I supplied my mare’s grain before and after foaling. After foaling, I paid 1.5x board for the two while providing all concentrates. After weaning, full board on both while still supplying feed.
I also paid to help build a safe paddock, etc.
Draw up a specific contract for this situation to prevent misunderstandings by either party.
The 2 in a stall thing - all the horses here live out 24/7. They come in for breakfast - that’s it. I have big stalls and bestest ever weanling buddies are happier in the same stall. I wouldn’t, I don’t think, be entirely comfortable with two yearlings sharing a stall for breakfast.
While I don’t think the boarder needs to get the BO permission to breed her own horse, I do think she should have given the OP a heads up so if the OP didn’t wish to provide pregnant mare and mare/foal care the boarder has/had time to find a new place.
At our place, we didn’t charge extra for pregnant mare care, they didn’t eat that much more. We had horses that were retired, were weekend trail horses and horses in full training, full board was the same for all, so it all evened out. We did charge a foaling out fee and a percentage of the board with a foal at the side. Once weaned, baby went into it’s own pen at regular rates.
As per reduced fees for youngsters: in my experience they may eat less hay, but I feed more ration balancer than I do for an “idle” adult, as they are growing, and need the protein and vitamins, minerals. Yes, sharing a stall can work, but in my experience it is more work to clean a shared stall than 2 singles 
I expect you have to look at a “case by case” basis.
FWIW, my barn did not charge extra for my pregnant mare or after foaling while the baby was with mom. However, once the foal was weaned, I then paid regular board for both horses.
at my vet’s foaling farm, i paid $25/day for the mare until she foaled, then $35/day for both of them. any additional handling or services for vet, meds, etc was charged at cost or hourly rate for their time.
I boarded at a barn where I normally had to supply my own grain, my own bedding (rarely stalled) and my horse got x # of flakes a day. So what happened is I increased the grain and I supplied alfalfa to supplement the grass hay at my own cost while she was pregnant.
I didn’t have to pay any additional board until she was weaned, probably because I was already supplying the feed and they were on then on true pasture board. In retrospect maybe I should have. I think 1.5x board sounds fair. Then I would charge full board for two horses post weaning. I would establish with your boarder that “weaning” occurs at 4 or 5 months, or whatever you feel is fair and then whether or not she has weaned the baby is considered a separate horse. Otherwise the boarder may never wean! I’ve seen this happen at another barn, so that’s why I mention it.
She foaled at the vet’s home and I want to say he charged me $350 for the foaling (plus medical supplies/vet fees you would expect to pay for testing, etc.) on top of regular board cost. I forget what board was there, maybe only $300? mare stayed a couple weeks before birth and then a couple after. This was several years ago, grain and hay have gone up significantly (unfortunately).
I agree with those who encouraged you to draw up a specific contract. Just get it all out in the open now.
Our rate stays the same till the mare foals, then it’s 1.5 the norm till weaning, at which point it’s normal board for both momma and baby. We do charge a fee for foaling, to cover my time, and any extra feed, bedding, etc. it’s a system that works for us.
We charge $25 per day which is pretty much the average rate for most Thoroughbred farms. Our mares and client’s live out 24-7 except in really bad weather. The are brought in around 2 weeks before their expected foaling date. All foaling stalls have wireless cameras. We charge a $400 foaling fee. Post foaling the mare and foal are checked by our Vet. They are not stalled any longer then necessary and unless the weather is bad will be turned out a day or so after foaling. After 30 days we charge $5 per day for the foal and it stays at that rate until the foal is weaned. We do not add on any other charges unless a major medical issues should come up that is labor intensive. Pre-foaling shots, trimming, vaccinations, etc are billed at our costs. We do not charge for giving or handling. Because we have a fairly high horse population we get pretty good discounts from out Vets and Farrier. Which we pass on to our clients. The additional labor costs after foaling is more then made up for in the 6+ months before the mare foals again when there is little to no extra work. Clients with multiple mares get a discount. We also charge more for nonresident mares.
Thanks guys for all of your input. I’ve decided to charge her full board for 2 starting April 1. As I mentioned I’ve had to move my ponies from the paddock, so I’m charging her for the use of a private paddock. One that I really needed for my own horses. We are moving her into the paddock this weekend, so she will be safe in case she foals sooner than later.
The mare is a 17 year old maiden, She was born here and I owned her until she was 7. So I’m very attached to her and only want the best.
We charge by the day on broodmares -they come and go during the season. We have a foaling fee (most farms around here are $250-400 for that.) Then once foal is born we add $2/day to the daily rate.
With your setup and the hassle it’s causing you, I’d charge $5 or $6/extra per day just for the trouble. Babies get into stuff, get stuck, get stepped on…cause lots of headaches.
I charge $415 a month for a mare and $$435 for the last 3 months before foaling. Then $560 for the mare and foal up to 6 months and then weanling $375 per month.
This include farrier once a month until 12 months and 6-8 weeks after that, same for the mare and the deworming program is included. The foal are handle every day and fed individually.
A foal cost more to raise than a mare for sure, they eat less hay but need much more grain than a mature horse but I charge less anyway because I love foals. The mare is stalled a month before foaling during the night and then they are outside 24/24 but have always access to a very large run in or cover all.
I haven’t change my price for the last 4 years but I should as my expense has increased since.
Wow. I can’t imagine charging more for a pregnant mare, but around here normal board never includes supplements. When my mare is pregnant, which she will be soon, I supple all of the extra feed, and when she will foal, I will pay for a stall (she’s in pasture) and pay for the bedding. I will foal her myself, but I would expect $300ish for someone else to do the job.
I also can’t imagine babies in stalls. I guess charging full board for that would make sense, but why would you have a baby in a stall? I think the normal here is no change in board until weaned, assuming of course no one else is doing extra feeding and care for you.
I do not offer boarding services on a big scale, but I can’t imagine NOT charging more for a mare, in her last trimester. We have to increase the grain, and they do eat more than the average not-in-foal mare. Usually I charge an extra 50$/month for the last 3 months of pregnancy, then it’s 100$/month extra for the time she has the foal at her side. She indeed eats more, but the boxstalls are messier (= more shavings) and the whole management is more complicated (mucking the stall with a young baby… not the same thing). Turn out is more complicated, etc. It has to be paid somehow.
When the foal starts to eat his own grain, I charge a little for it, but no real boarding fee until he is weaned.
You charge what your facilities, your care, warrants because she did this to you and compromised your horse care set-up. So if the mare and foal need a private paddock, extra food, extra handling & care you charge her for that! Spell it out NOW in writing don’t dilly dally on this with her. This should have been done the minute that you found out that she did this so deceptively.
Don’t look to anyone else’s set-ups base this on your own. Maybe someone else has different facilities and care arrangements that don’t match your own. You’re not set up for this. She did it to herself (and to YOU). I would have stuck it to her from the get-go regardless of my feelings for the mare.
I would also look at tightening your board contract terms!! and cover such deceptions.
I know of several places that charge for extra feed. Many barns here allow somewhere between 2 and 4 flakes/day and any extra is EXTRA. Most stables require owner to provide grain/supplements. As for weanlings - many are pasture boarded which means no bedding costs, AND most aren’t using the riding facilities (arena etc) which is a savings cost to barn owners.
I actually sat down with my vet and went through feeding costs of a pregnant mare (last 3 months when we really up the feed and add supplements) and the first 3 months of lactation - the feed costs are substantially higher - we really are feeding two!
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