What should I think about before covering my mare?

Hi! Your best bet is to contact a nearby stud or AI centre and arrange to bring her in for a check, to make sure everything looks right. They can scan your mare to see where she is in her oestrous cycle and to check that the ovaries, uterus and everything else look healthy. It is wise to do this in good time before covering, at least a month ahead. Some mares also come into season without showing many obvious signs. Sometimes they will not show season until they meet a stallion or new horses. Studs, and AI centres too, usually keep a stallion on site, which can bring many mares into season more clearly. You do not then have to breed with that particular stallion.

Other things to consider before covering a mare:

1. What is your goal with the foal? What will it be used for?

2. Does your mare have the qualities you want the foal to inherit? This matters.

3. How well placed are you to look after a mare and foal? Once the foal arrives, and for up to three years afterwards? Foals do best turned out with other mares and foals so they have playmates. Come weaning, you will need an extra box or a place in loose housing.

4. Choosing the stallion: the stallion's qualities should match your goal for the foal and reinforce and complement the mare's. The stallion cannot make up for everything, though. He contributes only half the genes. The mare contributes the other half, but she also shapes the foal a great deal by acting as its role model for how to behave.

It is quite a lot to think about, but it is also great fun and very exciting! Good luck, and do ask more here in HayHay if you like!