Cost of Breeding a Horse in South Texas
The Cost of Breeding a Horse
Tempi few days old
Your mare: average $10,000
Purchase a proven bloodline broodmare within breeding age 3-17 years of age. $10,000
Lease a proven bloodline broodmare within breeding age 3-17 years of age. Cost depends on agreement with the owner of the mare.
Embryo Transfer to a recipient mare. Cost is substantially more with lower success so used for cases where the breeding mare is exceptional and currently in performance work. $3,500 for surrogate. On top of cost of donor mare.
Stallion: Between $750-$3,500
Live foal contract. Depending on the contract usually 1 to 3 years. Usually up to 6 tries. Sometimes have the ability to change stallions and/or mares if problems arise. You pay a little bit more for this premium service but worth the guarantee when the main goal is to get a baby and you don't know how easy your mare is to get pregnant. Ranging between $1,500 and $3,500
Purchasing semen by the dose. Very common with frozen semen. Especially with semen that is hard to come by or from overseas. Higher risk… you only got one try. 20% to 50% cheaper initially but if you have to do more than one try it and ends up costing more. Ranging between $750 and $3,500
Frozen or Fresh?
Depends on the stallions quality after it is warmed up. Ask around in the breeding community and see how successful people have been with that stallion being frozen.
Depends on the fertility of your mare. Younger is always better. Not being a maiden is helpful as well.
Depends on how skilled your vet is or whoever is doing the insemination. In theory deep horn insemination is better for frozen semen since there is a smaller volume and possibly lower motility.
Depends on your location and ability to get access to fresh semen with location to airports. And the stallions collection schedule.
A stallion that has done the highest level in his sport and has offspring doing FEI work is going to be more expensive from the years of training and campaigning vs an unproven stallion who is standing alone with his pedigree.
Veterinary: At least $500 per try
Ultrasounds/ palpation to track your mare's cycle. Then to track ovulation. Lastly to confirm pregnancy and heartbeat. Between $25 and $50. At least 5.
Hormones/medication are used to cause ovulation and to cycle the mare the way the vet wants. No less than $100
Insemination fee. Some vets just do pre ovulation. While some do two doses pre and post ovulation. Between $75 and $150.
Collection and Shipping of Semen: at least $150 depending on stallion station.
Unless collection is included in your breeding contract for fresh cooled semen you will pay the stud farm to collect the stallion. $150-$200 per try.
Shipping FedEx overnight with a special container that has to be shipped back. $150 to $300 per try.
Sometimes if you have to rush it and do same day or courier service it can be up to $500.
And no guarantees. Sometimes FedEx gets delayed and you get your semen after ovulation. Or they lose it. Or it comes to the airport but the airport is closed so you can't pick it up till morning.
Management of Mare during gestation: about $2,800
Feed for mare for entire gestation. 11 months. 2 bags a month at $25 each is $50 of grain. $550 for gestation.
Forage/hay for either 1 round bale or 10 bales of hay at least $100 per month in South Texas.
Supplements/alfalfa if the mare needs it about $50 a month.
Farrier work. Trims about $50. Front shoes about $85. At least 10 cycles. So between $500 and $850.
Pneumabort series of 3 shots. Mandatory. About $100
Vaccines during the last trimester $100
Dewormer $20
Management during foaling and postpartum 4 to 6 months: $1,265
3 bags a month at $25 each is $75 of grain. $225 for 4 months.
Forage/hay for either 1 round bale or 10 bales of hay at least $100 per month in South Texas.
Supplements/alfalfa if the mare needs it about $50 a month. If you weren't doing it during pregnancy you normally have to while nursing to increase calories.
Farrier work. Trims about $50. Front shoes about $85. $340 for 4 months of shoes.
Bedding down a stall for mare and baby. At least 20 bags of shavings. At least $100
Foal vet bills at birth: about $500
Veterinarian farm call health check the first day or two. Pull blood for IgG. And maybe give plasma $500. $150 plus
Rejuvenaide supplement for ligaments. At least three months $150.
Foal vet bills for 3 years: $1,800
Annual and semi annual vaccinations $300
Castration and wolf teeth removal $150-$300
Miscellaneous boo boos $500. Just in case budget for it. Could be way more. Get insurance if concerned.
Foal management for 3 years of life: $10,800
3 or 4 bags a month at $25 each bag.
Forage/hay for either 1 round bale or 10 bales of hay at least $100 per month in South Texas.
Supplements/alfalfa $50 a month.
Farrier trims at $50.
$3,600 a year
Safety
Shelter from elements. Run in shed at least. $500 at least
Baby proof fencing. No climb mesh, wood, vinyl or hot wire that works. At least $1000
No hay rings or feeders that a baby can't get caught in.
Total MINIMUM cost from conception to 3 years of life barring mare gets pregnant on first try and there are zero injuries. And you already own the mare. Not including registration fees. And you don't board it at the vet or breeding stable to assist.
Mare Own/free-lease $0 +Semen $2,000 average +Vet Breeding/shipping $1000+Mare Management $4,065+Foal Vet $2,300+Foal Management $10,800=
$20,165
Including 4 years of awesome luck where your mare or foal doesn't colic or get hurt.
Then you add in the purchase cost of your mare or use of a surrogate…
You don't even sit on a warmblood till they are 3 and they aren't safe/ fun till they are five. So you are looking at a minimum 2 years of 3 day a week training/ lessons to be doing training/ first level solidly.
This is why if you breed your mare the questions you must ask yourself.
Is mare everything you want b/c babies are more their moms than their daddy?
Will the breeding selection you have chosen produce a $20,000 horse? Unless money grows on trees for you.
There are no guarantees that you will get the athlete you were hoping for. Are you okay with keeping the baby forever knowing it isn't what you wanted?
If you choose to one day sell the baby will you be able to provide a home for the baby if one day the baby is no longer sound or wanted?
If you are willing and able to hire help to foal out the mare and teach the baby to be a good citizen? They aren't born knowing how to pick up it’s feet, lead, tie, trailer, not to kick or bite...