Veterinarians who must rely on observation of an unteased mare are at a disadvantage in determining the optimum time to breed. Tease your mare frequently until she shows signs of heat and then ask your veterinarian to ultrasound the mare every other day and record the findings to accurately track the progression of the cycle. The ultrasound machine is a wonderful tool that takes the guess-work out of breeding. Mares can have completely different cycles from year to year. Don't assume that she will breed easily this year just because she has in the past.
Reproductive systems change with age.
Since the stallion breeder's role is limited to providing a timely shipment of viable equine sperm, the mare owner and his or her veterinarian must assume the major responsibility of preparing the mare for breeding. In addition to the Stallion Service Contract, which details the specifics of the breeding agreement, we will also send you a Veterinary Certificate of Examination form that we use on all of the mares. This form will identify the mare and give us your mare's breeding history. Knowing your mare's history helps us do a better job. Our mutual goal should be to use one insemination dose per cycle within 12 hours of ovulation in order to achieve high conception rates while conserving semen.