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BREEDING MINIATURE HORSES Miniature horses are addictive. Most owners never intended to have the eight horses (average number owned). They were not even horse people when they saw the miniatures in a nationally televised parade, and just had to have one. "Precious" was a two-year-old filly that just happened to be in foal when they bought her, and her pregnancy raised immediate questions. The new owners were not yet knowledgeable enough to go to the library and check out an authoritative book on horses, or buy one.* Instead they relied on bits of information, gathered piecemeal, and only after several years of groping, did they realize that the breeding of horses, and particularly miniatures, required more study than a magazine article or a breed-promotion brochure would provide. * Recommended: J. Warren Evans, Horses, W.H. Freeman, 41 Madison Avenue, 37th Floor, New York, New York 10010 THE BROODMARE They did learn that the gestation period of the miniature mare is 330 days, plus or minus fifteen days, just like the big horses. Some mares will foal in ten months and some will carry a full twelve months, and such abnormal gestation periods are characteristic of that particular mare. The shortened or prolonged gestation period will probably be repeated. As might be expected, the "premature" foal is likely to be small and delicate, requiring special attention, while the 12-month foal may be born measuring 23 inches instead of the average 18. Within six months, heredity will be the determining factor - the 10-month foal and the 12-month foal may well be the same size. Foals may be born any month of the year, but under natural conditions most will be born from March through June. That is because mares cycle normally in the northern hemisphere during the spring and early summer as the day length (and light) increases. The heat cycle is dependent on the number of hours of light - natural or artificial. The reproductive process usually begins in February-March, but the heat cycles are irregular. The highest conception rates in horses is recorded in April to July in the United States, and therefore, birth will be from March to June the next year. Once mares begin to cycle normally, there is a fertile time when the mare will accept the male for breeding. This period of estrus, "heat" or "season," occurs every 21 days on the average. Most mares are "in heat" for about 5-7 days and most mares will come in season five to seven days after foaling, in what horse people call the "foal heat." Unless the mare experienced difficulty in foaling, or for some other reason, there is no reason why she should not be rebred at this time. The most unique feature of a mare's cycle is that she ovulates 24-48 hours before the end of estrus. In order for conception to occur, the male sperm must be present at the time of ovulation. Therefore, the timing of breeding or insemination is very difficult in the mare. Most importantly, you must know your mare. She may cycle every 24 days or perhaps the duration of her heat cycle may only be 3 days. You must be observant and recognize when your mare is in heat.

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