🐴 Deciding to Breed Your Mare: What to Know Before You Start in 2025 🤔🍼

By Dr Duncan Houston BVSc

Breeding your mare can be a rewarding experience—but it’s a decision that deserves careful thought. In 2025, with thousands of unwanted horses still needing homes, it’s vital to have clear goals, understand the financial commitment, and prepare for the medical realities of pregnancy and foaling. 🧠🐎

🎯 What's Your Goal?

Before you breed, ask yourself:

• 💡 Do I want a foal for competition, resale, or personal use?
• 🐴 Is my mare high-quality enough to pass on valuable traits?
• 🐣 Or do I simply want another horse?

If your answer is the latter, consider adoption. Thousands of horses are in need of homes, and breeding shouldn’t be done just for the sake of creating a foal. 🏡

🧬 Is Your Mare Breed-Worthy?

Things to evaluate:

• 💪 Performance record and soundness
• 🧠 Temperament and trainability
• 🧬 Genetic background and conformation

Your vet can help you assess whether your mare is a strong candidate for producing healthy, useful offspring. ✅

💸 The Financial Side of Breeding

Breeding isn’t cheap—and it doesn’t stop with stud fees. Here’s what you’ll need to budget for:

• 💲 Stud fee (varies from $500 to $10,000+)
• 🚛 Transportation or boarding at the stud farm
• 📆 Reproductive exams, including ultrasounds
• 📦 Shipping or storage of frozen semen (if applicable)
• 👶 Foal care, vaccinations, and veterinary costs
• 🛠️ Emergency foaling or neonatal care if complications arise

Total costs often exceed $5,000–$10,000 per foal. Be prepared for surprises. 🧾

⚖️ Weighing the Risks

Even healthy mares can face complications:

• ⚠️ Dystocia (difficult foaling)
• 🔥 Placentitis or uterine infection
• 📉 Delayed foal development or failure of passive transfer

Breeding is not a no-risk endeavor—it requires a team approach and emergency readiness. 🚨

🕰️ Is Now the Right Time?

Consider whether:

• 📆 You’re willing to reduce or stop riding late in gestation
• 🏇 The mare is at a good age and fitness level
• 🧬 Your mare is young or has foaled before

Note: Mares in their teens with no previous foals are the hardest to breed. Discuss your mare’s history with your vet. ⏳

🧪 Choosing the Right Breeding Method

Options include:

• 🤝 Live cover (natural service)
• 📦 Shipped cooled semen
• ❄️ Frozen semen

Your vet can help determine:

• 📍 Timing of ovulation via ultrasound
• 💉 Whether hormone therapy is needed
• 📈 If multiple inseminations will be required

📲 Ask A Vet for Breeding Consults

Not sure if breeding is right for your mare? Visit AskAVet.com or use the Ask A Vet App for pre-breeding exams, stud recommendations, and realistic planning. 📱🐴

Dr Duncan Houston and the team can help evaluate your mare, calculate costs, and explain success rates for mares of any age. 💬🧠

🏁 Final Thoughts

In 2025, responsible breeding starts with asking the right questions. If your mare is a strong candidate and you have a clear goal and budget, breeding may be a great option. But it’s not for everyone. Think it through, talk to your vet, and plan ahead. ❤️🐎

Need help evaluating your mare? Visit AskAVet.com to start your breeding journey right 🐴🍼