Reasons to Confirm Pregnancy After Breeding a Mare

Why should you have your mare checked for pregnancy soon after breeding? What’s wrong with just waiting eleven months to see if she will produce a foal?

There are a couple of good reasons to schedule an ultrasound confirmation of pregnancy about 14 days after a mare is bred. First, if the imaging shows that the mare is not pregnant, you can schedule another breeding for her next cycle, rather than losing a whole year. Second, if the ultrasound detects a twin pregnancy, the veterinarian can eliminate one (usually the smaller or less viable embryo), giving the mare the best chance to deliver a healthy single foal. Reduction of twin pregnancy is most successful if it is done around the time of the first pregnancy check ultrasound. Waiting until later can endanger the life of both the mare and the remaining fetus.

If the mare isn’t pregnant after several breedings, a veterinarian can usually determine what sort of problem or condition is preventing reproduction. Once the diagnosis is made, it may take several months to correct whatever is wrong and get the mare in shape for the following breeding season.