"Bred for 2013" as a selling point - not!

[LittleBittyBritches]

what about the ones "double registered mare exposed to unregistered stallion" ! grrrrr those bother me. i wish i had enough money to buy every unregistered $100 mini out there, and just let them retire, and become pets, thats what they are, sweet wonderful pets. NOT breeding stock. We have pets and we have breeding stock , which we are leaving most our mares open this year, and they dont mix. we are focusing more on showing and going to pull one of our broodmares out of the breeding pool to train for preformance.she just has the right personality and great want-to-please personality.

 

[All Decked Out Mini Farm]

Me, only having two mares, I would want to buy a mare that is infoal. BUT, It totally depends on the mare and the stallion she is bred to, also how big she is compared to the stallion, and if she is maiden or not. But, this will all change once I get my own stallion, then of course I would like to breed my mares to him.

I am with Kelsey on this one, I would kill myself if I sold a mare that was bred and the mare had a gorgeous filly, its just better to keep the mare until she is done foaling and then sell her with the foal or without.

It is scary however to buy mares that are not infoal because you don't know if she can get in foal, and you dont know the seller of the horse, so hopefully what the seller is telling you is hopefully true.

 

[eagles ring farm]

I depends on the buyers position. early this year we bought 2 mares 1 online auction in January and 1 online make an offer sale in Febuary

they were both open which is how we wanted it. We had only 1 mare of our own bred for this season

and didn't want to add more foals for 2012. And it gave us the opportunity to breed them to our own stallions early for 2013.

But that suited our particular situation and what we wanted.

I appreciate both sides of this thread but you have to size up your situation and then also

check out the thoughts of the seller as to why a mare is not bred, even when you want one not bred. Of course there are dishonest sellers

I would not hestate to buy a bred mare either if it suited what we wanted that season as long as she was bred to a stallion that I liked and thought it to be a good combination.

We have an open mare right now for sale with or without her 2012 filly that to me proves she is breeding sound but we would breed her back if someone wanted.

When we had a mare that was hard to get in foal (would not even show heat) we sold a few years ago I was perfectly honest and she found a wonderful home in MO where that is what the seller wanted as she was not a breeder just loved to show and shows her at the National level, so it by far pays to have all the honesty upfront instead of having an unhappy buyer.

 

[targetsmom]

I think it totally depends on the situation, the mare, and the stallion. Our last 2 purchases (2010 and 2011) were both mares. One was a proven mare and in foal to a stallion we admired but would not have bred to because he isn't a pinto(!). So buying her in foal to that stallion was a huge PLUS for us. And she had a lovely buckskin pinto FILLY.

Last year we bought a 3 year old mare that we wanted to train to drive and show. She had been bred ONCE to wonderful stallion but we wanted her open. Lucky for us, she did not settle on that one cover and, knowing our desires, the breeder did not breed her again. Most would consider us NUTS for that request (if you knew the stallion), but we also had to consider that we just didn't have the room to foal out four mares this year. But BOTH these mares are now bred to our stallion for 2013 - and they are the only ones we bred.

I can also understand not wanting to buy an open broodmare because she might have some issues the seller might not want to disclose.

 

[minie812]

Mmmmm....I have a broken tractor out back.(it's for sale) Don't know if I am classified as a backyard breeder or not, Guess I don't care. I COULD have sold all three of my fillies this year. I will not let them go cheap though. Funny thing is some of the folks that want them have bigger farms then me so I must be doing something right. I only breed 1-3 foals a year & can keep them if need be...no hurry. I guess if your in the market for a bred mare then you will buy a bred mare & if your in the market for one unbred then buy one unbred...simple as that!

 

[BBH]

IMHO, breeding needs to be the best of the best and not done indiscriminantley.(sp)......so many people have asked me if i breed and the standard answer is no because there are so many that needs homes from rescues and that will be where my next one comes from....or fostering. There are so many minis out there that have papers that don't get transferred and end up at the sale barn or on CL you just don't know what you are getting either.....and there are plenty of puppy/foal mills out there......drives me nuts.

