Verbiage or advice on broodmare lease agreements

[AlteredHalter]

Hi Everyone!

I’m a long time lurker, and used to post under another name, but lost the log in information, so created another log in.

My husband had been breeding for the racetrack for a few years now, but due in part to a lack of finances on our part (nothing to do with any of the quality or ability of the horses), none of the horses actually made it to the track. We are now downsizing out of his breeding business to only his favorite horses and my, and my son’s, personal horses. So many of them are available as free broodmare breeding leases.

I’ve never leased out a broodmare specifically before. I’ve lease out a few riding horses but they were always partial leases and stayed on my farm and under my care.

I need help on verbiage for the leases. Any other things I should know as a newby to broodmare leases? Any advice on other places to list them? So far I listed them on my personal facebook page, shared with all my FB friends, posted on a couple of FB groups, and listed them here in the broodmare leases available sticky on this forum.

Thank you for any help and advice!

[alibi_18]

Have you thought of free leasing as ET recipient mares?

You could also free lease on your property. Someone could breed your mare with their breeding of choice and you could care for your mare as you’ve had all their live. ($$) This goes for both ET and regular breeding.

You should also investigate if your mares could be approved by any warmblood registry. That would broaden your pool of people looking to breed because you could then appeal to real breeders.

As for contracts :
I would do a yearly contrat. One per breeding season.
Make sure it is clear that the mare is yours.
What level of care - vet follow ups - you want.
What type of boarding situation you will allow.
Insurance. What if there are complication and the mare has to be euthanized? or is left incapacitated?

Just keep in mind that not everyone has the same concerns or knowledge about breeding. Vet included.

[Laurierace]

What exactly makes them breeding worthy? Wouldn’t training them to ride be better for their futures?

[AlteredHalter]

@alibi_18

….

As for contracts :
I would do a yearly contrat. One per breeding season.
Make sure it is clear that the mare is yours.
What level of care - vet follow ups - you want.
What type of boarding situation you will allow.
Insurance. What if there are complication and the mare has to be euthanized? or is left incapacitated?

Just keep in mind that not everyone has the same concerns or knowledge about breeding. Vet included.

Thank you, Alibi. Several of the mares would have excellent chances of being approved by warmblood registries. I don’t have the funds or time to take them myself though. Part of why we really need to downsize is funds. Another part is time. My husband doesn’t have the inclination (only 3 of the horses are mine, the rest are his from his breeding venture), and I don’t have the time. I handle all the day to day care of the horses (there are 20 total), plus all the house stuff, homeschool my son, AND work full time. Granted my schedule is flexible to a point since I work remote from home for the most part, but there are still only so many hours in the day.

[AlteredHalter]

@Laurierace

What exactly makes them breeding worthy? Wouldn’t training them to ride be better for their futures?

Thank you for your advice on broodmare leases, Laurierace.

I know my situation is far from ideal. The majority of these horses are my husband’s horses. He has finally agreed to rehome them. I’m only working to find them homes, as good of ones as I can. He is not inclined to help with that. He helps get hay, and that’s pretty much it anymore. Everything else is on me. I work full time, care for the horses (20 of them), the house, the other animals, and homeschool my son. Even if we had someplace that wasn’t knee deep in mud to work with them, I don’t have the time to start them under saddle, which I would be doing by myself with no help, and we don’t have the money to send them out. We barely have the money to keep them fed at this point.

I KNOW this isn’t the perfect situation. I don’t need anyone pointing that out to me. Thank you.

[fordtraktor]

So sorry you are in this situation. I think you should consider selling them at this point, NOT leasing.

maybe get some help from a reseller to evaluate and price them? There are several online who may help you (Jade Favre seems to have a lot of people following her and often posts all different types of horses, she may be an option.)

[AlteredHalter]

@fordtraktor

So sorry you are in this situation. I think you should consider selling them at this point, NOT leasing.

maybe get some help from a reseller to evaluate and price them? There are several online who may help you (Jade Favre seems to have a lot of people following her and often posts all different types of horses, she may be an option.)

