The
safest and most popular option is a stay at the stud, in
the hands of experts who will be around if there are problems.
The
new arrival has 24 hrs to settle in before teasing commences
the next day.
1.
Teasing. This the process whereby the mare is tested
for being in-season. A stallion is put in her presence and
if she holds her tail up and to one side this is the mating
posture. Teasing takes place everyday until the mare is
ready for covering.
2.
Vet Inspection. A cervical swab is taken by the vet
as soon as the mare comes into season to check for infections
which, if present, are treated by anti-biotics.
3. Covering.
This is done either naturally or by A1 and some mares
may need covering twice in one season to ensure they conceive.
4.
Out-of-season Scan. Your mare, once she is
out of season, is scanned 16 days after her last service
to check she's pregnant. If positive, your mare may go home.But,
you may prefer to keep the horse at stud until your vet
can do the 28-day scan, a much more certain check on pregnancy;
and it has the added bonus of it being safer for your mare
to travel. A second covering only takes place if your mare
comes back into season or is not pregnant after the first
scan.
5.
Walk In, Walk Out. Thoroughbred breeders often prefer
this. The mare, when in season, travels to the stud, is
covered, and returns home immediately thus avoiding stud
fees. But, if the mare doesn't conceive she has to return
for a second covering. This 'quicky' procedure is much more
stressful for the mare.
6.
Home 'Covering' and at A1 Centre. Availability of
frozen or chilled semen, gives horse owners two further
options: home covering and covering at A1 Centre or Stud.
Both methods employ artificial insemination using frozen
or chilled semen from the stallion of your choice. The semen
is obtained from the stallion using an artificial vagina.
The semen is then mixed with nutrient under the beady eye
of a laboratory technician and if everything is deemed OK
it is either put straight into the mare if she is in season
or chilled to 4C and sent to the recipient vet or A1 Centre.
Or it might conceivably be frozen to 196C and stored until
required.
Home
covering is now quite popular. The cost of the semen is
generally the same as the stud fees but you have to allow
for vet's fees and the costs of collecting and packaging
the semen.The other alternative, A1, allows you to take
your mare to a centre where she is inseminated thus cutting
down on travel. Sexually transmited diseases are avoided
because the mare and stallion don't meet; and conception
rates are similar to natural covering.
7.
Surrogate Mother. Owners of competition mares often
use surrogate mothers so the the mares can go on competing.
This is what happens. The fertilized egg or embryo is removed
from the mare seven days after insemination and transferred
to a surrogate mother which carries the foal until birth.
The Thoroughbred industry forbids artificial insemination
or embryo transfer.
8.Pre-Stud
Check. Get your vet to make a pre-stud ckeck if this
is your mare's first time breeding. Plan well in advance
of the spring breeding season. You will need to supply the
stud with a vaccination certificate for flu and tetanus
and proof she is free from infectious diseases, like Equine
Herpes, Equine Viral Arteritis,and Contagious Equine Metritis.
As mares tend to live out at stud make sure yours is roughed
off before you take her to stud. Some studs may also ask
you to remove the hind shoes.
9.
No Results No Fee. Find out from the stud what terms
they offer if there is no foal by October 1st.A full or
partial refund of the stud fee is one option used, the other
no foal, free return whereby you are offered a free
covering with the same stallion the next year.In both cases
you will be expected to provide a vet's certificate to prove
the mare isn't in foal.
Please
now go to Mating (3)
[Back to 1]
[Mating
1] [
Mating 2] [Mating 3] [Mating
4]
[Horse
Veterinary Advice] [Horse
Mating] [Gift
Horse] [White
Horse]
The
above row of links go to the Frameset Index for each section
