Selecting a Broodmare

by Malea Stapp

With the breeding season right around the corner, many of us are busy researching stallions and making arrangements for the upcoming season. The stallion advertisements are appearing everywhere, and breeders are thoroughly examining pedigrees, foals and performance records of prospective stallions. But, there is one important decision that is often overlooked. The selection of a broodmare is just as important as the selection of the stallion. A broodmare's qualities are passed along to a foal as well as the stallion's, and breeders must be careful to select mares that will contribute to the goals of the expected foal.

Although the emphasis of selection is generally placed on the stallion, a breeder who places specific expectations on the resulting foals must select a mare that reflects these goals as well. The breeder must first decide what the goals for the foal will be. Is the foal expected to be an excellent jumper or a high-level dressage horse? Will he be trained for hunters or three-day eventing? The goals of the breeder must first be established, and an appropriate mare must be selected based upon these goals.

Many mares may produce nice foals, but the number of mares that will produce top selling foals, within the goals of the breeder, is much more limited. Breeders cannot expect their favorite trail horses to produce successful grand prix show jumpers. Genetic principles reflecting the goals of the breeder must be considered when choosing the broodmare.

In order to select a mare with appropriate genetic principles, breeders must examine qualities of the mare that can be evaluated based on the goals of the breeder. The observable qualities in potential broodmares that are important for breeders are; performance record, conformation, performance records of the mare's previous foals and pedigrees or bloodlines.

Performance record is perhaps the most important quality to observe in potential broodmares. Has the mare performed successfully in the events that match your goals? Performance ability is one of the most heritable traits, meaning that it is genetically transmitted from dam to foal. A foal that is expected to perform well in dressage should have a dam that has a successful performance record in dressage as well. Environmental factors such as training and nutrition are not passed along from dam to foal, so it is important to look at performance records that reflect basic athletic ability. Speed, jumping ability and movement are genetically influenced factors, and must be present in broodmares if the foals are expected to possess similar qualities.

Conformation is also an important factor, since horses in any discipline are expected to be highly athletic. In order to perform well, foals must have conformation appropriate to the discipline in which they are expected to perform. For example, a foal that is expected to perform well in high levels of show jumping must have straight and strong hind leg conformation. Conformation is highly heritable, so potential broodmares must also have straight and strong hind legs.

Conformation is also important for soundness. If a horse is expected to perform well, it must stay sound, and, of course, proper conformation is crucial to soundness. Potential broodmares should have good skeletal conformation, especially feet and legs. Any conformational faults of the mare can be passed along to the foal, so it is important to avoid mares that have serious conformational problems such as feet that are toed out or fetlocks that are dropped. Less important conformational factors such as color and head shape can be considered, but should not be chosen over conformational factors that promote soundness.

Another important thing to consider is the stallion to which the potential mare will be bred. Stallions that tend to produce short backed foals should not be bred to mares who also have short backs. The careful selection of a broodmare should contribute to the positive traits of the stallion and compensate for the traits that are less favorable.

When selecting a broodmare, it is also important to look at the performance records of the mare's previous foals. If the mare has foals old enough to perform, their performance records are a good clue as to the type of foal she will produce. Keep in mind, though, that the other foals should have performed well in the discipline expected of the new foal. The mare may have foals that have been successful eventers, but if the goal is a top-quality hunter, this may not be a good indication.

However, there is one problem with examining the performance records of the mare's other foals. By the time a mare has foals that are old enough to perform, she may be 10 to 12 years old. Beyond the age of 16, mares are less likely to have foals every year. So, even if a mare has several successfully performing foals, she may not be a good investment as a broodmare. As a result, it is often better to rely on the performance record of a younger mare than to choose a mare that has several foals old enough to perform.

A mare that will produce a top-selling foal must also have a profitable pedigree. Pedigrees from both the mare and stallion are very important if the foal will be registered by a breed registry. It is important to note, though, that a good pedigree does not ensure a premium foal. She may have a wonderful pedigree, but may not have performed well in desired events, or she may have serious conformational faults that she can pass along to the foal. Pedigrees are important when considering the sale value of the foal, but they must not be favored over such important genetic factors as conformation and performance record. Although the selection of a stallion is very important to the outcome of the foal, it is critical that the selection of an appropriate broodmare also be considered. Breeders who spend thousands of dollars on stud fees, transportation, and vet bills must make sure their investments are worthwhile by selecting a broodmares that will also pass along favorable traits to the foal.