Selling Bred Mares

[Matt73]

I've had my eye on a couple of mares over the last few months. I've decided to not buy right now for various reasons. When looking at a mare a big deterrent for me is if the mare has been bred/exposed to a stallion. If I'm going to breed her, I'd want to breed her to who I choose. If the mare happens to be bred to a great stallion, I may change my mind; but how often is it that the mare is carrying a poor example of the breed? More often than not. Do you think a large majority of people that buy bred mares are just buying for the "novelty" of having a foal? Isn't that a bit irresponsible? Why breed a mare and then sell her? Just thinking. I'd love to hear opinions.

Edited to add: If someone is selling their mare in foal, it's just telling me that the resulting foal doesn't really hold much value to you, so why did you bother breeding her in the first place? Seems really willy nilly to me.

 

[minimom1]

I often wondered the same thing. Around here it seems very popular to breed then sell in foal or exposed to stallion.

I believe people think it makes the mare more sellable as a 2 for 1 deal. I see a TON of bred mares for sale.

 

[valshingle]

I think most people like getting "2 for 1". I've never actually bought a bred mare - mine were all still showing when we bought them. I'd only buy a bred mare if she was in foal to something special OR if I thought I could resell the foal. In yesterday's market, I think you could buy a bred mare and then sell the foal and get back the price of the mare. But I don't think it works that way anymore.

 

[dannigirl]

Your post is interesting because I have had many possible buyers ask me if the mare is bred and if not, could I please breed her before they get her. Most of the mares I want to sell are young, open fillies. If someone buys an older mare from me, It may have been exposed as I pasture breed, but I usually don't actively try to sell them and will offer to hold them until after possible foaling time if they do not want a foal. The reason for that is that I usually breed for the possible foal and don't mind keeping it.

 

[Minimor]

Well, I have heard many people say that they won't buy an open mare, because they are suspicious of why she is open. They can't believe that someone left a mare open on purpose and so it must be that the mare has some problem and cannot conceive or carry a foal. They only want to buy bred mares, because then they know that the mare can still conceive. I also know that a number of people breed a mare prior to offering her for sale, just because they also know that there are so many people who won't buy an open mare. They might have left all their mares open for the past 3 years because they aren't breeding any more, but if they want to sell those mares they will breed them.

For myself, I prefer to offer an open mare for sale. I have offered to breed the mare if the buyer wants; stud fee will be reduced in that case. However, because we don't want any more foals for ourselves, we won't breed a sold mare until she is paid for in full. I have no intention of breeding the mare because someone says they will buy her & want her bred, and then have them back out of the deal & leave me with an extra horse when that foal arrives.

 

[~Lisa~]

Interesting post Matt I am not sure why? I would guess it is the 2 for 1 idea many like?

 

[muffntuf]

I think it goes both ways. Novelty of having a foal is cool to newer people. Some sellers think it adds value to the mare if she is bred when sold. There is the suspicion that something might be wrong with the mare if she is open and is breedable age, etc.

I bought a mare within the past couple years. She hadn't had a foal, or the statement was taken back to say she did foal, but the foal died. I went ahead and agreed to have her bred before I picked her up, but she was open after waiting 9 months. I bred her the following spring, she came open. I bred her again this year and, I believe she is open, again. So am thinking I bought a mare that might be unable to foal for whatever reason, so I can see the suspicious side of things.

I have bought mares bred as well though, when I first started out because I didn't have a stallion at the time, so that was a convenience thing. I still have those foals too.

And I have bought mares where I specifically have told the sellers they are NOT to be bred, because I have a plan in mind for them. It leaves the mare sometimes open for a whole year, but that is my choosing.

So I think it all depends. And alot depends on your trek with your program, beginner, have breeding stock, established breeding program, enhancing your breeding program, etc.

 

[SHANA]

Matt some people sell their mares in foal for personal reasons, not because their is something wrong or they did not take value in the future foal. I for one sold a few mares in foal this season only due to me being pregnant and trying to make things easier for my husband this winter once the baby is born. It had nothing to do with the mare or her future foal. I just have some favourite minis and wouldn't part with them so some of the other mares had to go. I am down to only 8 mares now, 2 stallions and 2 weanling fillies so don't mind if I sell anymore. Actually have less than what I had planned to keep for the winter. When my mares were bred in the spring I wasn't pregnant.

 

[Genie]

Sometimes it's "life circumstances" , health issues etc.

I agree with Minimor's statement that people are suspicious if a mare is open and Muffntuff cited an example of what you will find when you buy an open mare or one that does not have a foal at side, they likely will not be a brood mare if that's what you wanted.

I do have bred mares for sale and may be better to wait until spring and sell them with their baby at their side.

We will both be in our 70's in 2011 and "things" can start to happen. I know they can happen any time but might be more chances of health issues sooner than later.

I have to plan for the possibility of just one of us having to handle things and it's okay now, but tomorrow???

We live in the same area as you and my feeling is that unless you "slash" prices you have trouble selling. That was why I posted a topic earlier concerning where people shop for thier horses. So many people will pass by the beautiful horses that are right in their neighbourhood.

At this point we can handle the work and we have lots of land for pasture so it's winter that will be the killer.

 

[kaykay]

There are so many different reasons why a person sells a mare in foal. Rarely is it because they dont think the foal will be a great one. I bought a bred mare to get a chance to have a foal out of a stallion I dont have access to and it turned out beautifully. I have sold bred mares because something happened and I had to sell one that I hadnt planned on selling.

My motto though is always buy the mare for the mare not the foal becuase things happen and you may not get a foal. I always buy because the MARE is what I want and the foal is a bonus.

