Everyone welcome to attend!

Gather on Monday, November 18th @ Westlife Church in Springbank. Doors will open at 6:30PM. There is no cost to attend this event; instead we simply ask that you bring a donation to The Calgary Food Bank.

This Lecture Series is for anyone from experienced breeders, to those of you who are thinking of trying it out for the first time. Please bring with you any questions and concerns you might have! We will be happy to discuss and provide answers. Breeding season can be very stressful and we are hoping to help you feel more confident and prepared before it begins!

Foaling season is once again approaching and many pregnant mares have been left out on pasture to eat to their heart’s content over the winter. Often pregnant mares have minimal monitoring throughout most of their pregnancy, but there is a strong case to be made for closer monitoring, especially in mid to late gestation due to the risk of placentitis.

So, you want to breed your mare.  You think you have the perfect stallion to match her and so it should be easy, right?  Not quite.  Nowadays, it can be much more complicated than just getting a mare and stallion together.  There are many different options available for breeding your mare.  In this blog post, we will discuss the mare’s reproductive cycle, the different types of semen available, and when to have pregnancy checks done on your mare. 

Whether this is your first adventure into the world of mares and foals, or you have been down this road before, you may be wondering what happens between the time you say your farewells at the clinic and the time you get that wonderful news. Well, wonder no more! In this article I will explain all of the techniques, technologies, and tricks we have at our disposal to make the process as reliable and smooth as possible.

Dr. Brettly Battistone covers what you need to know to make the best decisions for your mare and future foal.

We can start freezing a stallion’s semen as soon as he is sexually mature. For most horses this is any time after 4 years old, but some horses mature earlier or later than others. If your horse is not mature at the time of collection we will be able to see signs of immaturity when examining the sample under the microscope.

It is important to know that every stallion freezes differently, and freezes better in different agents. There are a variety to choose from, and so before performing a commercial freeze, a collection will be “test frozen” with a variety of different agents in order to determine the best agent for your stallion.

General Comments:

• Don’t expect a stallion to “fix” the faults in your mare or vice versa.
• Spend some time researching a prospective stallion for your mare. Talk to breeders as well as trainers in your chosen discipline – see what’s working.
• Make sure your mare is in good breeding condition. This includes up-to-date vaccinations and deworming as well as the mare being in good body condition.
• Track your mare’s cycle – mark it on the calendar. This will save you time and money in the long run.

Dr. Jennifer Morrissey goes over the details of what you need to know: how to tell that your mare might be about to foal, what happens in a normal foaling, and how to monitor your mare and foal after the birth.

Everyone welcome to attend!

Gather on Monday, November 18th @ Westlife Church in Springbank. Doors will open at 6:30PM. There is no cost to attend this event; instead we simply ask that you bring a donation to The Calgary Food Bank.

This Lecture Series is for anyone from experienced breeders, to those of you who are thinking of trying it out for the first time. Please bring with you any questions and concerns you might have! We will be happy to discuss and provide answers. Breeding season can be very stressful and we are hoping to help you feel more confident and prepared before it begins!

Foaling season is once again approaching and many pregnant mares have been left out on pasture to eat to their heart’s content over the winter. Often pregnant mares have minimal monitoring throughout most of their pregnancy, but there is a strong case to be made for closer monitoring, especially in mid to late gestation due to the risk of placentitis.

This is the first post in a series about foaling out your mare.

Foaling season is upon us and mare owners everywhere are left guessing as to when their mares are going to foal.  Watching your mare can be frustrating and confusing, but knowing some basics and being prepared can go along way to help bring a healthy foal into the world, or to help save a sick one.  This spring we will have a series of posts about foaling – what to watch for when your mare is close to foaling, how to be prepared, what to do once the foal is on the ground, and when to breed back your mare.  This first post in the series covers information on the signs that your mare is close to foaling.