must take great care to ensure that infection is not carried from one animal to another.

In many cases, a swab of the lining of the uterus (womb) will be taken to see if there are any bacteria present or signs of inflammation — known as endometritis. This swab must be taken when the mare is in season, and mares should be free from endometritis before being covered to maximise the chances of a successful breeding.

Taking the right precautions

In any breeding season, the safest option is to blood-test mares for EVA after 1 January and within 28 days before covering. A mare should not go to stud until the results are available. Stallions also need to be EVA-free.

As well as these vital tests, your vet should also check every mare before she goes to stud. This includes checking the mare on the outside — in particular the vulva, as this provides the first barrier to protect the uterus from infection. If the vulval lips do not provide a good seal then air, bacteria and dirt can enter the vagina, resulting in infection. A minor operation, performed under local anaesthetic, can be used to reduce the vulval opening and so prevent contamination of the vagina

The vet also checks the mare internally by inserting an arm via the rectum. Using a systematic approach, the ovaries, uterus and cervix are checked. Usually, the vet will also use an ultrasound machine. The vagina and cervix will also be checked visually using a speculum, a narrow tube down which the vet can shine a light. Damage to the cervix, resulting in tearing or scarring, most often occurs during foaling. This is especially the case if the foaling was difficult.

In some cases, a small biopsy of the lining of the mare’s uterus may be taken for examination under a microscope. This can help assess the likelihood of the mare becoming pregnant and carrying a foal. Mares with a lot of scar tissue (fibrosis) in their uterus have a poor chance and may not be worth sending to stud.

Ultrasonography provides another method of assessing the uterus. This can pick up uterine cysts which may reduce the likelihood of the mare becoming pregnant. An ultrasound examination will also show if fluid is present in the uterus. Any fluid should be cleared before breeding.

Further information

An excellent booklet produced by the Horserace Betting Levy Board gives codes of practice for the control of equine venereal diseases, as well as control measures for equine viral arteritis, equine herpes virus and strangles. This code is updated annually and should be read by all breeders. Copies are available from the Horserace Betting Levy Board, the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and the welfare department of the British Horse Society.

This veterinary feature was first published in Horse & Hound (3 February, ’05)

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Many mares that fail to conceive are suffering from infections in their reproductive tracts; they are referred to as “dirty” mares. Dirty mares either have, or are at risk of, inflammatory changes involving the lining of the womb (endometrium). This is called endometritis (literally: inflammation of the lining of the uterus). Mares with endometritis may either fail to conceive in the first place or will undergo early loss of the pregnancy.

While the term “dirty mare” is in common usage in breeding, it is not always appreciated that such horses usually fit into three categories:

• mares with acute infection of the uterus
• mares with long-term uterine infection, often with scar tissue
• mares susceptible to infection after breeding

Acute infection

The vulva provides the first effective barrier to protect the uterus from infection and poor vulval shape can lead to infection. The vulval lips meet evenly in the midline in the normal mare. If the vulval seal does not work properly, contamination of the vagina can occur. The initial vaginitis may lead to acute uterine infection, resulting in a dirty mare.

Diagnosis of infection can be made by collecting swab and smear samples when the mare is in oestrus (during early heat or season). The swabs are examined for bacteria and the presence of pus cells.

Acute uterine infection is found most frequently in older mares that have had several foals. Treatment involves the infusion of antibiotics into the uterus. The number of treatments required depends on individual circumstances, but daily infusions for five days during heat work well in most cases.

Predisposing causes of the persistent infection, such as defective vulval conformation, should also be attended to. This usually means a minor surgical procedure in which the upper part of the vulva is sutured together.

Long-term uterine infection

These mares have scar tissue in the uterus and a severe infection has often been present for a long time. Successful treatment of this category of dirty mare is difficult and fertility remains poor whatever treatment is used.

Persistent infection after breeding

Persistent infection induced by breeding (natural or by artificial insemination) is the most important category of dirty mare. All mares develop an acute inflammation of the uterus after breeding. This used to be blamed on bacterial contamination of the uterus at the time of breeding, but it is now realised that the sperm themselves, as well as bacteria, are responsible.

