[7HL]

Why would a breeder of horses sell a mare in foal?

If the mare is a quality mare and she was bred to a quality horse, why sell the mare carrying a foal?

I know there are always financial reasons, but should this be a red flag issue?

[Drafty1]

It isn't a red flag to me. I would by a two in one package if they had the breeding I was looking for. Sometime bred mares sell be than baren mare. Mostly broodmares its a plus that they are bred, if they are not rideable.JMO

[BestofPrincess]

people would rather buy a broodmare in foal then a broodmare baren, id worry more with a baren broodmare

[7HL]

What if it's the mares first foal, are you really buying the foal?

[SyntheticTrust]

At the auction in November, 78% of the mares sold were in foal.. no red flags

[wyldterv]

Many people offer to sell a mare either in foal or with a breeding as it tends to make them marketable for more money.

I'm buying a 4 yr old Arabian mare that is not broke to ride (but WILL be by me!) and has never had a foal before but IS being bred to a quality stallion that I want a foal out of, so I'm basically getting two in one package. NO red flags, the owners were very upfront about the virtues and faults of the mare but they have alot of babies coming this year and generally ANY HORSE is available for the right price if you're in the horse industry as a professional breeder

[Cool Time 84]

Being bred makes the mare more marketable, it's not uncommon to bred mare and then sell her. Because you can usually sell the foal for nearly what you have in the mare, or for at least HALF and make some of your money back on the deal.

I'd do it if the mare/in utero foal were bred like I wanted.

[7HL]

Many people offer to sell a mare either in foal or with a breeding as it tends to make them marketable for more money.

Being bred makes the mare more marketable

What I am hearing it make the mare more marketable. That statement itself says the mare has to be in foal in order to be sold. But if you are not in the market for a "broadmare" once the foal is born what are you left with? The foal may have been bred to what you want, but then don't you have to deal with a broadmare with questionable training or none at all?

[wyldterv]

A mare that is a brood mare only prospect is much more marketable if sold either bred or with a breeding.

A mare that has porformance training/potential doesn't HAVE to be bred to be sold, BUT generally if bred to a high end stallion, will command a larger sales price for the breeder.

There are plenty of UNbred mares on the market and I would never buy a bred mare unless SHE AND the Impending foal both had breeding I desired and felt would suite my purposes.

What do you do with the mare that isn't trained after she foals??? How about TRAIN her??? Most mares can easily be worked and ridden up until 3 ms prior to foaling... some people ride their mares up until they foal... (I wouldn't personally but that's me )

[Cool Time 84]

Karyn you took the words out of my mouth, though I ride til one month before foaling.