Managing a mare for breeding and sport

Abstract

Summary Nowadays in many horse breeds a successful sporting career is required to make a horse eligible for breeding purposes, this may happen before or during its use at stud. For mares, this means careful planning and optimal management of behavioural and reproductive health, especially with the advent of affordable embryo transfer options that allow exploitation of a mare’s reproductive potential without a significant break in her career. Unfortunately, there exist as yet only a few research studies in this field. This review article gives a short overview of the actual state of knowledge and the management options for mares, including behavioural management and control of reproductive function through physical, pharmaceutical or immunological means, as well as management of the mare for simultaneous use in breeding and sport.