Question for Stallion owners-looking at a stallion

[Ajierene]

I am planning to breed my mare June 2009. I have a stallion in mind but am having trouble getting a schedule down with the stallion owner. The stallion owners is marketing her stallion as a breeding stallion, so it isn't someone who happens to own a stallion and/or is just thinking about breeding him.

Well, I e-mailed her late April and she said evenings or weekends are better. I can respect that, she said she works all day. She also said Spring/Fall is better - when it is cooler out. So we schedule for Friday evening-Sat Rain Date- at the end of May. About a week and a half before I am supposed to go look at him with my trainer, she sends e-mail saying she forgot about a vet visit, can we do it first week of June?

I ask about Thursday, Friday rain date because Saturday I have something to do. She comes back with stating that her young horse (son of stud) is leaving Sun, but will be ridden Sat and I can see him before he goes to training.

Well, no - I have something to do. How is Thursday? Well, now she is saying really only the weekends are good. I am a busy person and I am going to give this person $1500 stud fee. Am I asking to much for her to be available on a weekday evening to see her stud? Is this uncommon in the breeding world? I am a customer service oriented person and my opinion is that if you are the one giving the money, people should be able to bend the schedule at least a bit for you! She hasn't seen pictures of my mare and doesn't know to much about her, other than her age, breed and that she does eventing. I don't think it is a case of her not wanting to breed to my mare. Is it because I am thinking one year out? I know I will have the money for vet/breeding/board, etc. next June, which is why I am waiting. I am starting now in case for some reason my trainer decides my mare and this stud would not make a good match (she is my voice of reason). This way I have time to find another.

I just think she should be more flexible if she wants to offer her stud for breeding. She has been breeding him for 5 or 6 years now and has had about 5 babies out of him per year. Maybe this is why.

So...do people usually want to see the stud before breeding? Are people expected to conform to the stud owner's schedule so much? What's the deal? I am just very frustrated right now and am considering looking for other studs in that breed, though I really like this one.

[mjrtango93]

Well I'm not a stallion owner but we have done a bit of breeding and have never gone to see the stallion. We just call them the "man in a can" because thats about all we see of him. We choose our stallions by reputation and the confirmation shots, and for the pricier guys a video so we can see movement/jump. Do people actually go see the stallions in person? We are breeding our mare right now to a stallion in VA and we are in CA, so we just went to the airport to "pick him up".

[dressagetraks]

I usually have done AI, but I did want to personally inspect the stud two years ago for my Mustang - given the question mark of her breeding, I wanted all the info I could get, including personal inspection, on the Arabian sire. Very carefully narrowed it down, then made an appointment with my top choice. She sounded like it was no problem to have somebody come out to see her stud in person.

She did call late the night before I was driving (about 3 hours) the next day to see him and said she would have to cancel due to a family medical emergency (legitimate - family member rushed to hospital). Totally understandable. She said call in a few weeks. When I called in a few weeks, she set up another time, and the second one was during the week. I went to see him, booked, no problems. So the only snarl in my inspection plans I would put under @#it happens, nobody's fault.

[Live2Jump]

A good friend of mine stands several stallions and she and her husband both work full time. She would be restricted, as this owner is, to showing her boys on weekends and evenings.

Running a small breeding business doesn't make much money so many SOs need to also have full time jobs. Running a breeding farm, taking care of foals and marketing/getting stallions collected, etc. around full time jobs does not leave her or her husband with much time to be flexible with when people want to visit their farm. Sometimes coordinating a time to do things with her can be tough bc of this, but I have a lot of respect for how well she manages to fit so much in to each day.

I think that most people breed to her boys w/o visits as they are from out of state, but sometimes local people do come to see them in person, too.

If you like this stallion, hang in there and keep trying. It is always best to see a horse in person. But remember, too, that many breeders stretch themselves pretty thin time-wise around their jobs to do this and she may be offering you as much time as she has available. Just keep suggesting dates when you can make it on eves and on weekends and I'm sure you'll find a time that works for both of your busy schedules eventually. :)

[Ajierene]

Thanks for that visual mjrtango93! I can see not seeing a stud first when he is across the country.

