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 Veteran
Posts: 262
 
| I’m considering purchasing a stud with good barrel racing bloodlines, built nice, easy going personality, and fully trained barrel horse. I’m thinking in addition to competing him that I might have him breed a couple mares a year on a low key basis. I worked at several breeding facilities and have handled the mare end and the stallion end of live cover. My question is does anyone do any small time stud service and is it worth their while? I’m thinking a couple mares a year at around $350-$400 stud fee. I’m not looking to get rich but maybe cover hay expenses? There isn’t a lot of nice barrel bloodlines in my area so people have to ship semen. There are some quality mares in my area that I think the owners would like a local quality stud to breed too. |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
 
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Hardly worth your time on a stud under $750. $1000+ is actually makeing some money. It is a lot of work, especially live cover. That is what we do. We limited it to 10 outside mares for his first year standing to the public, took in 12 and we have been non stop breeding/teasing for 2 weeks now with no end in sight. Plus, a $300-$400 stud fee makes a pretty small profit when someone wants to sell the foal (hoping for 3x the stud fee). By the time you get a baby on the ground after vet fees and feeding the mare 11 months and then another 4-6 months to weaning. You will have a lot more in that baby than you will ever get out of it. Most mare owners know this and will pass on the lower end studs. |
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Veteran
Posts: 262
| Thank you for your feedback. Your operation sounds nice. :) I’m thinking just breeding to those who are racing a mare and want a nice foal to keep and race but can’t afford the higher end studs. Which for my area involves AI which is either too expensive or intimidating for some folks. Or breeding to a backyard horse with nothing for quality bloodlines or bloodlines that are not barrel racing. My goal is not to make a profit but just for the stud fees cover some expenses. He’d be my main barrel horse so isn’t just sitting burning hay lol. Basically I’m looking at breaking even or close to. I would never expect to compete with the big time studs. |
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 The Color Specialist
Posts: 7530
 
Location: Washington. (The DRY side.) | Competing on a horse AND breding (especially live) can be impossible or next to it. What happens when a mare needs bred the same time you want to be at a race? What if he looses his dang MIND and can't function in public during breeding season being around all those in heat mares? Not to mention one wrong move by him OR a mare while breeding, and not only are you out a breeding stallion, but also have no saddle horse either. It is NOT worth the hassle and DANGER for a few hundred dollars. Not only are there mares that will want NO part of it, but there are mare OWNERS that will drive you CRAZY. And the cheaper the stud fee, the more likely you are to get those mare owners. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: lone star state | If you purchase the horse, you are free to breed as many or few mares as you choose. You have experience in breeding so you know what you are getting into as far as teasing, breeding, dealing with grouchy mare owners, dealing with mean fighting mares, as well as the nice mares and owners.
Personally, im small, 5 mares a year, and i will go with local live cover any day over dealing with large stallion stations, for me they are a nightmare to deal with....
So to answer your question, small operations will find you appealing if your horse is compatable with their mare and dream outcome. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| Hauling a stallion is a pain in the butt. Running during breeding season isn't going to happen. There are more stallions out there than CVS stores. Having one more that does not ship is not gong to be a stand out. Live cover requires special facilities for keeping foals and probably insurance for injuries to mares |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | RacingQH - 2018-05-26 10:49 AM Competing on a horse AND breding (especially live) can be impossible or next to it. What happens when a mare needs bred the same time you want to be at a race? What if he looses his dang MIND and can't function in public during breeding season being around all those in heat mares? Not to mention one wrong move by him OR a mare while breeding, and not only are you out a breeding stallion, but also have no saddle horse either. It is NOT worth the hassle and DANGER for a few hundred dollars. Not only are there mares that will want NO part of it, but there are mare OWNERS that will drive you CRAZY. And the cheaper the stud fee, the more likely you are to get those mare owners.
This is all so true. We haven't ridden Gunner in 2 weeks as he has been covering mares non stop. With more mares coming this week and next, I can kiss any training in May-mid June goodbye. I just can't ask him to work cattle or train in the arena right now too. We worry about the danger of him getting kicked. It can sure happen, but for us and our business it makes sense to live cover. We take precautions, can use breeding hobbles etc when needed. People that live cover their mares, know that a twitch and or hobbles may be used. We don't want anyone to get hurt. We are way to far from a vet to collect/AI all the mares. Our live cover program is why he is getting the number of mares he has. Some are coming from 3-5 hrs away. But with our rural area, live cover is better for nearly everyone...again the repro vet is just too far for everyone.
And on the cheap fee. The cheaper the crazier the mare owners is spot on. We have some great customers so far, but we set the fee where we are making money and making it worth our time, yet still attracting good mare owners that do things with their foals. If it is a good stud, proven in the arena, there is no reason to ask $300-$400 to entice mares. You will get the same number of mares, possible better quality for $750-$1500. Quality of mares is what makes a stallion, not quantity. But if you can get both, all the better. |
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Location: Not Where I Want to Be | I see nothing wrong with this plan and think you should go for it
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Veteran
Posts: 262
| Thank you all for the feedback. It’s a lot to consider and I appreciate getting all the pros and cons and also how nice you all are even if you don’t agree! I have a lot to consider. This all helped a lot. Thanks again. :) |
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Veteran
Posts: 141
| Its your life, do what you want and makes you happy.
We know a lady with a stud horse that has won futurities, jackpots and rodeos and the owner only breeds her own mares and maybe an outside mare here and there and it works for them. The babies are all amazing and have won futurities and rodeos themselves.
For me (my daughter), I would rather have the mares and choose whatever stud I wanted depending on how I feel that year. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Yept I agree, your money your life your time do what you want to do, lifes too short to wonder what if's..Just go for it and enjoy if thats possible  |
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Small Time Stud Service