When buying an mare do you look for bred mares or open mares?

[Sunraye Miniatures]

I have an friend who is selling a very nice mare and been selling her for a while and I just don't understand why this mare isn't getting sold, believe me she is advertising. Price is VERY reasonable. I was just curious in today's market what everyone is looking for these days, especially this time of year.

Thanks!

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]I voted open because I buy a show mare or a mare that I will show BEFORE adding her to the broodmare band. I want her to prove herself first.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[Miniv]

I didn't vote because I've bought mares that were both.

One mare I bought because I liked her AND I liked the stallion she was bred to.

Other mares I bought with specific breeding plans for our stallions, so I wanted them open.

MA

 

[Sue_C.]

I voted open...but it would really depend on what stallion she might have been bred to. If I found a very good mare, bred to a stallion I liked, I would buy her and hope for a filly which could later take her place as a brood mare.

I harness train most of my mares, and that is the thing that helps me make up my mind, whether they will produce nice foals with great attitudes. They already have the conformation I like, or I wouldn't have them; I don't need a Judge to tell me what I already know. Not that I'm against halter showing...it just doesn't decide for me any more. I have seen too many champions made out of mediocre horses for it to make my mind up for me on whether I like a horse or not.

 

[Bluerocket]

I voted already in foal:

However -- I am assuming it is a nice mare -- bred to a stallion I like -- or it is pointless for the mare to be already bred. I have purchased bred mares -- and arranged with the seller for the seller to "own the foal" and to rebreed the mare to one of their stallions (of my choice) instead -- for the "package" -- that has worked out well too. --

If I am buying for a performance horse -- I would want them to be Open

If I am buying for "breeding business" -- as long as I feel the resulting foal would be sellable -- then it is better to be able to "produce a profit" from her in the same year I purchase her -- than to wait for a year.

JJay

 

[royalview]

: Right now Im in the jprocess of trying to shop for a couple good bred mares, with a no problem history of foaling and getting bred. I like to buy them bred as we do alot with our youth group and 4-H for foal handling and I just love the babies and their Moms become part of our family. Id buy an open mare if she had a decent history with the breeding and foaling but I hate the wait and maybe if the mare had been trained to drive and was open I wouldnt mind. HInt, Hint, Im still looking!!

:

 

[Magic]

I voted open mares, though I have bought mares that were bred and LOVED their foals, I loved the foals' sires too. If the sire is not known to me or super-special (in my eyes), I'd rather have the mare open to breed to the stallion of my choice. I also like to show my mares, when possible (only can show so many at a time though)

 

[Hosscrazy]

I didn't vote either, because I have also bought both bred and open mares. One mare that I bought recently was open (intentially) and she has a good foaling history. The previous mare I bought also had a good foaling history, and she was bred at the time. I think I tend to look at the long term "big" picture of the horse I'm buying.

Liz R.

 

[slaneyrose]

I prefer to choose the stallion unless he is outstanding!!!