I guess I just am a bit frustrated because originally she said evenings or weekends and now she is just saying weekends - and I don't have many right now. It is not even so much that I want to go away or have horse shows or something - I will be working on the weekends.

Thanks for the insights dressagetraks and Live2Jumps - I will hang in there. She is a working woman and I can understand the time constraints. I just wish she had evenings available. Weekdays are easier for me. I will hang in there for a bit longer - I really do like the stallion!

I am doing AI, which is all she really does, so I can understand that she may not be all that used to having someone come and see the stallion also.

[goodhors]

Have you gotten any video on this horse? What makes him special, that you want to use him?

As a mare owner, having stallion shopped before, how you are treated makes a BIG difference to me. If stallion owner can't make time for you now, what makes you think she will be "convenient to work with" after she gets your money? There are a LOT of relationship problems with stallion owners and mare owners. This is why you have contracts.

For $1500, I better be getting pretty darn good service, or I will go elsewhere that they want my money more.

Look around for another stallion with the same lines, might put out equally nice foals. His handlers might be MUCH easier to deal with.

My best experience with stallion owner was when she gave me his show schedule, dates not available. She sent me a home video, which was well done and complete in showing his gaits, ridden levels at the time. Showed his other foals with their dams. He was only in his 2nd year at stud. Vet was extremely happy with the equitainer packing, semen in excellent condtion. We could not visit before breeding, but did later in the year. Still very welcome, even though she had our money!! She sure spoiled us for other stallion owners and their issues.

We are not demanding mare owners, try to give plenty of notice for shipments. Paid our bills promptly. For the same stud fees, there is a world of difference in how you get treated.

I guess from your story, I would be stallion shopping elsewhere. It is getting late in the season. What if she is "busy" when you need the mare bred? Slow in shipping semen? Sometimes the mare is not helpful. Shipment comes in bad or late. You are still going to be trying late in August, may not get the mare bred this year.

You need to go over to the Breeding Forum, see all the ways that can prevent your mare getting in foal! You need to be covering her now, in case of difficulties, problems needing to be solved. You don't need to add in a problem stallion owner to all that.

There is a LOT of selection out there for $1500, shop around. I watched video until my eyes about fell out, of stallions all over the country, imported, homebred, young and aged. Lots of junk with good backgrounds, famous names, so you have to look hard. I don't really consider the FAMOUS horses in pedigree, unless sire or grand sire. Otherwise they are too far back for huge influence. 4th generation by time it hits my foal. Big name horses out competing, previous career work, get a good look from me.

Don't be fooled with great video presentation, music, special effects, check out actual movement of animal. Of the 40 videos we called for, it was VERY EASY to narrow it down to 5 good choices. We did think that European Approved stallions, were nicer horses. Harder standards to meet we figured. Husband is the final chooser, he has the best eye for movement. Good movement is hugely important to us, along with a good, working horse mind. I was rather disappointed on some Big Name horses in their videos. Some videos are just terrible.

So, get some firm answers fast or walk away, look elsewhere for a stud horse. MANY good stallions out there, with handlers willing to work with you and your mare. Often a nice horse has a small book, handlers are easy to deal with.

Don't pay big money to be treated badly.

[RioTex]

If you aren't breeding until next year, what is the huge rush to see him now?

[morgansnmind]

I totally get where you are coming from. I too want to see the stallion before I breed my mare. I'm also not breeding until 09'. As we were going up to Canada I asked a breeder to see her stallion on the way back and she said she was going to have an open barn later in the year if I want to see him. Video also isn't available until later in year (stud fee is $2500 so not cheap).

I'll guess I'll have to wait :0).

[Ajierene]

RioTex - it is not that it is a huge rush, it is that when I start setting up dates to meet him, I am having trouble. She also went from evenings and weekends available to just weekends available. I wanted to start looking now in case I need to look at other stallions. I won't be in the country from Sept until Jan, which shortens the actual amount of time I have to look.

This is the first time I have ever looked for a stallion for breeding. I was not sure if this is 'normal' for stallion owners, if it may be that they are not used to having someone see the stallion and don't have something set up for it or what.

I am glad I started looking now - I plan on breeding her in June and at this point I am not even going to see him until the end of June. That would push back my breeding plans greatly if this were the year I wanted to breed her.

