Breed For Success: The Horseman's Guide To Producing Healthy Foals

by Rene E. Riley, Honi Roberts

As the cost of buying a horse goes up, and with increased interest in training a young horse, more and more people are considering breeding their own animals. To do so can be an ongoing and daunting challenge, but guiding the novice breeder through every step of the way is BREED FOR SUCCESS.
Beginning with initial decisions, including whether your mare is
suitable breeding stock, the authors address pre-breeding mare care, breeding methods (live cover versus artificial insemination or embryo transplant), stallion selection, and negotiating the breeding contract.
Chapters on pregnancy cover broodmare care throughout the gestation period, with an emphasis on recognizing early trouble signs and ways to improve the chances of a healthy mare and foal. With regard to birth, the authors offer suggestions on creating a foal-friendly environment, learning the signs that indicate an impending birth, detailing both routine and problem deliveries, and the foal’s crucial first twenty-four hours. Written with clarity and authority, BREED FOR SUCCESS is the one book to consult when your thoughts turn toward breeding your mare.

244 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2005

Reviews

[Amber]

This was the perfect book to read for a first-time breeder. They covered everything! Here is what can go wrong and here is what you can do to prevent/fix it. They went over every single aspect of breeding, I learned a lot. Having borrowed this book from the library, I definitely want to own it for future reference when I breed my mare. I think the only issue I could have with this book is that it is definitely geared more towards the show horse world. There is a lot of talk about genetics and bloodlines, things I don't have access to since my mare isn't blooded or registered. But this book really did cover everything, and I'm so glad I had the chance to read it!