# what age do you consider too old to breed? Mare and Stallion?



## JSMidnight (Mar 15, 2012)

Personally I wont breed my stallion till he is done with his show life because I want him to focus on me not mares. But if he wasn't showing then I *might* breed at 3 years old but most like 4 or 5. Same for a mare but I like to have horses mature before breeding.


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

JSMidnight said:


> Personally I wont breed my stallion till he is done with his show life because I want him to focus on me not mares. But if he wasn't showing then I *might* breed at 3 years old but most like 4 or 5. Same for a mare but I like to have horses mature before breeding.


She wants to know what age to stop breeding, not start... :wink:


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## JSMidnight (Mar 15, 2012)

CLaPorte432 said:


> She wants to know what age to stop breeding, not start... :wink:


Argh... I guess I'm a little tired. Sorry.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

For mares - are we talking about maiden breedings or just the age at which to stop breeding an active broodmare?


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## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

For a mare, it would depend on many things. Her fitness, health and how recently she last had a foal. A mare that was still of great health, fitness and had recently had a foal should be just fine in her mid twenties. 

For a stallion, until he is no longer able to perform and/or infertile LOL


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

For me, both would depend on consultation with my vet. Mares can carry foals well into their 20s and some into their 30s. But I would want to give my beloved broodies a retirement - I know I won't want to have babies in my 70s. Maybe I am humanising them a touch, but I think that a creature that gives you so much of themselves deserves our love in their twilight years, and not more work.


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## Crossroadshorsefarm (Apr 17, 2012)

My mare is 17, has never had a foal, but is extremely healthy and fit. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Chiilaa (Aug 12, 2010)

I would consult extensively with your vet. While she isn't too old to carry a foal comfortably, she might have trouble catching.


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## CarmenL (Apr 20, 2012)

The old mare I rescued from up the road had been foundered for about ten years. I thought I was bringing her home to fix her feet and let her be in a degree of comfort till she died. 

Well, she had a new lease of life and I ended up breeding her twice before she was too old. She was so much healthier pregnant plus having a foal to look after gave her a wonderful purpose. She had no trouble foaling ot rearing her foals. I ended up putting her down five years after the birth of her last foal as I could not keep weight on her and she was ready to go!


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## GhostwindAppaloosa (Jun 3, 2011)

Crossroadshorsefarm said:


> My mare is 17, has never had a foal, but is extremely healthy and fit.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


my 17 year old maiden mare with her first foal (born this year) 

The daddy is also 17 








and you might enjoy this photo.... that same mare... as a foal with her dam  








That mares dam with her foal last year @ 21








and her as a foal


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Stallions can bred until they die or lose fertility.
We have had a mare foal at 27 and she cam back into heat at 28.
Raised the foal without problems and had no long term issues,
The dam of Shining Spark had embryoes flushed well into her 30's I am told. Shalom


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## StellaIW (Feb 5, 2012)

Here in Sweden breeders say that after the age of (around) 16 - the uterus and so on in a mare starts aging, then it can be harder to get the mare pregnant. 

So if you want the best chances you should let the mare have it's first foal before 16, If the mare has had a foal before, it's easier to get her pregnant, even in an older age. 
Then, if the mare gets pregnant and keeps the baby, she's young enough to have a foal, no matter if she's 18 or 24. 

Mares are "made" to carry foals, and will do so until they are no longer fit for carrying foals. 

I bred my maiden mare when she was 17 years, she is now 18 and is due at the end of this month.


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## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

The picture of the children in front of the foals legs scared me to death.

I know many will find it cute.....

But, just think how quick that foal could jump up or, just try to roll over.

Those children could get hooves right in the face.

I have been hurt by foals more offten than adult horses.


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## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

I think my broodmares had foals up until 22 or 23.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Ripper said:


> The picture of the children in front of the foals legs scared me to death.


That picture is 17 years old. I'm pretty sure everyone lived. :rofl:


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## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

Speed Racer said:


> That picture is 17 years old. I'm pretty sure everyone lived. :rofl:


You find safety funny???

BTW....I did not think the children were still standing there.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

As others have said, depends on the individual horse. I'd definitely consult with a vet on any horse of significant age. Our old stud is 30, I don't do live cover with him anymore or breed outside mares but do have him collected for my own use. 

His sire, my grandpa's old stud, had his last colts on the ground the year he died at 36. His motility was as high in his 30s as it was as a young horse. I've seen many older mares (they were lifetime broodies though, none maiden) foal very late in life, the oldest on our farm was 28, she was one that belonged to my grandpa. I'd be pretty leery at that age myself but with vet clearance and closely monitored pregnancy she did very well.


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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

Ghostwind - you are killing me with eye candy! I always love your Appy pics!


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## Crossroadshorsefarm (Apr 17, 2012)

The stud that I plan on using is at my farm. He is also 17 and is a solid paint sorrel my mare is a 17 year old Palomino.  Thank you for all your advice! Got to sell my gelding first before I do anything! Haha! Anyone want a 6 year old broke OTTB? lol


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

I don't think I would breed a maiden mare past 16 or 17, and that of course only if she passed all vet checks with flying colors. If we were talking a brood mare, I think they tell you when they want to stop. If they start having weight or health issues, its time to retire. Knew one mare who was always the best brood mare in the herd, then one year in her early 20's just was not as "invested" in her foal, like she had lost interest. She retired that year and became a trail horse.


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## BarrelRacingLvr (Feb 26, 2012)

For maiden mares we don't breed them if they are over 17. As for experienced mares we don't breed them once they hit 20. I don't see the need to keep them popping out foals and risk them having complications due to their age. It is harder for them to foal the older they are and you have more chance of trouble. 

As for studs all they have to do is give their gift lol so I feel they can go a bit longer if they are still fertile, around 25 is when we stop breeding them.


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## ladytaurean515 (Apr 2, 2012)

I think it's as many said depending on your opinion and vet. approval that mare is fit and healthy. PLUS, do you have the extra money it may take to get a maiden mare of that age to take. When we bred here our mares usually retired about 18-20 and stallions as well. But, that was our choice. As one person stated we liked to allow our mares a retirement and let them live out their lives in the end just in a small herd together. They seemed happy and healthy and most lived anywhere from another 5-8 years. We never had a horse live past 30. I know they do..but we've never had it either they died naturally or we had to make the hard choice to put them down.


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## GhostwindAppaloosa (Jun 3, 2011)

Speed Racer said:


> That picture is 17 years old. I'm pretty sure everyone lived. :rofl:


 I was the young girl in the photo. I assure you it was safe  the foal was dead asleep.. we tried waking her for the photo and she was not having it  She was my first horse  and she will live with me until the day she needs help over the bridge


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## GhostwindAppaloosa (Jun 3, 2011)

it will probably also alarm you that the stallion was in the same field as that mare and foal. Good temperment horses seem hard to come by anymore. WHile I agree horses in general should always be treated with caution. I like to be able to handle not only my mares/foals, but my stallions too. my stallion walks on a clip lead no chain and is a gentleman. The extra mile is worth it.


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

When it takes longer for them to recover from foaling ad nursing the foal then we no longer breed them.
The 27 year old mare that foaled was deemed unable to conceive at the age of 23 and had been a pasture mate for a young stallion for almost 3 years before she foaled. she did however teach him manners about how to handle the ladies. Shalom


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