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Not all mares are bred every season, and not all those bred will get in foal. In fact, small farms with a few broodmares can easily end up without an in foal mare during a season.

Learn more about some of the factors that can derail a breeding and how mares are managed for more positive results in this online resource from Kentucky Equine Research. Although the information included isn't breed-specific, much of it applies to Thoroughbred broodmares.

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In response to our post earlier in the week in which we addressed your questions about breeding older mares, we received some questions about fertility over the course of a stallion's breeding career. For more information on the impacts of age on stallion fertility, check out this recent podcast with equine reproduction specialist Dr. Ryan Ferris of Summit Equine in Newberg, Oregon, available on The Horse.

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In response to a viewer's question about when and how a broodmare's age is taken into account when making decisions about whether to breed, this online resource by Amanda Duckworth available on the BloodHorse provides a solid overview of recent research findings on when a mare age's is a concern and when it isn't.

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In response to a viewer's question about if and when C-sections are performed on pregnant mares, this Q&A with Dr. Rolf Embertson of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital provides a brief summary of the whys and hows of the surgical intervention. We thank the Paulick Report for allowing us to share this content with our Foal Patrol viewers.

If you have any case-specific questions about the health of one of your mares, contact your equine veterinarian.

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As some of this season's mares have been or will be bred back, this University of Minnesota Extension online resource provides guidance on preparing a mare for breeding season, tips for monitoring a mare in early pregnancy, and pointers for keeping a mare healthy once she is pregnant. If you have any questions specific to your own mare, be sure to contact your equine veterinarian.