Thanks for the input goodhors and morgansnmind. I can see your side, goodhors, though I am going to practice patience - maybe after I meet her and everything it will be worth it. He seems like a really nice stallion also, with the characteristics and confirmation I am looking for.

[blackstallion]

You should post over in Sporthorse Breeding to get a lot more mare and stallion owner's opinions. I, too would like to see any stallion in person. However, this is the breeding season and things get hectic. Her first priority is getting this year's mares bred. She probably spends more time after the breeding season working with folks interested in the following year's service. Stallion owners deal with a lot of tire kickers too...

[Ajierene]

HA! I can understand that, blackstallion - she may be worried that I am a tire kicker. I would be more interested in waiting until the fall since my schedule is hectic right now, but since I won't be around in the fall, I want to have all my ducks in a row now so all I have to do next year is figure out 'how' to breed. (schedule with the vet, fret at my trainer, have my trainer tell me it will be ok, get the sample, etc etc)

[Ajierene]

It was suggested that I post this here as well, to get more perspectives. Someone mentioned that this is the breeding season also - which may be part of the difficulty - here's the original post:

I am planning to breed my mare June 2009. I have a stallion in mind but am having trouble getting a schedule down with the stallion owner. The stallion owners is marketing her stallion as a breeding stallion, so it isn't someone who happens to own a stallion and/or is just thinking about breeding him.

Well, I e-mailed her late April and she said evenings or weekends are better. I can respect that, she said she works all day. She also said Spring/Fall is better - when it is cooler out. So we schedule for Friday evening-Sat Rain Date- at the end of May. About a week and a half before I am supposed to go look at him with my trainer, she sends e-mail saying she forgot about a vet visit, can we do it first week of June?

I ask about Thursday, Friday rain date because Saturday I have something to do. She comes back with stating that her young horse (son of stud) is leaving Sun, but will be ridden Sat and I can see him before he goes to training.

Well, no - I have something to do. How is Thursday? Well, now she is saying really only the weekends are good. I am a busy person and I am going to give this person $1500 stud fee. Am I asking to much for her to be available on a weekday evening to see her stud? Is this uncommon in the breeding world? I am a customer service oriented person and my opinion is that if you are the one giving the money, people should be able to bend the schedule at least a bit for you! She hasn't seen pictures of my mare and doesn't know to much about her, other than her age, breed and that she does eventing. I don't think it is a case of her not wanting to breed to my mare. Is it because I am thinking one year out? I know I will have the money for vet/breeding/board, etc. next June, which is why I am waiting. I am starting now in case for some reason my trainer decides my mare and this stud would not make a good match (she is my voice of reason). This way I have time to find another.

I just think she should be more flexible if she wants to offer her stud for breeding. She has been breeding him for 5 or 6 years now and has had about 5 babies out of him per year. Maybe this is why.

So...do people usually want to see the stud before breeding? Are people expected to conform to the stud owner's schedule so much? What's the deal? I am just very frustrated right now and am considering looking for other studs in that breed, though I really like this one.

[camohn]

When we had Boomer at stud: I do work a day job and was often only available eves and weekends unless I had a week's notice to make other arrangements (my job gets slow in the summer which complimented the breeding thing beautifully)...but the rest of the year pretty much any evening or weekend would do. If she is that hard to make an appointment to see that stallion I would worry how available she is to get him collected when you need it. I would say about half the folks that bred to our guy just went off a video and his pedigree, the other half wanted to come see him in person first.

[not again]

I prefer to see a stallion in person and in hand and under saddle. If possible I try to follow Xenophon's advice: look at the feet first, then the legs, then the body, topline, neck and finally head.
Since most stallion ads do not give close ups of the hoof and lower legs, going to see them in person is about the only way to be sure about the base of the stallion's structure.

As both a mare and stallion owner I think you have every right to persist in trying to see the stallion in person. You will be spending a lot of money raising up a foal to adulthood. It is worth the effort in advance of breeding your mare.

[ThirdCharm]

Worry very much about being able to get semen when you need it if it is that hard to get to look at him. It sounds like she is, actually, someone who just happens to own a stallion if she's working a full time job and doesn't have someone "managing" the stallion and his competition/breeding career/schedule.