A transient uterine inflammation, visible as fluid on an ultrasound scan, is useful as it clears the uterus of excess sperm and debris associated with breeding before the tiny embryo implants.

In most mares, this fluid resolves spontaneously within 24-48hr so that the internal environment of the uterus is compatible with pregnancy. However, if the inflammatory fluid persists for more than three or four days this may cause a problem.

Susceptible mares are often older, with uterine muscles that have lost the ability to contract properly. In other mares, particularly older maiden animals, the cervix does not open sufficiently to allow fluid to drain from the uterus.

In such cases the following management measures can help maximise the chances of producing a live, healthy foal:

• Hygiene: good hygiene is essential at breeding and all gynaecological examinations should be performed as aseptically as possible. Pay attention to hygiene at mating by using a tail bandage and washing the mare’s vulva and perineal area with clean water (ideally from a spray nozzle, which avoids the need for buckets).
• Correct timing of breeding: breeding should occur at the optimal time, so, ideally, the mare needs only to be covered by the stallion once. This means that such mares need very close monitoring to predict ovulation. A single breeding two days before the anticipated ovulation is ideal, provided natural cover or artificial insemination with fresh semen is used. Most sperm are viable at least 48-72hr after breeding.This early breeding allows more time for drainage of fluid via an open cervix and also utilises the natural resistance of the tract to inflammation during oestrus. It allows sufficient time to flush the mare more than once before ovulation if necessary. When feasible, the use of artificial insemination with fresh semen can help to reduce the inevitable post-breeding endometritis.
• Ultrasound scanning of the uterus: for detection of uterine fluid, in addition to conventional techniques of smears and swabs, before breeding, to reveal high-risk mares. Doses of oxytocin are given every 4-6hr after breeding. Ultrasound examination of the uterus the day after breeding is performed to assess the amount of any intrauterine fluid. If excessive (more than 2cm) fluid is present, the uterus is flushed with warmed sterile saline using a special uterine flushing catheter.Oxytocin should be given and the cervix checked. This may be followed by infusion of antibiotics. Further doses of oxytocin are given every 6hr. The mare is re-examined the following day and oxytocin treatment repeated if fluid is still present.

A dirty mare, once inseminated or bred, should not only be checked for ovulation but also for fluid accumulation in the uterus. This is one of the most reliable clinical signs of susceptibility to post-breeding endometritis. If such a mare is identified, intensive post-breeding monitoring and treatment is necessary in order to improve the chances of conception.

This feature, including a case study not included here, was first published in Horse & Hound (22 July)

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If a broodmare is to have a foal each year she must be back in-foal within around 25 days after giving birth. Horses are unusual among domestic animals because mares become fertile within two weeks of giving birth, a period commonly known as foal heat. However, whether or not to use this first oestrus (season) remains questionable.

In almost 100% of mares, the foal heat is characterised by normal development of eggs and ovulation within 20 days of birth. Most mares return to heat five to eight days after delivery of the foal. The average interval from birth to first post-partum ovulation is 10 days.

Occasionally, a mare may not appear to have a foal heat, especially if she gives birth early in the year. Also, maternal instincts may mean that some mares are reluctant to show signs of oestrus when they have a foal at foot.

To cover or not to cover?

The condition of the uterus is extremely important when deciding whether to cover a mare on foal heat.

In most cases, the diameter of the uterus reduces rapidly after foaling, which is known as uterine involution. Any delay in the uterus returning to its normal size invariably follows a difficult birth, abortion or retained placenta and can causes reproduction complications.

Your vet will assess a reduction in the uterus, and the amount of fluid retained, by a rectal examination and ultrasound. The greater the accumulation of uterine fluid at foal heat, the lower the chance of a mare becoming pregnant.

If a large number of pus cells (neutrophils) are present on a smear taken from the lining of the uterus after foaling then the mare should not be covered at foal heat as this may indicate infection. It is normal for bacteria to enter the uterus after foaling, but the number can be reduced by careful attention to hygiene.

Any mare who had a difficult birth or retained placenta should be evaluated carefully, but it is probably better not to cover her, while a mare with a severe trauma to the birth canal should not be considered at all.

Ensure your vet checks the mare around seven days after foaling, even if you do not intend to cover her in the foal heat. This enables problems to be detected and any necessary treatment started.

