Why every mare for sale is bred?!

[Sunraye Miniatures]

I have been looking for a miniature mare for my friend, she does not want her bred for this year cause she wants to show her, but later on breed her.

She wants a mare thats open for next year, but any mare I can find is either too expensive or she's bred! Even the 2yr olds I find are bred for next year :new_shocked:

Why does everyone feel like if a mare is old enough to breed then she must be bred

:

Sorry just couldn't hold it in anymore lol.

 

[Anne]

That is "funny" to me, it just never works out,

we have a 2yr old filly and a 3yrold filly for sale and people who inquire seem to be 'suspicious" because I DON'T have them bred.

They seem to only want bred fillies.

I NEVER breed a 2yr old and sometimes wait on the three yr olds for whatever reason.

 

[Minimor]

Yep, there are definitely those that think there's something wrong if you've got a 3 or older mare that isn't in foal and has never been bred. If you say that the mare has never been bred, they don't believe it--they think she really has a problem & can't conceive & the seller is just lying when they say they haven't bred the mare. I just shake my head at that.

 

[equestrian]

I TOO feel the same way that it is "funny", because I have a 5 year old mare golden buckskin mare FOR SALE and mostly every body wants her bred. The fact that I have not made up my mind as to whom I would breed her too make everyone "suspicious" about her as if some thing is wrong with her and they all want her bred for next year. The fact I have NEVER run her or even let a stallion touch her does not make a different to them.

Just had to put my two cents in.

Darwin

 

[Lauralee]

I too have lost sales on open mares because the buyer was all too suspicious that she was not breedable and wanted to buy a mare that was safe in foal.

Another one that irks me is trying to sell a 12 year old mare and being told she is "old"......

:

 

[sfmini]

I have the same problem here, open mares for sale, even proven broodmares and people won't touch them. We are trying to get them bred now, hoping to move them with late foals.

 

[kareng]

I have two 3 year old mares that could be bred but I chose not to. I have other mares (2 of those maiden) that I felt were more mature so bred them for next year. I'm not going to breed just to breed. I will be nervous enough watching the 2 maidens for next year. I do have one of the 3 year old mares for sale and have offered to breed her if anyone wanted her bred but considering the way sales are going there hasn't been any interest.

Kareng

 

[RockRiverTiff]

This may sound bad, but with the average price minis are bringing, don't the additional vet care and special diet and time requirements of properly taking care of a pregnant mare negate what most people would get for a foal in the current market anyway? I sometimes wonder if the quality and size of senior mare classes suffer because so many people are breeding their fillies as soon as they finish their junior careers.

 

[kaykay]

tiff i agree on the sr mare classes. i couldnt believe how small they were! i showed tiny and moonlight in sr mare and there were hardly any entries. really sad. I do know that bitsy will do great showing next year as a sr mare as amhr has the 30" and under once they hit sr mare.

 

[Sun Runner Stables]

I have to agree that if a mare is over 4 and Not bred, that something Must be wrong with the mare. *Rolling eyes* Good luck in your search though, I am sure your friends horse is out there somewhere!!

:

 

[user 488]

I too have lost sales on open mares because the buyer was all too suspicious that she was not breedable and wanted to buy a mare that was safe in foal.

Another one that irks me is trying to sell a 12 year old mare and being told she is "old"......

:

Yep, if it has a uterus it better be bred.

: (totally ignorant mentality, IMHO)

And the 12 year olds with a good production record are the best kind! My older mares were my most treasured. You could count on them to get the job done almost every time.

 

[Aubrey715]

Yep i agree with ya'll about if a horse is over 3 years old and hasn't been bred people just assume they have a problem and they think there is something fishy about them. But some people like to show mares over 2 or 3 years old with breeding them. I have a mare that is 2 years old that i will probably show for another few years before i have her bred. But i think a lot of people out there thinks that a mare for sale will sale better if they are bred and that might be true. I don't know if i will ever figure this one out.

 

[susanminiponygirl]

I guess everyone wants the "two for the price of one"deal!?

