Implanting a frozen embryo in the best possible conditions.

𝐋𝐞𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 : 𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐧, 𝐣𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞

We are often asked how recipient mares are managed.

What conditions do they live in? How are they cared for on a daily basis? And what happens when they retire?

These are legitimate questions. They go to the heart of the matter. To speak of equine reproduction without mentioning the recipient mares is to overlook a crucial link in the chain of success.

First of all, we need to get away from the simplistic misconception that recipient mares are simply "wombs". Not only is such a view simplistic, it is also profoundly unfair. Because a recipient mare is never an accessory element in a technical protocol. She is the living culmination, the last link in a long, demanding and precious chain.

Before that, there's the breeder's selection work. There's the patient construction of a strain, the development of a donor mare, the genetic reflection, the choice of crosses. Then there's oocyte retrieval, ICSI, embryo culture and implantation. In other words, there's a considerable amount of work, skill, time, investment and hope. None of this can be jeopardized by a lack of consideration for the person who will have to carry the gestation to term.

It is precisely for this reason that the well-being, physical condition, living environment and, of course, fertility of recipient mares are central to our organization. It's not a secondary issue, nor is it an argument of circumstance. It's as much a technical fact as a human one. A well-maintained, well-housed, well-fed, well-balanced recipient mare is a mare that better expresses her reproductive potential. But even beyond this zootechnical reality, she is above all an individual to whom we owe respect and consistency.

That's why we devote considerable resources to housing and managing these mares. Grassland surfaces, infrastructures, batch organization, health monitoring and daily attention are all designed to guarantee these mares the best possible living conditions. Not only because this promotes pregnancy rates, but also because it would be inconceivable in our profession to strive for technical excellence without combining it with a genuine concern for well-being.

Then comes the moment when time takes its toll.

Like all mares, recipients age. Their fertility evolves and sometimes wanes. And when, despite all the care and attention, two successive failures indicate that their breeding career is coming to an end, another question arises: what's to become of them?

Here again, some might be tempted to imagine that once their reproductive function is complete, interest in them disappears with it. This would be to misunderstand not only our way of working, but also the very real relationship that our teams have with these mares. Because behind the protocols, the statistics and the objectives, there are horses that we know, that we follow, that we care for, and to which we are attached. There's also a clear line of conduct, a veritable corporate moral charter, which no one at BLH - and I'm the first - would dream of betraying.

For us, there is no acceptable alternative to a dignified, caring and secure retirement.

This is how all our retired recipient mares are reoriented towards a life of leisure. They are offered to people who can offer them a serious environment, care, time and consideration. And if these mares are sold, within a deliberately moderate range of between 500 and 700 euros, it is in no way for the sake of additional profit. This price is not intended to create an artificial market value; on the contrary, it constitutes a common-sense filter, designed as far as possible to rule out opportunistic or ill-intentioned profiles, and to favor responsible investments.

This vigilance is not theoretical. It is the natural extension of what we feel we owe these mares from the moment they enter our system until they leave for another life.

A structure is often judged by the quality of its results. And rightly so. But in our profession, it is also judged by the way it considers the horses that make these results possible. In this respect, recipient mares deserve much more than discreet recognition: they deserve a full place in our demand for respect.

The men and women of BLH attach the utmost importance to these mares. They know what they owe them. They also know that no technical performance is worthwhile unless it is accompanied by a dignified environment, attentive care and a seriously considered retirement.

That's why you can be sure of one thing: at BLH, recipient mares are never seen as a function. They're seen for what they really are: indispensable mares, respected, and accompanied with the consideration they deserve, throughout their lives.