Thank you, FordTraktor, for understanding.

Not all of them are for broodmare leases only. The majority of them are permanent rehomings OR broodmare leases. Some of those that might go out on broodmare leases I’m hoping might turn into permanent rehomings once they get to their lease homes. There are a couple of geldings that obviously aren’t on this list–that are available for permanent rehomings. There’s only a handful that are available for broodmare leases ONLY. Most of the ones for broodmare lease only are the ones that my husband just won’t part with, and one of them is one of my personal horses that I don’t want to sell, but would be fine with her going out to be a broodmare for someone for a year to maybe give me some breathing room to reorganize and find permanent homes for some of the others. The majority of the horses are in his name, so it’s not like I could legally sell them. I’m just happy he finally has agreed to rehome the ones that he has.

[Laurierace]

Can you contact a TB rescue and see if they have any resources to help you? Believe me, I completely understand needing to downsize asap and wanting to make sure your horses are protected but making more horses is not the solution. If you tell us where you are we may be able to help with recommendations.

[gumtree]

OP I understand your situation I promise you. You will get no lectures from me. 20 is a lot to deal with by yourself along with having to deal with family obligations. Your hay bill alone has got be quite a burden.

Are these Thoroughbred mares that have been bred for TB racing? If so this is my area of expertise. Without looking at their pedigrees I can state for fact there is a very thin market for mares at just about any price. There is little to no interest for mares with little to no REAL pedigree. I am not just talking about well known bloodline names. There has to be some decent female, (distaff side) producing family up close to the mares for them to have reasonably broad interest. Who they have been bred to and who they are in foal to plays a big part to. Their age is another major factor Where you are located is a big part.

I have been a Bloodstock agent, Adviser for over 30++ years. Bred and foaled 20-30++ a year for myself and clients. Mainly for the KY and Mid-Atlantic market. Raced a few from time to time. I can look at a mare’s pedigree page, not just they bloodlines. Their complete pedigree, and produce record and tell you within minutes if they have enough value to look closer at things.

The above relates to the TB breeding side of things. When I was downsizing and selling our big farm. I approached some and listed the same for sport horse breeders. Got little to no interest. And some of the mares had some nice horses that we bred and re-schooled for sport horse use. And they were successful. The mares and their foals had the look and temperament sport horse people like. Unfortunately I received little to no interest. Just a lot of the standard tire kickers.

Not sure why you want to lease them. If they have good pedigrees, pedigrees that the average TB that knows what they are doing would find attractive. You might find some interest at a price and or free. Either way without some decent pedigree and relatively young I think you will find it difficult to give away. If your state has a State Bred breeders’ program this might help a lot. If there are some decent size farms that stand stallions they might have interest. But I wouldn’t expect them much money if any. Be happy that they will take them and wish for the best.

I have thrown saddles on mares that haven’t had a saddle on them for years. Always pleasantry surprised how quickly they fell back into the drill. In the end it didn’t make it much easier to find new homes for them.

Some of us, a lot of us who have horses in numbers on the farm. Will most likely at some point come to the cross road of a very tough decision. Euthanasia maybe the only thing in the best interest for all.

Sorry if I am being a Debbie Downer but this is the reality of the breeding business regardless of breed. The business and or ownership of horses in general. People that let their heart lead them. Can end up on the road to financial ruin. Relationship, person stress and break up.

[Where_sMyWhite]

I’m curious when you say ‘permanent rehoming’ are you thinking sell or something else?

IMO, if you are trying to downsize, a potential buyer may not be interested in a permanent ‘rehome’ if the horse comes with strings attached. You may also run into problems where someone looks and acts the part of the perfect home for a ‘permanent rehome’ for you to never see the horse again and leaving you potentially with little to no recourse with the person who took the horse.

You have a tough row to hoe with all that’s on your plate. I hope you are successful in downsizing the herd to homes that will love and care for them as you have.