Jennifer

[Moderator 1]

We've merged your two threads here where it's the best fit.

Good luck!
Mod 1

[Ajierene]

Thanks Moderator 1 - I was confused for a moment there...

Thanks everyone for the advice. I had a riding lesson tonight and was talking to my trainer. I felt bad because she had blocked time out to go with me at the end of may and had tentatively scheduled the same for today.

My trainer had a valid point - I had scheduled at the end of April to look at the Stud the last Friday evening in May. It was fine with the stallion owners then. The week before we were supposed to go down, she suddenly had a vet appointment she forgot about?

My trainer talked to me about what I want in a stallion to compliment my mare, as well as adding her own advice. She has a friend that manages a stallion and she thinks the friend is really good at matching up stallions to mares and what the owner wants. So, as much as I liked that stallion, I am going to be shopping elsewhere.

And no, no video was offered when exchanging e-mails. There is mention of a video, but not sure how I would get it. I would prefer to see the stallion in person. This is my one and only mare and likely the one and only time I will be breeding her - I want everything to be perfect!

[facinated]

I am confused. If you are going to breed next year, why woluld you pay the stud fee now. I breed lots of mares to my horse, and my experience has been that people who ask lots of questions, do not follow thru. I prefer the ones who just show up, after calling to say they are on the way. Better yet show up with the mare in the trailer. Breeders are busy and over worked this time of year, and usualy sleep deprived.

[Molly Malone]

Life is too short and breeding is too expensive to deal with a stallion owner who isn't there for you.

[facinated]

I think in this instance we are talking about a potential new client wanting attention from a stallion owner during the busiest time of year, over a longshot year away breeding. They probably have too many "next right things" on their plate already.

[YankeeLawyer]

I am only available weekends unless the situation is extraordinary; there is nothing I can do about that. However, if I were standing a stallion, I would bend over backwards to accomodate potential clients on any weekend day of their choosing, and they wouldn't need to give a month's notice, either. Whatever the SOs schedule, I think she should be able to find some mutually convenient time to show her stallion to potential clients.

[Ajierene]

I am confused. If you are going to breed next year, why woluld you pay the stud fee now. I breed lots of mares to my horse, and my experience has been that people who ask lots of questions, do not follow thru. I prefer the ones who just show up, after calling to say they are on the way. Better yet show up with the mare in the trailer. Breeders are busy and over worked this time of year, and usualy sleep deprived.

I think in this instance we are talking about a potential new client wanting attention from a stallion owner during the busiest time of year, over a longshot year away breeding. They probably have too many "next right things" on their plate already.

I am looking this summer because I will be unable to from Sept to Jan and want everything set up as much as possible because I will be doing a lot of catch up when I come back. I haven't asked lots of questions - just asked to see the stallion.

Personally, even if I was just a 'tire kicker', how the stallion owner treats me will be passed on to other people. So being nice to me, no matter how likely she thinks it will be that I breed, is as important as being nice to an established client. It is not like I was insisting a middle of the workday time - I was working with what her original schedule stated. Then she changed her 'availability'.

My instructor talked to her friend and apparently, contrary to his website - he is a nut case. I am breeding for temperment as well as specific confirmation and talents. My instructor's friend saw him in person at some shows and other events. We are thinking she is stalling so she can get past breeding season and give him a little 'something' to make him look nicer and more manageable.

Either way, I am looking elsewhere.

[shea'smom]

Ajierene, those are some pretty serious accusations, why would your mind jump to that kind of thing?

[Sugarbrook]

YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Marieke]

As a stallion owner I find that people who are well prepared, well questioned, a bit dual. They are very 'demanding', but usually the best prepared, best researched, and eventually the most committed. Sometimes, especially during the breeding madness I wish I could spent the time, but must limit because I must get either shipments out etc.

However, those mare owners are usually the best organized, have the mare pregnant in 1 try, and in the end, because of all their research, it runs the smoothest. So in the end I always LOVE them.

Am I schizophrenic or what :D

[Ajierene]

shae'smom - my mind didn't initially. My instructor's friend is the one that was talking about it.

