# AI or Natural Breeding?



## NeedsBreedingHelp (May 24, 2011)

Forgot to say she is a Registerd AHS. (':


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

Personally in this day and age, if they offer AI, I would do AI. You can generally still send the mare to the farm, and they will have their vet handle and breed your mare, confirm that the mare is pregnant, and will have mare care for your mare for a specified amount of time. To me, AI is less "hazardous" for lack of better word. No chance of the mare getting hurt by the stallion, or the stallion being hurt by the mare. It can be a little more work, if you are having your vet do the insemination, you have to figure out how you are going to get the semen, how it is going to be stored if you get frozen, and you have to monitor the mare closely do ultra sounds, and find the optimal time to breed and contact the farm so they can send you semen, generally from what I've heard, you or the vet have to go to the airport to pick up the straw(s). If you have a smaller mare, and you want to breed to a bigger stallion, sometimes stallion owners will not let the smaller mare be covered live if the stallion is significantly bigger, so in that case, AI is the only way you'd be able to breed. The prices all vary based on what stallion you are breeding to, whether or not you send the mare to the farm, how much the stud fees and booking fees are for the stallion you pick. From what I've seen for a good stallion, stud fees can range anywhere from about $600-$2000, and then you have all the vet fees, and the shipping fees for AI on top of that.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Having recently read of a case of a mare dying due to a rectal tear that happened during an ultrasound associated with her AI, I would hesitate to go that route.

In fact I'm now hesitating to go any route for breeding, even though I have mares and a stallion. I honestly did not know that something as simple as a rectal examination was so dangerous, I've always taken it for granted. 

Breeding is such a risky business, both in terms of the possibilities of losing a mare or foal or both, and in terms of the fact that you just can't guarantee what sort of foal you are going to get out of it, that I honestly wouldn't bother. 

I have been lucky so far, but I know that I'm not strong enough emotionally to cope with losing a mare, so I'm getting out of breeding.


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## NeedsBreedingHelp (May 24, 2011)

Ah, if you do natural does the mare need vac's before breeding?


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## NeedsBreedingHelp (May 24, 2011)

She Has Actually had 3 Foals and is a Very good mother, She's only 12 so she's fine to breed i think?


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

Just got done breeding 2 of my mares today. Out side stallions or on site all I do is AI. The risk is so much less with AI over live cover is so many ways. Also with AI you handle the stallion less so you take that risk out of the equation. Even when I have mares come in to be bred to my stallion they are bred AI and normally I only collect him one time and can breed several mares over several days.

In the end AI is safer cleaner and just all around better on all involved.


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## Strange (Jan 11, 2009)

AI, in my opinion. Less risk involved and less stress overall for everyone.


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## Countrylady1071 (May 12, 2010)

I just want to say, my dream horse is an arabian/warmblood cross (Hanoverian would be amazing but there are many warmbloods I particularly like) and I would LOVE to see pictures of your mare, and the stallions you're considering 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## NeedsBreedingHelp (May 24, 2011)

Here she is Anyways..









Her Last Winter, with her Fluffy Coat! C:








Me Jumping Her at a Show last Spring.

[Both Images (c) 2011 NeedsBreedingHelp. All Rights Reserved.


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## Ali M (Mar 28, 2011)

Regumate is what you give a mare when she needs Progesterone, a hormone that maintains pregnancy or a CL. We gave it to mares to help them keep an early pregnancy (until the fetus made its own progesterone) if they've had issues in the past or there's a risk of abortion. I think it's also given to mares to keep them from cycling during the show season, but don't quote me on that.

AI is considered far less dangerous for the stallion, mare, and handlers. With AI it's very simple, the semen is drawn up in a syringe, the tip of the syringe goes into her cervix, and then the semen is injected in. Live cover means contact between the mare and stallion, which can sometimes get a little iffy because they can both become unpredictable and lash out. It's true that rectal exams can hurt the mare when done improperly, which is why vets are only allowed to do it. (that's how it was at my internship anyway, no techs or interns were allowed EVER on client mares) I don't know what the price difference would be between AI and live cover, you'd probably have to call whoever will be doing your breeding to check prices.


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## Crossover (Sep 18, 2010)

This year 4 of my mares are natural, the other AI. I personally have no problems with either. Personally, all the extra cost of AI turns me off, such as shipping charges, vet checks, and insemination can at times raise the cost by nearly half. Then of course there is the fun of making sure you get the heat cycle right so that your delivery and ovulation arrive near the same time. 
With natural the mare will let you know when she's ready. Some places will truss up your mare and stallions like thanksgiving day turkeys. My mares are all good breeders and the stallions I've bred them to were experianced and easy going so no problems with anyone getting hurt.
I guess overall it depends on the mare and stallion... but in some cases, like my one AI, there is no choice.


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## drafts4ever (Sep 1, 2009)

I AI'd my Clydesdale. It's her first AI apparently and she didn't hold the first time so she's going back in today for try 2. AI is generally safer which is what was already said.


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## Avalon Equine (May 26, 2011)

NeedsBreedingHelp said:


> So, We are Wondering is It Best to Use Artificial Insemination, or Natural Breeding?


