If you are thinking of breeding from your mare then a pre-breeding examination will help to asses her suitability and highlight any potential problems. We can take bloods or swabs at this time to fit in with any stud requirements, and initiate any treatments that may help the mare to get in foal.
Our ultrasound scanner enables a clear view of the mare’s uterus and ovaries to help establish what stage of her cycle the mare is at. We can develop individual protocols to suit you, your mare and the stud to ensure insemination at the correct time, whether using fresh, chilled or frozen semen. Generally frozen semen is more fragile to use than either fresh or chilled and whilst good results can still be achieved, they are more difficult to obtain. Because of that the timing of ovulation in the mare has to be meticulously planned and requires numerous visits and differing drug regimes, as well as post insemination scans to check for inflammation. The costs associated with this can quickly mount so we can offer a fixed costs package per cycle to take out uncertainty. If you feel this is of interest then please call the office to speak to one of our equine vets, who will be more than happy to help you.
We advise at least two scans for early pregnancy diagnosis from around day 14-16 after service to check for twin pregnancies; because twins can be difficult to detect we always recommend more than one scan during this period. It is also sensible to confirm that the pregnancy has been maintained with another scan at around day 30. Any rectal examination of horses carries a small risk of rectal tears and the use of stocks, or in a few cases sedation, will reduce the risk to both the mare and her handlers.