Thinking about breeding your mare this season?  You can find a great bargain and good selection of quality stallions on eBay.  Purchasing an online breeding can save you money on the normal stud fee and allow you to breed to a stallion in your state, across the country, or even Internationally.  You may even take a chance on an unknown stud.  Many stallion owners use online sites as a way to market their stallion and produce foals outside of their farm area.  In addition, many charities have breedings to stallions donated as a fundraiser. 

Photo Hunting Crest Farms, LLC

Important things to consider:

1- Does the stallion owner or breeding farm have a contract you can preview prior to bidding?  What is the normal or advertized stud fee?   Is it discounted?  What are the payment terms? 

2-Is this a freshmen stallion or a proven sire?  Has the stallion produced live foals?  How many?  Via live cover or shipped semen?  Does he come from a professional breeding farm or someone experienced with both stallion handling and/or semen handling?

Thoroughbred stallion Gaelic Padraic has sired many foals via eBay!

3-Are there any guarantees offered?  You may see a contract with "LFG" for live foal guarantee.  This usually means a foal that stands and nurses and/or is alive at 24 hours post foaling.  Contracts with LFG usually allow you a repreat breeding or mare replacement should something go wrong or your mare not get in foal.  Note that it may take a few cycles to achieve a pregnancy. 

4-Is the stallion registered?  With which associations?  Is your mares registration compatabile with the studs allowing you to have a registered foal?  Mare owners are usually responsible for all foal registration fees and association approvals.  Is there a pedigree or link to pedigree shown?  If your mare is not registered or does not have a great show record you may wish to consider the reasons for breeding.  Some associations do not accept foals as a result of Artifical Insemination (AI) breeding. 

American Paint Horse Stallion "Steppin In Chips" by world champion Zips Chocolate Chip is a freshmen sire on eBay. 

Standing at Hunting Crest Farms in Colorado.

5-Is the auction for a "live cover" or "shipped semen"?  You may want a live cover if the stallion is located close to your mare or if your registration association does not allow registrations of foals produced via shipped cooled or frozen semen also known as Artificial Insemination (AI).  Shipped semen may be available in both cooled or frozen form.  Shipped semen will allow you to breed to a stallion located across the country or Internationally.  It is important to be working with a veternarian if selecting shipped semen.  Your mare should be ultrasounded to determine the best days for breeding.

*Remember that most farms offering shipped semen will require a container and shipping deposit or the purchase of a disposable shipping container.  This equipment is expensive, please take care when handling and returning to the breeding farm.  Also, some farms can not ship on the weekends or on holidays.  There may be additional fees for counter to counter service via airline.

6-Are there any other associated fees with the breeding?  Some farms charge a chute or live cover fee, a mare care fee, or additional fees for shipping semen.  Read the auction completely and ask questions prior to bidding.  You may be bidding on the just right to breed to the stallion or the "stud fee" or "stallion season".  OR the auction may include so many days of mare care (feed, stalling, basic care) or shipping expenses.

7-What are your obligations as a Mare Owner?  Does your mare require health certificates, coggins, or cultures prior to a live cover breeding?  Most farms will.  Does the farm require you to have a licensed veternarian perform any semen evaluation and immediate insemination upon arrival?.  Does your mare have maners?  Shoes removed, etc. in preparation for a live cover breeding. 

8-What is the breeding season?  Any blackout times?  Some stallions are not available on some days due to competitions.  Breeding farm seasons vary and may be anywhere from February 1st to September 30th or later.   

  See the following list of requirements that some farms may have: 

• Pre breeding mare health check and cultures
• rear shoes removed for live cover
• current coggins
• microchip on mare and photos required for identification
• registration and DNA typing are responsibility of mare owner
• additional veterinary expenses must be paid prior to mare departure
• all mares must be safe and trained to lead and tie
• mare care includes: daily turnout, feed, and stalling
• mare care rates are $10 day
• mare owner may "trailer in" for local breeding

Communication is the key with any breeding program. 

Good luck and get breeding!

Search on eBay for stallion breedings under sporting goods-equestrian-and "stallion breeding" as your key words.