Cost of loan vs cost of ownership

[inkratlet]

I currently have a lovely gelding on loan, he's really green but I do like him very much. He's never going to be for sale though and that's a shame

It's meant to be a full loan.

I pay £25 a week to his owner for stabling, in which she includes straw and hay. I pay for his feed and shoeing myself and am responsible for 50% of vet bills unless it is a result of owners negligence then she pays 100% (same would apply if it were my negligence, then I'd pay).

I ride Saturdays and Sundays and now that it's lighter in the evening am trying for one or two evenings a week. I do his mucking out at the weekends and will be doing it every day in the summer.

He still really feels like someone elses horse, and not mine at all

I was going to give him a good grooming and trim his feathers, pull his mane etc. but when I last saw him on Wednesday his owner had done it. I don't know if it's just me being silly but I actually really wanted to be responsible for his care, and as she already is the one who gives him his feed, turns him out, mucks him out during the week that was all I had and it's been taken away from me.

Horse ownership has been a childhood dream, and although I really don't want to leave my boy behind, I want to feel like he's mine and don't want to feel restricted.

Apart from obviously the purchase price initially, how much more does keeping a horse cost presuming they are insured and on DIY livery?

 

[EmilyGrant36]

I havent worked it out properly but I expect my TB boy on DIY livery in at night costs be about £250 a month, no less than that anyway. I had a pony on full loan before that and paid for everything, only difference with buying is that I had to make the purchase and cant ever give him back now!!

 

[spottyhorse]

I own one and have one on full loan. I think roughly it costs me £50 per week per horse on DIY with both in at night, then wormers, shoes and vet fees on top.

 

[bhpride]

Sounds like part loan but you're paying for full loan! Not very fair on you really. I'd walk away to be honest if I was having to pay that much for weekend riding. If it's full loan why is the owner mucking out, feeding etc? 100% care should be in your hands with full loan.

 

[scotslass30]

I agree with bh . Some people will take the mick if they can . I share and pay nothing like u do !!!!

 

[kombikids]

maybe just talk to the owner as she may think that she is helping you??? she may be glad to have you take more responsibility. My horsey costs about £500 a month PL, or about £300 diy all in.

 

[sandr]

Thats why i wont ever loan again, you put all the money and effrot in but at the end of the day, its not your horse and they can come and take it away. Save your money and buy one of your own

 

[Archie07]

I agree with bh, doesn't sound like full loan at all if you feel that restricted and the owner is still very much involved. Maybe have a chat with her about how you feel and if she comes back saying she still wants to be that involved I would ask to greatly reduce what your paying towards him, or look elsewhere.

 

[sarah23]

Sorry i can't keep my mouth shut anymore. It is FULL LOAN i do not ride him but i Have done so this week as i was asked to which i did for free. As i wanted the horse to stay on my yard I offered a full livery service for a very cheap price of £25, and as laura works in the day and does not come up every day what was the horse going to do muck himself out. Now carry on slagging me off. Always know both sides of the story. It has nothing to do with not letting go just being a nice person

 

[kanter]

If you really like the horse I would try and speak to the owner about your feelings as she may think she is helping you out. I am thinking of letting a friend have one of my horses on loan and know I will find it terribly hard to let go, and this will be no reflection on my friend or her ability to look after him.

Mind you, I doubt we'll be fighting over the mucking out

 

[ihatework]

LauraM given what Sarah has just said perhaps you could start taking over his full care and going up daily. That way it will be more of a full loan and you should feel responsible for his care then.

 

[MarinaBay]

Is Sarah23 his owner...?

 

[lizstuguinness]

I admitt Im confused.
Is the horse on DIY with owner just "helping" or is it on full livery ?

I also get the impression that you dont have the time to do the horse every day. you say you muck out/ride at weekends but dont get down during the week, so therfore who does the horse - the owner? you cant really complain at this.

if you want DIY during the summer, then just ask. Im sure the owner would be more than happy to not do the horse.

depending on facilities basic DIY in midlands is about £25 p/w + hay + bedding. So no different to what you are paying now.

 

[sarah23]

Yes i am the owner

 

[sarah23]

Answer to you question he is on full livery weekdays only. weekends are my time well are suppose to be, but can i just add laura comes up mucks out and rides but don't come back up later in the day to bring him in, she has never offered to come back up so i just bring him in with mine.

 

[cheekycharley]

Wow Sarah you are a very nice person and i would say Laura has a great deal and it should be you who should be complaining.

