Advice thread #2 - finding a competition horse on loan.

Girlracer

Girlracer

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Hi guys, sorry for all the advice threads.

As some of you know I sold my ex-racehorse of 4 years due to his attitude to Showjumping, it wasn't fun for either of us and I found him a lovely home doing what he loves.

However, I thought it would be easy to fill the stable, how I was wrong :eek:

I have never actively horse hunted before, I've always stumbled upon them. I had a horse come on trial but un-fortunately that didn't work out (he was lovely had a few physical concerns).

I have now decided to loan, as my budget currently won't allow me to buy anything along the lines of what I want. So I am looking for a 12 month minimum loan.

Age, height, breed, colour etc does not bother me (although I am 5'9 so really 15hh+). It just needs to be sound and obviously young/old enough to be getting out competing.

I would love to do some ODE's, at 80/90 level. But mostly it will be regular SJ/DR outings. Don't mind something that isn't a perfect schoolmaster/mistress, as long as there is something to work with, so ideally has some competition experience etc. I'm not a nervous rider so don't mind the odd quirk.

But I just don't know where to look!!! Where do people advertise for loan? Other issue is it would need to move to me as I have my youngster and don't want to be travelling around. My horses don't want for anything and have numerous references. But I just can't find anything suitable :( perhaps I'm looking for the impossible...?
 
Those sorts are in high demand, specially with the dressage/ SJ bit. I think you can find compromises- for example, Reg was up for loan as a low-level eventing schoolmaster (he'd do a BE90 without a rider!) but we'd prefer him to go to a home where competition was second to him going on lovely hacks and being someone's darling.
 
Lolo said:
Those sorts are in high demand, specially with the dressage/ SJ bit. I think you can find compromises- for example, Reg was up for loan as a low-level eventing schoolmaster (he'd do a BE90 without a rider!) but we'd prefer him to go to a home where competition was second to him going on lovely hacks and being someone's darling.
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When I say about the ODE's I'm talking rarely, not a BE campaign. I just want a nice all rounder, that I can enjoy, basically. :)
 
18 months ago I was looking for what I thought might be the impossible. A quality competition horse on loan.

I advertised on horsequest and got more response than I was expecting - mostly unsuitable - but then a gem appeared!!

They are out there, but they are few and far between. Be very careful how you word any wanted advert as you will have a paragraph to make a positive impact on any potential owner.
 
I found a lovely one for loan on Horsequest last year, so they are out there, just very hard to find.
 
Don't be put off if you don't find one straight away! There are plenty out there as long as you don't want a world beater! I found my perm loan chap (hopefully will buy him at some point if funds allow!) on Horsequest. You do have to be QUICK as in keep checking twice a day at least and be quick to get a reply in.

Mine is 7 year old ISH, low mileage, lovely SJ, xc mostly working on couple of bits and dressage is ok up to at least Novice level. He will never be anything more than a fun allrounder for local unaffiliated events, he will ODE/3DE at low level, it really depends what you are looking for. I could probably affiliate him SJ as he's amazing however I have never seen the point in paying lots of money when I can have just as much fun unaffiliated.

Keep looking!!!!!!!! - advertise a wanted ad, ask locally, contact Riding Clubs etc, they are definately out there as people are struggling financially in the current climate or as in my case, the owner is getting married and plans to have babies in the not distant future!!!!
 
You will find it difficult because you are looking for the most searched for horse. It will either command a good price or the owner will want it for them self, so finding this horse on loan will be hard work.

You may get lucky and find someone that needs a year out, due to pregnancy etc or an older horse than needs to step down and the owners want to keep an eye on it.

Look horse quest, Facebook, tack shops etc.

Good luck
 
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what strikes me is that actually, you are not looking for a competition horse at all. There should be no reason at all you cant get a nice allrounder that can do BE80/90 within your budget to buy.
 
There are some lovely loan horses out there, it is just having the time and patience to try and find the right one. I know there are, because my horse is an ex show jumper, who is a great all rounder and I have recently loaned her out to a lovely family short term. I needed a few months break after buying a house.

If I were you I would focus on getting an all rounder or school mistress/master who can cater to doing a bit of everything. Also if you are competing at the levels you say you want to, do not be put off by age! My girl is 17 and acts and looks about 10 and is an absolute gem for confidence.

Put wanted ads on horse mart, equine adverts, local facebook groups, freeads etc and ask any horsey friends to keep an ear out for potential loan horses coming up. Have some decent photos of yourself as many owners (particularly those who care about where there horse is going) will want to see some before/during meeting you, so it is good to have a bit of a 'portfolio'.
 
NeverSayNever said:
what strikes me is that actually, you are not looking for a competition horse at all. There should be no reason at all you cant get a nice allrounder that can do BE80/90 within your budget to buy.
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I agree. The OP is actually describing a fairly average all rounder.
 
This may sound unpleasant, but these type of posts always make me think of how this would work in other sports, such as'wanted Ferrari, must be in race condition, kept at my garage and I have never owned one before' Don't think there would be many takers!
 
