mihile wrote: "I'm with Heidilady. If she pulls through and is still breeding sound C-section seems like the only option.
erhrdt3 while you have a point that pregnancy always comes with risks it's not like we can just stop. There have to be pregnancies for there to be a next generation. So some of them have to be bred and as long as she's breeding sound I'd much prefer to see the next generation coming from top level mares like herself."
I guess the question is what does "breeding sound" mean? Is it a mare capable of breeding by live cover and with reasonable expectation of successful natural birth? breeding by live cover with the expectation of complicated or life-threatening birth? or breeding by live cover for use of the embryo without expectation that the mare can give birth? I think the possibilities differed in 1913 compared to 2013. The question is should it? How many great mares long ago were in Rachel's position and they were unable to pass their genes on. Should we change that now?
My personal opinion is that breeding sound is whatever is safe for the mare. If she can't foal, she's not breeding sound. But that's just my opinion and I am admittedly not familiar with the morbidity and mortality statistics for c-sections in the thoroughbred mare.
Rachel Alexandra in danger
Moderators: Roguelet, hpkingjr, WaveMaster
Hi, Mom!
I love the statement about not breeding sound. We do not wish to lose HER. Give her some years off, as it does take many years for those parts to heal up, in any living human, or creature.
She has given us 2 great foals, see how they go along, I'm esp. excited about Taco, he is one incredible colt, even moreso than Zenyatta's first one. They'd have to be awfully shaking the dice to chance breeding her again. Some of them just CAN'T go through it, not their fault, that's Mother Nature.
I just do not want to hear about her being bred and this time not being so lucky when it happens again. She is an icon. Let her be who SHE is, she has given her bloodline already, a colt and a filly. Poor girl. And she was a great patient as well, which contributed to her recovery. As was Barbaro, but the ones who will freak out would not have made it.
Dubli, behave yerself now!!
I love the statement about not breeding sound. We do not wish to lose HER. Give her some years off, as it does take many years for those parts to heal up, in any living human, or creature.
She has given us 2 great foals, see how they go along, I'm esp. excited about Taco, he is one incredible colt, even moreso than Zenyatta's first one. They'd have to be awfully shaking the dice to chance breeding her again. Some of them just CAN'T go through it, not their fault, that's Mother Nature.
I just do not want to hear about her being bred and this time not being so lucky when it happens again. She is an icon. Let her be who SHE is, she has given her bloodline already, a colt and a filly. Poor girl. And she was a great patient as well, which contributed to her recovery. As was Barbaro, but the ones who will freak out would not have made it.
Dubli, behave yerself now!!
We will NEVER see another Ruffian......