Yeah, they are some pretty serious accusations - but I haven't mentioned the stallion or any names so I am not pulling their name through the mud needlessly, but voicing concerns from what has been seen in person by a trusted person (if my instructor trusts her, I do).

This is what she was talking about.

Marieke - just saw that! Funny! the most difficult, but sure do have all their ducks in a row - this is what I am planning on having. I want this done on the first try also!

[Altamont Sport Horses]

Always *ask* for a video. If they don't have one, they'll tell you. Though honestly, I'd be hard pressed to spend $1500 on a stud fee if the manager/owner can't make the effort to produce some semblance of a video. Use videos to narrow down your choices and then you can make the effort to go see your top choices in person. It is hard to schedule and, yes, there are a lot of tire kickers out there. If you've seen a video and still want to go see the stallion then the owner knows you're more invested in this visit than just a Sunday drive to look at the pretty horsey (we've got buyers like that around here).

I agree though, if she can't make time to meet you then she might be hard to get your semen from, get your breeding certificate from, etc. Or she could be trying to avoid the visit because she thinks you are a tire kicker and perhaps she would have to put a lot of effort into presenting her stallion (ie. cleaning up a mud loving horse, tidying up around the farm, etc.) If the latter is the case it would be better to just be honest. And if she doesn't have a video to promote her stallion so that people don't *have* to see him in person that is her own fault.

There are very few stallions that I *had* to see in person before I bred to them. Yes, they did have excellent videos, good competition records and reputations (reputation of the SO as well). Usually it is the case that I see a stallion and think "Wow, I need to learn more about him" and then follow up with obtaining additional info, video (if I didn't get to see him under saddle or his movement), etc. I recommend you research some other stallions that will do for your mare what you believe this stallion will. Request videos, watch them and then see if it is still important for you to bang your head against the wall trying to see this one stallion owned by the person who can't keep a schedule (hey, she forgot she had a vet appt?!). Will she forgot the appt. to get the stallion collected for the OP? That's too much money for you to invest in preparing your mare for breeding (appx. $300-$500 per cycle attempted if your mare does not have repro problems) only to have the SO fall through on the collection.

[Norcrest]

I own and manage a total of 12 stallions and while we dont do AI and breed mostly TB's, we did cover quite a few mares for sporthorse prospects this year. During the breeding/foaling season things get very hectic, sleep deprivation steps in and I am not always at 100% customer focused...at the same time you are looking to breed in June 2009, so I would put you off until August 1st the end of our breeding season. Not because you are not valued but because at this moment my #1 concern is this breeding season. I have wasted alot of time on tire kickers, showing off the boys, sending contracts and then wham the mare owner vanishes...emails bounce and calls go unanswered..it can be annoying. I dont think the stallion owner is trying to be unreasonable but working full time and handling breeding season can be very stressful.

[Silly Mommy]

To add to Norcrest's post---

Cancelling an apointment a week in advance I think is admirable. You questioned whether or not the vet appointment was legit - honey, it is BREEDING SEASON! Vet appointments for preg checks happen at the mare's discretion - the SO should not be questioned on that. I am also sure the SO wants to show their boy at his best and if he is in the middle of breeding/collecting, he will NOT be at his best temperament-wise. You mentioned he shows - I doubt he is a nutjob if he competes and fulfills breeding obligations. Maybe due to his breeding schedule, they are collecting him in the evenings on weekdays - I sure don't like an audience when I am collecting or breeding my stallion.

You seem to be projecting a LOT of negative theories as to why the SO hasn't been able to schedule a time for you. I am SURE somewhere there is a thread about crazy demanding MO's that expect too much at the absolute WORST time of year. :lol::lol::lol: Threads like these make me glad I froze semen and gelded.

[Ajierene]

I understand what you guys are saying about breeding season, but why wouldn't she say that?

Norcrest - if someone contacted you to look at a breeding in a year would you schedule an appointment in May and cancel or just ask them to schedule after the breeding season so you can have time for them?

Sillymommy - it wasn't an appointment to check a mare, it was an appointment to give the stallion his vaccines. If it was a pregnancy check or collection appointment needed, why wouldn't she just say that?

