Wish us luck - the saga continues

Background, My 8 year old Schonfeld maiden mare refuses to get pregnant. Last year was live covered but didn't catch. This year the attempt at insemination was a bust, even after Regumate and Lutalyse... The budget this year prohibits another attempt, so the plan was to wait until early next season to try again... The mare's new nickname is 'frigid witch'...

I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but we have happened upon a nice TB stallion that is now currently 'on loan' to us to attempt live cover again... Last night she very quietly came into heat (only way we knew was because she didn't try to kill the sweet TB boy...) We have temporarily removed the nickname and are cautiously optimistic with one successful cover...

Sooooo, wish us luck. My hopes are that with the first baby on the ground, AI will be more likely to succeed... Foal heat? I really want my Inky baby! And maybe a Summertime baby!!! And a Tate baby!!! And a Hilife baby (with my anglo arab) !!!!  

Good luck!!! And sometimes a "jump start" is all you need

Fingers crossed for you in Colorado!

So, we had a embryonic sack and umbilical cord at day 30... couldn't find the fetus or heartbeat, so rescheduled for day 60 and put her on regimate.

Day 60, no baby (but big healthy follicle) Vet saw no reason why she shouldn't have held the baby... (Uterine health looked great, and she had been cultured prior to breeding)

Ok, would LOVE some input from experienced breeders!

This mare is maiden at age 10, but has had a difficult history. She had an injury about 3 years ago. 2 nails penetrated coffin and navicular bursa on a hind foot, infection was drained through the deep digital flexor tendon. (vet only expected to be pasture sound, but has been excelling under light riding)

My biggest concern is that upon a checkup visit, vet reported that she was severely underweight, emaciated.

My question. Could the starvation caused damage to reproductive or even eggs? She has been live covered twice and AIed... In total 3 unsuccessful attempts at breeding. Is this normal? Would you continue to attempt.

I really love this mare, she is 'nice'. But if I am going to end up spending thousands to try and get my baby would it be more economic to find someone willing to allow a breeding lease on a proven quality mare (I have a breeding to Incantare)?

All well meaning, kind opinions welcome!

I'm a little confused as to when she was emaciated. If she were starving while trying to carry a pregnancy, then yes, of course it could make her slip the pregnancy.

However, there could be so many factors in play here, that the only way you are going to know for sure is to send her to an absolutely top notch repro center. Just one thing alone - like following the oxytocin protocol, even after live breeding - could make a difference. Another question is why did you put her on regumate at day 30? That's an expensive closing of the stable door after the horse has bolted if there was no foetus and no heartbeat. Did you do a uterine biopsy?

If you sent her to Equine Repro in OK for example, she could be bred to their TB stallion, who could be standing right next to her - so almost live cover - and they deal with problem mares constantly. I would also suggest that you read the articles posted on their website - you need to know as much, if not more, than your vet when it comes to breeding I've found.

If that isn't an option, then yes, you probably would be better off buying what you want to be honest. Ask me how I know that it is almost compelling to keep trying until you are virtually bankrupt because you have a nice mare...... I spent somewhere in the region of $15K trying for 3 years to get one of my mares pregnant..... I look at it as paying for an education (because if I looked at it any other way, I'd slit my wrists). Conversely, I bought Polaria (Radscha/Pregelstrand/Ibikus) from WolfTrak Farm for $1500 two years ago as a 2 yr old. The smartest horse I've ever owned, sweet, athletic, tall, beautiful and sold a year later for a tidy profit. We can all do the math.

Prada, my current broodmare, slipped her foal this year and like yours, no reason we can see. I have $4300 into that lost pregnancy. I will try again next year - if successful, I might be able to sell the foal for $7K? $5K? so a small loss - but if unsuccessful, then I *have* to call it quits. That's the reality. I try and buy something to ride and make a modest profit on every year, in order to support my breeding habit, because breeding for a living is a game for fools.

Bitter, much?  

I wish you all the luck in the world.

JRR, thank you! I really need honest candid opinions!

She was neglected following her injury (which doesn't make much sense after paying so much for a surgery to repair her foot) nevertheless, She was 'rescued' in april of 2011 and I bought her Jan 2012 (still somewhat underweight)

To my understanding the Regumate was being used to prevent the possible abortion? The vet was not convinced there was no baby (big mare, possitioning?)