There are horses for loan like this out there but the best ones get loaned out by word of mouth rather than advertised. For example, we are loaning a lovely chap from his breeder, OH hunts him in the winter (will whip in and field master) and daughter does a bit of competing with him in the summer. OK, dressage is not his strong point, but last year he did four ODEs and went double clear at each. (One PC100, one RC90, BRC Horse Trials Nat Champs at 100 and one BE100). Plus clear at PC Area Tet and PC Nat Tet Champs at 100 level. But he was not advertised and we found him by word of mouth. So you need to get networking - tell your farrier, vet, dentist, feed merchant etc, to let you know of anything that comes up. Also try and volunteer at as many competitions as you can because you are likely to bump into people who have, or know of, something suitable to loan.
 
YorksG said:
This may sound unpleasant, but these type of posts always make me think of how this would work in other sports, such as'wanted Ferrari, must be in race condition, kept at my garage and I have never owned one before' Don't think there would be many takers!
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Less un pleasant, more totally irrelavent. Considering I have owned horses all my life!

No it's not a competition horse, it's an all rounder, you're right. But I have missed out on a few years being able to enjoy getting out and about so that is why it's important the horse is able to get out and about.

I don't need a world beater, just something to have some fun on. I love my hacking and ground work, my horses are my pets and hobby, I'm not and out and out competition rider. However I do enjoy competing and want to be able to finally do a bit. :)
 
Girlracer said:
Less un pleasant, more totally irrelavent. Considering I have owned horses all my life!

No it's not a competition horse, it's an all rounder, you're right. But I have missed out on a few years being able to enjoy getting out and about so that is why it's important the horse is able to get out and about.

I don't need a world beater, just something to have some fun on. I love my hacking and ground work, my horses are my pets and hobby, I'm not and out and out competition rider. However I do enjoy competing and want to be able to finally do a bit. :)
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YorksG comment may have been a little harsh but you need to sell what you are offering an owner when looking for a loan, I replied in your other thread that the yard you are on would be enough to put me off loaning a horse, which I may well be looking to do in the future, because I will be extremely fussy as to where he goes, a good rider that will take him out jumping possibly hunting will be a priority but the actual home will need to be safe, have somewhere to ride not just a dodgy field or busy road, you want to have the use of someone's horse to enjoy yourself so you need to get networking, post ads and get somewhere to keep it that is more suitable.
 
This is the conversation I was having with my mum re the yard yesterday evening be positive. And you're totally right.

And was one of the factors in the decision. The yard I'm moving to is much more suitable, yard I'm at - not so much.

YorksG, still not particularly relevant (although ironic given my job which involves race tracks and things with four wheels (often Ferrari's) ;) ), but thanks...
 
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I think people can be a little bit unfair to those looking to loan.

For whatever reason some of us cannot afford the initial lump some of a horse. I myself couldn't afford the outright buying so had to look to loaning as I couldn't imagine going without enjoying the pleasures of keeping and caring for a horse.

It's a bit like buying a house, not all of us can afford the deposit on a mortgage and so have to rent, you wouldn't say people are looking for the impossible because they want to rent a nice property?

I found myself the perfect loan horse from a wanted advert I posted on a Facebook group. Horsemart and preloved were also good places where I got lots of interest. It's more 'improbable' then 'impossible' but you CAN find what you're after, there are plenty out there, it is just the case of being quick off the mark before they're snapped up! My dream boy is evidence that cracking, decent horses are available for loan!
 
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I think you'll be able to find something, but maybe you will have to go for something a little younger which maybe has the basics and is ready to start going to little comps (little comps are still better than nothing right!) or something a little older which just wants to hack and do a couple of comps a month.

The only thing I think could be the hard part is that you want the horse to move to your yard, a lot of people don't like the idea of it, understandably!

Good luck, I saw your past threads and I know how frustrating it can be when you keep trying but nothing goes right, when all you want to do is have a bit of fun! p.s love Oakley, think he will be a total dude when he's all grown up and should be just what you're after now! :D
 
Sorry totally missed what happened with your new tb?
If you have experience and not bothered re.competing why not get something off the track? You will get a pretty tb for peanuts get it hacking, spend time on the groundwork and make it into a nice allrounder. If it's not what youre looking for in a few months you will be able to sell on providing you have established it's manners and have a nice safe horse in your hands. You might not make money but then again you will prob re pay yourself livery spent out if tb is cherry bobs to begin with. Plus by the time you have finished playing race horses Oakley will be ready to begin his full time ridden career
 
They do exist!

I've bought him now but I had Squirrel on loan to begin with, he was jumping 1m BSJA and had done BE90. This side of him wasn't well advertised - it was only when I went to view him that I realised he was more a competition horse and less a fun allrounder.

He ended up taking me from riding club activities to novice BE and 1.10m bsja. I guess he still had a catch though - he only has 1 eye which probably put people off but it doesn't bother him at all.
 
May have been said but I would put a wanted ad on Horsequest, I haven't done it myself but friends who have got inundated with replies. You only need one good one in all the unsuitables!
 
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