Been given the opportunity to loan a broodmare - could use some advice please!

Jinx94

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Hi all,

As title, I've been offered my choice of a few mares. Two in particular got my attention as I think they would be a more commercial option.

One is by Burggraaf (13yo) and the other Argentinus (7yo), both are out of the same TB mare.

Breeding commercially is something that I have been keen to do for a long while, but had been putting it off as I wanted to know that I could afford to breed and potentially keep a foal (and its dam) if it didn't sell.
I had planned to start looking at broodmares at the end of 2019 but by coincidence a friend of a friend has currently stopped breeding due to a lack of time and funds, and is looking to downsize. I have made it completely clear that due to the timing, I'm not looking to purchase but following the loan I may put an offer in depending on the foal produced. If this opportunity came up this time next year, I wouldn't think twice!

My knowledge of the mares is a little limited at the moment but I'm in the process of getting competition records/sibling details/vet records.

Am I batshit crazy? Or just a little nuts?:eek:
 

ihatework

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You are a little batshit if you think you will make any money out of this any time soon ( or likely ever) 😂

So that aside:
What is the performance record of these 2 mares?
What studbook and level of grading/testing?
What is the answer to the above for the TB dam?
Have either suffered any injury illness that might be hereditary?
What are their temperaments like?
Are they easy breeders?

What market are you aiming to breed into?
 

TheMule

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You would have to get very lucky to make any money, unless they have an exceptional jumping record themselves, are very well related through the damline or have already produced something exceptional. There is NO money in foals currently, and without a big home set up, running on is likely to be prohibitively costly too.
 

Red-1

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I don't think it would work commercially, as is your aim. I presume you don't have a big home set up?

As a potential buyer, like 90% of buyers (not all I know), I would prefer a horse to be backed and going on before I buy, so there is the cost of keeping one until 4 years old. Just the cost of keeping one for this length of time means unless you have a commercial set-up with economies of scale, do the work yourself so cutting down on professional fees, having no livery costs etc.... means it is not commercially viable.

Not to say you should not breed at all, I had a foal many years ago from a much loved horse who had an injury (not her fault), and it was lovely. It cost a bomb though! I needed to find somewhere suitable to keep them, with other youngstock and an experienced YO, and for a green and pleasant place, with safe fencing, a foaling box available etc was not cheap.

I did not kid myself it was for money in a commercial sense, it was simply for my pleasure.

When I was a kid there was an old saying, "Fools breed horses for wise men to ride." I was reminded of this many times when I thought about breeding.
 

molar roller

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I had a (1/3 shareowner) TB broodmare in North America. after conflict between shareowners I have sold my share for broodmare and her yearling. so I quit as evenmoney. This time I plan to buy one or two broodmares from bloodstock auctions in December. So I have 11 months more.

When I take a look on UK flatrace racecards I always ask to myself -how British horse owners and breeders able to afford this?- because most races have a purse between 3000 to 6000 GBP and probably breeding bonuses must be 3 digits or barely near 1000. if we compare with same class countries is in't it low?
 

Jinx94

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Wanted to update you all, sorry for just disappearing!

It turned out that I was lead to believe one thing by my friend (I don't think it was intentional, she just knew a little less about the mares than she realised!) and the reality was pretty different. Both have wonderful temperaments and pretty good conformation but neither have a competition record and it turns out that both are maidens.. Less than ideal :oops:

I then considered loaning one initially as a ridden horse to see how she performed and revisit the prospect of breeding in the future, but have had a couple of shocks this week that mean my circumstances (both time and expenditure) may be changing.

For now I have decided against it. I'm not under any illusions about how much it will cost, and that phrase goes round and round inside my head pretty much constantly. Until I'm confidently in the position to do this, I'll be content with working with my boss' breeding stock! :)
 
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