[AlteredHalter]

@gumtree

OP I understand your situation I promise you. You will get no lectures from me. 20 is a lot to deal with by yourself along with having to deal with family obligations. Your hay bill alone has got be quite a burden.

Are these Thoroughbred mares that have been bred for TB racing? If so this is my area of expertise. Without looking at their pedigrees I can state for fact there is a very thin market for mares at just about any price. There is little to no interest for mares with little to no REAL pedigree. I am not just talking about well known bloodline names. There has to be some decent female, (distaff side) producing family up close to the mares for them to have reasonably broad interest. Who they have been bred to and who they are in foal to plays a big part to. Their age is another major factor Where you are located is a big part.

I have been a Bloodstock agent, Adviser for over 30++ years. Bred and foaled 20-30++ a year for myself and clients. Mainly for the KY and Mid-Atlantic market. Raced a few from time to time. I can look at a mare’s pedigree page, not just they bloodlines. Their complete pedigree, and produce record and tell you within minutes if they have enough value to look closer at things.

The above relates to the TB breeding side of things. When I was downsizing and selling our big farm. I approached some and listed the same for sport horse breeders. Got little to no interest. And some of the mares had some nice horses that we bred and re-schooled for sport horse use. And they were successful. The mares and their foals had the look and temperament sport horse people like. Unfortunately I received little to no interest. Just a lot of the standard tire kickers.

Not sure why you want to lease them. If they have good pedigrees, pedigrees that the average TB that knows what they are doing would find attractive. You might find some interest at a price and or free. Either way without some decent pedigree and relatively young I think you will find it difficult to give away. If your state has a State Bred breeders’ program this might help a lot. If there are some decent size farms that stand stallions they might have interest. But I wouldn’t expect them much money if any. Be happy that they will take them and wish for the best.

I have thrown saddles on mares that haven’t had a saddle on them for years. Always pleasantry surprised how quickly they fell back into the drill. In the end it didn’t make it much easier to find new homes for them.

Some of us, a lot of us who have horses in numbers on the farm. Will most likely at some point come to the cross road of a very tough decision. Euthanasia maybe the only thing in the best interest for all.

Sorry if I am being a Debbie Downer but this is the reality of the breeding business regardless of breed. The business and or ownership of horses in general. People that let their heart lead them. Can end up on the road to financial ruin. Relationship, person stress and break up.

Gumtree, I agree with everything you have said. We have 2 mares, I am hoping to get a little money from selling. One is a daughter of Thunder Gulch, out of a Kris S mare. She ran cheaper races but her race record was 23 starts, 4 wins,3 seconds, and 8 thirds. The second mare is a little older, but by Gilded Time out of an Our Emblem mare. Most of the lease only horses are horses that my husband doesn’t want to rehome, but at this point I figured it doesn’t hurt to put them out there. Another one we don’t have to feed gives me time to reorganize and possibly find a home for another one. I’m not beyond euthanasia as an option, but I know my husband will not see it that way. In his mind, they are all worth $100,000 each. He’s having a fit that I’m not asking money for any of them (with the exception of the two, both of whom he thinks are worth $25,000 or more). I’m definitely the more realistic of the two of us. I wanted to rehome everyone 5 years ago, but when they are in his name, I can’t exactly legally sell them. I’m just glad he’s agreed to let me find homes for them now. Still not ideal, but I am doing the best I can.

[AlteredHalter]

@Where'sMyWhite

I’m curious when you say ‘permanent rehoming’ are you thinking sell or something else?

IMO, if you are trying to downsize, a potential buyer may not be interested in a permanent ‘rehome’ if the horse comes with strings attached. You may also run into problems where someone looks and acts the part of the perfect home for a ‘permanent rehome’ for you to never see the horse again and leaving you potentially with little to no recourse with the person who took the horse.

You have a tough row to hoe with all that’s on your plate. I hope you are successful in downsizing the herd to homes that will love and care for them as you have.