I don't mind restrictions. What I don't like is feeling like I am getting the run around. If she cannot do weekday evenings, why did she say she could? If she is to busy during the breeding season, why is she setting up an appointment during it and not saying something to begin with?

[not again]

Forty years in the business have taught me one great lesson--customer service is paramount. We laugh about the store is always open, but it is!!!!! Lessons, judging, sales horses, friends, clinics, shows, stallions, mares, foals. This life is a lovely choice we made a long time ago. And I would never treat a customer harshly or demean their lack of knowledge; I still ask stupid questions and "waste" someone else's time with indecision. It is in my best interest to educate and take time, and that I what I would hope to receive from someone I will be handing a large check to in the future.
The golden rule isn't that painful to live by.;)

[Norcrest]

Norcrest - if someone contacted you to look at a breeding in a year would you schedule an appointment in May and cancel or just ask them to schedule after the breeding season so you can have time for them?



I don't mind restrictions. What I don't like is feeling like I am getting the run around. If she cannot do weekday evenings, why did she say she could? If she is to busy during the breeding season, why is she setting up an appointment during it and not saying something to begin with?

Ajierene..I would ask to schedule when the breeding season is over and then call if things slowed down before then and see if we could schedule something. Luckily my stallions/mares and the farm are my only job so I dont have to schedule around a 9-5. I would love to cancel the mare owner who is coming out today but she is planning to breed later this week if she likes one of the boys. I havent had any sleep since our last mare foaled last night and he is alittle slow to get up on his own so I spent most of the night in the barn. To be honest, if she wasnt sending a mare this season I would have already called and rescheduled.

I agree if she is busy during the breeding season asking you to wait until afterwards shouldnt have been a problem. Maybe something has changed with her routine so that she can no longer do evening appointments.

I hope you find the perfect stallion for your mare!

[YankeeLawyer]

If I were interested in the stallion for next year, I would wait until after breeding season is over and then contact the SO to see the horse. There appears to be no reason why the OP needs to see the horse *now* for a breeding for next year. It would be one thing if the stallion were 6000 miles away and the requested dates happened to coincide with a one-time family trip to that area, or the like. If the stallion is competing, I would just go watch him show and not bug the SO.

Regarding needing time to choose an alternative should this one not pan out, seriously, how long does it take to pick a stallion? And if that is such a concern, then I would put together a shortlist NOW of a few stallions that are top picks, and perhaps start researching those boys in more depth now (i.e., get videos, look at offspring, and maybe schedule a visit --provided, however, that the SOs are equipped to deal with visits during breeding season). At any given time I have 3 or 4 stallions in mind for each of my mares, and my mares are very different from each other so there is no overlap in my lists. In other words, there may be 12 or so stallions that I am really interested in for someone on my farm. And I have ones that are available fresh as well as froen on my list, because sometimes you might find that frozen is just not going to work for a particular mare. I *always* have a backup plan because sometimes you do find yourself in a position of having to change stallions at the last minute (in fact, this happened to me last year, when we needed to switch to fresh and I had only TWO DAYS to pick a suitable stallion and obtain semen before the mare ovulated -- fortunately, I also had had Rousseau as a top pick for her and Hassler Dressage made it happen).

If you really cannot work with this SO, or are really concerned that the SO might be equally unavailable when you need semen shipped, etc., then I would suggest that you find another SO you get along with better. There was a thread recently listing SOs that are exceptionally good to work with. You might look at that for ideas. In my experience, working with fresh and frozen, agents for frozen and SOs have been exceptionally good to work with and have bent over backwards to help me have the greatest possible chance of getting my mares in foal. I have never had any issues like the OP reports, but I also wouldn't think twice if the SO had a demanding schedule because I know my own is really demanding and can be very unpredictable.

[PineTreeFarm]

A few years ago I was looking for an 'in utero' arrangement. I did a lot of 'shopping' and in the course of research I was in touch with quite a few stallion owners ( some of whom post on this board ). This was taking place during Jan and Feb, early in breeding season or just before the start of breeding season. Some SO's and breeders didn't bother to answer questions, some asked me inappropriate questions. Most acted like I was lucky they even bothered to return a call or email.
In the end there were three breeders that understood customer service. One wasn't able to offer in utero but suggested another breeder who was on my short list.
I selected a breeder. Things worked out well. I became a repeat customer. A friend of mine became a customer. etc., etc.

