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Discussion on Pregnancy and Exercise
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Member:
Aannk
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Posted on Wednesday, Feb 11, 2004 - 2:26 pm:
Dr. O.,
Your article says it is OK to continue the level of excercise, but should I stop exercising my mare during the period she is being bred? The farm I am sending her to mainly works with mares who are just used as brood mares, so they were worried about me riding her while they were trying to get her pregnant.
Thanks,
Alicia
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Member:
Goolsby
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Posted on Wednesday, Feb 11, 2004 - 3:19 pm:
Alicia,
I know this question is for the Doctor, but when I bred my 9 yr. old maiden mare we were on a trail ride (had been riding every weekend all spring) and noticed she was really "in" by the way she was acting towards my gelding, so after the ride we hauled her to a fellow that had a stud, let them go at it a couple times. 11 months later she had a beautiful colt (although he had no spots). I may have just been lucky, but thought id share that.
Colleen
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Member:
Oscarvv
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Posted on Thursday, Feb 12, 2004 - 8:19 am:
No help, but curious, who did you decide to breed her to???  I remember your post about your mare and you were considering Voltaire.
~Barbara
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Feb 12, 2004 - 9:07 am:
We really do not have any large studies that help make this decision but practical experience suggests that it probably does not lower fertility unless the exercise is stressful. But unnecessarily irritating the people who you have intrusted the care of your horse is not wise either. Try and find a compromise that makes everyone happy.
DrO
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Member:
Eoeo
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Posted on Thursday, Feb 12, 2004 - 9:45 am:
Use common sense. You will be disrupting their farm by going over there and riding this mare. When a person has a breeding farm, horses are used to certain things. When you ride a horse around, it gets the others excited simply because a horse is out of the norm, moving from place to place. Give this a rest. Leave her there, let them concentrate on her getting bred and when you get her home, you can do anything you want. EO
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Member:
Lanna1
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Posted on Thursday, Feb 12, 2004 - 11:37 am:
Hi Alicia,
This is just my two cents, but my research suggests that mares have a better conception rate during a weight gain. Therefore, it would be good for her to have a rest at the breeding farm, not too mention the previous post which suggests that it won't disturb the other animals on the property as well!
The less stress she's under, the easier it will be for the breeding farm to settle her!
All horses deserve a rest at some point, it's not like she's going to lose all condition because she's off schedule for a few weeks?!?
Hope this helps,
Lanna
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Member:
Aannk
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Posted on Thursday, Feb 12, 2004 - 11:50 am:
Colleen,
Thanks for the insight
barbara c,
Voltaire, especially since the horse of the year this year is out of a mare by him.
Dr. O.,
They said it would be fine, they were just worried. This mare needs to be ridden to keep in shape. She just stands around when out in the paddock. They also have trainers breaking young racehorses there, so it isn't an issue of irritating them. They just wanted to be sure it was OK.
EO,
I will not be disrupting anythiing, as you can see from the last post.
In conclusion, I guess the answer is it is unknown. I will make my decision when I see the place.
Thanks,
Alicia
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Member:
Aannk
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Posted on Thursday, Feb 12, 2004 - 11:53 am:
Lanna,
She never gains weight. Also, she looses muscle pretty quickly when not ridden. Also, I have no illusions that it will take only a few weeks to get her pregnant!!! That is wishfull thinking. I am going under the impression that it will take at least 4 weeks, if not 8. And, yes, she will loose condition if not ridden for that long.
Alicia
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Member:
Eoeo
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Posted on Thursday, Feb 12, 2004 - 11:12 pm:
Alicia, a mare cycles approximately every 21 days as you already know, so the very best you can do is to take her there in heat, have her bred through that cycle. What about just taking her home after she has gone through her cycle? That would be anywhere from 3 to 5 days. You could then have her checked (ultrasound)day 15 post last breeding and find out if she is in foal. You would lose very little riding time. Is the stud farm too far from you to make this work?? EO
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Member:
Aannk
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Posted on Friday, Feb 13, 2004 - 11:16 am:
EO,
I need her there so my vet can get to her easily. The farm is very near his practice, and our farm is not. He suggested taking her there to minimize my costs. The ultrasound and palpations are going to be done at the farm, that is why she is even going there. The mare is a maiden, and the semen will be frozen, so it will take a bunch of appointments by the vet.
I plan on riding, but not jumping. If it turns out to be too hard to do, I will not, but I am going to try.
Alicia
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Member:
Imogen
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Posted on Saturday, Feb 14, 2004 - 3:16 am:
My experience for what it is worth is leave your mare at the stud, go home and wait for them to call saying that she has scanned in foal... I know it's frustrating but really, they know best and they need to be able to tease her to see if she is coming back into season again after the first covering.
I made the mistake of bringing my mare back basically because I missed her the first year I tried to breed her. I had to take her back again and she didn't take at all that year.
Also most mares come back a bit scrawny from the stud due to the general excitement level and the widely held belief (opposite to one listed above) that keeping mares fairly light improves the chances of conception. It's no big deal, a bit of feeding and work and they are fine.
Do another project while you are waiting. Doesn't your child/house/garden need a bit of the attention you've been lavishing on your horse?
Good luck!
Imogen
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Member:
Eoeo
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Posted on Saturday, Feb 14, 2004 - 9:16 am:
I would be a little peeved if my mare came back a bit scrawny from the stud. If they are wormed, vaccinated and in good flesh before they go there, they should come back in as good or better condition. If they are losing condition there, there is something wrong with the program. A mare losing weight isn't going to get in foal easier, that is for sure. EO
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Feb 14, 2004 - 10:49 am:
Though we send most horses home carying a bit more weight than when they get here sometimes you get one that does not like the change, paces the fences and does not eat well for several weeks causing a transient weight loss.
DrO
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Member:
Aannk
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Posted on Monday, Aug 9, 2004 - 3:41 pm:
Thought everyone might like an update.
Lilly was bred twice and caught the second time. She is due sometime between May 18 and May 26 next year. She is loving the farm she is at, and I have decided to keep her there until weaning. I am going to sell her then. Anyway, she has not lost any more muscle than she usually does during rest, and is very happy where she is. So, I guess I made the right decision with help from you guys.
Thanks
Alicia
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