Christian Cullen - Harnesslink

Guidelines for Breeding Leases
These are guidelines only and are provided to assist owners make informed decisions.
OWNER – the person who owns the mare.
BREEDER – the person who is leasing the mare.
If the mare is in foal when the lease commences, record
where the mare will foal.
If at a broodmare base/stud farm all costs associated with
the foaling and agistment etc are the foal owner’s cost.
There are two commonly recognised ways to handle
the mare expenses while on lease.
1 The “breeders” costs start from when the mare is first
inspected by the stud/broodmare farm for breeding purposes.
Generally the breeder pays approximately 12 months grazing
on the mare, ie, until she has foaled their foal, and if going
back to stud for the original owner, then until the stud
inspects the mare for that breeding season.
2 The person who is leasing the mare pays approximately 12
months mare agistment. This way the start date commences
when they take over the lease of the mare, so in effect they
are paying for the mare agistment when she is carrying the
“owners” foal, and the foaling period and through the weaning
period. However when the mare is returned to the owner,
that person is then paying the cost while the mare carries
the lessee’s foal. At the end of the day if the “Breeder” pays
for approx 12 months agistment then it doesn’t really matter
for what period the 12 months covers.
It is recommended that the mare should be at a stud a
minimum of two weeks prior to her estimated foaling date.
Foaling Fee: The person whose foal is being foaled, is
responsible for all costs relating to the foal, ie, vet, etc.
If the mare is to be returned back in foal:- state to what
stallion, and who pays the following costs:-
Stud Working Fee: Service fee and Veterinary Fee to get the
mare back in foal.
Weaning:
If at a broodmare base / stud, all weaning costs are the
responsibility of person whose foal is being weaned.
If the broodmare is at the breeders place, then you will need
to state who is to wean the foal, and what costs there are,
if any.
Where is the mare to be returned to, and at whose cost?
If applicable, where is the weaned foal to be delivered to,
and at whose cost?
Insurance: Whose responsibility is it to insure, if any –
A/ The Mare.
B/ The Foals, each party to insure their own foal at
their own expenses if they so decide.
47
Registering the Breeding Lease:
There is a rule that all breeding leases be registered with
HRNZ. Forms are available from HRNZ. As there is a charge
to register the breeding lease, agree beforehand who is liable
to pay the fee. We suggest the person whose foal it will be
during the period of the lease.
The lease form should not be registered with HRNZ until the
mare has foaled the original owner’s foal. The reason being
that HRNZ rules state that the “Breeder and Owner” of the
foal is that person whose name the mare (lease) is in at the
time of foaling.
The form requires an exact date that the lease expires – you
cannot put, “to breed one foal”.
If however the lease is to breed only one foal, the agreement
definitely needs to state that. We suggest that you put a date
of 2 years out on the lease form, and if you get your live foal
in the first year, then cancel the breeding lease. If you only
state one year on the lease, and you don’t get a live foal, then
you will have to pay HRNZ a second lease fee, (or transfer
the foal to your name. Then the cost is the same, but you are
not registered as the “breeder” should any breeder bonuses
be paid later on.)
The NZ Standardbred Breeders Association recommend that
mares be foaled at a recognised farm with night watch staff,
or at a minimum a foaling alarm system for each mare.
These are guidelines only and are provided to assist
owners to make informed decisions.
The NZSBA welcomes recommendations to be considered
for inclusion, and or amendment to these guidelines.