Horse Breeding And Breeders

A respected equestrian author teaches novices how to breed horses. With the aid of two expert consultants - equine veterinary surgeon Janet Eley and Barrie Hosie, stud groom to the Duke of Roxburgh - Susan McBane has written a book for novice breeders who are fairly experienced with horses and ponies. Modern Horse Breeding is unique in that it is presented in two parts. Part 1, Veterinary Considerations, includes chapters on: why you need a vet; reproductive function in mare and stallion; genetics and heredity; pregnancy; before, during, and after foaling; nutritional requirement of mare, foal, and young stock; diseases and abnormalities; artificial insemination and embryo transfer. Part 2, Practical Aspects, will help you understand: the right and wrong reasons for breeding a horse; financial matters; the foundation stock; sending the mare to stud; care of the pregnant mare; what happens after breeding. Easy-to-read, reliable, and up-to-date, Modern Horse Breeding includes warnings about when to call in expert help, points out the signs of impending problems, and details the foaling process starting a month beforehand. (7 1/2 x 9 3/4, 160 pages, b&w photos, illustrations, charts)

Designed as a crash course in the foaling process, The Complete Book of Foaling is equally valuable for veteran horsemen and for people who have never seen a foal born. Dr. Karen Hayes, an equine veterinarian with a specialty in reproduction, explains how to handle a foaling - any foaling, regardless of how easy or how complicated it may turn out to be. Her feeling is that if we know what is happening inside the mare during the late stages of pregnancy and labor, we will understand what is normal and be able to recognize when something goes wrong. She takes us through the whole process step by step, from three weeks before foaling, through the new baby's first twelve hours. She even has a section on how to predict when the foaling will occur, so the designated attendant will be sure to be there when it happens. Since most foals are born at night, and it may be difficult to get help when it's needed, this book, with its 150 photographs and diagrams, can be the source of information and reassurance the foaling attendant needs. The Complete Book of Foaling not only teaches how to troubleshoot problems but also explains why a problem has occurred and what must be done to correct it. Dr. Hayes knows that the foaling process can be scary and exciting at the same time. She wants to make it the exhilarating and positive experience it is meant to be by contributing not just her expertise but that of "the silent and patient teachings of the mares and foals" she attended. "The horses are the real authors," she says. "I am privileged to be their interpreter."