>>>> I just found out that none of my five mares, who stood for Melnir as if in heat, is pregnant. Karen called it "false heat". I have never had any experience with that. With all the breeding I have done, this concept is entirely new to me. A standing heat (which is what the mares seemed to show) to me meant close to ovulation.
I'm really sorry that Anneliese won't be having any little Melnirs. I was looking forward to some little (tow-headed?) babies cavorting in the paradise of Unicorn Valley... To complete the details of the story, Melnir was only there for five days, and most any vet will tell you that breeding five mares in five days is not ideal. It doesn't give much time for the sperm count to build back up between breedings. (Not that I have to worry about protecting his reputation or anything - he's a great gelding, so his reputation isn't exactly on the line here! :) ) Most vets will advise not to breed a stallion more than once a day, maybe twice. But, when they pasture breed, they breed much more often than that. I'm sure some get pregnant right off the bat anyway, but by restricting the contact, you should be able increase the odds of immediate conception. I know that 2-3 of my mares seemed to cycle immediately when I put them in with him the first year, but at least two were back standing for him a week or two later. Ultrasounds showed that the two got pregnant on the later heat. Since normal heat cycles are 21 days apart. I know the dates that Christine told me that Bjola, Brunka and Saga stood for their stallions before they came to live with us, but the ultrasounds I had done immediately upon their arrival showed they didn't conceive then, but instead all conceived right before they left Canada for NC. Anyway, I sure didn't breed that many mares, so I don't have as much experience as some others - but I have ultrasounded all my mares within 15-21 days of breeding, so I have a pretty good idea of when my pregnant mares did conceive and when they didn't. Karen Thomas, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.13/1169 - Release Date: 12/3/2007 10:56 PM IceHorses Community for Photos and Videos: http://kickapps.com/icehorses "The greatest enemy of the truth very often is not the lie- deliberate, contrived and dishonest -- but the myth -- persistent, persuasive and unrealistic." "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer [] Lee Ziegler http://leeziegler.com [] Liz Graves http://lizgraves.com [] Lee's Book Easy Gaited Horses http://tinyurl.com/7vyjo [] IceHorses Map http://www.frappr.com/IceHorses Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IceHorses/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IceHorses/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