AI, hands down. Success is about 10% higher than live cover. Less risk to mare, handlers and stallion. It also allows you the opportunity to breed to stallions on the other side of the country, indeed, on the other side of the world! Probably more importantly, you will be hard pushed to find any well bred, expensive breeding stallion (other than the TB industry) that will even do AI. 



> And What are the Prices for Both?


Prices will vary significantly depending on where you are located and the facilities you are dealing with. We charge $10/day board for a dry mare and $15/day for a mare with a foal afoot. We charge a flat per cycle fee of $275 for fresh cooled semen and $375 for frozen. That includes all ultrasounds/palpations, cytologies, breeding, oxytocin, lavaging if necessary and pregnancy check. 



> I've also heard about Regumate, What Exactly is it?


Probably one of the most over prescribed reproductive drugs on the market :-( Regumate (Altrenogest) is a synthetic progesterone. To understand more about it, I would suggest reading this article on our website :Does My Mare Need Regumate? 

Hope the above helps!

Kathy St.Martin
Avalon Equine
Welcome to Avalon Equine ~ Quality Performance Sport Horses
Breeding high quality sport horses for the discerning rider!

and

Equine-Reproduction.com, LLC
Equine Reproduction


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## Juna (Apr 4, 2010)

nrhareiner said:


> Just got done breeding 2 of my mares today. Out side stallions or on site all I do is AI. The risk is so much less with AI over live cover is so many ways. Also with AI you handle the stallion less so you take that risk out of the equation. Even when I have mares come in to be bred to my stallion they are bred AI and normally I only collect him one time and can breed several mares over several days.
> 
> In the end AI is safer cleaner and just all around better on all involved.


Agreed 100%. We use all AI as well, even when the stallion and the mare are on the same farm. It is just too risky for our very valuable animals.

In one collection, our stallion gives enough semen (concentration, motility, and volume) to breed 18 mares. About 10 of those doses get shipped to outside mare owners (popular stud :lol or used by us, and the rest we freeze and stockpile our semen bank.


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## Hennington (Aug 2, 2011)

*Leatova*

Hi there,
It's Lea's last owner here.... lovely to see the photos of her. 

Her first foal was by natural covering and the second (organised by myself) was done by AI. I felt it was much safer and she took first time. That was by Cutsdean Centyfield, Polish warmblood. 

Her son Shaughnessy (tricoloured) is now 4 and I am selling him. He has been backed and turned away for the last year but my goodness can he jump. He is very much like Lea but not quite as flighty which suggests a warmblood is a good idea. He is now 15.1 which is a good size as he has some substance to him without being remotely heavy - and he is so affectionate.

Good luck with what you do - I would love to hear how you get on (if you haven't done it already).


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## munschk (Mar 11, 2008)

Just as a side-note for those who were worried about rectal tears from Ultrasound equipment, stallions can also cause rectal tears!

And, as far as I'm concerned, Ultrasound is an unavoidable diagnostic tool with breeding (regardless of whether its AI or natural) - both for its ability, early on, to detect pregnancy and to check for twins.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

What is AHS, if I may ask? I've never heard of it. My Arabians are registered with the AHA.


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## munschk (Mar 11, 2008)

Speed Racer, I believe its the American Hanoverian Society but I could be totally wrong.

In South Africa, AHS stands for African Horse Sickness so I'm in way over my head with guessing!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

munschk said:


> Speed Racer, I believe its the American Hanoverian Society but I could be totally wrong.


That's the only thing I could come up with too, but the OP says her horse is an Arabian. I don't believe the Hanoverian Society registers half bloods, but I could be wrong. I know the AHA (Arabian Horse Association) registers horses as Half Arabian.


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## Hennington (Aug 2, 2011)

*Regumate*

I use Regumate (prescribed by vet) to stop a really stroppy mare from being really stroppy! It has made such a difference to her. She would come into season and would be 'winking' at any horse the second she came into contact (irrespective of whether they were mare or gelding). At shows, she would be vile, lose her manners and call to anything that moved. She had been a brood mare prior to my owning her (she's now 10).

She is much, much calmer and although I still get some of the behaviours, they are now considerably reduced and manageable. She is now more of a pleasure to own and my only anxiety is that I can't imagine taking her off the drug.

I also know of two other mares who are also on Regumate for the same reason.


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## Hennington (Aug 2, 2011)

*Ahs*

AHS stands for Arab Horse Society (in the UK).

In the UK, you can register part breds with the AHS if one parent is a full Arab. 
Leatova's a full bred Arab. Her progeny so far are part breds and have been registered with the AHS.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Hennington said:


> AHS stands for Arab Horse Society (in the UK).


Interesting. Thank you for the information. Are they affiliated at all with the AHA? 

The AHA is worldwide, and came from combining the IAHA (International Arabian Horse Association) and the AHRA (Arabian Horse Registry of America) years ago.


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## Hennington (Aug 2, 2011)

*Arab Horse Society*

They are linked to the World Arabian horse organisation (www.waho.org) but I can't find any links to any other international organisation.

Have a look on their website: 

Home - The Arab Horse Society


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Thanks for the link. 

They appear to operate very much like the AHA, and WAHO is the governing body for all legitimate Arabian registries.

I knew there were other Arabian registries out there, just wasn't sure of their names.


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