Horses: To Breed or Not to Breed?

 “But sometimes I have to tell people ‘I’m sorry but the mare is not good enough.’  

“If the purpose of breeding horses is to create a generation that’s better than the last one, we need to be selective,” Castegren explains. “We’re not just breeding for four legs.” 

So don’t kid yourself. No mare is perfect and adding new genetics via breeding may not fix her flaws. 

3. Genes Don’t Always Play By The Rules 

“You might have a mare who’s had a good performance career but that doesn’t mean she’s going to have a good breeding career,” says Castegren. “The same goes for stallions. A stallion can be licenced and have a mediocre career so not many people choose to breed to him. But then his foals are amazing, and it turns out he’s a super progenitor. Or a stallion can have a mediocre sport career and produce great mares [daughters] but poor stallions [sons].” 

In other words, genetics is an inexact science. However, researching genetics and production patterns can increase the likelihood of achieving breeding goals. 

4. Good Health Is Required 

It’s tempting to breed a mare that was injured and can no longer compete. But it’s important to consider whether the injury was related to genetics or conformation. Producing injury-prone foals is not good breeding practice. 

Also, carrying a foal is taxing. The mare needs to be sound enough to remain comfortable while pregnant, nursing, and mothering a playful foal. A healthy mare will best support her foal’s development. 

. Consider Market Demand  

Assess the demand for the type of foal you plan to produce. Horse sports, competitive needs, and rider skills are changing. As such, breeders need to understand market demand and what will likely sell by the time they have a foal, young prospect, or competition age sport horse for sale. Be strategic. Breed for excellence not redundancy. 

6. Financial Reality Check 

Breeding isn’t a budget-friendly venture. The time lag between breeding a mare and having a foal to sell necessitates significant investment with no guarantee of any return. All kinds of issues can arise; hence, mare owners need to be comfortable with the possibility that they may lose much or all of their investment.  

Of course, the opposite is true as well. The foal may be a future superstar and surpass its expected sales value. But it’s prudent to be prepared for either eventuality. 

Keeping all that in mind, choosing to breed your mare can be joyful, rewarding, and financially beneficial. But it’s a complex decision that demands introspection, realism, and a dash of idealism.