On the flip side I have looked for open mares to buy to breed to my stallion and it can be difficult to find that.

I also agree that many will automatically assume something is wrong with a mare if shes open. Especially if she has never had a foal. Which is kinda sad but that is the way it goes many times.

 

[DianeT]

Sometimes it's "life circumstances" , health issues etc.

This statement by "Genie" is so true. We made the decision this year to sell our AMHR horses to have more time with our daughter.

The foal should be beautiful, this is a repeat of a previous breeding.

Sometimes life has a way of changing your plans........

 

[little lady]

Matt-I feel the same way. And also recently decided not to purchase for that reason. But on the flip side I am also leary of an older open mare but with the economy the way it is for me personally I would rather have an open mare than a bred mare with a resulting foal that will be hard to market. I am alright with the fact that she may never get in foal because if she meets my other criteria(which are more important) than I can enjoy her in other ways.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Kendra]

I think it's a far more common thought among buyers that if a mare is open, there's something wrong with her and they'd better steer clear.

We have mares in foal for sale. We've sold quite a few in the past couple years, and all the broodmares we own now were once on the 'keeper' list, so yeah, we're excited about the foals! But we also have them offered for sale. If someone buys them, great, if not, that's great too, we'll get that 2011 foal for ourselves.

My own "why on earth do they do that?" question is the huge number of breeders who plan to sell every foal they raise by the time they're weaned. We raise foals for us to show, to go back into our breeding program, and while we do sell a foal from time to time, it would be counter productive to sell them all as babies, before we even have a chance to see their potential.

 

[Marty]

I'm with you Matt. Some people do in fact breed their mares on purpose to encourage the sale. That can backfire pretty good. It does not make sense to me espcially when that person is selling out because then, they can fail to sell that mare, plus be adding another one into their equasion. I have a mare for sale that hasn't been bred in three years and I'm not about to breed her just to satisfy anyone's curiousity if she is fertile or not. LIfe is just a cher full of bowlies you know!

 

[Reble]

It is true 2 for 1 being if you get another nice filly like the mare you wish to have, the foal should be just as nice, and always ask to see the sire.

Than you have two mares for your breeding program. If not sell the colt.

Yes, open mares, I stay away from. I do think something has happen, and that is why they are selling her, unless I really know the seller.

If they are open, people believe they can get it cheaper. Usually the price is not that much higher in this economy.

I like to buy 2 year old or weanlings knowing there should not have been any problems with breeding and birthing.

 

[mdegner]

I think it depends on why you are buying, who you are buying from and what you are trying to do. Last fall, I looked at buying a mare from Stacy Score because I loved the look of her horses and wanted to bring that into our little program. Long story short, I ended up buying two mares--I am a charter member of Horses Anonymous LOL--one of whom is a Tennessee Tyme daughter and was bred to Bey Masquerade. It was probably the only time in my life I was praying for a stud colt, which is exactly what I got. A gorgeous loud pinto with wonderful confirmation who I will showing next year. I feel like I won the lottery and was able to bring a in great line for a very reasonable cost.

Just did the same thing again with a mare from Lilliput Acres bred to a national champion. Again, I like Michele's horses and am getting two for the price of one (God willing, of course).

 

[AshleyNicole]

Than you have two mares for your breeding program. If not sell the colt.

This is why I have bought bred mares(only will buy If I like the stallion though) ... I bought one last year, she had a colt but I am going to keep him because I think he will make a good driving horse eventually, plus I'd like to see how he develops, he may make a good stallion (love his color) if not then a great driving gelding. I'm going to buy another mare in foal to the same stallion and hope for a filly to show and eventually end up in my breeding program. I did buy several open mares this year and another one that was in foal but she lost the foal(which was ok as I was buying the mare not the foal) so I will buy open mares as well.

 

[HGFarm]

Haven't read all the replies here, but I know a LOT of people who have been sold 'broodmares' who are not able to have a foal for various or unknown reasons and are sold as open or even 'exposed', but gosh, when the new owner can't get them bred- the seller knows nothing about it (though they might have owned the mare quite some time and never got a foal from her even though they tried)

I think sometimes people look at bred mares that are pregnant not for the fact that they are dying to have the foal so much, but that it is obvious that the mare can conceive and carry a foal. I have only purchased one that was bred, and another that was supposed to be (and yes, that was a nightmare).

I've seen folks too who are selling 'broodmares' that have been exposed and though they may not have gotten foals from them, refuse to have them vet checked- even when a prospective buyer offers to pay for it!! Or they will vet check one they are selling, but not another... hmmm, what are they hiding there?

So I think sometimes it is more assurance that the mare is truly a viable broodmare.

 

[targetsmom]

I didn't read all the replies, but I did buy a bred mare in 2010 and couldn't be happier!! I bought Alamos Sirs Toffee Snow, a Cross Country Call Me Sirs daughter, from Parmela at Star Rirge Acres. Toffee was in foal to "Spirit" (Ten Ls Spirits Afterglow) and I had Parmela foal her out for me. The result is (too bad for Parmela) Spirit's ONLY filly of the year, and a buckskin pinto to boot. I had admired Spirit but would never have considered breeding to him because he isn't a pinto... but we got a pinto FILLY anyway!! I was not buying the mare for the foal she carried (not with our usual luck) but we plan to keep both the mare and the foal. We are nominating the filly for the 2013 AMHA driving futurity. And we have 2 mares for our breeding program, as the filly is unrelated to our stallion. So I too feel like I won the lottery!

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

The mares we sold this year that were bred were actually mares we really weren't marketing, bred to Elvis for ourselves, then got good offers on them.

And in this economy, when the offer comes in, you grab it and run!

But we've also sold mares that were open this year, too.

Lucy