Pros and cons

The aim of many breeders is to produce healthy foals as early as possible from mares bred the previous year. Against the obvious time-saving advantage of breeding at the foal-heat, there are two disadvantages.

Pregnancy rate: There is a lower pregnancy rate for mares covered at the first oestrus after the birth. This may be due to incomplete uterine involution, fluid in the uterus, infection or inflammation. Whether breeding a mare on foal heat can have a detrimental effect on the pregnancy rate in subsequent heat periods is a subject of much debate.

Subsequent foaling rate: Some studies report an increase in early embryo mortality in mares conceiving at the foal heat. Others find that management and year-to-year variation account for any differences and that there has been no real increase in pregnancy loss. Also, ultrasound scanning means that the breeder can find out more quickly if a mare has lost a foal early and have her covered again.

There are various ways to improve pregnancy rates from breeding at the foal heat.

• Flushing the uterus with a saline solution can be beneficial in mares which have had a retained placenta or uterine inflammation
• Drugs (oxytocin and prostaglandin) have been used in an attempt to encourage the uterus to contract and, in turn, help it to reduce in size
• Exercise is said to help uterine fluid to discharge and the uterus to reduce

Alternatively, instead of covering the mare at the foal heat, the vet can use prostaglandin to reduce the interval between the foal heat and the second ovulation after foaling. However, in many cases, only one week will be saved over breeding at the natural second heat.

Breeding mares at foal heat requires a high degree of management skill and veterinary expertise, but with careful management, mares with a young foal at foot can deliver a healthy, normal foal within a year of last giving birth.

This feature was originally published in Horse & Hound

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The primary aim of feeding the lactating mare is to provide enough energy and protein to produce sufficient nutritious milk to support the foal during its first three months, when the growth rate is especially rapid.

To prepare the mare for the energy requirements of lactation, it is essential she is fed correctly during gestation. Once she has foaled and is lactating, her energy requirements will increase by as much as 44% and nutrients such as protein, calcium, phosphorous and vitamin A will be in particularly high demand.

During the first three months of lactation a mare will give 3% of her body weight daily in milk production so, for example, a mare of 454kg will produce in the region of 13.6kgs of milk per day. Not providing the mare with enough feed at this stage will reduce the quantity and quality of milk production, which could affect the foal’s health and growth rate.

Mares who maintain condition easily on grass/forage alone during lactation may benefit from the additional vitamins and minerals provided by a low calorie stud balancer. A stud mix or cube containing 15-16% crude protein will be best suited to mares who require additional calories.

The composition of mare’s milk changes rapidly during the first days of lactation with further gradual changes thereafter. Within the first 12hrs after birth the mare must pass adequate passive protection to her foal via the colostrum. At this point the foal’s small intestine is permeable to large protein molecules, such as the antibodies contained in colostrum, which will help build up its own immune system. Ideally the foal needs to be suckling within the first two hours after birth, as the antibody content of the colostrum is at its highest during this period.

If the mare has not received a balanced, energy dense ration, her milk may be of poor quality and she may not produce enough milk to support the foal’s growth. If necessary the foal’s diet can be supplemented with a milk-based creep feed, such as Buckeye Foal Starter, to provide the extra calories and other nutrients that are deficient.

The mineral levels in the mare’s milk drop naturally by 40-60% approximately three to five weeks into lactation and feeding a creep feed at this time will help counteract any short fall.

Foals very often begin to start nibbling at hay and concentrates between 10 and 21 days of age and providing a creep feed at this age, especially if the milk supply from the dam or the amount of grass is inadequate, should encourage a normal growth rate.

Another reason for feeding a creep feed as soon as the foal shows an interest is to help enhance the anatomical and physiological maturation of the digestive tract in preparation for the eventual change to forage and compound feeds.

During month four of lactation, milk production decreases to approximately 2% of the mare’s body weight, therefore her nutritional requirements begin to decrease. The milk will now be only providing about 30% of the foal’s energy requirements so now is the time to change from a milk-based creep feed to a feed designed to complement forage.

This feed should be selected according to body condition, growth rate and limb conformation with a stud balancer being ideal for the good doer or more rapidly growing foal, and stud mix or cubes more suited to those requiring a little more condition.

