# Spaying a mare - information anyone?



## Padrona (Apr 13, 2009)

Today I got information and a quote on doing a standing ovarectomy on my mare. I had read that this is quick, easy, and affordable when compared to the traditional surgery of laying them down, and doing an external abdominal incision. I was surprised to find out that even with the standing procedure, my mare would need to be hospitalized for 7 days, she would receive an epidural and IV pain medication, IV antibiotics for 5 days, cable tied to the ceiling for 2 days, and cost would be around $1,800 providing there were no complications. :shock:

I read a post on one board where a person said her mare was in and out the same day, off work for 6 weeks, and the cost was $450. 

So why the big difference? Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks in advance.


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

I had inquired about this with my vet a few years back regarding a riding mare I had, but she suggested I not do it, due to the complications and the ill side effects it can have on a mare, and it was priced much higher than $450. 

There are hormonal treatments you can give them to prevent them from going into heat, though I never opted for either; I ended up selling her before I had the chance to do either. 

I'd consult several well known vet clinics in your area to get several professional opinions and then you make a well rounded, educated decision.

Personally, I don't think I'd do it.


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## luvmyperch (Oct 5, 2009)

My friend's mare is having this done in a few weeks. I think her cost is around $1200, but I'm not sure exactly what's included. She has been having recurring UTIs and going into heat every few weeks. The vets have tried everything and this is a last resort.


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## Marrissa (Feb 4, 2007)

I wouldn't spay either. Especially if you ever plan on selling her. I know if I were buying a mare I'd like the option to breed her. Not saying I'd breed every mare but I'd like the option to if I wanted to.

I'd much rather deal with PMS (permanently p*ssed mare syndrome ) than any possible side effects. You always run the risk of a complication due to the anesthetic used during surgery. I have known horses that died due to it. I'm not trying to scare you just letting you know. I know a rodeo friend who got a hormone chip implanted in his mare's chest and she's been SO much better since then.

Only reason I'd ever spay a mare is if she had a medical reason for it.


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## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

I've herd about getting a marble or something implanted. Not sure if it works though.


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## Padrona (Apr 13, 2009)

The mare in question cycles 2 weeks in a strong heat, 2 weeks out, 2 week in, 2 weeks out. I was told that if I could isolate her from other horses, she'd probably settle down, but that's just not possible. She had an ultrasound and the ovaries looked fine but they told me that really doesn't mean anything. My other option is to try Regumate. 

I was so interested in the spay procedure because I'd read on one board that it was a very simple, outpatient procedure with the mare standing up and is no longer the major surgery it used to be with the complications. So I thought it was safer than the traditional surgery.


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

I don't know too much about spaying,but I know that having a marble put in is pretty simple. It causes the horse to quit cycling because the uterus thinks it is pregnant.


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

I personally wouldn't spay a mare unless there was a medical reason for it as well. For me the risks are not worth the outcome of her not cycling, and possibly not being quite as marish. In my opinion, if its mood swings, and the squirting ect., then regumate, or something like it to keep her from cycling, and if its just the thought of having a mare that might be moody and marish while in heat, then don't get a mare. I know of a person who did get their mare spayed, but it was because of an enlarged or diseased ovary or something like that, where the only option was to spay her to save her life. Personally I would talk to your vet about all the options including spaying, and see what he/she thinks is the best thing for you and your horse.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

Hmph, never heard of the "marble" method. Sounds interesting, kind of like a physical form of human oral birth control, makes the body think its pregnant... Very interesting. Can it be removed if you choose to breed?


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

Yes it can be removed. I knew a few people that used it on there competition mares so that they didn't have to worry about her coming into heat or a stallion managing to over her while they were at a show.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

Sounds like a smart idea to me, maybe more owners should look into it to prevent those oops pregnancies.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

I wouldn't do it unless there was a strong medical reason to do so. There are plenty or hormone control methods you can use. I know there is one available here in Aus that is just an injection once a year. It's about AU$400 a go but thats only once a year. 
If I were you I'd certainly be looking as far into hormonal control as I could before coming to the decision to operate. I've only ever had mares (Gucci is my first gelding!) and yes, I've had some absolute shockers with their hormones but generally I try to work around their 'female issues'. Only one I have put on a hormone control medication as she was just over the top when she came in season.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I spoke to my vet about spaying my witchy mare. He suggested the marble. I don't remember if we talked costs or not, I never did do anything, I've got her on quiessence but I think it's making her nasty and hyper. She did better on mare magic I think, although I'm only on week 2 of the quiessence.

