Broodmare

Below is general information on broodmares, including:

  • Definitions
  • Breeding Facts

Definitions

Following are some common terms for broodmare and their definitions:

  • Breeding Mare. A mare (female horse) which is being used for breeding or will be used for breeding.
  • Broodmare. A mare which is used mainly for breeding. The difference between 'broodmare' and 'breeding mare' is that a broodmare is intended to be used mainly or entirely for breeding, whereas the term breeding mare is more general, since it includes both horses which are occassionaly used for breeding and horses whose primary function is breeding.
  • Brood Mare. Same as broodmare, just an alternative spelling.
  • Dam. The mother of a horse.
  • Sire. The father of a horse.

The offspring, when born, may be a 'filly' or a 'colt' or a 'foal' or a 'yearling'. For an explanation of these terms, see female horse terms and male horse terms.

Breeding Facts

With horses, the average pregnancy lasts about 11 months, although on occassion it can be as little as 10 months or as long as a year.. So, if a mare is mated in May, the probabilty is that the foal to be born in April of the following year, although it could be as early as March or as late as May.

When breeding, one normally controls when the foal is conceived by putting it together with a stallion only at the best time. The ideal time depends on:

  • Climate. One normally wants a foal to be born in Spring, so that it has time to grow and gain weight before the difficult winter. However, one does not want it born too early, when the temperature is too cold for a foal (unless it is being kept in a heated area). Depending on the local climate, around April is a good time to be born (no longer very cold but lots of time before the next winter) which would suggest a mating in May. Of course, in hot countries the timing is not as important, while south of the equator (e.g. Australia) the time would be reversed.
  • Competition. In a number of sports, only horses of the same age (e.g. 2-year olds, 3-year olds) can compete against each other. With such sports, all foals are considered to have been born on January 1st of the year in which they are born. Consequently, a foal born in February would be considered the same age as a foal born in August of the same year, but the foal born in February will have more growing time before the first competition and thus a competitive advantages. To maximise this advantage, some breeders will use artificial stable lighting to bring their breeding mares into season early in the year, aiming for them to foal as soon after January 1st as possible.

After birth, the foal will normally suckle for 4-6 months, at which point it is usual for the owner to separate the foal and mother in order to wean the foal off suckling milk. In the wild, a mare may allow a foal to suckle up to a year. With domesticated horses, if the foal is not seperated from the mare and the mare does not become pregnant again, the foal may continue to suckle for years (which is not a natural situation and should not be allowed to happen).

Once the foal is separated from its dam, it can take some weeks for the mother to completely stop milk production and the foal needs to be kept separated from the mother until the mother completely 'dries up' as otherwise the mother will resume milk production. During the start of the 'drying up' period, the mother can continue to produce milk which can build up and put pressure on the breasts, sometimes resulting in injuries. Consequently, one should carefully monitor the breasts during this period to make sure all is well. If the mare has a history of trouble during weaning, one may consult with a veterinarian about 'drying up' medication to minimise risks.