What is the best age to breed a thoroughbred filly for the first time?

Question

The filly severely damaged her knee as a foal and is unridable.

Answer 1

I wouldn't recommend it until she is at least 5 or 6.  Any younger and she might get damaged because she isn't fully developed yet.

Answer 2

you COULD cover her at 2 or 2 1/2, but because sh'e still maturing, i wouldn't till about 4 or 5

Answer 3

Wait until she is at least four years old before you breed her. By this time she should be nearly fully grown, and able to handle the stress of carrying a developing foal inside her for 11 months.

Answer 4

From four onwards, as the horse is not normally fully grown till they are about five. Putting her in foal to early could mean she could have problems during pregnancy as her bones are not formed yet.

Answer 5

upto 4 years she is a filly after that she is a mare-you can breed from her anytime after 2y.old.no problem.

Answer 6

You can have a stallion cover her once she is 2 years old, but I would not recommend you cover her till she is at least 3 as she is still gowing and you could do damage to her young bones.

I must ask why you want to breed from her.  If you want to breed a riding horse then that is fine, but if you are looking to produce a racehorse I would ask you to seriously reconsider breeding from her.  We currently have a huge problem with overproduction in the racing world - too many sub-standard animals are being bred from stallions and mares that are useless.  Unless she has an outstanding pedigree I would suggest that you do not try to breed a racehorse from her and that you either use her as a companion for other horses or, and I know this is controversial, cull her.