# Mare to Stallion Size



## HowClever

I have a 14.3hh mare in foal to a 16.1hh clydesdale stallion.

From what I have read, I believe that while in utero the foal will only grow as large as the mare's body allows.


----------



## back in the crosby again

It seems I have read that too, but I have also heard people talking about the stud being to big for a mare, so that is why I asked. 

Here is a link to some pictures of him. 
Our Horses Weeping Willow Farm


----------



## Jordi

HowClever said:


> From what I have read, I believe that while in utero the foal will only grow as large as the mare's body allows.


This is what my vet told me, as well. Several years ago, we bought a 13.2 hand Welsh Cob/Haflinger mare who was in foal (accidently) to a 17 hand Belgian. I was worried sick about her, but everything turned out just fine. Baby was born weighing 115 pounds and had legs as long as her mom's, but everyone was happy and healthy. We still have both mother and daughter, and daughter topped out at about 16 hands and a good 1350 lbs.


----------



## My Beau

Yep, the whole "his foal will be too big for her" thing is a myth. The above poster's are correct - the baby only grows as big as mom's body allows.


----------



## Chiilaa

The thing I would worry about is the actual covering lol. I can only imagine all the comical things that would have been that mating between a 13.2 mare and a 17 stallion rofl.


----------



## Eolith

Yes, we have a 13.2 hh welsh cob that we'd like to breed to a 15 some odd hand stud eventually and we've been told all of the same things, baby won't outgrow her in utero.


----------



## smrobs

If there is a drastic difference in size, my worry would also be about the initial breeding instead of the pregnancy. However, there really isn't much difference in size between the 2. If drafts studs can be bred to standard (or smaller) mares, your mare should have no problems.


----------



## Snowkicker

I bred a 13 hand pony mare to 15 hand paint. The mare did a wonderful job. The only problem we had was the foals legs were so long it had a hard time getting under the mom for its first drink. After about an hour of watching and trying to help him. The mare lifted one back leg and shoved the little ****** under her. Once he found the spot though he was good. The colt is 2 now and 14 hands.

One other thing I will say is that there is no good way to predict the height of the baby with such matings. might end up short or tall or anything in between.


----------



## Eolith

Snowkicker said:


> One other thing I will say is that there is no good way to predict the height of the baby with such matings. might end up short or tall or anything in between.


Yeah, that's the fun part. In my particular case however, our mare's dam was 14.2 hh. The stud we're looking at has parents that are both 16 hh or so... so the hope would be that the foal wound up somewhere between 14-16hh.


----------



## smrobs

Yep, got a Belgian mare that is a little over 17 hands and she had been bred to a barely 14 hand QH. Now the baby is a yearling and standing at 15 hands. Sometimes you will get a structural crop-out even from same-size matings. At an Appy show farm my Dad used to work at, there was an appy mare and stud that both stood a little over 14 hands. They were bred several times and each of those times, the foals matured to a little over 14 hands. They were bred again and the resulting foal was a mutant. He matured to a little over 16 hands LOL. So breeding is always a complete toss up as for what you will get.


----------



## MacabreMikolaj

I bred my very dainty 14hh Arab mare to a 17hh beast of a Hanoverian and she not only hid her pregnancy (she kept coming into heat and everyone thought she was sterile) but gave birth all by herself with no complications.

Ironically though, the foal only hit 14.3hh which is the size of my purebred Arabian half sister of her and sired by a roughly 15hh Arab stud.

Mare:









Stud:



















Foal:


----------



## TheLastUnicorn

If you're worried about the size issue during covering - do AI. 

I know of a breeder who breeds Welsh A's and C's to a 17hh Dutch Warmblood stallion for sport pony foals. When I asked her about the size issue she told me what the other posters have said... when I asked about "how" it gets done so the mare isn't injured, she told me "AI - it's the safest way to go."


----------



## HUSAngel

I have a 15.3h mare that we bred (AI) to a 17.1h stud. Baby came out HUGE, mom tore a bit, but both were FINE. We actually rebred the mare to the same stud for a May 2011 foal.


----------



## ilovesonya

My mare had a foal this year. She is 14.2-3 welsh/appy and the stud is a 17.2 and still growing clyde, and no probs, considering they 'pasture bred' and he had big, erm... boy parts. Sonya ripped during foaling, but that was because the guy delivering wasn't pulling with the contractions. My filly had a little trouble the first few times she nursed because she was so tall, but other than she is fine. She is now 5 months and about 12.2 or so.
I think the height difference between your mare and the stud you are looking at is not that big considering some heigt diffences.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Redial

I'll never forget when my friends 17.3hh clydieXWB broke into the welsh paddock...11 months later the cutest little filly was born from a 12.3 hh mare, no tearing or anything, the foal grew to 15.3hh hilarious to watch this massive foal running around with the mare, it had to have supplemental feeding though because it grew so quick and the mare didn't produce enough milk.


----------



## Indyhorse

My mare Freyja (15.2 hh Shire/Paint cross) was bred, back to back, to a 18.2 hh Shire stallion (before I got her), carried and delivered both foals with no problems. The babies both were quite large as newborns, but Freyja had no delivery issues at all.


----------



## whitetrashwarmblood

My friend had a 16.3hh OTTB mare she bred (live cover) to a 14hh Arab stud. The colt is 5 years old now and 17.3hh! :shock: 
I was always told that _usually _the height comes from the mother, but I doubt that's always the case.


----------



## ilovemyPhillip

I don't think live cover will be a problem at all.


----------



## agoodwin

I have always been told that as a general rule you should stay with in 2 hh. I was also told that the bigger the stallion the more chance there will be of his penis bruising the mares cervix and then she may not take. I have seen it where a stud bred a pony mare (by accident) and eveything was fine.


----------



## jess93

i have a 14.3hh welsh cob in foal to a irsh draft/ tb who is 16.2 the vet said it would be no problem


----------