As for the cost difference, it's just the cost of the vets. I know the difference in surgery's between 2 facilities (about 45 minutes apart) is about a grand.


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

*spaying a mare*

I just had my 7 yr old mare spayed November 1st here in Wyoming. She cycled alot, did alot of squealing, etc and because I really like this mare, I decided to spay her. Having had 3 other spayed mares in the past, I knew what to expect. This mare is a true blue roan with good bloodlines, but have no intention of breeding her. Even if I ever sold her in the future, selling a spayed mare is like selling a gelding, most folks love the idea. 

Anyway, I took her to the vets on Sunday morning because she had to have no food and water for 24 hours. We spayed her standing up with a mild sedative and an epidural, she as totally done in about an hour and back in her stall. We cross tied her in the stall for the first 48 hours, with plenty of food and water near her, but no chance to lay down, she was on antibiotics and pain meds. Because an incision is make in the uterine wall to get the overies in a position to use the eclasior to clamp off the overies, the slight chance of the horse rolling and her intestines coming through the small incision is not worth the risk, so tying the first 48 hours is the best way. I took her home after three days and turned her loose in our small field. She was on antibiotics for 10 days. 
She is great and has no after problems at all, and is already being more mellow. 
I work for my vet, so did get a discount, but the average cost here is about $800. Well worth it.


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## AlmagroN (Jul 19, 2009)

luvmyperch said:


> My friend's mare is having this done in a few weeks. I think her cost is around $1200, but I'm not sure exactly what's included. She has been having recurring UTIs and going into heat every few weeks. The vets have tried everything and this is a last resort.


have they tried a marble?



sillybunny11486 said:


> I've herd about getting a marble or something implanted. Not sure if it works though.





Honeysuga said:


> Hmph, never heard of the "marble" method. Sounds interesting, kind of like a physical form of human oral birth control, makes the body think its pregnant... Very interesting. Can it be removed if you choose to breed?


ok to clear up the whole marble thing. i have a mare who has a marble. its a real glass marble, a little larger than a shooter (hers is purrty, its got the little color swirl that looks like toothpaste in it! lol) anyway they sedate the mare, vetwrap and tie her tail to her halter (keeps it up and out of the way with no chance of a long hair getting in there) and clean her up. the marble is sterile, and its inserted in the uterus (they have to "pop the cherry" to do it so sometimes theres a little blood) shoot some genesin up there and your done. 

now there are 2 things though. sometimes the mare will kick out the marble, in this case you just get another put back in. it cost me $40 to get it put in. also its not 100% positive that it will work. its a high rate that it does, but not always. my mare for example is a skank. she does what my broodmare does and "forces" herself into heat. my broodmare is very very pregnant but will show signs of going into heat when there are boys around. so there is a chance it wont work, but typically it does.

also it can be removed. my mare has very very good breeding and would be a nice broodmare one day (though im not interested in breeding her, as she is racing right now... but i probably will never breed her) i was going to get it removed before but when the vet went in he found she had grew membrane over it, he turned to me and said "she wants to keep it, shes having a baby!" i said "ooooh no shes not, get it out!" well he couldnt, he needed a vet with smaller hands to do it because he couldnt grasp the marble. i never got around to getting another vet to do it though. 

and they cant get pregnant while its in, so yeah, i think more people should look into it so there arent "oops" pregnancies!!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

My brother is considering having his mare spayed. She has good breeding but due to her being a cross appy/qh, she is a grade mare. She is going to be a horse for my baby niece when she grows up and he doesn't want to have to worry about other horses behaving badly around her when she is in heat (though she isn't mare-ish at all). He was considering the vaginal spaying method because they do it on cattle all the time with very few complications. However, there is still risk. I think that I will probably mention the marble to him and see if it might work for her.


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## tealamutt (Aug 21, 2009)

cattle and horses react to invasive proceedures extremely differently. To quote my favorite veterinary professor of all time "Any self respecting horse with a rectal tear is dead". (referring to the fact that cows with rectal tears aren't even really an emergency situation.) I don't know the statistics of survival for a standing proceedure as far as anesthesia goes but elective surgeries on horse are always extremely risky. Make sure you weight that against whatever "risks" are involved with not spaying.

