The breeding season in Morocco: from covering to foaling

Every spring, Morocco’s studs enter the most important period of their year: the breeding season. This is when next year’s foals are conceived. Here are the main stages, from preparing the mare to the birth of the foal.

An official calendar

In Morocco, the official breeding season runs from 1 February to 30 June, according to SOREC. The calendar follows the mare’s biology: her reproductive activity is seasonal and increases as the days lengthen in spring.

Breeding operations and births are recorded in SOREC’s Faras application, which lists every horse in Morocco. This traceability later makes it possible to identify the foal and register it in its breed’s stud-book.

Understanding the mare’s cycle

During the season, a mare has a cycle of about 21 days, including a heat period that lasts 5 to 7 days on average. Ovulation occurs towards the end of the heat. The vet monitors the follicle by ultrasound to choose the best time for covering or insemination.

In-hand covering or insemination

Two techniques are used:

• in-hand covering, where the stallion covers the mare under the grooms’ control;
• artificial insemination with fresh, chilled or frozen semen, which gives access to stallions far away.

SOREC states that modern reproduction techniques are now used across its studs and their network of breeding centres. It also regularly imports stallions and frozen semen to broaden the genetic diversity of the national herd.

Confirming pregnancy

About 14 to 16 days after ovulation, a first scan confirms the pregnancy and checks for twins, a risky situation in mares. Further checks follow over the next weeks.

Eleven months of waiting

Pregnancy lasts on average 11 months, or about 340 days, with normal variations of several weeks. A mare covered in spring will therefore foal the following spring, which is why most foals are born between January and June.

During pregnancy, the mare needs a suitable diet, moderate exercise and regular veterinary checks. The end of pregnancy calls for particular care, which we describe in our article on the birth of a foal.

Choosing the right stallion

A successful season also depends on the choice of sire: bloodlines, conformation, gaits, temperament and how well he complements the mare. Read our criteria in Choosing a breeding stallion, and meet El Adiyat Stud’s 2026 foals.