Ruling the Broodmare Band

re: Ruling the Broodmare Band

jill786 — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 23:55:13 GMT

I always heard that the chances of having foaling complications increase with age, especially uterine rupture, catastrophic.

re: Ruling the Broodmare Band

Pedigree Ann — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:07:13 GMT

Too much anthropomorphizing going on. Mares don't go through a mechanism like menopause in humans, when their fertility ceases entirely. In the wild, mares cycle and are bred every year until they die; they may or may not 'catch', but they are bred. Every mare is an individual - some are ready to retire at 18 and others keep on trucking' into the mid-20s; it's a function of overall health, genetics, care, and how much being in foal takes out of them. Honor an Offer had Imperial Gesture when she was 24; Troublepeg, dam of Hollywood Gold Cup winner Pleasure Seeker, had a winning foal at 27. Champagne Glow's dam had her last foal at age 21. There is no cut-and-dried time to stop breeding a mare, and as long as she remains healthy while in-foal, there is no reason not to breed them.

re: Ruling the Broodmare Band

Runeblaze — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:55:31 GMT

I totally agree too Rachel. Didn't Adena Springs just lose a 24yr old mare while foaling. When do these poor horses get to retire and just enjoy life? It is a shame they are expected to keep on giving including their lives??

re: Ruling the Broodmare Band

Criminal Type — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:37:34 GMT

As always Ann, Great photos and a good story. I've gotta say to am concerned about her age. I don't think I would breed her at 24 but it IS a business. She has ten foals listed but the yearling is missing. Does she also have an unlisted 2 year old? I don't think they would breed her if her vet said she was high risk. She certainly looks spectacular, all dappled out. I've liked this mare for a few years. I knew she was Champagne D'oro's dam but missed the fact that Ruler On Ice was also her foal, until after the Belmont. (I totally dismissed him, big mistake) I try to keep track of Saratoga Six's, Easy Goer & Criminal Type's daughters. I've spent hours and hours researching them. Don't ask me why it's just those 3 son's of Alydar given there was also Alysheba, Strike the Gold, Turkoman, Dare and Go, not to mention Benchmark standing in California. I just really like those three. You can see the Alydar in this girl, don't you think?

re: Ruling the Broodmare Band

Jenny in MN — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 03:27:14 GMT

hopefully they will pension her soon...

What a beautiful head and eye

re: Ruling the Broodmare Band

kittybay — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 20:20:28 GMT

I totally agree Rachel, that's the first thing I said when I saw they had bred her back. When are people going to learn that mares in their 20's shouldn't be having foals?? It's like a 65-70 year old woman having a baby. Just because they can, doesn't mean they should!

re: Ruling the Broodmare Band

Rachel NH — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:51:31 GMT

She's going to have a foal at age 24???