Q: Selling in foal mares

[Gallop58]

When selling pregnant mares in foal on stands and nurses stud contracts that state stud fee to be paid before mare being offered for sale, is it standard industry practice to ignore this and just pay the fee after the mare sells either at auction or privately? (The mare being in foal with No Guarantee to the new owner)
Or is it more usual to pay the fee (buy your prospective foal insurance) and then offer for sale, either online or at auction? ie. stud farms are pretty much sticklers for enforcing this?
Is it usual to just call the farm, advise that you want to sell, and they will usually say, "Ok, thanks for calling, send us the cheque if she sells?"

[LSB]

The stud fee is due when the mare is entered in a sale. That's also the point at which you customarily lose your live foal guarantee.

Some farms will allow you to make a different arrangement, for example, paying the stud fee from the proceeds of the sale (especially if you consign the mare through them) but not all will go for that. You'll need to check with the farm in question and see what their policy is.

[TBLADY]

I know with some of the contract I have received...contract was payable should the mare change hands before LFG S/N was possible. Which means you sell the mare you owe the fee NOW!

[CA Michael]

I've sold dozens of in foal mares at Keeneland in the last 25 years and haven't yet paid the stud fee in advance. However, before signing the breeding contract I always insisted on a provision allowing for the full stud fee to be deducted by Keeneland from the sale proceeds. Not all stallion owners will go for this (e.g. Airdrie), but I've never had a hitch with those who do.

[CA Michael]

I've sold dozens of in foal mares at Keeneland in the last 25 years and haven't yet paid the stud fee in advance. However, before signing the breeding contract I always insisted on a provision allowing for the full stud fee to be deducted by Keeneland from the sale proceeds. Not all stallion owners will go for this (e.g. Airdrie), but I've never had a hitch with those who do.

[madelyn]

The only hitch would be if the mare didn't bring the stud fee which probably didn't happen to you.