Advice about whether to loan or not...

JackDaniels1

JackDaniels1

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 February 2009
Messages
1,050
Visit site
I bought my new project (well hardly a project actually!) at the beg of summer this year - she has been perfect but not finished. Had a slight change of circumstances and I either need to loan or sell her.

I was thinking more towards loaning her out to someone to continue her (I say continue her, she is very well schooled, perfect to hack etc but just lacks topline/fitness)

I have a very young event rider interested in loaning my mare. I was all for this but now keep reading articles/posts off forums about loans going terribly wrong and ending up with a ''broken'' horse and huge vets bills.

She would use her as a riding horse/unaff/aff events and ODE - so i guess by using her for eventing the possibility of her getting injured (ie, pulling a tendon etc) is fairly high?

I just thought it would increase her value or would I be better loaning to someone older with more experience or just to a happy hacking home (she's a brill hack) until next summer when i am in a position to have her back and continue her then?

Advice please
smile.gif
 
Unless you really really have to keep this horse I would advise selling and buying another when the time comes. It could save a lot of hassle and heartbreak.

I would only loan if I knew the person really well or had the chance to very regularly check up on my horse after the awful experiences with so called experienced loanees (BHS qualified). So many people do not treat loan horses and their kit with any respect and seem to think it's fine to dump your horse back with no notice once they've broken it and some of your rugs have disappeared. Of course there are exceptions but can you afford the risk?
 
Yes, loans can go wrong. Your horse could be injured or spoilt easily and you can be left with an unrideable/unusable/etc horse. That is the risk you take.

If you are considering loan i suggest the following-
1) Get potential loaner to try horse several times
2) Ask loads of questions. Can they afford a horse? Where to be kept? Contingency plans, etc
3) If you go ahead GET A CONTRACT! this is vital. Set out in writing what you and the loaner are responsible for. Vets fees, what horse can and cant do, etc

In my experience loaning is a minefield. if i had a pound for every time i heard ' My horse is only on loan so im not prepared to buy it another saddle' i would be very rich!
 
i wouldn't loan anything to an individual again.

i loaned a mare out a few years ago and she came back lame, thin and covered in little knocks and scabs. i was horrified as she was a lovely, easy horse to do and the girl knew i would have her back if she needed at any point.

i am currently loaning my older horse out and he has been away for 2 and 1/2 years- BUT he is at a very, very well respected eventing yard teaching the WP's how to ride at PN. all lessons and jumping are under the supervision of a top 4**** rider and his care is second to none.

i am very happy with this arrangement but would never loan to a private individual again
 
Blimey, don't tar us all with the same brush!

I loaned Ellie (until she was given to me) and treated her (and still do) like a princess. She was only ever given the best and her owner was welcome to come and see her without notice when ever she wanted.

Ellie saw the vet as soon as she needed one, she was well cared for and very very loved. I can't have been that bad or her owner wouldn't have given her to me!

There are some good loaners out there!
 
I loaned my Novice eventer out and he was indeed evented - he went to a private individual and was treated v well, and came back fit, well and happy. It was a perfectly satisfactory arrangement for me, and TBH I think as long as you a) choose the person well (and do not ignore gut feelings), b) have a good contract and c) check up/get someone to check up then it can go v well.

On the flip side I loaned a pony for 4 years as a teenager, he never wanted for anything and was in perfect health when he went back.
 
[ QUOTE ]


There are some good loaners out there!

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree but they are few and far between unfortunately. Thats why its so important that they ride several times and you go through everything very very carefully.

I have loaned out two horses, very carefully and through frends of friends. 1 came back because he hadnt been shod for TWELVE weeks, amongst other things. The other disapeared! It took me 3 months to find him!

I have loaned a pony for a friend and despite references (including from loaners vet!) the pony came back skin and bone, amongst many other problems. I would never do it again
 
i've loaned four horse the 4th one i now own as she was sold to me (i cant be that bad)
i have always treated them as my own and loved them to bits
make sure that your loaner is happy for you to visit and turn up unannounced... i've always said to the owners that they are welcome to come whenever whether i'm there or not and i think this reassures them as i've got nowt to hide
smile.gif


just pick your person well and get a contract
smile.gif
 
Many loans can work out really well. Both of mine originally came on loan (one still is, the other I purchased after about 18 months when the owner saw how much we had bonded). I would always treat a loan horse as I would my own - in fact I am probably MORE careful as its not mine!

One of my friends took a loan horse who couldn't jump to winning at affiliated intermediate eventing so it can work really well for both parties!

If the young girl is a good rider, isn't too far away and you feel she can progress your horse then I think it could work well for both of you.
 
From past experience, in my opinion - NEVER! I lent my lovely mare to people I knew with a Written Agreement in place. However, when things became difficult, my Solicitor told me it "was not worth the paper it was written on". It took a while to get her back but she did come home eventually. I also lent a beautiful TB gelding to "a friend". He came home looking like a toast-rack and with lice and was put down a few months later. Another friend of mine lent her bay pony, "Shoestring", to someone - and he was never heard of or seen again. All I can say is - be VERY careful - and check with your Solicitor re: any written agreement - which should ALWAYS have a Clause whereby The Loaner pays for FULL Insurance Cover. Good luck.
 
I think it would really suit the horse in question. Not all loners out there are bad, it is just we hear more about the bad than the good. Make sure that you get a proper loan agreement etc and make sure that you keep in touch and I think it will be fine.
 
Sadly there have been a number of horses that have dissapeared while out on loan so make sure that your horse is Freezemarked, Microchipped and that you keep some of her mane or tail so that she can be identified by DNA.

Always ask to see the passport, driving licence and rates bill for the people loaning your horse and photocopy them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top