# At what age can a colt impregnate a mare?!



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Yes, a yearling can get a mare pregnant. If you don't want a foal, have the vet out to give your mare a shot of Lutalyse, and have the colt's owner pay for it.

There's no way I'd keep a mare at a barn where they can't/don't separate out ungelded males. That's completely unacceptable, not to mention horrid horse keeping practices.


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## prettypony (Nov 8, 2012)

Oh geez :O
I will talk to her about it.

Is there anyway for a vet to determine if a mare is pregnant?


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

The earliest test for pregnancy is about 12 weeks I believe, but I'd have the shot given just in case before then. You want it nipped in the bud NOW, not before you're forced to have your mare give birth to a foal you didn't want.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I agree, get the vet to give her a shot of Lute. If she's not bred, then nothing will really happen, but if she is, then she'll abort and you won't be stuck with a foal you didn't want.

Worst case scenario, all you've got to lose is the cost of the shot....which I would either have the colt owner or the barn owner pay for.

And, until they get him completely gelded, I would insist that they either fence off another part of the property to keep him separated or I would find another place to board. To knowingly keep an intact male in with mares in a boarding facility is, as SR said, very poor horsekeeping practices.


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## prettypony (Nov 8, 2012)

Uuuuuuggggghhhhhhh.
I've never been in this situation before, I've never known anybody who was breeding horses, so totally clueless. I just figured that if the owner (who is also the property owner) wasn't concerned about it, she knew what she was doing.
The other 3 mares on the property are all hers, so I guess she just doesn't care?

Funny part is he does prefer to mount his best buddy, who is a gelding.

Thank-you for all the information, I will be scheduling a vet visit asap! Does anyone know roughly how much a shot of lutalyse would cost?


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

She may not care...or she may be of the "old school" mind that no colt can breed before he's 2 years old. I would politely take your concerns to her when you bring up her paying for the shot of lute.

Unfortunately, I have no idea how much a shot of Lute would cost. Thankfully, I've never had to have one done...and I don't think it would cost the same for me as it does for you anyway, being almost an entire continent apart LOL.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

The drug isn't new. I always kept geldings but for about a year a friend kept her mare in my herd. Other horses were boarded there, too, and someone's stallion jumped the fence. It was, I think, in 1987, and my friend called the Vet and had her treated to "abort" the foal, though we weren't 100% sure that she was in foal. Didn't harm the mare at all.


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## Trinity3205 (Dec 21, 2010)

Lutalyse is very very cheap but must be given before the embryo implants, so the first 20 or 30 days I think it is after being bred. Talk to a vet ASAP


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I've never heard of a boarding facility that doesn't have separate turn outs, much less one that doesn't separate ungelded stallys, regardless of age. I'm surprised that there haven't been issues before this one: perhaps that's another conversation to have with your Barn Owner.

Best of luck with your mare! What a scary situation :O


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

What age? About 3 months prior to expected.


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## prettypony (Nov 8, 2012)

Oh gawd. This is like me 2nd worst nightmare. The first one is ME being pregnant. 
Its not a barn facility really. Its just me and 2 other boarders, the other 2 being retirees. And also geldings. 
But I agree, it is irresponsible of her to a. Not inform herself of when these things should be done. And b. Not in form her boarders that this is a possibility! 

I am so done with this woman. I am trying to find a different place. This was great only because it is nearly impossible to find somewhere with 24/7 pasture board.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## demonwolfmoon (Oct 31, 2011)

From what I have been led to understand, once a nut has dropped its possible. Better safe than sorry
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## codysmom123 (Nov 14, 2012)

Speed Racer said:


> The earliest test for pregnancy is about 12 weeks I believe, but I'd have the shot given just in case before then. You want it nipped in the bud NOW, not before you're forced to have your mare give birth to a foal you didn't want.


The vet can do an ultrasound and check for pregnancy at 12-16 DAYS not weeks.

To answer OP's question, yes a yearling colt can breed and settle a mare.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

you could very well have a horse baby. be prepared to hear this from the Vet. Move your mare, and have her preg checked. That colt, even after both testicles are removed , still can impregnate a mare , i believe it is 60 or so days. I forget the exact time, so ask your Vet when you have your mare checked.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Am I the only one who is baffled as to why the vet who partially gelded this colt never mentioned to the owner or anyone else that there is a very real possibility he could impregnate the mares he's being turned out with?