As far as an out patient proceedure, I know this is occasionally done on women but then a woman who is in severe pain, suffering from a post-surgical infection, or having other symptoms is going to pipe up immediately. You might not see it with a mare until it is too late (and they go down hill extremely quickly). I just think it is prudent to be very cautious when considering a spay for convenience.


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## Padrona (Apr 13, 2009)

Well, just to clear things up - this would NOT be for "convenience." It would be because the mare is miserable for half the month, every single month. She's in pain. She kicks, paws, ears pinned, and will stand there for hours and not eat a bite of hay because she's squatting and peeing. Her hind end gets chronically wet and nasty, tail turns into a mess. In October she colicked in conjunction with the heat cycle. I can't just give her bute for pain because she's had ulcers in the past and that's too risky. I can give Equioxx or Previcoxx but that is very expensive, and still doesn't fix her extreme distraction. She walks from horse to horse in the field backing her butt up to them and peeing and squealing. She jostles for dominance in the herd, she's a real ladder climber. She's just miserable half the month. It's not just for "me" but for HER! If a stallion were acting so miserable, distracted, and hormonal to the point it affects his riding and day to day activities everyone would say geld him but when it's a mare people say - then you shouldn't own a mare. What's up with that? One vet mentioned that the ulcers may actually have been caused by her constant worry over needing to be bred. :-( This mare has been cycling strong since 1 year old and she'll be 7 in a couple months. This has been going on for a long time and it's not getting any better.

I was told that breeding the horse often fixes these problems, but I don't want to breed. I suppose that's a last resort but I'd rather spay. Breeding and foaling is very risk also. I've known a lot of mares that had complications from that, including one of our own that had a vaginal tear and infection.

The vet I talked to said he's been doing this surgery for 20 years and he's done all kinds of backyard horses to high end performance horses of just about every breed, shape, and size, and he's only see a couple of minor complications, usually infection, in all these years. He's never encountered anything catastrophic at all. He said 99% of mare owners are extremely pleased and the surgery fixes all these issues. There is the ocassional mare who still shows heat because other tissues in the body can still produce estrogen, but those mares are rare.

I've read really mixed stories on the marbles. It appears that the chance of severe infection is very high and I'm not sure if I want to take that chance. Not to mention the marble falling out and you don't know it, then the mare's back in heat again a month or two later and you start all over.

She's young, she's a performance horse, and I would never sell her. She's here for life. If something happens to me and my family has to sell her, then I'm sure people wouldn't mind buying a spayed mare - I can't imagine it being any different than a gelding.

The problem I have with Regumate is the danger of it to humans. You can't get a drop on your skin. You have to wear latex gloves. You can't keep it out in the cold or it will freeze. We live in the artic north where it's frozen half the year. I did chores last night in -3 degrees, and it's not even winter yet. So that means transporting it from house to barn every day and not getting any on my skin. When I'm gone, I have people watch my farm and I can't be troubling them with Regumate. 

We did Regumate with a mare once and it was a major pain. It was not a fun drug to deal with.

I may try Regumate for 30 days but I can't see myself keeping on with that forever. 

Does anybody know anything about Depo shots?


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## luvmyperch (Oct 5, 2009)

Padrona, I referred my friend having similar issues to this thread. Her mare is experiencing similar cycles, and the pain when urinating. She doesn't seem to be quite as insistent around other horses, but is in a lot of discomfort and cycles just as often. She also had the marble in for about a year, maybe more. It helped for a while, but isn't doing much any more. I get the feeling this is a case by case type of thing, and its really up to you and your vet to decide what's best.


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## AlmagroN (Jul 19, 2009)

Padrona said:


> I've read really mixed stories on the marbles. It appears that the chance of severe infection is very high and I'm not sure if I want to take that chance. Not to mention the marble falling out and you don't know it, then the mare's back in heat again a month or two later and you start all over.


 the chance for infection is not high. i dont know who told you that. also if it does fall, unless youre on 27/7 turnout you will know. its usually in their stall as they dont toss them when they are working. and start all over again? i dont understand. marbles work immediately, so there is no "starting over again", if it falls out you put it back in, simple as that. 

regumate is great. yeah you have to wear gloves but who cares? sometimes you have to make little sacrefices when you have mares who have heat cycles like this one. i know this as i have one, who might actually be a little nastier than yours. i cant do anything with her if shes in heat, cant even walk by her in the crossties beause she pins you against the wall and pees on you. wont stop when youre walking, walks through crossties so you cant hook her, steps on your feet purposely, etc.


