Advice - Long Term Loan!

[Zebadee123]

I am looking into a long term full loan.
I am wondering what people would be looking at if they were considering one. Given the horse sounds perfect on paper and after seeing videos of him.
I have found one that I believe to be suitable and the owner keeps him 60 miles away from us so viewing is a little difficult but not impossible. Obviously I would view/ride and handle him to be sure (hopefully 2/3 times).
I think I have it all covered I am just curious as to what others would do.
Would you want a trial period (in which the horse could be returned at any time i.e. 4 weeks) included on the contract?
What would you like to be included on the contract?
If I was to return the horse how long would you expect the notice would be i.e. 4 weeks?
What would you want the horse to come with?
Just things like that. Experiences of successful long term loans encouraged!

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I currently ride a mare that I'm taking on full loan in September. When she moves she will come with everything she currently has (tack, rugs, grooming kit etc.) and I will then cover all her costs.

I will have her for a year though there may be an option to extend our contract at a later date. If I wanted to return her early I would need to give a months notice.

When I've loaned my own horse out I was happy for them to trial for 2 weeks at the present yard but would not have wanted him moving yard for the trial though that's just personal choice.

Hope this helps

 

[Zebadee123]

That is a similar situation to mine however I don't currently ride him!
He would come with all his tack,rugs and everything.
I would cover all his upkeep however his owner would continue to pay his insurance.
I wouldn't be able to have a trial period on his current yard as 60 miles away.
I know people that have successfully long term loaned from further distances than that.
I am yet to discuss terms of the contract however I will go view and ride him first.
I am hoping it pulls through he's a cracking horse.

 

[Embo]

I got my horse on full loan in February. I will describe my experience for you - be warned, it's a bit long lol.


He was stabled about an hour from me, so I had long talks with the owner for a few weeks him and my abilities/goals before sorting out viewing to make sure it would be worth the traveling.

When viewing time came, I made sure I saw the whole process - he was in the field and I saw him caught, led, groomed, tacked up and ridden before I had a go. After I was happy with riding, I was able to handle him myself and see his behaviour in his stable (I was told he had behavioural issues so owner was keen for me to see him at his 'worst', which was at feeding time so he was given a token feed).

Afterwards, I went home and told her I would think it over. We agreed that I would contact her again a few days later. I made my decision the next day that I wanted to take him on, as despite the grumpiness, he was just what I was looking for. The next few weeks we drew up a contract and agreed terms.

Basically, we went back and forth with a basic loan contract and added things we felt needed adding (within reason) and agreed terms. Only when we were both happy did we arrange for me to collect him. In this time, the owner also had the opportunity to research the livery yard that I'd opted to keep him at. For some reason she didn't feel the need to come and see it for herself.

If the horse should come with whatever tack/rugs it has, it should be written into the contract what items these are and in what condition etc. My contract also has what feed he should be on (no sports mixes etc as would do him/me more harm than good!). My notice period is 30 days, and I cover the costs of transporting him to/from at the beginning of the loan and in the even of contract termination. I cover all other costs, exept for insurance, which owner covers for first year (as a sort of garantee that he has no pre-existing illness). Contract also includes what I cannot do with him, mainly to stay in line with insurance policy.

It also states that she can visit at any time with 24hours notice (just like in a home rental contract) and that I have a certain amount of time to address any issues, if there are any.

I've been really lucky with my loan, I send the owner an update and a few pics from time to time and she's satisfied that I'm looking after him so has yet to arrange a visit!! Sometimes I forget that he's not really mine as so little contact from her.

tl;dr lol sorry!!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Have a peek at the BHS website coz they've got a sample loan agreement on there which is pretty comprehensive; you will need to customise it to your/the owner's requirements, but makes sure BEFORE you commence any loan that you and the owner are 100% happy with it.

I've loaned my boy out in the past (disastrous - would never do it again) - and I've also got a mare on loan from a friend, which is going brilliantly I have to say.

Its important to find an owner which you can get along with as well as a horse you like; and vital to keep touching base with each other so that issues don't develop.

Best, if you can, is to find a horse that one of your circle of friends knows something about; bear in mind that a lot of horses are offered for loan simply because either (a) its got behaviour issues and the owner is ***** scared of it and won't ride it themselves and/or (b) its got soundness or veterinary issues which will be very expensive in the future for anyone taking it on.

However, loans can and do work out, its a matter of getting the chemistry & relationship issues right. But don't be in a rush, like buying, its worth waiting for the "right one" to come along.

Ask all your friends/instructor etc (local hunt, pony club also are good sources) to keep a look out for you. Personally I would say its better to have a horse that's known in the local area via PC, hunt, riding club etc as then IF its a total fruitloop and chucks its rider for the sheer hell of it, then someone, somewhere, should know, whereas if you're getting something from a distance there could well be some issues there.

Whatever you do, have the same mindset as you would when buying, i.e. take a friend to view it with you, and see it being ridden by the owner BEFORE you get on (sorry, being obvious here). Don't be tempted to take a chance on something just because its on loan and you feel you can easily send it back, coz you're bound to get fond of it and that won't be easy.

However, the advantages of a loan is that you CAN send it back if it doesn't suit; the mare I've got on loan isn't the sort of horse I would have chosen at all!! and if I'd had her on trial I'd have probably sent her back!!! Which would have been a shame coz she's a lovely girl and it was just me needing to raise my game a bit and she's actually taught me how to ride her! So, if you've got plenty of support i.e. a supportive group of people around you, plus an instructor who can help you with any issues, you might well find you end up with something you never thought you ever would

Good luck anyway. IF I can dig out the loan agreement I used for my boy, I'll PM it to you, but I've got a feeling I deleted it; sorry!

 

[wyrdsister]

I've had one of mine on loan for coming up 3 years now. I initially shared her (my primary riding horse was out of work with an injury and has since retired), but needed to move yards and was offered the option to take the loan mare with me. Obviously I said yes! Would I have taken her without sharing first/a trial? Probably, yes. But I knew her owner and her breeder and her history even before I started riding her.

Regarding contract, we used the same one I'd used when I put my pony out on loan and just edited it to fit. I think it was a BHS one. She came with tack and rugs, bar her saddle as we both knew it didn't fit properly and I'd been riding her in mine anyway and have since bought her one that does fit (I'd probably keep it if she went back, unless her owner wanted to buy it off me). Anything that came with her goes back with her as and when that happens and it's all documented in the contract.

It's also set down that I cover all costs except the insurance, which her owner pays. The loan term is unspecified, but both of us agreed to give a month's notice if I need her to go home or her owner wants her back. There was also section in the contract stating what I can/can't do with her (pretty much anything as long as it doesn't affect her insurance grouping - or to notify her owner in advance so she can change it - but I had a ban on my pony being jumped, because he was ex-BSJA with a dangerous stop). There's also a clause that if she has to be retired she goes home. I actually feel a bit bad about having that in there since I love her to bits, but I've got two retirees already and definitely don't need another! (And, honestly, if for any reason her owner couldn't have her back within a month, I'd keep her until she could!)

With that in mind, make sure you know what the protocol is if disaster strikes - check you are authorised to make the call on medical treatment and even have the horse pts in an emergency. It's horrible to contemplate, but especially at that distance fairly essential. My girl's owner and I also wrote in a clause that if the insurance fails to pay up on anything for any reason, we split the costs between us.

Hope all goes well and enjoy your loan!