I hate to say giveaway, because then you get a ton of people stating the obvious, but yes, that’s what I mean. Ownership transfer, bill of sale for $1, etc. I will obviously do my best to screen homes. I’m diligent. I’ve started with people I know, people that people I know know, and so on. But I’m also a realist. I sold a big, gorgeous, well restarted, 17h horse for $9,500 as a jumper prospect. 2 years later I got a call from a rescue that had pulled him from a kill pen at New Holland. Even well started horses sold for decent money can end up in bad places. If I could, I would keep them until they die, but that isn’t reasonable. The only string attached to the rehoming is that I’m marking on their papers with my contact information in case they ever need help in the future, that the future owners will have someway to contact me. I know that’s no guarantee they don’t end up in a bad place anyway, but there’s no guarantee of that for anything.

I know that’s still not ideal, but I am doing the best I can. I’d love some of the famous COTH jingles for good homes for the horses, and for my ulcer. My stomach is killing me dealing with all this, but that’s life, right? Big girl panties engaged and in place. LOL

[Where_sMyWhite]

OP, thanks for clarifying. I think my thoughts and yours are right in line.

So hard sometimes to face the reality that the most awesomest horse isn’t worth the $100k you feel they should be.

Good strategy on calling the ‘giveaway’ a ‘permanent rehome’

When you’re getting the horse into a new, permanent home, IMO you do the best you can and hope for the best and hope you never get the kind of call that you did from New Holland.

Good luck with the rehoming ‘project’ with your hubby.

If you need to vent, I think you’ve got a place here to listen and help as best we can. Make sure to take care of yourself as well as the rest of the gang as you work through this.

[AlteredHalter]

@Where'sMyWhite

…

If you need to vent, I think you’ve got a place here to listen and help as best we can. Make sure to take care of yourself as well as the rest of the gang as you work through this.

LOL! I just posted in Off Topic looking for ideas for stress reduction tips. Thank you for your kind thoughts and good wishes. I was just hoping to get some ideas for wording to include in a broodmare lease agreement if one were to come about, but appreciate the support I didn’t realize I needed. Thank you.

[SPRINGBORO]

The Thunder Gulch mare is by far the standout of this group, but the price tag of $5,000 is unrealistic. Her 2nd dam produced some good turf horses, but the first dam didn’t do much. She herself was a low level claimer who hasn’t been bred despite being off the track for years. I truly doubt anyone would pay more than $1k for her.

@AlteredHalter

Gumtree, I agree with everything you have said. We have 2 mares, I am hoping to get a little money from selling. One is a daughter of Thunder Gulch, out of a Kris S mare. She ran cheaper races but her race record was 23 starts, 4 wins,3 seconds, and 8 thirds. The second mare is a little older, but by Gilded Time out of an Our Emblem mare. Most of the lease only horses are horses that my husband doesn’t want to rehome, but at this point I figured it doesn’t hurt to put them out there. Another one we don’t have to feed gives me time to reorganize and possibly find a home for another one. I’m not beyond euthanasia as an option, but I know my husband will not see it that way. In his mind, they are all worth $100,000 each. He’s having a fit that I’m not asking money for any of them (with the exception of the two, both of whom he thinks are worth $25,000 or more). I’m definitely the more realistic of the two of us. I wanted to rehome everyone 5 years ago, but when they are in his name, I can’t exactly legally sell them. I’m just glad he’s agreed to let me find homes for them now. Still not ideal, but I am doing the best I can.

[AlteredHalter]

@SPRINGBORO

The Thunder Gulch mare is by far the standout of this group, but the price tag of $5,000 is unrealistic. Her 2nd dam produced some good turf horses, but the first dam didn’t do much. She herself was a low level claimer who hasn’t been bred despite being off the track for years. I truly doubt anyone would pay more than $1k for her.

Convince my husband then, please? I KNOW that. He wanted to list her for $25,000, I said $1,500 obo. $5,000 is our middle compromise place to at least get her out there. After a month or so, I’m hoping to be able to get it more realistic.

