The majority of the value of a stud horse purchased with the intent to be used as a herd sire or shipping stallion comes from his ability to sire offspring. If a stallion becomes unable to settle a mare, its value will be severely diminished. In some breeds, stallions are often not trained or used for driving, and so, an infertile stallion could be quickly reduced to a “pasture ornament” as they say.
Infertility can happen as a result of a variety of circumstances, including, but not limited to, accident, sickness, or disease. Stallions may be on the receiving end of kicks coming from mares who are not quite ready to breed and, sometimes, these situations can render permanent damage. Additionally, cancer or hernias can necessitate castration and dangerously high fevers and other illness can affect fertility as well.
Stallion owners who own a horse that required a significant financial investment to purchase or owners who stand a popular shipping stud that provides a valuable revenue stream to their breeding operations may want to seriously consider adding Stallion Infertility to their Mortality Policy. Like Full Loss of Use coverage, infertility endorsements are offered as an addition to an Equine Mortality Policy. However, unlike Full Loss of Use endorsements, Stallion Infertility claims are limited to a narrower scope of causes of loss; but, many insurance companies’ Stallion Infertility endorsements will allow the horse owner to collect up to 100% of the insured value of the stud horse.
Because it is more limited in scope, Stallion Infertility Insurance is typically not as expensive as Full Loss of Use and can be an economical add-on that provides some additional peace of mind. Before you ask to add this coverage to a mortality policy, keep in mind that stallions eligible for this coverage endorsement typically must be considered as “proven”. In terms of your equine insurance policy, “proven” means that they have successfully bred and settled mares; it does not relate to their offspring’s success in a show ring, sale ring, or racetrack.