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Post Info TOPIC: Vitamins and weight management for studs?
Barnmouser Ash


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Date: Apr 12, 2011
Vitamins and weight management for studs?
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Found this article from Kentucky Equine Research about Vitamin Requirements in Stallions and it got me thinking; what do you do to keep your stallions (or mares I suppose?) fit during breeding season? I know that stallions can lose significant amounts of weight during breeding season, and some wild horses will literally breed themselves to death. Is there something you do during breeding season to make sure your horses are in tip-top condition and ready to cover as many mares as needed?

I found this article to be very interesting as well Managing the Breeding Stallion 

 

Perhaps for some of us newbies to breeding, this discussion could provide some much-needed insight on how to properly care for our breeding stock ;)



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Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Morning Feed: Adoptable Equines
Nikki Salo


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Date: Apr 12, 2011
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Some very basic tips that I've learned over the years -- limit the stallion's breedings per day to his fitness/performance level/age (maybe he can only cover 1 mare per day, or maybe up to 3 mares per day). Also, stallions need down time, and of course, target his nutrition level to the amount of breedings he is doing a day. Talk to your veterinarian and an equine nutritionist, they can make a world of difference when it comes to keeping your stallion (and mares) breeding fit. Regular exercise also plays a big role in the health of any horse, as we all know, make sure that your breeding animals get some sort of exercise during the day -- turnout, riding, hand walking etc.

Curious to know how others manage their breeding stock.



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Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway. - John Wayne
Barnmouser Ash


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Posts: 572
Date: Apr 12, 2011
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I think you're spot on about making sure they get exercise. I would say even if they can only cover one mare per day, that's going to burn some calories, but it isn't going to keep their mind sane amongst other things.

Other thoughts?

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Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Morning Feed: Adoptable Equines
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