Artistic image of rhino for ICSI breeding article with Onderstepoort.

HORSE PREGNANCIES MADE BY ICSI AND WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR RHINOS

A team at Onderstepoort, working with Hemmersbach Rhino Force, has produced South Africa’s first horse pregnancies through ICSI and frozen embryo transfer. The technique is well established overseas, but the significance lies in having the capability here in the country, and what that could do one day for the rhino population. In November 2025, researchers in…

Bylizzie2 hours ago0Comments

Ask HQ Breeding

ASKHQ: WHEN IS THE BEST AGE TO BREED A MARE?

ASKHQ: When is the best age to breed a mare? A: Most vets and breeding specialists recommend breeding a mare between four and twelve years of age. Why not younger? Physically, a mare reaches maturity around four years old. Breeding younger than this (two to three years) is possible but not advisable: her body is…

BylizzieMay 12, 20260Comments

Breeding Horse Health

THE FUTURE OF EQUINE BREEDING – GENETICS, DATA AND ETHICS

The next frontier of sporthorse breeding isn’t just about bloodlines; it’s about information. Across the world, breeders are increasingly using genetic testing, artificial insemination (AI), embryo transfer (ET), and data-driven analysis to predict, enhance, and preserve equine athletic potential. But as the science accelerates, so do the ethical questions that come with it. Artificial insemination, embryo…

BylizzieMay 10, 20260Comments

Horse Channel

MARE FAMILIES THAT MADE THE SPORT

Fragance de Chalus - the mother of modern breeding Fast facts Born 1993 in France By Jalisco B × Nankin Imported to Belgium in 1998 Over 10 licensed sons Foundation mare of de Muze dynasty Every weekend, somewhere in the world, a descendant of Fragance de Chalus is in a…

BylizzieDecember 10, 20250Comments

Horse Channel

MARE FAMILIES THAT MADE THE SPORT

The legacy of Usha van’t Roosakker In sporthorse breeding, it is often said that stallions make the headlines, but mares make the difference. While the sires may dominate the spotlight, the enduring strength of the sport lies in mare families that produce generation after generation of winners. Among these legendary dynasties, few have had as…

BylizzieDecember 5, 20250Comments

Ask HQ

ASKHQ: BREEDING MARES

Q: When is the best age to breed a mare? A: Most vets and breeding specialists recommend breeding a mare between four and twelve years of age. Why not younger? Physically, a mare reaches maturity around four years old. Breeding younger than this (two to three years) is possible but not advisable: her body is…

BylizzieDecember 1, 20250Comments

Horse Health

FEEDING FOR GROWTH

Nutrition mistakes we make with young horses When raising a young horse, it’s easy to obsess over the size of the foal, the straightness of the legs, the condition of the coat, and, of course, how early they start looking ‘like a horse.’ But appearances can be misleading. The real foundation of a future athlete…

BylizzieNovember 28, 20250Comments

Horse Health

YOUR HORSE’S SLEEP CYCLE – FUN FACTS

Text: Rhiannon Cecil We all know so much about our horses; what they should and shouldn’t eat, how much water they need, how to care for their bones, muscles, and tendons, and how to identify signs of colic. But how much do we really know about how they sleep? Horses are checked at night and periodically throughout…

BylizzieMay 22, 20250Comments

Horse Channel Horse Health

NEW LIFE – FOAL DEVELOPMENT

With so much to look forward to as the New Year begins, and foals taking their first wobbly steps all over social media, we felt it was an excellent time to look at how these extraordinary creatures come into being. From day zero Any discussion about the development of a foal has to begin on day…

BylizzieApril 10, 20250Comments

Horse Channel Horse Health

WEANING – CAN WE MAKE IT LESS STRESSFUL?

Sport and pleasure horses are typically artificially weaned at around six months of age. Whether weaning is done abruptly or more gradually, in all cases, this ‘artificial’ weaning occurs when the foal is still closely bonded to his mother. During this period, weanlings commonly experience increased distress behaviours, including decreased eating and sleeping, reduced play, weight…

BylizzieFebruary 20, 20250Comments

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