An owner might test breed a few proven mares to a good stallion prospect when stallion prospect is 2 or 3 years old, and then continue on showing and promoting the stallion prospect-- if the "test crop" is not up to par, the prospect can be gelded before alot more time and money is invested into a show career and advertising as a stallion prospect-- if the test crop looks favorable, the stallion's career and promotion can continue and there will also be some early offspring growing up that can begin their show and competition careers, and show prospective mare owners what the stallion is siring.
Mares are capable of being bred at 2 or 3, but most people wait a few more years. Some people want the mare to have a successful career to prove she is worthy of reproducing-- others are OK with the mare having proven close relatives.
Breeding always has risks to the mare, and some risks increase as the mare gets older, but with proper care and feeding and appropriate vet exams and care, it is not unreasonable to see mares producing into their 20s.
Edited to add-- colts and fillies are sometimes physically able to be bred as young as 6 to 10 months-- but obviously just because their little bodies are capable does not make it the best choice. 2-4 years is considered the youngest to "safely" breed, with 2 not being acceptable to many people as still too young.
There are no specific age requirements, it just depends on what shape the horse is in and it's health but you obviously wouldn't want to be breeding a very young...anything, you ESPECIALLY do not want to breed a young mare, I would never breed a mare under the age of 5 and probably wouldn't breed a mare past 20. I think mares should always be checked by the vet before being bred.Does anyone know how old an Arabian Stallion has/should be to breed? Also Whats the oldest an Arabian mare should be to breed? Also does anyone know of any good arabians to breed to that are in or near Indiana?
>>>>> Very good point. I still believe that a stallion should at leat be critiqued by the breed's judges before even siring as a 2/3 year old. AND if it turns out to be a terrible "experiment" crop...really...what happens to the foals? feedlot? they just become part of the unwanted horse population....sigh...i am not an animal rights activist and i believe that everyone should have the right to do what they want with their animals...but i also believe in common sense:grin:
>>>>Besides....unless he is stunning quality at a 2/3 year old he shouldn't even have an "experiment" crop of foals...especially for someone inexperienced....JMHO...not trying to ruffle anyone's feathers:wink:
Actually I agree with everything above-- Thats why in my post I said "GOOD stallion prospect" and made sure to mention that he would already be on the way to being shown and promoted. But since OP asked about age for breeding, not quality for breeding, I was intentionally being pretty general as far as applying any quality judgement beyond the little I did offer-- more just trying to answer the question asked--- since we could post pages about breeding quality all by itself.![]()
Yes, there both under my horses there the only ones that arent sold. I want to show them, well im wanting to start a breeding/training/showing/boarding farm for mostly SE Arabians. She has had 3 foals before and 1 of them was premature because she ate to much hay=( and one of them is on my page as Penny.do you have pics ?do you show or just want to have a foal?
Has the mare had a foal before? 15 is a little up there for a maiden mare,but lots of people have done it.....