Foal heat..what is the average

[appyday]

Condesa foaled 6/4 on 6/9 and 6/10 she teased in and on 6/11 (7 days) I bred her..what is the avarage ovulation for the paso (still 10 days?) and do you find your heat shorter on foal heat? I would have waited till her 30 day heat but had two reasons not to 1) wanted to have her foal closser to Stars foaling date 2) she was bred so late last year I wanted an earlier baby. Also what are your conception rates on foaling heat? thanks

[Carol Nelson]

I have found my foal heats to come seven to ten days post delivery. I have not bred on foal heats, preferring to wait til the 28-30 day heat, so I can't answer your question on that.
The first part of your post, Shelley is a little confusing...are you asking how soon after going into heat do they ovulate? I find average is five to seven days after you first see signs...however...these Pasos can be sneaky. I've had mares ovulate in two days after being ultrasounded with a 11/12 mm. follicle. (we missed it, by the way).
I guess that's why I prefer to skip the foal heat...with ultrasounding and breeding and all that, it just seems safer to wait til that cervix and vulva are all healed up...much less chance of infection and I don't find the mares any less fertile at 28 days.
But lots do it and I can understand your wanting an earlier baby...so I wouldn't worry too much.

[appyday]

Thanks I was talking about ovulation from foaling date...I have the vet coming out Wed to sonogram Star so I will have her look at Condesa too...thanks...

I have found it depends on the mare and most seem to come in around 7 days after. Depending on the condition of the mare and how easy a delivery, I have no problem breeding a healthy mare back on the foal heat. Conception also depends on the mare as some catch easier than others. If the foal is making too much of a fuss, I may wait until the later heat to breed as I don't want to upset mother or foal too much and we live cover our mares.

A lot also depends on the fertility of the stallion. Not as big a deal if you are AI'ing and have the vet making sure it's the optimum time. One of my stallions is very picky and will not drop for a mare he doesn't like. Most of the rest will jump any mare that will let them mount.

I have 4 mares with foals in the barn right now, and only 1 is bred. One was totally nutso protecting her foal on her foal heat, so will be bred tomorrow (2nd heat), one needs more weight before breeding and has a 1 month old, and the pinto just came in the barn from the pasture and will be bred on her 3rd heat (we just hadn't caught her because we didn't have any empty stalls until now). If I can catch another mare that is about to have her foal heat, she will be bred back then.

Good luck settling your mares.

[Abejita]

another thing I think should be mentioned ,(especially for those reading this thread new to breeding) is that even though many mares can successfully be bred on foal heat, there are so many factors affecting the mares uterine health and breedability at that time. I personally would not breed on a foal heat unless I had a vet ultrasound/ examine the mare to see the condition of the uterus.Tone, if there is much excess fluid etc.Some mares clean themselves up and recover after breeding very easily ,others it may take them longer .If you breed a foal heat mare with a less than up to par uterus you could very well just be wasting your time and effort.Not to mention setting the mare up for an infection.

[Terry Wallace]

Well Appy..."back in the day"...plenty of mares got bred on foal heat..right around 9 days. I have bred (actually it was a pasture situation..20 mares and one stud) on foal heat with no problems at all. Now, if I had a mare with a difficult birthing...I'd keep her from being bred on the 9 day.

There is a recent article on the pros & cons of foal heat breeding was it EQUUS? Anyways....I have not had any problems with any mares bred on foal heats. It used to be pretty much normal to be foaling out mares for customers, and breeding them back asap...as I was in AQHA/APHA where they want & need those early babes in order to compete them in halter...where size had always mattered. ;-)

BLM horses get bred on foal heats all the time..and um...seem to be thriving!

[appyday]

I wanted her on an earlier schedule....and hopfully foal closser to Star ...

Condesa was in on her 5th and 6th day. Bred her on the 7th day...very willing...Bred her on the 9th day but she was heading out....teased her yesterday on ther 11th day and she is OUT...

Vet was here yesterday...Did Rogers teeth...that is now everyones teeth but Condesas will do her post baby somewhere bred vet said but not now..

I give all my own stuff but that is still $1K in vet bills this spring...teeth/coggins..

Star is bred she is at 17 days but it is only 7mm and vet said shoud be double that..I will have her rechecked when I do Condesa in the mean time I am just to keep teasing her...We will see...Not going to give anything to help her keep it at this time...Will let you know how it goes.

Tampa I agree with you and your day seemed right on time with what I found too..I just wondered if the paso were any different then what I am used to working with..Mare heat does not scare me but I have helped on "halter farms" My stud has 100% conception rate and seems to do well settling mares.. Oh on the baby issue it takes 3 or 4 people...well 2 teenagers...My friend holds the mare I take care of Vence and the two teens are in charge of holding Jr out of the way and in front of the mare so she can see him and not be kicked she seemed fine if Jr was 15 feet in front of her where she knew where he was and not running around..he is halter/lead broke already so that helps...

[Abejita]

Yeah Terry a 9 day foal heat.When I first started I worked for a good repro vet .He bred foal heat all the time conditions permitting.But he almost always refused to breed before day 9-10 He was going by years of personal stats he kept.They need time to get their uterus back in shape.Most of us turn our horses out as much as possible.I would hate to try and breed foal heat on a mare that was only getting very limited post foaling turn out.