I really needed information on phrasing broodmare lease agreements since I have never done one and suggestions of places to advertise the broodmares, also since I have never done this before, not advice on what to do with them in an ideal world or opinions of what they are worth. I’m well aware of the realities of this situation, believe me. I know COTH has a tendency to go way off topic, but you all don’t have all the details of the situation here. And while I do appreciate the thoughts and the time it takes for you all to respond, most of what you are saying isn’t something I haven’t thought of already.

How do you deal with an unrealistic spouse, who is basically giving up his whole life’s dream? Just the fact that he is now letting me try to rehome them is HUGE! Yes, it’s stupid that it had to go this far before he agreed, but that is the reality of my life at the moment. I really don’t need additional stress.

At this point, I’m going to pretty much ignore posts that aren’t what I need in regards to wording and suggestions of places to advertise the leases or rehomings.

Thank you, everyone.

[Where_sMyWhite]

@AlteredHalter

How do you deal with an unrealistic spouse, who is basically giving up his whole life’s dream? Just the fact that he is now letting me try to rehome them is HUGE! Yes, it’s stupid that it had to go this far before he agreed, but that is the reality of my life at the moment. I really don’t need additional stress.

As you know, this can be so very difficult to give up dreams, particularly the big ones. Different circumstances that your spouses but I’ve had to give up life dreams and it s*cks

Sounds like you’ve made huge progress in just getting to the point of letting go.

@AlteredHalter

At this point, I’m going to pretty much ignore posts that aren’t what I need in regards to wording and suggestions of places to advertise the leases or rehomings.

You’re on the right track here as well. You don’t need more “stuff” on your plate so ignore what isn’t being helpful. You’ve gotten some great suggestions here and maybe, particularly gumtree’s comments shown to your spouse might also help him be more realistic.

[SPRINGBORO]

Does your husband attend the Keeneland and Fasig Tipton sales? If he did, he would see much more fashionably bred mares (many in-foal) who go for $1000! A horse is worth what someone is willing to pay for it, and I don’t think he has a realistic viewpoint at all. I do feel quite badly for you being caught in the middle!

@AlteredHalter

Convince my husband then, please? I KNOW that. He wanted to list her for $25,000, I said $1,500 obo. $5,000 is our middle compromise place to at least get her out there. After a month or so, I’m hoping to be able to get it more realistic.

I really needed information on phrasing broodmare lease agreements since I have never done one and suggestions of places to advertise the broodmares, also since I have never done this before, not advice on what to do with them in an ideal world or opinions of what they are worth. I’m well aware of the realities of this situation, believe me. I know COTH has a tendency to go way off topic, but you all don’t have all the details of the situation here. And while I do appreciate the thoughts and the time it takes for you all to respond, most of what you are saying isn’t something I haven’t thought of already.

How do you deal with an unrealistic spouse, who is basically giving up his whole life’s dream? Just the fact that he is now letting me try to rehome them is HUGE! Yes, it’s stupid that it had to go this far before he agreed, but that is the reality of my life at the moment. I really don’t need additional stress.

At this point, I’m going to pretty much ignore posts that aren’t what I need in regards to wording and suggestions of places to advertise the leases or rehomings.

Thank you, everyone.

[Laurierace]

Tough love is sometimes the best way to handle things. If he wants to sell the horses for a price no one will ever pay then let him take care of them. He needs a reality check and as long as you are the one killing yourself to make sure they are cared for he can just sit and wait for a buyer that is never going to come. You need to make this his problem too. I am so sorry you are dealing with this, it’s way more than anyone should ever have on their plate. I wish you well no matter what you all decide to do.

[Laurierace]

@SPRINGBORO

Does your husband attend the Keeneland and Fasig Tipton sales? If he did, he would see much more fashionably bred mares (many in-foal) who go for $1000! A horse is worth what someone is willing to pay for it, and I don’t think he has a realistic viewpoint at all. I do feel quite badly for you being caught in the middle!

Not only this but by not racing any of the foals any value they may have had is long gone. They are now officially failures on the track and in the shed.