Stand a stallion to the public?

[nootka]

Just curious what "protocol" is for farms of all types:

You stand a stallion to the public for an agreed price and board rate for the mare to come to you/your stallion.

The mare arrives, is bred, does not come back into heat and is picked up by the owner.

When do you give a bill for the service and board?

Is there a reason that you would wait for one full year after the service to send a bill to the mare owner? Assuming the address is available and all, would you not send or give the bill when the mare was picked up or within a few weeks (my experience for the most part).

Thank you for your input, both the "small" breeders and the "big operations."

Liz M.

 

[~Lisa~]

It depends on so many things was there a LFG was invoice not sent until foal was on the ground?

Was mare ultra sounded in foal before leaving stallions place?

But most important did the mare have a foal resulting from this breeding? If so even if the invoice came 5 years later bottom line is the money is owed

 

[Shari]

Make sure you have paddocks to put the visiting mares in, keeps both the new mare and your herd safe and healthy.

Visiting mare has to have a clean culture and be up to date on all vaccine and worming.

Always charge a bit more for the Wet mares, than the dry ones. The Wet mares/foals at side are normally more work.

Mare's owner signed a detailed contract before the mare was bred and get the full payment for both board and breeding fee, before the mare went home. If there is a breed back or LFG, then it needs to be in writting, in detail.

Offer Ultra sound via your Vet but the buyer pays.

Have good insurance to protect yourself!

 

[Sandee]

Not sure just what you're looking for but I expect a booking fee, non refundable ( upfront after agreeing that the mare acceptable to breed to) that is deducted from the breeding fee after breeding. Then I expect payment of the contract mare fees and all upon the mare leaving our place. I do include a live foal guarantee.

Now I will add that after a recent experience my decision about whether or not the mare is acceptable for breeding will be based not only on the mare but on the owners. I'll never breed to people who are NOT experienced with miniature deliveries. (I'll just stop by saying the foal only lived 4 days)

 

[rabbitsfizz]

All these comments are one of the reasons I do not do this any more.

If I take a mare for a friend I charge solely for mare care and give NO guarantees whatsoever.

I do take my mare care seriously and I do charge a proper amount, not just a token gesture because it is a friend, so this does not leave me totally clear of catty remarks as one so called friend said to another (who relayed it straight to me, which I do wish people would not) that she did not know why she had been charged so much ( $450 for two mares for three months!!) because all I had to do was keep them in a field!

One of her mares went back harness trained for free, both mares had foals, and both had been clipped, wormed, handled daily and had their feet done, and put on all the weight they desperately needed when they arrived.

So basically, nothing really works!!!

I expect payment in full at time of collection, and I get quite firm about it, too.

It's really easy to sign someones name on a registration form, and hellishly difficult to get the mess sorted out when you find out it has been done and a foal you did not know had been born, has been.

If I gave a LFG (which I never have) I would take full payment and refund on Vet proof of attendance and a non viable foal.

I would also have a contract!

 

[Songcatcher]

So many possible scenerios to this question. The ONLY outside mares that I have taken in are mares I sold to someone who didn't have a stallion. The situation worked perfectly, even though there was no contract (I know, bad idea). The service fee included mare care (pasture bred). Fee was paid when the mares were picked up. One did not settle. The next year, I rebred her for free. Everyone was happy.

If I were breeding to an outside stallion, I would EXPECT to pay at the time of picking up the mares UNLESS the owner of the stallion said, "Don't pay now, I will send you a bill." If I did not receive a bill in a timely manner, I would call and ask about it. If I still didn't receive a bill, I would conclude that the service was meant to be a gift. Of course, in this scenerio I am assuming there was no contract. I am not speaking from a legal standpoint, but my opinion.

FWIW, I have received medical bills (from hospitals and doctors) for the first time, over a year after the service was provided. I think according to law, you can refuse to pay such. That may vary from state to state.

 

[Flyin G Farm]

For us, we've required the stud fee and mare care to be paid before the mare leaves our farm, although in certain situations we've made exceptions, but the mare owner has known up from what the costs would be so there were no surprises. I've even let people make payments on the stud fee if they were someone we were familiar with and who had a good track record with us on payments.

When we've sent mares out for breeding for the most part it worked the same way. We paid the stud fee/mare care when we picked the mare up. In one case a mare would not cycle, but we still paid the stud fee and mare care when we picked her up, so the following year we just paid mare care.

I guess for me a bill wouldn't be a big surprise because I'd know the stud fee ahead of time, and I'd know how much mare care would be and how long my mare was there...so I'm with Songcatcher...I would call and ask about the bill if I hadn't received anything or had any questions about when a bill was going to be due.

Tracy

 

[Minimor]

I always specified in our contract that payment was to be made before the mare left our farm. If I were breeding to an outside stallion that is when I would expect to pay the mare care--before I took my mare home. That is something that should always be asked--what is the mare care fee, and when do you want it paid.

I would expect mare care to be paid regardless of whether or not the mare got in foal or produced a live foal--after all, mare care is just that--care and keep of the mare while she is at the stallion owner's farm. Even if there is no foal from the breeding, the stallion owner has still cared for that mare for however long she was on his farm. From all the different contracts I've seen over the years I'd have to say that stud fee may be dependant on a foal being produced, but as a rule the mare care is not.

 

[Becky]

I breed few outside mares, but when I do, I expect all fees to be paid in full before the mare leaves my farm.

 

[nootka]

Thanks, I wanted to know about WHEN payment was expected, not really about LFG or anything and yes, Lisa, the money is owed, that is the bottom line.

Appreciate the answers, I figured as much (most farms expect payment for board, etc. if not the breeding itself when the mare leaves the farm).

Liz

 

[keystonefarm]

I require my payment up front. The mares owner is required to get her checked in foal. If she is not I will stand her with the stud again, but I do not offer LFG. If a mare is unable to settle after two cycles, I will offer a breeding to different stallion. I do not normally offer refunds- Just a rebreeding. I also don't charge board for 60 days. If you do I would not charge that fee until the mare is picked up or monthly if you think the mare would be there for very long. Also always make up a contract. I hope this helps.

 

[Margaret]

I may do things a bit differently but it has always worked out well for me and the mare owners.

I tell them up front if their mare does not stand for the stallion, they will only be charged for mare care.

(They allways breed, but it makes the mare owners feel better.

)

Other wise once the the mare breeds, I offer free mare care for the first month.

I keep track of all breeding dates and times, and they pay when the mare is picked up.

Never been a problem.