: I find it very interesting that in a standard size horse, people don't particularly want a bred mare. The more performance oriented, the less they want to deal with pregnancy and foaling. I think we need to stress the versatility of our horses and get people out of thinking of our mares as just baby machines. Just a thought.....

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

That seems to be what todays problem is---everyone seems to think , IF ITS A MARE IT HAS TO BE BRED, so wrong..maybe if everyone would just cut-back on breeding every mare every year it just might help to bring the prices back up--its all about supply and demand. I have 4 mares left to sell, everyone of my mares I have left open for this year..no fault of the mares, it was my choice. I have sold about 7 mares for a friend all were left open, lost some sales because they weren't bred, but then found understanding new owners who really took the time to listen, and realize that every mare does not need to be bred every year. I usually wont breed any of my mares until they have reached the age of 4 , I guess I am just not your typical breeder. I have never had any problems getting any of my mares to settle on the first heat cycle either,(when I hand breed) so all this TALK about breeding yearly, is the best for broodmares --it just dont cut it with me, I think breeding every single year takes alot out of a mare, but to each his own thoughts on that subject. I have also sold some of my open mares to out of state buyers who wanted the mare bred to one of my stallions. I did breed the mare after it was sold, and things worked out good that way too. I know someone right now who has about 30 foals not a one has sold, but yet they have rebred all their mares for next year, to me this makes no sense at all. Then people wonder why some minis show up at auction houses and sell for next to nothing. I will definitely miss having a foal or two next year, but I also foal horses out for others so I will still be a part of that. (and still miss my sleep!) but I also believe that foals need individual time and daily attention, and not become just "mini-mill" foals. --- Corinne

 

[D.M. Minis]

Hi this is Russ from D.M. minis you know Don and Russ maas we have got some good poen mares on our sale. Infact I think some may hay your breeding.(SUNRAY TARGET) THATS ON SEP 3

 

[luvmycritters]

[SIZE=10pt]Interesting thread. The problem I have with this - is people who offer you "a good deal" on miniatures - with the possibility of two mares being bred. And if not - BRING THEM BACK TO BREED TO WHOM EVER YOU WANT TOO!!! Yah - sure - in hind site I am thinking - who would ever do that?

: BUYER BE WEAR.........[/SIZE]

 

[Frankie]

I hear ya!!!!!! I have a 4 year old Hall Of Fame Mare for sale, I can't count how many times I have been asked, what is wrong with her????? When I responded, no, she is not bred!! She's been in the show ring her whole life, there is nothing wrong with her.

I hate the mental thinking, they NEED to breed. That 12 is too old, that 4 is over the hill for showing, that 4 is too old to breed for the first time.

Heck, each horse IS WHAT IT IS!

Their job whatever that may be was given to them my a person. Not by their choice.

I just don't see the hurry to get a baby on the ground. If it's for the cuteness, that doesn't last long, find the cuteness in the horse you already have.

If it's for the dollar,,,,,,,,,look around, that dollar is down to about 30 cents!

I have a friend with 13 babies this year, has not sold a one,,,,,,,,another farm not too far from me, 27 babies, have sold 3,,,,,,,,,,,,,they too have bred back all of their mares, plus a few more, maidens,,,,,,,,,,,why????

We had no babies this year,,,,,,,,,,,,,but others do, I bought, and gelded. With all the medical problems that can and do happen, it can be cheaper to buy from someone else.

Anyway, I am sure she'll find the perfect horse out there! good luck

 

[Vicky Texas]

I so agree, I have 3 mares for sale, all are open mares. All 3 mares will make great

show mares. I have chosen not to breed for now, But may have one mare bred for next

year. We are trying to sale our property, and move. Also I want to stay a small farm.

So I am reducing my herd now, I only want about 12 to 15 minis at the most. I like being

small, so I can give them all the attention they want. I also agree, if farms would reduce

and not have so many babies each year, the less foals available, the higher the price's will

be. The more foals, the prices only go down.

But I do agree, with these 3 mares, people are like there must be something wrong with them.