Introducing the new feed at this time will ensure that the foal is well established on his weaning diet prior to separation from the dam, thus reducing the problems of dietary set-backs after weaning.

Once you have decided to put your mare in foal, it’s important she is correctly prepared to help maximise her chances of conceiving and help avoid costly, repeat visits to the stallion or lengthy spells at stud.

Mares who are significantly over or under weight are less likely to conceive so if your mare needs to lose or gain a lot of condition, the sooner you make the necessary adjustments to her diet the better.

It is generally accepted that a working mare will need to be well “let down” before being covered, so if your mare is currently very fit her work load will need reducing in plenty of time to give her a better chance of getting in foal.

Research suggests that a mare should be on a “rising plane of nutrition” prior to being covered, which means she needs to be improving in condition up to the point when you plan to send her to the stallion.

For the overweight mare and good-doers, such as natives and some warmbloods, calorie intake needs to be restricted while ensuring a balanced diet including protein, vitamins and minerals is provided. In these instances a low calorie balancer is the perfect solution, ensuring the mare receives all the nutrients she needs for health and well being without the calories.

These mares are also often the type which will quickly put on weight with the spring grass so be prepared to restrict grazing, if necessary, while still providing sufficient fibre, to help the mare lose weight.

If your mare hasn’t wintered particularly well and needs to gain condition, consider feeding a specially formulated conditioning mix or cube in order to promote weight gain safely and effectively. Monitor her condition careful and adjust her rations as necessary to ensure she doesn’t gain too much condition through the spring before she goes to stud.

Whatever type of mare you have it is vital that she receives a fully balanced diet with all the nutrients she needs for good health. This will also help her build up good reserves to support the planned pregnancy. If you find you need to feed less than the recommended quantities of your chosen mix or cube it will be wise to top up the nutrient levels with a balancer or all-round supplement.

When your mare is confirmed in foal, continue to maintain her balanced diet to help support the development of the foetus right from conception. Through the summer you may find that feeding a stud balancer will provide all the necessary nutrients without the calories. However, if your mare requires more calories to maintain condition, particularly as you go in to the winter, a stud mix or cube will also contain the additional vitamins, minerals and protein she requires to support the growing foal.

For more advice on feeding the broodmare call Baileys’ nutrition helpline (tel: 01371 850247).

The development of the foal begins right from the point of conception so it’s very important to feed a pregnant mare appropriately from this time onwards.

A 2012 study published in The Veterinary Record, by Van der Heyden et al, shows that nutrition during pregnancy has a significant effect on whether or not a foal develops osteochondrosis (OCD), which is a form of developmental orthopaedic disease.

These study results should be interpreted with caution, because no data was available about the composition or the quantity of the foodstuffs being fed to pregnant mares. But the overall conclusion supports the claims of previous research — that overfeeding of concentrates to mares during pregnancy is detrimental to the orthopaedic health of their offspring.

The key message for owners to take from this is that pregnant mares should have a high-forage diet supplemented by the correct balance of vitamins and minerals. She should not be overfed protein or starch, or allowed to become overweight.

A 500kg pregnant mare requires 190g of copper per day. Assuming that she is stabled or barn kept over the winter months, she could be consuming 10-12kgs of hay per day. This will provide 60-70mgs of copper, if the hay has a copper content of 6mgs per kg, which is rare (most of the forages analysed at Baileys are nearer to 3-4mgs per kg). Add in 2.5kgs of a high fibre feed at 35mg/kg and the mare’s total intake is between 147 and 157mgs per day. That results in a deficiency of at least 33mgs.

Minerals like copper are vitally important in a mare’s diet because they, and other essential nutrients, are needed to build the cells and tissues that create a foal. Research has shown that the foetus accumulates stores of minerals in its liver on which it can draw once it is born and growing very rapidly. Without these reserves, developmental orthopaedic disease (DOD) can occur as the foal grows.

Mares who are good doers put on too much weight if fed a stud mix or cube during pregnancy. For these types a stud balancer, which contains all the essential nutrients they need but has negligible calorie content, is ideal and should ensure that the development of the foetus is supported without promoting weight gain in the mare. Because a balancer is so concentrated, only small amounts need to be fed which is particularly useful for mares that are heavily pregnant as they often have a reduced appetite.