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## Padrona (Apr 13, 2009)

Wow your mare does sound pretty bad.

It was a vet I talked to who said that marbles really aren't great. I've also read about them on online forums and generally haven't seen a whole lot of stuff in favor of them. By start all over again, I mean take the mare to the vet to have it inserted again. I've read about them being kicked out multiple times meaning multiple vet visits to put them back in. I'm sure some people do have great luck with them but I'm not sure I'd want to try it. Not saying I won't, just that I don't know what to think about it yet.

I care about Regumate because like I said I can't leave it in the barn because of our temps. So that means moving the bottle daily from house to barn. It has to be handled with gloves - not supposed to even touch the bottle without gloves on. So that means making sure nobody in the house touches the bottle, putting the gloves on to take it to the barn, what if when I have others doing chores for me, then they have to go to the house to get the bottle, put the gloves on, what if they forget??? Just seems like a whole lot of PITA. Been there, done that with the drug and don't really want to do it again. I will if that's the best option, but I was really hoping spaying would be the way to go.


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## aynelson (Jun 13, 2009)

I have worked with a lot of PMSie mares and there is A LOT you can do for them besides surgery. Surgery is so invasive and I would not do that to an animal unless it was completely necessary. Vitex is a fabulous herb I use to help calm down mares - you can also find oodles of supplements that address mare issues. Please consider all of these before doing major surgery. The cost of Vitex: $1.70 an ounce. My mare takes 2 tsp a day. This is so much less than a $1200 surgery. Most vets are not versed in herbal supplements, but some are - maybe you can find one in your area.


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## tealamutt (Aug 21, 2009)

Padrona said:


> Well, just to clear things up - this would NOT be for "convenience."


I'm sorry if it came across that I was being harsh, your mare does sound miserable. I really meant that as a consideration for any members reading this thinking "$1200 isn't so bad ,maybe I should spay my mare"

I agree Regumate (progesterone) is a difficult drug to deal with and man it is sooo expensive, I wouldn't want a mare on it for life, it is bad enough for just the first 60 days of pregnancy.

Anyway, of course you and your vet will come to the right decision for you and your mare, I was just trying to point out that it is a drastic measure for drastic mares (like yours). I do think that (unless you already have) it is worth trying some herbal suppliments. I know some real witches that have become manageable if not miles better with herbal treatment.


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## Padrona (Apr 13, 2009)

I use Vitex from Mt. Rose Herbs to treat one of my horses with Cushings but have not considered it for this horse. I can look into that more. I have done raspberry leaves with possibly "some" bit of improvement, but not enough to really write home about. 

I just don't get why everybody says to geld a stallion but spaying a mare is dangerous and unnecessary. Why? The vet I talked to said he's been doing it for 20 years and it is extremely safe and the complications are very rare and minimal, if any. He's done thousands of the surgeries and could count only a few complications, which amounted only to infection that was treated with antibiotics. He's a reproductive specialist and this is all his does is gelding, spaying, and breeding/foaling.

He does the procedure standing up with a 4" incision made in the vaginal wall. They pull the ovaries through, and it takes about 20 minutes. He says it is no more invasive or dangerous than gelding a colt or stallion. When a stallion or colt is gelded, an incision is made in the scrotom, the testes are pulled through and clamped off and removed. The same is done with the mare. The ovaries are clamped off and removed. With a gelding, you have to keep them confined for a few days and on antibiotics too. I just don't see why it's that big a difference?

Spays used to be done with the mare recumbant and a large incision made through the abdominal wall and muscle, which WAS very dangerous, and was a large surgery requiring general anesthetic. Some vets still do it that way, but that's NOT what I would have done.

What mares do you guys know who have died or had serious hospitalization and complications from spaying? I'm not trying to be snarky, just genuinely curious so I can get a more well rounded picture. 

I'm not trying to "talk myself into it", I'm just trying to get a feel for why you guys think it's so terrible when the vet I talked to says it's safe with very rare complications - no more dangerous than gelding a male.


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## Crimsonhorse01 (Sep 8, 2009)

geldings have everything outside mares have everything inside. Its a BIG difference in my opinion. There is allot more chance for complications. I think your vet would love to have your $$.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Wow, it sounds like spaying mares has developed along the same lines as human hysterectomy surgery. That is great news.

