Horse & Mare Health

Mare Heat Cycles

We have found that most healthy mares come into heat every 21-22 days. 21 to 22 days from the time she comes into heat, she should start into heat again. Some mares may vary from 18 to 31 days in their heat cycles.

Ovulation or the fertile time for the mare occurs 24 to 48 hours before the mare goes out of heat. So, no matter how long she is in heat she cannot become pregnant until shortly before she goes out of heat. Most mares are in heat for about 5 to 7 days. A healthy stallion's sperm lives about 24 hours in the mares genital tract, so in order to get the mare to settle in foal it is necessary to have the stallion cover her shortly before she goes out of heat. We usually breed mares on the second day of their heat cycles, and then breed them every other day until they go out of heat.

Most mare's foal heat, (the first heat cycle after foaling) will usually start about 9 days after the foal is born, but depending on the individual mare, it can start from 4 to 18 days later. She can be bred back at this time if she foaled clean with no problems or complications. The second heat after foaling usually starts 18 to 21 days after the foal heat.

Parasites & Worms

Internal parasites are a major threat to the health, strength and vitality of every horse. Clinical and/or sub clinical parasitism exacts a staggering toll on the health of nearly every horse. Fortunately, horse owners have the power to prevent parasite damage.

Thousands of eggs and larvae of dangerous parasites like large strongyles, small strongyles, roundworms and pinworms are ingested daily by horses. The typical life cycle of internal parasites in the horse begins when infective larvae or eggs containing larvae are ingested. Damage is done to the intestines, and larval migration may damage other organs as well. Over the following weeks and months, the larvae develop and mature until they become egg-producing adults. The thousands of eggs produced by the adult worms are passed back into the environment where they start the cycle all over again.

A horse's normal rectal body temperature is approximately 100.5 degrees.
Temperatures of 102 degrees or more generally indicate an infection, which needs attention.
The normal breathing rate for a horse at rest is 12-15 breaths per minute. Breathing rate can be determined by watching the nostrils or flank.
Rapid, shallow breathing at rest often means a horse needs medical attention.
The normal resting heart rate for a horse is 35-40 beats per minute. The rate will increase when a horse is excited or exercising. A resting heart or pulse rate of 50 or higher means the horse is in physical distress. The heart rate can be determined by monitoring it at the artery that crosses under the jaw, or by feeling the heart beat. To feel the beat put your hand under the horse's left elbow.