It’s always an exciting time when you decide to breed your horse. The process entails a bit more than you may realize, especially for breeding performance horses and ensuring a healthy pregnancy. Jacksonville Equine Associates has state of the art ultrasound imaging to help monitor the entire gestation and has comprehensive understanding of the health concerns to monitor your mare.  Additionally, we provide artificial insemination services for those mares within a certain distance to our office. 

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Breeding a mare successfully requires careful planning, good reproductive management, and precise timing. From evaluating your mare before breeding to confirming pregnancy and monitoring her throughout gestation, Jacksonville Equine Associates provides equine reproductive services for mare owners throughout Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.

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Whether you are breeding with fresh or cooled shipped semen, our veterinarians can help develop a reproductive plan based on your mare, breeding history, and chosen stallion.

Preparing Your Mare for Breeding

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Before breeding, your veterinarian may recommend a breeding soundness examination to evaluate your mare's reproductive health and identify potential issues that could affect fertility or her ability to maintain a pregnancy.

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Depending on the mare's age, reproductive history, and previous breeding results, this evaluation may include:

• Transrectal palpation and reproductive ultrasound to evaluate the uterus and ovaries

• Vaginal speculum examination of the cervix

• Uterine culture and cytology to evaluate for infection or inflammation

• Uterine biopsy when indicated to assess the health of the endometrium and help estimate the mare's ability to carry a pregnancy to term

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Not every mare requires every diagnostic test. Your veterinarian will recommend an appropriate evaluation based on the individual mare and her reproductive history.

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Artificial Insemination & Breeding Management

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Jacksonville Equine Associates offers artificial insemination and reproductive management for mares being bred with fresh or cooled shipped semen.  Successful artificial insemination depends heavily on timing. Through serial reproductive ultrasounds, our veterinarians monitor follicular development, uterine changes, and ovulation to determine the appropriate time to order semen and inseminate the mare.

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Depending on the individual breeding cycle, several examinations may be necessary.

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Once the mare is ready to breed, semen shipment is coordinated according to the stallion facility's collection schedule and the mare's anticipated ovulation. The mare is then inseminated, and additional ultrasound examinations may be performed to confirm ovulation and determine whether further management is necessary.

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Because reproductive management can require multiple closely timed examinations, your location and distance from our clinic are important considerations when planning an AI breeding cycle.

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Equine Pregnancy Diagnosis

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Pregnancy can typically be detected by transrectal ultrasound approximately 14 days after ovulation.

This early examination is particularly important in mares because it allows us to identify twin pregnancies while they are still at a stage when they can often be managed successfully.

Unlike many other species, mares are generally unable to safely carry twins to term. Twin pregnancies significantly increase the risk of pregnancy loss, premature delivery, and complications for both the mare and foals.

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If twins are identified early, your veterinarian can discuss the appropriate options for managing the pregnancy.

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Additional pregnancy examinations may be recommended to confirm continued development and fetal viability.

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Monitoring Your Mare's Pregnancy

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The average equine pregnancy lasts approximately 11 months, although normal gestation length can vary considerably between mares.  Throughout pregnancy, your veterinarian can help develop an appropriate preventative-care plan based on your mare's individual needs.

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Pregnant mares are commonly vaccinated against equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) during the 5th, 7th, and 9th months of gestation to help reduce the risk of EHV-associated abortion.  Additional vaccinations are typically recommended approximately four to six weeks before the expected foaling date to help increase antibody levels in the mare's colostrum. Specific recommendations may vary based on the mare's vaccination history and disease risk.

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Nutrition, body condition, parasite control, and other preventative-care needs should also be monitored throughout pregnancy.

 

Preparing for Foaling

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Most mares foal without assistance, but once active labor begins, the process normally progresses quickly.  Because delays during delivery can become an emergency for both mare and foal, owners should know what is normal for their mare and have a plan in place before the expected foaling date.

Contact a veterinarian immediately if active delivery is not progressing normally, if you see an abnormal presentation, or if you have any concerns about the mare or foal.

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Mares considered high-risk or those with a history of foaling complications may be referred to an appropriate hospital or reproductive facility for more intensive monitoring.

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Caring for the Newborn Foal

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The first several hours after birth are extremely important.

 

A commonly used guideline is the 1-2-3 Rule:

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• The foal should stand within approximately 1 hour

• The foal should nurse within approximately 2 hours

• The mare should pass the placenta within approximately 3 hours

 

Failure to meet these milestones warrants veterinary attention.

 

Adequate intake of high-quality colostrum is particularly important because foals are born with very little circulating antibody protection. They obtain this protection through antibodies in the mare's colostrum shortly after birth.

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A newborn foal examination and bloodwork to evaluate IgG levels and passive transfer of immunity are commonly recommended within the first 12–24 hours of life.  Early identification of inadequate passive transfer allows treatment to begin before the foal becomes ill.

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Our Equine Reproductive Services

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Jacksonville Equine Associates can assist with many aspects of mare reproductive management, including:

• Breeding soundness examinations

• Reproductive ultrasound

• Follicular and ovulation monitoring

• Uterine culture and cytology

• Uterine biopsy when indicated

• Artificial insemination with fresh or cooled shipped semen

• Pregnancy diagnosis

• Twin detection and pregnancy management

• Pregnancy monitoring

• Preventative care for pregnant mares

• Newborn foal examinations and IgG testing

 

Reproductive Services We Do Not Currently Offer At this time, Jacksonville Equine Associates does not provide:

• Stallion semen collection

• Semen storage

• On-site foaling services

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High-risk pregnancies, complicated deliveries, and cases requiring continuous foaling observation may be referred to an appropriate equine hospital or reproductive facility.

 

Equine Reproductive Care in Northeast Florida & Southeast Georgia Jacksonville Equine Associates provides ambulatory reproductive and breeding services throughout our Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia service area.

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Because successful breeding management often requires multiple ultrasounds and time-sensitive visits, please contact our office before the start of your mare's breeding cycle so we can determine the best plan based on your location, mare, and breeding schedule.

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To learn more about our equine reproductive services or schedule an appointment, contact Jacksonville Equine Associates at (904) 387-3330.