Colleges looking for loan horses...

I went to Writtle and had a cob on loan on summer from the college. The mare belonged to my friend who loaned to college in term time and I had her in the holidays. She was a very easy going horse and was perfectly happy with the arrangement...

I think it completely depends on the horse and what you want for your horse. I wouldn't put my 4yo cob on loan to the college because he's young, a mummy's boy and I want him to be well schooled, have one to one care and I have specific plans for him. But obviously this isn't the same for all horses and owners. It would have suited my old horse more I think as he was great fun... a little sharp but would have been a good lesson for experienced riders.
 
personally I had a terrible experience of a well know college in south coast...and really would not do it again...after the treatment of my boy and my friend has just got her mare back after 4 weeks from the same place as they are not looking after her as they should.
personal preference though...each horse and college are different.
 
I know the place near us has a fantastic reputation for looking after horses well and keeping all their horses schooled well and happy.
 
i had my old horse at college with me last year until i sold her. i had no say at all in what she did and had people jumping her over huge fences etc behind my back and there was nothing i could do about it because they got the say. also less than 7 hours after she had a bad bout of colic they were lunging her :O

so basically i got no say and also couldnt ride her when i wanted to. but i had to do all the mucking out. so my horse that i have now is at home with me and staying at home with me as i cant put her through it.

the horses that we have loaned at college about 5 of them have been there for years and seem to just know there job and the routine etc but do seem very bored. also the new ones form this year seem happy but i think they have had a shock ,because it is a lot of hard work. they get worked for at least 2 hours everyday and i think they get bored of it. they like to turn to bucking and rearing and leaping around when they get bored, and it happens to the horses that you really wouldnt expect it too and it was like :O:O when they did it. <font color="purple"> </font>

sorry its a bit of an essay haha
 
Never loaned a horse to a college but having attended two different equine colleges as a student I wouldnt recommend anyone to loan their horses to one. Some horses may find it ok when they get into a routine but the majority wont enjoy it and I have heard from many owners who say their horses have turned for the worse when they get them back. Such a busy environment and so many different riders and handlers of all different standards!
 
I have had one of my horses on loan to Lincoln University for the past 4 years with no problems at all. He loved the routine and the busy environment and was not, as far as ever I can tell from the many times I watched him being used ( I am a visiting fellow at the university and could see him at least once a week at least if I chose) overworked or pulled about. He is 17hh and was ridden by tiny little 6 stone students half the time. I'm surprised he knew they were there!

He has just come back to me as the university noticed he had an intermittent slight low grade unsoundness and had him nerve blocked and x-rayed at their expense, because they don't like to let good horses go easily and they wanted to keep him if they could. He was held to be fine for general riding and hacking, but possibly not for regular two hours work a day, so I have him home. He was more spoilt there then he is with me and he's probably wondering what has hit him! No rugs and it's October!

He went there when I was made redundant and I had very few, if any options, if I wanted to keep him, for financial reasons. But leaving that aside, it worked out very well. I think it all depends on where you go and the type of horse you have. Some take to it, some don't, but that does not mean the college/university is at fault. Believe you me, if I'd had any doubts he would have been out. I have had him since he was 3 and he's 18 now, so you can see the lengths I've gone to to keep him over the years.
 
My friend took her horse back from a college lame. Maybe because they'd insisted on changing his remedial shoeing, not giving him the turnout promised (he needs a bit of turnout to stop him getting stiff), and jumping him higher than agreed. Their care of her tack leaves a lot to be desired as well.
I know of 3 equestrian colleges that I wouldn't let my horse near, and as they are the only 3 I have experience of, that would put me off for life.
 
i work at an equestrian centre in the south west where we are partnered with a college and have animal and equine students, i was a student there myself, the horse are looked after extremley well but like _jojo_ said, we can have up to 100 students in a day, we do have rules on the yard that particularly with the stallions to not touch the horses unless you are dealing with them as if 100 students touched a horse on the nose it would get rather annoying. there are only so many members of staff and between us we deal with the welfare of the horses, so we always go round and check the students have done a good job on there beds and groomed them and just generally give them a check, making sure there weight is good as we have a few tb types. but i cant say all places would be like this. we are not as big as hartbury etc we have around 40 stables so its easier to keep on top of all the horses.
 
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