There is not, I am not breeding them. Last year I had 3 foals, and that was a lot for me. I only

bred one mare last year for this year, bred her one time. Decided not to breed, so stop. She took

and I was very happy with the leopard appaloosa filly. For next year, I am leaving my 3 tiny

mares open, & 3 mares for sale open. I have 3 mares for my leopard stallion, on two with the

Summer heat I have not found their heat cycles, the third one, I bred once. Not sure if will

breed any of them. May leave them open for next year and look at them then when we get

moved. I just have to much on my plate.

The sad thing, I finally have some great horses to start showing, but no time to work them. I have

several that will make great driving horses. So hoping next year to start back showing. But how do

we get people to understand, if they are open it does not mean they are not good breeding mares,

there are a lot of reasons for not breeding. How do we change people's thoughts? I have even priced

them cheaper then I would like to, I know on two them, they are priced cheaper then I paid for them.

I paid good money for them. I just need to reduce my herd.

I know my 3 mares would do good in halter and one is driving. If the mare for driving does not sale,

I hope to train her this winter and drive her next year. One of the mares would even be good with

children. We just have to teach people open mares are not always bad.

Vicky

 

[Margaret]

I thought with all of the excess minis that need homes I would offer a mare unbred this year.. She had a colt in 05 and two other fillies before that.. She is in great shape now as well, but I am starting to think that people prefer bred mares to open mares, as I have not yet sold her, even at a reduced price.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

The attitude revealed by the stories here really alarms me. Not you guys, but the buyers that won't take an open mare. I've been rolling my eyes and biting my tongue for a long time on the fact that it seems like most mini mares are viewed only as baby factories and not as show horses or companions in their own right, but I hadn't realized it went so far as to have people thinking there is something wrong if a 2 year old is not pregnant!! That's just sick.

I come from 4-H, where it's all about performance and open mares and geldings are all you see and are highly valued. It's an unusual decision to take your mare out of the ring long enough to breed her because it means your child is losing a year of competition and you're going to have a very large, very strong, very-lot-of-work-to-train infant running around taking up pasture space. It is not unusual to have a quality mare compete until she is twelve, take a year out to have a foal, then go right back into the show ring until she's seventeen and finally "retire" to a younger leadline rider and maybe another foal or two.

Obviously part of the problem here is the same mindset that makes geldings hard to sell. "You can't ride them, so obviously the only thing they're good for is making more babies." :no: "...Therefore, if they can't breed then what good are they?" Get out there and prove their utility! Beat the big horse people at their own games like halter in open shows and carriage driving competitions in the ADS. Take the minis somewhere other than just mini shows. Share the breed with those who do not assume horses are for breeding more horses. Get them interested in owning and competing with our little friends.

Secondly, educate those who already know about minis. It seems like many are convinced of medical fallacies like "If she isn't bred by three, she'll never be able to get in foal." Talk to vets, put out literature that proves otherwise! Educate educate educate even when you don't have anything for sale. Have a really good open mare that you show and don't breed. Enter those senior mare classes and prove your point. If you're taking the long view, breed a three year old then put her back in the show ring until she's seven or eight. Then breed her again and prove she can catch. Raise the anecdotal evidence to prove the naysayers wrong.

This is basically a case of putting our money where our mouth is. If we think open mares are valuable, where is the proof? Even Frankie's wonderful mare is only four! That's a baby by big horse standards. Keep her right on going until she's eight, nine, even ten. Rack up the ribbons in halter and driving and love her to death, then pass her to a junior somewhere to show some more in showmanship, obstacle, jumping, etc.

: Be willing to take the ignorant criticism for not breeding more unwanted foals, stand by your decision, and keep the ones you have until you find a home that UNDERSTANDS that "open" does not equal "ill." If you don't think that mare should be bred so young, or that year, or at all, then you owe it to her to stick to your guns and keep her open until the right home comes along. You took on that responsiblity when you bought her or bred her.

This isn't going to be easy. We're working against a tidal wave and the wave doesn't want to change direction. But we've got to start somewhere and we owe it to our horses to love them for who they are, not who they can produce.

Just my personal opinion,

Leia