Small stud with stallion services

Competition riders, showing and performance buyers, other breeders, and mare owners paying for stud fees and mare care.

Horse sales, stallion service fees, and add-on services such as mare agistment, foaling care and breaking-in. Income can be seasonal, so plan cash flow around breeding and sale cycles.

• Strong horse handling and breeding management
• Reading pedigrees and judging conformation
• Business and record-keeping skills
• Dealing with buyers and promoting your stud

• High upfront and ongoing costs, and no income until foals are old enough to sell
• Check council planning rules for a commercial stud, including visitors, signage and buildings
• Check state requirements for PIC registration, horse identification and any stallion or breeding rules
• Public liability, plus insurance for stallion, mares, foals and any horses in your care
• Hendra virus, equine influenza and other biosecurity risks, so work with a vet on a health plan
• Workers compensation insurance once you hire staff, and safe handling of stallions and young horses

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $40,000 to $150,000, depending on your property, breeding stock and facilities. Costs are high and ongoing, and there is no income until foals are old enough to sell.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how many young horses you sell and whether you add stud fees, agistment or foaling-down for outside mares.

Check council planning rules for a commercial stud, including visitors, signage and buildings. Also check state PIC registration, horse identification and stallion or breeding rules, plus insurance, biosecurity risks such as Hendra virus and equine influenza, and workers compensation once you hire staff.