What Were They Thinking??

[Observer]

Another aged mare has died from foaling complications. Wild Applause has died at the age of 22, one week after giving birth to a Pulpit colt, who has been placed on a nurse mare.

There seems to be a timeline issue with the following story that ran on Thoroughbred Times, but it is clear that she was having problems prior to this foal. The story says she was barren in 2002, then one year later (which would be this year) the Unbridled foal she produced died. Anyway, the bottom line is there clearly seemed to be problems .. and what I can't figure out is why did they keep pressing on with her at this age??

Seriously, does anyone know if mares get pensioned from breeding?? I'm beginning to find this trend very disturbing.

:(

Wild Applause (http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=32397&subsec=6)

[Early]

Originally posted by Observer
Anyway, the bottom line is there clearly seemed to be problems .. and what I can't figure out is why did they keep pressing on with her at this age??

Of course the answer is simple - money.

[Observer]

Originally posted by Early
Of course the answer is simple - money.

Yeah, I know, I get that .. but this is a game that also has a history of casting off horses that can't produce .. whether it be on the track or off the track in the breeding shed. The thing is, when I stopped to think about mares being pensioned, I can't say I recall hearing stories like that .. I know stallions get pensioned .. but do the mares?? When a mare is not producing successfully at an advanced age .. I wonder what breeding farms look for to tell them enough is enough, it's time to stop. But more importantly, I wonder if they even question whether it's time to stop in cases where the mare is still physically "okay" with the exception of the current breeding failures.

Seriously, a 22-year-old mare in foal is like a 70 to 80-year-old woman carrying a baby, and I don't mean a grandmother holding her grandchild!! Heck, women are made to feel freightened at the thought of trying to have children after age 30, 35 tops. So what is this game doing to these mares??