I am shocked at the amount of people who are screaming 'do not do it'. It sounds like the OP and their vet have discussed all the options and for this horse spay surgery does seem like a good step to take. All that is wanted is information about how anyone else has gone about it.

Sorry Padrona, I do not know anyone who has had a mare spayed. I got spayed myself so I can tell you about that. It too is invasive surgery. Laugh. 


I wonder if your vet does the extra time in the hospital to make simply make sure there are not complications. It might be worth it in the long run even though it costs so much extra.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

I had a mare with nasty heat cycles too. I competed endurance so it was not an option for her to kick, be a 'crab' - to put it nicely.

Elected to go with the marble. My mare was perfection after that. I realize it doesn't work for all of them, but I did like the non-drug, non invasive alternative.


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## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

> With a gelding, you have to keep them confined for a few days and on antibiotics too.


All the horses I know who were gelded, when I knew them, were put outside for a few days afterwards and never had any problems. I didnt even know horses were suposed to be confined after the surgery but it kind of makes sence.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Hm, I have never had a horse that had to be on antibiotics after getting gelded unless he started to develop an infection (which didn't happen very often). My vet always advised to keep them moving because that will keep the swelling down and keep them from getting stove up. I had already started riding Dobe when we had him gelded and I kept using him a day or two after the procedure and he never swelled up at all.

I imagine that there will be some very good advances in the next few years regarding spaying mares. Just a few years ago, it was virtually unheard of. I suspect that some day, it will be as common as spaying a cat or dog.


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## Blackhorse (Nov 5, 2008)

I had my mare spayed in September. My vet said the same thing.
" it is no more invasive or dangerous than gelding a colt or stallion."

My mare was done standing in the stocks, it took 20 minutes, and she came home the same day. 
My mare would retain follicles and she would colic for days at a time each month. She developed ulcers because of the pain. I tried the marble,regumate, herbal remedies etc. 3 years of trying stuff. It would have been alot cheaper if I'd have spayed her when it all first started. It was under $400 to have her spayed. She had no complications, a little uncomfortable for a few days, turned out with the herd after 10 days, and I finally am enjoying working with her.


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## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

^^ $400. Thats cheep! Most vets around here wont geld for that cheep.


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## Luv 2 Trail (Jun 11, 2009)

My mare had a granulosa tumor on her R-ovary - after examination by a specialist, it was decided to remove the L-ovary also. The surgery was done standing and she came through everything beautifully - the recovery time was short and you can hardly tell where the incisions were. I had thought about spaying her long before the tumor was found because she was always a bit difficult - I just never got serious. I can't say for sure if I would have chosen to have her ovaries removed or not, but if you do decide on the surgery, the laparotomy sure cuts the recovery time significantly! You've done your homework and you will make the right decision for your mare. Keep asking questions and get all the infomation you can - you are on the right track and you know your mare better than anyone! Best of luck....


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

sillybunny11486 said:


> ^^ $400. Thats cheep! Most vets around here wont geld for that cheep.


Holy crap!! :shock: Are you kidding? When we gelded John this summer, it totaled $197. And that was with an updated tetanus shot as well.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

smrobs said:


> Holy crap!! :shock: Are you kidding? When we gelded John this summer, it totaled $197. And that was with an updated tetanus shot as well.


Different parts of the country......


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## Blackhorse (Nov 5, 2008)

My vet had called a Equine surgical clinic and he was quoted $1500 - $3000 for a flank incision. I called 2 other places and got the same quotes. On a off chance I called my old vet and the receptionist quoted me $275.00, I said it's for a mare, she replied "lady we only do equine here." I booked my mare for the following week.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Blackhorse said:


> My vet had called a Equine surgical clinic and he was quoted $1500 - $3000 for a flank incision. I called 2 other places and got the same quotes. On a off chance I called my old vet and the receptionist quoted me $275.00, I said it's for a mare, she replied "lady we only do equine here." I booked my mare for the following week.


 
That sounds about right. I haven't had one spayed but it would be cost effective at $275. You can buy a mare for $500-1000 less than a similarly bred and trained gelding. I have seen mares and hiefers spayed and they are done pretty much the same. It cost about $50 for the hiefers but I don't know how much the mares cost was.


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