Mothers to Be

While the socialization process of transforming fillies and mares from racetrack careers into broodmares might be easier than it is for stallions, biologically it is significantly more complex for distaffers to begin their reproductive

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While the socialization process of transforming fillies and mares from racetrack careers into broodmares might be easier than it is for stallions, biologically it is significantly more complex for distaffers to begin their reproductive duties.


Though potential stallions are, with the exception of injured ones, retired on a firm schedule to be ready for the beginning of the breeding season in February, broodmare candidates are far more likely to be raced into the winter and spring and then retired to be bred. While oftentimes this leads to a quick pregnancy, it can also backfire, given the vagaries of the female cycling process as well as biological deficiencies that don’t become apparent until mating is attempted.


Factors such as anabolic steroids, climate change, and lifestyle upheaval also can have a profound effect on efforts to successfully get a mare off the racetrack pregnant. Farms whose job it is to board mares and marshal them through their maiden voyage into motherhood must pay special attention to these young mothers-to-be.


As with stallions, there is a “letting down” period for fillies and mares coming off the racetrack in which their handlers attempt to get the aggressiveness and competitiveness out of their systems and acclimate them to life on a farm. Some farms prefer to turn the mare out in a small paddock immediately, while others keep them in stalls and hand-walk them for up to a week. Still others employ a series of increasingly larger round pens. All pull the hind shoes off when the mares arrive, and if the ground is good and it’s not the middle of a winter freeze, most will either put regular plates on the front or attempt to get the front shoes off as well in the first month or two

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The Blood-Horse is the leading weekly publication devoted to international Thoroughbred racing and breeding. Since 1916, the staff of The Blood-Horse has served the Thoroughbred community with the highest standards of journalistic excellence to provide comprehensive and timely editorial coverage and analysis.

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