Going rate for a nurse mare?

[tveley]

I have had a request from the owner of a day-old orphaned foal to use one of my recip mares for a nurse mare. She loves foals and will likely easily adopt the orphan without a problem once we induce lactation.

The question is, he wants to “lease” the mare from me and keep her at his farm until the foal is weaned. He will pay for all expenses for the mare during this time including vet, board and farrier, but he asked me what I would charge in addition to this.

I have never done this before, nor do I know anyone else who has. I do not know what to tell him, so would appreciate your input about what would be fair to both of us.

I will not have to pay to support the mare, but I also will not have the use of her this year.

[Sugarbrook]

A number of years ago I paid 1000.00 to lease a big thoroughbred mare to nurse my small pony filly who’s dam had died. The mare really didn’t have any other life at this point as she had just finished having her 3rd foal in a row die.

[tveley]

My mare in question is a really nice TB mare in her prime for breeding purposes. I was going to use her as a recip, but she is nice enough that I would not have a problem with actually breeding her. She is approved main mare book GOV as well as Oldenburg NA and has had some gorgeous Rousseau foals, all graded premiums at their inspections.

[msChevy007]

Nurse Mare

Is there a time frame while she is nursing that you would be able to have her bred? This way you don’t miss a breeding season and his foal still gets what it needs. Just a thought, but I would talk to my vet about it.

As for charging for her use, if I were able to get her in foal, I would not charge. If I was not able to get her in foal, I would charge for loss of use. My amount would be $100-$200 per month. Then you can have the money for next years breeding/stud fees, etc.

Hope this helps.

[Home_Again_Farm]

Going rate for a nurse mare a number of years ago was about $2500. I don’t think that your mare’s worth as a breeding mare will factor into the equation, other than in influencing your decision about whether to let her be used as a nurse mare. If your friend can arrange to get your mare bred for you while she has the foal at her side, that would seem to be a reasonable way to do things. Good luck!

[vandenbrink]

Last time I checked to lease a mare from a commercial nurse mare operation in this area is $3000. The mare will be lactating and the agreement typically includes that she be returned “in foal” if she’s not already been bred back. These are mares that have a foal every year and when there is a need for a nurse mare, theirs own foal get’s weaned and they are shipped to the farm to adopt the orphan.

[sfstable]

In 2005 I had to lease a nurse mare from a commercial source in KY. I paid $1000 and had to send the mare back in foal.

[Iron_Horse_Farm]

I did this for a fellow breeder last year at no charge.

[Jumper_Breeder]

I have a mare that would easily accept another mare’s foal. I would also do this for no charge provided the mare had a good “temporary” home.

[Nevada10]

There’s a big difference between a commercial operation that is maintaining the mares, pregnancies, foals, lactation, etc year round vs someone doing a favor. No reason you can’t still get the mare pregnant with a foal at her side. If my mare had no other purpose (lame, lost a foal, not being bred again), I would free lease her as a nurse mare. Having her bills paid for by someone else for 6 months is a win for me. I think profiting off another person’s hardship is icky.

[skydy]

This thread is 12 yrs old.

[Laurierace]

I know this is a zombie thread but wanted to say that nowadays the good nursemare farms are inducing lactation so there are no throwaway foals being created. I think it’s a wonderful advancement for the industry