Is there such a thing as a bad luck mare?

[Mood Swings]

I ask because I finally made the right decision in retiring my mare "Mood Swings". I am quite attached to her and I think that compunded my silly attempts at rationalizing her value. I have owned her since '02. In those eight years she was bred six times. From those six breedings she had three live foals and three abortions. From those three live foals, one raced and won, won died as a weanling and one just sadly broke down at the track and was euthanized (she was only three and had not started) Her dam died young from West Nile and her full stakes winnng sister has also had bad luck in the foaling barn.

I don't know whether to think I am jinxed, she is jinxed or that we are just "lucky"

Anyone know of someone looking for a free riding horse you can pm me

[Mikki79]

I think it is possible for horses to have bad luck. I had an appy mare that I used to show and every year right before district qualifiers something bad would happen to her. One year we had a horse trailer flip with her in it, another year she went thru the escape hatch on the trailer, her and my sister ran into a bear and slid down the side of a hill. She was a bad luck mare.. The one year that nothing bad happened to her we made it to states and she flipped out during the show because of a camera flash!!!!!!

[Crystal]

I had a mare who would always scratch herself up good before a halter show... yeah bad juju! Call a witch doctor.

[LB]

If she is not a "bad luck mare" she seems to be, based on what you've said, an every-other-year mare. Three live foals and three abortions seems like a pretty good indication of what her future breeding pattern is going to be. Considering that her full sister also had breeding problems, I would guess that this mare is never going to be an easy broodmare for you.

[nferro9925]

Mood Swings - I am sorry to hear that her one filly brokde down

[majxmom]

I bought back a mare that I raced named Time on Target. She made $200,000 at the track and had been claimed from me. She was bred the first year but didn't take. Her first live foal was so crooked, they didn't name it and gave it away. Barren the next year. Then she had a foal by Cee's Tizzy that was kicked by another mare, and had its shoulder broken so it had to be put down. Another foal made it to the racetrack, but is a non-winner at Stampede Park even though they have run him for MSW (c'mon, drop him and get a win!) . Her 2007 foal by Freespool was just diagnosed as a wobbler. This is a bad luck mare. I was worried about her so I bought her back as a three-in-one package. Now I know that I needn't have worried about her, because the owner was a softie and would never have thrown her away, but I am glad to have her back. Her 2008 colt by Moscow Ballet looks pretty stout and is a really sensible little guy, and she has an Uncle Denny in the belly. I'm hoping the tide has turned, but I'm not going to breed her again unless something good happens.

Sometimes, they just need a little change of luck. I guess I'll find out in 2 years if I'm right. You do have to be concerned about what will happen to them when you pass them on. Good for you to retire her and try to find a good home.