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## Sweeney Road (Feb 12, 2012)

Not to mention--the vet's going to wait for the other one to drop? What if this colt is a cryptorchid and NEVER drops?


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## demonwolfmoon (Oct 31, 2011)

Sweeney Road said:


> Not to mention--the vet's going to wait for the other one to drop? What if this colt is a cryptorchid and NEVER drops?


I dont trust it, but 2 vets claimed undescended=sterile. Too hot.

I still won't put my little crypto shetland w his mom til I get him that surgery, but that was the vets statement.


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## ButtInTheDirt (Jan 16, 2011)

A yearling stud could easily get a mare pregnant, especially if he is dropped and mounting mares [and geldings]. I know a person who has a stud colt out with his dam, and he mounts her and the gelding he is with. I have no doubt that he'll get his dam pregnant after a while if nothing changes. But some people don't even think of this as a problem. (Because he is with his dam they don't think he'd try, but have seen him do it.) I am so glad to have a filly, because frankly I think the whole gelding situation can kind of be a pain in the butt. Certainly something that needs to be done, though, but I think some people just delay it because of the old wives tales that somehow, leaving them with their bits is better. (They can't get mares pregnant at that age, they'll grow bigger, etc.) My gelding was gelded as a long yearling, and he even acts like a stud. No mounting mares or the like, but just his demeanor is different than the average gelding.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

codysmom123 said:


> The vet can do an ultrasound and check for pregnancy at 12-16 DAYS not weeks.


That's nice. I've only ever had geldings, so have no reason to know exactly WHEN a vet could test for pregnancy.


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## prettypony (Nov 8, 2012)

> Am I the only one who is baffled as to why the vet who partially gelded this colt never mentioned to the owner or anyone else that there is a very real possibility he could impregnate the mares he's being turned out with?


Wow. Thankyou, hadn't even considered that. He's even a vet who specializes in reproductive services. He did her teeth on the same day the colt was gelded. I don't know if he talked to the owner about it, and she just failed to mention it to me, or what.

Guess this is what happens when you assume everyone knows what they are doing.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

To give the vet the benefit of a doubt, maybe he didn't know the horses were all out together.

How rude of the barn owner to laugh about it. Her horses are her problem but she has no business having someone else's mare out with him.

Hope all goes well for you...and your mare.


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## DixieMay1996 (May 2, 2013)

Do they not have stalls or anything? You need to look into a "safer" better facility.


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## prettypony (Nov 8, 2012)

I have been desperately searching for a suitable place to move too. Unfortunately very few places here offer pasture board (its a must, my horse has lived outside her whole life and will tear a stall apart). And meet my budget and transportation requirements.
I'm basically a backyard boarder. The place has about 9 acres of all pasture. There is a small paddock, but keeping a horse in there cuts off the rest of them from the shelter. There are no stalls. I am basically getting free board for working once a week, so it's been a great set-up.
I talked to a vet about getting a pregnancy test done, but there wasn't really a point unless I can move her right away, because it could just happen afterwards.
That's whats happening right now, thanks for all the replies, I am hoping to find something better ASAP.


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

If the vet removed the testicle that is descended, then he will be sterile after a month or so. Once all the viable sperm are gone, the testicle that is up inside the belly WILL NOT be able to sustain viable sperm, hense he will be sterile.
Unfortunately,he might have already bred your mare before he was gelded or up to a month AFTER he was gelded.... Get her preg checked.


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## prettypony (Nov 8, 2012)

Yaaaaayyyy!!!! Found an awesome place down the road. They even have foaling stalls if the unspeakable has happened. We're moving ASAP. Had the vet out to do her strangles vacc. and he agreed to do a prego test after she's moved. He too seemed baffled as to why the other vet hadn't mentioned this possibility.
Also, she's been showing signs of heat - the only time I think I've ever been happy to deal with her super cranky pms-mare mode.


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## prettypony (Nov 8, 2012)

New place has been awesome so far - really nice competent woman who runs it. 
Had the vet out yesterday to confirm that she is not pregnant - *happy dance*.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

prettypony said:


> New place has been awesome so far - really nice competent woman who runs it.
> Had the vet out yesterday to confirm that she is not pregnant - *happy dance*.


YAY!:lol:


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

:happydance:


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## angelbkm212 (Aug 27, 2013)

it can be anywhere from 6 months on. My mums friend had a couple of weaners in a paddock with a mare and couple of geldings, and one of the weaner colts (6 months old) got the mare in foal. She didn't carry to term but they dont know if it was the colt or mare


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