~ Breeding Older Mare -- Advice wanted

I really want everyone's advice and help on this one.

I have a 25 year old 14,5hh Nooitgedacht cross mare. I am currently working her normally, riding 5 times a week, occassionally jumping. She is a very healthy mare and has never had any health problems in the 5 years I have owned her. I don't think I will be needing to retire her anytime soon, but when I do I am thinking of breeding her.

I want to know if there would be any risks in breeding her at this age. And if any one else has bred their mares at a similar age and their stories. What age would be best to breed her at and what is the limit?

Any advice would be appreciated. Feel free to ask anything you need to know about Stoeka in order to answer some of my questions.

Thanks in advance.

Oh, and below here are some pictures of her. Will add some more recent ones tomorrow.

If she's maiden I wouldnt breed her. 25 might be ok for a seasoned brood but not for a first time mommy.

I just wanted to say (since I have no experience breeding older mares) that she does not look anywhere close to her age! She has obviously been very well cared for her whole life!

She has got the SWEETEST face! Sillybunny is right, if she's never had a baby before I think it'd be too risky to breed but if she's had healthy babies then I'd just ask your vet's opinions at her next yearly appointment, but I wouldn't think you'd have issues. What would you breed to?

She has had two healthy foals before. When she was very young she was a field pony, and then she was sold and went to junior A grade show jumping. Eventually she was sold to a riding school and has been a school pony up to the time I bought her.

Thanks for the compliments. Lots of people don't believe her age. She also acts like a five year old, especially when jumping...

I'm not sure what I would breed her to yet. I'm going to ask my instructer what he thinks, and then closer to the time if I definitely am going to breed her I will let you guys know, and ask for opinions.

Personally I wouldn't breed her again as by this age her fetility will be on the way down and one more point she isn't 14.5hh, she's 15.1hh. It goes 14.3, 15, 15.1. There's only four inches in a hand. Pet peeve sorry :).

It's funny I didn't catch that...that drives me mad normally as well.

But to be really technical it's also not correct to use 14.3hh, it's 14 3hh. Because we don't measure it points of an inch.

LOL. Thanks! Will remember that!

If she has had foals and vet checks fine reproductively, I would go ahead. There are risks, but there are risks with any breeding. I have had mares in their 20s (one at 22, one at 26) successfully get pregnant and deliver healthy foals after having several years off from breeding, and I don't regret it.

I wouldn't be looking at her age, I'd be looking at her condition. Her age means nothing if she's still a completely healthy and fit horse with no problems, which it very much looks like. If she hasn't yet had an instance of difficulty with weight loss or any other numerous age related issues, then her body should be capable of carrying a foal. Her fertility will also determine this - the body has a way of decreasing fertility as the body ages and becomes unable to support another life source.

As a maiden mare, I'd say definitely not, but in your shoes, I really don't see a problem. She's foaled before without complications, and she's obviously in extremely prime and healthy condition. There are always risks with breeding mares, I don't personally think you're increasing the risk that dramatically due to her age.

I don't think you can give her a limit - as long as she remains in such fine condition, and easily doing the work you're giving her, I doubt you'll see complications due to age other then the possibility of her being infertile already. Just keep in mind that she is older, and a year is a long time to carry a foal and more then enough time for her to start showing her age more and feeling it's effects. I would say if you're serious about breeding, it's something you likely want to get on top of very soon.