About the same time someone I know who is a small breeder was stallion shopping. She shared information about who was good to deal with, who didn't return calls. Recently I was shopping again. In selecting a stallion all the information from the first experience came into play and some breeders didn't make the list because of poor customer service in the past.

If you think the prospective client is insignificant then think again. That client most likely has a trainer and surely has friends involved with one or more disciplines. Bad experiences will get shared quickly. Trainers tend to pass this type of information ( good or bad ) to other trainers. If you don't think you can provide the service the prospective client wants simply say so and if possible suggest someone else you know in the business who might be a good fit.

[YankeeLawyer]

This thread reminds me of stories I heard regarding an Olympic jumper stallion whose somewhat eccentric owner had very little interest in dealing with MOs, and was not only notoriously difficult to reach, but was really arbitrary about whom she would ultimately decide to work with. I know of one MO who actually travelled to Florida and spent several weeks kissing up to this SO during the Florida Circuit for the express purpose of getting her to agree to "allow" this MO to breed her mare to this stallion. Ultimately, the MO did in fact get a signed breeding contract and ended up with a lovely colt by this stallion to show for it. While I would not have gone to those lengths, the more detailed version of this story, per the MO, is priceless.

[Ajierene]

Oh....nice, Yankeelawyer. I was thinking about that also. I thought, well maybe they don't want to breed my mare. They don't know much about my mare, so I wasn't sure....but you never know.

If I owned a stallion, I might be a bit subjective about who I breed to. I wouldn't want my good name tarnished! But then, I wouldn't be 'arbitrary', it would have to do with confirmation, performance, other measurable qualities...

Thanks for the answers Norcrest - if she had told me she wanted to wait until the end of breeding season and she had more time, I would understand it. She has said nothing about breeding season. It might be just that she is worried about what I may think or something, but in the end she is just making it seem like she isn't interested.

PineTree Farm - great points. I only have one mare and will likely only breed her once. BUT - my trainer knows about this experience now, her friends will know, she knows breeders that will know, etc. etc. So, just like any other customer service industry - it isn't one customer you are talking to, it is ten.

Thanks everyone for the commentary and interesting posts. Everyone has their own point of view, and they are all valid and it is good to know how different people view the breeding process. Like I said - one mare, never stallion shopped before, not really familiar with that end of it. I have worked on breeding farms during foaling season and there is a stallion on my farm that the owners bred to a few mares for their own purposes - but never shopped myself or been shopping with someone else.

[Sacha]

I make a point of trying my hardest to see a stallion in the flesh, you wont believe how different some of them look in the flesh compared to the stallion videos. I try and go to Germany twice a year to look at stallions and so far have changed my mind considerably on some well known stallions having seen them close up!

[florida foxhunter]

I have only bred to ONE stallion I haven't seen in person........Voltaire!! I welcome people to see my guys,,,,,,and many have seen Claim to Fame in the show ring. I, too, watch other stallion ads ---and then when I see the stallions in person am amazed they are not exactly what is represented!! One of my biggest pet peeves is moving incorrectly (paddling or winging).......it doesn't matter to some I guess, but it does matter to me! I breed for CORRECTNESS......

[Orkney96]

We stand our own stallion and one other (Rolling Stone) I have another full time job so yes it is hectic - I take my boy to be collected and I am there for the other if someone wants to see him, touch him or what ever. There are a lot of "tire kickers" out there, but as a mare owner - I ask tons of questions when bredding to outside stallions. my best bet has been to do two things - 1. go see the stallion in person, it has changed my mind many times and 2. call the owners of several of the stallions offspring. When breeding one mare last year who has a difficult temperment i must have called 100 people that owned foals from the stallions i was looking at and i made my decision on the one that had the conformation i wanted and that all the foal owners were thrilled with their offsprings temperments.

As far as how we treat mare owners, i respect that you have tons of questions and we make every effort to coddle them! and any one who wants business to get their stallion bred to good mares will do that for you. Dont Settle! Customer service generally isnt good in one area and not in another!