For mares who don’t hold their weight particularly well a stud mix or stud cube can be used, as they contain extra calories alongside the essential nutrients required. Whatever you choose it’s important to feed it at the manufacturer’s recommended levels to ensure the mare is receiving all the nutrients she and her growing foal need.

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Most owners who breed from their working mares are aware of the nutritional requirements of pregnancy and will take care to provide for their mare through that time. But what are her requirements after foaling? And what will she need so she can return to work fit and healthy?

Before a foal is born, it relies on the mare for all his growth and development needs. After birth, and until it is about six weeks old, the foal still relies on her – only now it is growing faster and burning more energy.

Dietary requirements

The efficiency of nutrient transfer through milk is not as good as it is through the blood (the nutritional source for the foal in utero), so the lactating mare needs to take in more to provide the same amounts – in fact, her requirements increase by 75%.

At peak lactation rate (six to eight weeks after foaling), an average-sized mare (500-550kg) will produce up to 20 litres of milk daily. The dietary areas to consider are energy, protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals.

Energy and protein

The mare needs to be fed at a sufficient level to keep her in good, but not fat, condition. Studies show that obesity in mares can have a negative effect on growth rates in the youngster. However, inadequate nutrition is detrimental to both mare and foal.

If the mare is not receiving enough, she will first use her own body reserves to maintain milk production. If low-energy intake continues, milk production will drop away and the mare will become thin and emaciated.

Weight loss is also a consideration if the mare is to return to the stallion, as fertility rates can be affected. Monitor her weight regularly and, while some weight loss is inevitable, especially in mares that milk very well, try to feed so that her weight does not change significantly.

In practice, this means feeding up to three per cent of bodyweight in a mixture of forage and concentrates – although this will vary depending on the individual mare. Digestible energy levels of approximately 2.3Mcal/kg and crude protein levels around 12% are appropriate for most lactating mares.

Calcium and phosphorous

After energy and protein, the most important nutrient is calcium, required for healthy bone and muscle growth and development. Calcium requirements increase post-natally to 50-60g daily for an average-sized mare. However, for efficient absorption, it is important that calcium is fed with phosphorous, at a ratio of around 1.5-2:1 (Ca:P) — supplementing with di-calcium phosphate will ensure that the correct ratio is fed.

Feeding phosphorous with calcium is particularly important for the mare at grass because pasture rarely contains sufficient levels of phosphorous for healthy lactation.

Bear in mind that adequate calcium and phosphorous levels are particularly important for the older mare because aged equine bones, like human bones, are susceptible to osteoporosis.

Vitamin intake

A broad spectrum of vitamins is necessary for general health and vitality, but vitamins A and D are particularly important for the lactating mare.

For mares foaling naturally in the spring and summer, fresh pasture and exposure to sunlight should provide the necessary levels of these vitamins. For early foaling mares (such as those seen in racing and some competition yards), supplementing the diet with cod liver oil will provide additional vitamins A and D.

Copper and other minerals

In recent years, much discussion has been given to copper and its role in cartilage formation and joint health. As we know that early joint health in the foal is an indication of joint health in the adult animal, this is an area worth investigating. Unfortunately, studies have been inconclusive and the most likely theory seems to be that supplementing the mare with additional copper has little or no effect on copper levels in her blood or milk, or on the levels passed to the foal.

It is recommended that the diet of the mare — and the foal, when creep feeds are introduced — contains sufficient, but not excessive, levels of copper. All other minerals also need to be present in the diet at standard maintenance levels for optimum growth and general health.

Your best plan is to keep it simple: commercially produced supplements are available that cover all the micro-nutrient requirements of the mare and youngster. These contain calcium, phosphorous and copper on a broad-based supplement of vitamins and minerals to ensure all requirements are met without excess levels of one nutrient being fed to the detriment of others. Remember, no single nutrient works alone and the balance is what’s important, so avoid combining products that aren’t designed to go together.

Supplying water

Water is essential in any diet but of paramount importance to the lactating mare. A clean supply of water should always be available, as limited water intake can significantly reduce milk yield, or even dry it up altogether, in a couple of days.

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