 

[Genie]

I totally agree. When you offer a mare for sale that is not bred, everyone questions why.....can't she conceive? Is there something wrong with her? Many of us might want to breed a new mare to "our" own stallions, but most people question why the mare isn't bred and don't feel "safe" buying a mare that's not pregnant. Few people "understand" that many of us are cutting back on our breeding BECAUSE of the market -- not because the mares have something wrong with then.

And if you're selling a mare that's not pregnant to a "breeder", most will want her to be checked out. But today, buyers (yes, even many breeders) want everything for free or cheap, so they expect YOU to PROVE there is nothing wrong -- they don't want to pay for the exam/testing. They expect if you want to sell, then you will prove the mare sound.

So, it's pretty much a double-edged sword.

JMHO

I agree with these comments ,as well.

 

[minie812]

BBH- a simple solution for the papers would be for the seller to send them in for the buyer. I have done that in the past that way I know they get transferred into the buyers name. I have fostered in the past also & have seen first hand out of control breeding. I have also bought back my own horses when buyers couldn't or didn't want them anymore for whatever reason. So I feel I am responsible. I also have several mares I bought "EXPOSED" or promised to be breeding sound-asked all the right questions and guess what? They are still here as pets now. Several could be excellent therapy minis or a childs first horse. Oh Well, I guess I better get back outside and air up the tire on the ole' MF.

 

[SilverRose Farms]

I will offer pregnant mares at two prices... With Foal Price and Without Foal Price...

That way there if the mares stay I will still have foals. And if they sell the buyer has the option of not being responsible for a foal they dont want.

I am breeding Miniature Sized Curlies who are Hypoallergenic. There are literally hundreds and thousands of people who want horses or ponies or miniatures who cant because of allergies. And these unique foals offer people who would normally not be able to have a horse the ability to have one.

 

[mini horse mania]

I prefer to buy in foal..if the stallion is worth breeding to,and you can get a breeding certificate. I was burned on that one...if I do buy an open mare,id like a breeding soundness guarantee if thats the purpose I bought her for.

 

[mshasta88]

I agree, I bought a mare in foal this spring that was bred to stallion I strongly feel wasn't quality. Thank goodness the foal was nice. With that said I'm guilty of this as well. I'm selling a mare exposed, but in my defense, I'm thinking that if she doesn't sale then I would have missed my opportunity to breed her. Then this just circles back around to overpopulation that is becoming a very hot topic at the moment. As I’m reading more and more, I'm considering gelding my 2012 colt and one of stallions to help do my part in keeping people from breeding. I hope that someday soon, it will be possible to safely sterilize a mare to promote responsible quality breeding.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Using the fact that a mare is currently in foal is NO GUARANTEE whatsoever of her breeding soundness. So, I do not buy that argument. If you want to know if a mare is healthy and appears reproductively sound, spend $100 or even $200 on a thorough exam. That is FAR less expensive than paying for the cost of her to carry that foal to term, foal it out, feed it and then try to sell it. Plus, every time you ask a mare to foal you are RISKING HER LIFE! Period. So why in the world would you risk a mare's life on a foal from a stallion you don't even like or wasn't your choice? The dollars and cents don't add up and neither does the "sense" of it.

I have other choice things I could say about this topic, but I think it's time for me to let it be.

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

Plus, every time you ask a mare to foal you are RISKING HER LIFE! Period. So why in the world would you risk a mare's life on a foal from a stallion you don't even like or wasn't your choice?

I didn't think of that but that's a really good point.

 

[bluerogue]

I have a mare for sale right now who is NOT bred for 2013. I didn't breed anyone this spring, as I'm hoping to move this fall, and don't want the greatly added stress of having pregnant mares to haul (it's gonna be stressful enough as it is). My mare did foal this spring, and her filly is offered with her, or separately.

I've bought open mares, and I've bought bred mares. It seems that when I buy bred mares, they end up coming open anyway. I always view any potential baby as a bonus... because my luck has been that I don't get them. I am buying that mare... not a potential foal that she may or may not actually have. If I want a foal out of a particular stallion, I'll buy one on the ground already. It's just more sure that way.

