# What Is The Best Time Of Year To Breed?



## iinfotech10 (Aug 3, 2010)

Mares have a natural breeding season. Increasing daylight stimulates receptor centers in the brain, which in turn trigger the production of reproductive hormones. These hormones initiate the pattern of regular periods of 'heat", or estrous, that characterize the breeding season each spring. These periods continue throughout the summer, and cease during the autumn. 
By artificially increasing the amount of light - for instance, by using electric lights in a stable - it is possible to begin the breeding season earlier. This practice is prevalent in Thoroughbred studs, which try to produce the foals as near as they can to January 1st, the official birthday of all Thoroughbred racehorses.
The ideal time for a foal to be born is between May and July, when most grass is available to help the mare's milk supply. Because pregnancy in horses lasts 11 months, the best time to have the mare covered is from June through August.
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## CheyAut (Nov 26, 2008)

I disagree with that and say the best time is region dependant. Here, foals born in July can (and have) died from heat. Here the best time is Feb and March. We have triple digits in April.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

CheyAut said:


> I disagree with that and say the best time is region dependant. Here, foals born in July can (and have) died from heat. Here the best time is Feb and March. We have triple digits in April.


Absolutely!

I am in Minnesota. I am not breeding in August to have a July foal. WAY too hot for a tiny body to stay hydrated!


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## Deej (May 5, 2009)

I say, think twice before you breed at any time of year. Ask your self, "Why do I want to breed"? In my opinion there are way to many homeless and unloved and uncared for horses out there. Same goes for dogs, cats, reptiles ect. I know many of you want to breed your mare in order to raise your own little one from birth and because it will come from your favorite mare. That is a selfish reason to breed. Perhaps instead you could adopt one of the many thousands of homless horses out there that need you. Just a thought....


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## ilovesonya (Oct 12, 2009)

In my area, I think the best time to have a foal born is mid-late April, and mid-Junhe. I live in Ontario, so we still get heavy snowfall in April. Heck, we even had snow on the ground on Mother's Day this year! After June the flies are very bad, as well as the temperature. We get 40 degrees celcius some days, without humidity! 
I think my filly was born at a good time, April 25. The flies weren't too bad, and it was warm, but not too cold or too hot. Perfect for her to just run around and be a foal without me having to worry about her overheating.
I think it depends on the area though, since climate varies everywhere. 
It has to be a time frame where the foal will not get overheated when little, as well too cold. Bugs also have to be considered as you do not want the naval to get infected from flies or other bugs.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

CheyAut said:


> I disagree with that and say the best time is region dependant. Here, foals born in July can (and have) died from heat. Here the best time is Feb and March. We have triple digits in April.


Very true. Around here the best time is between mid-March and the end of April because of the weather.


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## rraylutz210 (Jun 24, 2010)

the breeding barn in my area, Michigan, cover their mares in February for near January first foals. They do this so that the foal is large in size for the futurities in the fall. However, they do have a large heated barn and temperatures stay about 60 all winter.. so along with the regional climate heated barns play a huge part as well.


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

iinfotech10 said:


> Mares have a natural breeding season. Increasing daylight stimulates receptor centers in the brain, which in turn trigger the production of reproductive hormones. These hormones initiate the pattern of regular periods of 'heat", or estrous, that characterize the breeding season each spring. These periods continue throughout the summer, and cease during the autumn.
> By artificially increasing the amount of light - for instance, by using electric lights in a stable - it is possible to begin the breeding season earlier. This practice is prevalent in Thoroughbred studs, which try to produce the foals as near as they can to January 1st, the official birthday of all Thoroughbred racehorses.
> The ideal time for a foal to be born is between May and July, when most grass is available to help the mare's milk supply. Because pregnancy in horses lasts 11 months, the best time to have the mare covered is from June through August.
> ____________________________________________
> ...


So are you asking a question or suggesting to people when the best time to breed is?

It really is dependent on your weather and your facilities.

The best natural time to breed in our are (pacific northewest) is April, May, June. A March foal could be too early depending on the weather we are having but with blankets and a barn it should not be an issue..........it also rarely gets to hot in our area.........lots of foals are born in July and August in our area.

Super Nova


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Yep, it differs depending on area and your plans for the horse. Racing breeders and most QH breeders prefer January foals just because that give the horse more time to mature before starting training for the racing/showing they will do as a 2 year old. For me, since I don't show, I prefer an early spring (march) or fall (sept/oct) baby. While our winters are generally pretty mild, we do have the occasional bitter cold. Our summers, however, are dangerous with temps usually in the triple digits. My baby was born in July and I worried about him constantly when I would see him just standing in the shade covered in sweat with his head down.


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_We always aimed for anything from Feb to April as we had Standardbreds, although we did have a few late babies. We had lots of mares foal in March, but they always seemed to miss my birthday the buggars! lol. It's pretty cold here in March sometimes still though.... (Southwestern Ontario)_


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## Lollypoppah (Aug 8, 2010)

i have a little appy mare im going to breed with this year and have a foal next year, im from AUSTRALIA! & im going to get her served in September/October/November this year when im prepared to move her to a stud. so she foal when there is heaps of feed around.


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## twogeldings (Aug 11, 2008)

If I was breeding, I'd look for the coolest-but-not-to-cool time to have my mare foal. I just lost two rabbits to heat stroke. Shaded area, + heat reflecting tarp over half of cage, + two large dishes of water. I guess one panicked when the wind took the tarp off and knocked over the water, then with the heat today...oi oi oi  Rest are recovering and will be fine. 

I just couldn't imagine having a foal in this kind of weather. I'd end up installing an industrial air conditioner and keeping him in the barn until it gets into the low 80's at least.


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## blueberryhill (Jan 19, 2010)

*Time of year*

I think it depends on the facilities you have and what you plan on doing with the foal. If you have do not have the facilities to have a foal in WI you don't want to have it in January or February, however, if you have a halter horse you definitely want it born early in the year, as the birthday is Jan 1 no matter when the foal is born. If your foal is born in August and you are going up against yearlings that are born in January in a halter class that would be very difficult to win. So I really think it depends on what you are doing and where you live.


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