Typically, Foland recommends putting a mare under lights by the first of December, which tricks her heat cycle into thinking the days are longer and breeding time has arrived.

Because horses are seasonal breeders and don’t naturally come into cycle until spring, putting them under lights after the sun has gone down on a winter day “tricks” their bodies into thinking the season has already changed. Then, ideally, the hormones that cause a mare to come into heat begin to be produced.

A horse, especially a show prospect, foaled earlier in the year has the obvious mental and physical advantages over a horse foaled later in the year, as well as the added training time once show season arrives, hence the reason for getting mares bred early.

To do the trick, Foland advises that mares, whether they’re kept in a stall or out in a paddock receive 18 hours of constant light per day.

“If they’re in a barn, the lights need to come on at 6 a.m. and stay on until the natural light takes over,” he explained. “Then, they need to come back on when the natural light is gone, until about midnight.”

Ron Foland

“One rule of thumb is that you should be able to comfortably read a newspaper in any 12 x 12 stall. You should have that much light,” he said. “A lot people that have recipient mares will put them under lights in a pen. As long as the timing is good and the intensity is enough, it is just as effective.”

Blanketing mares when the weather starts to get cool is another method to help push the process along. Keeping their hair short helps signal the body that it’s time to breed.

It’s important that potential broodmares be kept in good body condition, as well. Being too thin has its obvious disadvantages to getting a mare in foal, but being overweight can be just as detrimental.

“A mare that is too thin will not cycle well, and a mare that is too fat will not cycle well,” Foland confirmed.

If changes need to be made to the mare’s diet in order to reach that status, Foland explained that it’s important for adjustments to occur well in advance. In other words, don’t alter her diet close to breeding time

“We don’t recommend changing the diet because it can cause digestive stress and can have negative impact on reproduction, as well,” he said. “If they’re on a good solid ration at home, I would not do anything different.”

As for medical procedures, Foland said he prefers to evaluate a mare’s reproductive health before the first breeding is attempted. Doing so helps him to prepare the mare and the owners, if he feels that a recipient mare will be needed for a healthy conception.

“I like to do an ultrasound to make sure her ovaries are active, and there aren’t any problems with them or abnormalities, and to make sure the uterus is of normal size and shape, and there’s not a lot of fluid.”

Doing so also helps the veterinarian predict when the mare will be in heat and ready to breed.

Also, performing endometrial biopsies on older mares, or those that have had problems conceiving in the past, can help prepare the veterinarian for any problems that may exist. Collecting a bacterial culture also provides a good analysis of the uterus and how healthy it is.

When all of the homework has been done and a mare is nearing her heat cycle, facilities, such as Oswood Stallion Station, offer housing advantages that can help result in higher conception rates.

A mare should arrive at the breeding facility just as she’s coming into heat. She’ll be palpated, bred and then hopefully confirmed to be in-foal. After that, Foland suggests leaving her put for another 30 days. This enables trained staff to monitor the mare closely and perform necessary examinations, such as ultrasounds. For mares that will have multiple embryos flushed, they typically take up residence at Oswood for the whole breeding season, through June 30.

“Horses are, for the most part, pretty sensitive and habit-forming,” he said. “When they’re comfortable in an environment and used to the horses and the people that they’re around, they are typically happier and not as stressed. When they’re not stressed, they cycle better. Their reproductive efficiency is better, and we have better results. Mares that are hauled in and out all the time, it can be pretty stressful, and they don’t routinely perform as well as mares that stay here.”

Foland concluded that there are many ways to prepare a mare for breeding, but added that sticking to these basic guidelines can help improve conception rates and ring in 2012 with a happy, healthy foal.