As far as breeding potential, even a vet may not be able to tell with a maiden mare. If the mare has foaled before, that's a good sign to me. I don't require the mares I buy to be either open or in foal. I do ask about their production record, as I expect people to ask about any mares I have for sale (whether they are open or not). I do love the possibility of getting a filly to keep by an outside stallion. But at the same time, if I don't like said foal, I won't keep the foal -filly or colt (unless the significant other claims it). I have had 2 fillies out of 13 foals... so I am SUPER excited about any fillies I get! I was above the moon when my mare had her filly this spring... my first filly is now 7 years old. I still have her. However, I just don't get along with this filly's dam, and she is a mini me of her mom, in a different color. Love her color... but she is so much like her mom, I just can't see us getting along. So she's for sale. It's a shame, because this filly is a superb driving prospect, and that's what I want to get more into. But sadly I do think her ability will outstrip my own rather quickly, the same way her sire's has (which is why he's for sale too... he's being wasted here). I can't wait to see what they can do with someone who has the ability to take them as far as they can go.

 

[LindaL]

I didn't read thru everyone's posts, but as a farm that has recently decided to sell all of our broodmares, geld our stallion and no longer breed...i went thru the "should I or shouldn't I?" question about breeding all of the mares before offering them for sale. In the past, having an open mare means people are leary of WHY the mare is open. But, part of the reason why we are getting out of breeding was because we did not want to add more horses to the already over-population, so we left everyone open ON PURPOSE.

IF I were in the market to buy a mare for breeding, I would prefer to buy open early in the year so I could breed her to MY stallion, but after May if she is still open, I probably would pass.

So, did I shoot myself in the foot by leaving everyone open to sell?? Probably...but it is worth it to me.

 

[Riverrose28]

It's very exspensive to sell mares! Some buyers just don't understand, your danged if you do and danged if you don't. I had four mares I wanted to sell, since I'm not breeding for myself anymore and need money to pay for hay. so this spring I consigned these four mare to the Champion of Champions sale. I also was told at this time they needed to be bred or provide info that they were breeding sound. I brought the mare and our stallion that is a Champion by the way, into the indoor. I hand bred all the mares, one was a maiden as she has been shown her whole life, all the others had foals previously. Then after handbreeding put them into the breeding paddock with the stallion for another month, never saw them come back in. Had to get the vet out for sono's it cost a fortune, as well as coggins, consignment fees, health cert. two came up pregnant, two the vet couldn't find the fetus, but said they could be, since cervix was tight, but sono showed overies and uterus to be normal. Couldn't do any swabs because no signs of estrus. Took all four mare to the sale and was very honest, gave the buyers the vets findings on all, as should be, brought one mare home as a NS. So may have a foal next year. Now I'm reading this thread and thinking, OK I'll offer my other open mares that have delivered before and offer a breeding is so desired. Should I raise the open price up $200 or more for the breeding? And I would think I would need a deposit befor the breeding, as I don't want to foal out, I would need to make it high enough to insure I'm not stuck with a bred mare, right!

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Terry, I would definately ask a higher price if they want a mare you're selling bred to your stallion. And it would probably be more than $200 if it were me because your boy's foals are worth more than $200.

I've not been in the market to buy for years, but just recenly starting looking again. I have two slots open for new horses and I have very specific requirements for each. The one breeding aged mare I want to buy, I will buy open. Possibly, if I find one I like that just happens to be bred to a stallion I admire, maybe, and only maybe, would I consider a bred mare. But more likely than not I will open consider open ones...with a good foaling history and then a breeding soundness check at my expense. Way better money spent imo, than on a foal I don't want and risking losing the mare in the process.

 

[Margot]

I have a number of nice mates for sale none of which are bred. I am trying to cut back and I do not want foals next year so why breed when the mare might not sell. I have some great stallions and would be willing to breed a mare after it was sold for the new owner but I am not interested in increasing the population just to try to make a mare more interesting to a buyer.

 

[Tab]

Agreed! (OP)

 

[4mymirage]

Just to stir the pot, the flip side is buyers, I have a bunch of "open by choice mares" for sale and the first thing I am asked by the buyer is "why isn't she bred? What is wrong with her?" At this point/ in this economy, it is a loose loose situation on my end