Re: Leasing mares

[Susan Evans Garlinghouse <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

I've leased my TB mare out for breeding and in my case, I consider it to
my advantage to be able to maintain control and ownership while someone
else pays for her feed and care during a period when I don't want to
breed her for myself.  So I don't charge an extra fee, just have them
keep and pay for all her expenses, although it's not unusual or out of
line for the lessee to pay a little something on top for a really good,
proven mare.  I have a detailed written and SIGNED agreement that spells
out exactly what is okay and what is NOT okay to happen to my
mare---what sort of pasture she can go into, who and how she can be
ridden, whether or not she can go in with other mares and foals, vet
care, nutrition, everything.  I don't try to be a tyrant or dictate
every last detail (for example, I would never dictate "approval" of the
stallion, those some do), but I also leave extremely little room for
misunderstandings and misinterpretations.  My feeling is that by leasing
a mare, you are avoiding the responsibility of actual ownership, and so
the "price" is that you have to care for the mare in the same manner
that she would be cared for at my place.  On my part, I provide them
with a healthy, experienced mare ready to be bred, along with all the
information, breeding records and help I can provide to try to ensure an
uneventful pregnancy and healthy foal.  Some people require you to
insure the mare while you have her, but I don't.  My mare is getting on
in years and my feelings are that I choose pretty carefully who she can
go to, and if accidents happen and the mare dies, it's just fate.  If
the mare is just injured, however, it's the lessor's responsibility to
pay for the treatment, up to a certain pre-agreed amount---if treatment
is going to cost more than that, and the lessor is unwilling or unable
to pay for the additional cost, then it becomes my sole decision whether
I will pay for it myself or have the mare euthanized---in which case, if
the mare is pregnant at the time, then the lessor also loses the foal
and I lose my mare.  I always feel that having that sort of potential
loss possible keeps everyone vigilant about caring for the mare, but
again, I'm pretty careful about checking out the responsibility of the
potential lessor before they ever touch the mare, anyway.

I've never had anything go wrong when leasing a mare, but I work under
the assumption of Be Prepared for All Eventualities, and then you have
far fewer potential problems.

Good luck getting your endurance baby---it is MAJOR fun!

Susan G

Daniel and Dawna Bynum-Boyd wrote:
> 
> Does anyone know, generally, what the terms are when leasing a mare with the
> purpose of breeding?  Since, I have Arabian geldings, would like to consider
> the option of leasing a mare to breed for an endurance prospect.  Haven't a
> clue about what the "lease" entails.  Anyone have experience?
> 
> Dawna
> HoofnFins@worldnet.att.net