We have someone riding one of our horses, she comes up once a day and really i dont think thats enough! Personally i think she should help with our other horses but my mum is a soft touch!

 

[sarah23]

Thank you xxcharxx that was a nice thing to say

 

[MarinaBay]

Laura I think you are in a good situation, £25 a week is a good price, especially as normally you would have to go up everyday twice a day, buy your own hay and bedding. Basically you have a horse on 5 day full livery which where i am (Beds) not far from you is at least £70 a week. The situation you are in is ideal, yes you have him on loan he is not yours but if he was at a different yard would you be as trusting with the people working at the yard. You know that Sarah is going to look after him as she clearly loves him to bits!
What has stopped you from having your own horse? money or time?

 

[MarinaBay]

Sarah I absolutely agree with xxcharxx too! Well done for being so calm!

 

[gembob]

i pay 25+ depending on how much hay we all go thru and i muck theres out when they havent had time and they turn him out/brin him in for me as i dnt drive! its all about give and take.... if u help out theyl help u i think u both need to have a sit down and natter about whre to go next

 

[bhpride]

aww I understand now sorry for making assumptions, full livery wasn't mentioned. If it's full livery weekdays then it's full livery, same as it would be at any other yard (only much more expensive! £25pw is a bargain). I think the issue's the full livery, nothing to do with the owner..she's simply providing the service agreed. Maybe consider part livery but depends on how often op can come up etc

 

[soph21]

Right so, the horse is on loan and is on full livery at the owners yard? is that right? £25pw is cheap isn't it?And only having to go up at weekends too!
Sorry if iv made a wrong assumption, im just gob smacked that she posted this moan and the owner is a member on here

 

[quirky]

Agree with Sophie, fancy airing your dirty laundry in public when the owner is also a HHO'er.
I'd be quite embarassed to show my face at the yard if I was the OP.
Sarah from her response seems rational and probably approachable (but I'm only guessing), try talking to her face to face OP.

 

[FigJam]

Laura I'm afraid I agree with the others. You seem to be getting a very good deal from Sarah and your complaint seems a little unreasonable.

If you want a "full loan", that would involve paying for absolutely everything and being responsible 100% of the time. It sounds like you don't have the time for this (and trust me, DIY takes up a lot of time every single day!) and Sarah is offering you a great chance to experience horse ownership without the costs/time constraints.

Well done Sarah for remaining dignified and restrained in your answers. Hopefully the two of you can have a wee chat over the weekend and get the air cleared so you can both enjoy the summer and know exactly where you both stand and who does what.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I also agree with the others on here. From what has already been said it doesn't sound like you would realistically have time to own your own horse. Also I would say your current arrangement is absolutely fantastic! I would jump at the chance to have full livery for £100p/m, although I am from Surrey where the price of livery is extortionate!!! lol!

If you want more responsibility why not ask Sarah if it is possible to keep the horse on DIY livery, you would soon get an idea of exactly how much work is involved in owning a horse and would also feel much more involved with the horse you have on loan.

I have my mare on full loan and do her EVERY day and to all intents and purposes she is MY horse, I think you are extremely lucky to have such an understanding owner as it seems that not only has she offered you a rather cheap alternative to owning your own horse, but is also willing to deal with the horse quite a lot on a day to day basis.

 

[soph21]

I totally agree princess_gem,
She might not be so understanding now! I know I wouldn't!

 

[SO1]

So basically you have a horse you can ride whenever you like that is on part livery - my DIY livery without hay and straw costs £160 a month.

If you don't want the owner to help you out and she is helping you doing all that mucking out during the week then perhaps you could employ someone else to do those jobs for you during the week?

 

[Taboo1968]

I think Sarah is being very generous and dont know how she has remained so calm with her answers given the fact that her loaner shouted it all over the forum!

 

[inkratlet]

Guys, I didn't post a moan. I am not moaning, I simply asked a question. I have outlined what I pay for and the current situation and asked how that compares to actual horse ownership.

Sarah I'm sorry if it read as a moan, that was not my intention at all!

We can talk about this at the weekend - it isn't really the business of this forum.

PS. Yes I said I would like to be more involved, and that was always going to be something to talk to Sarah about this weekend. The impression I had was that I was going to be coming up every day during the summer even if I couldn't ride, and I was going to suggest I start doing that from next week. I am inexperienced at this, so probably don't fully understand where I stand in the loan agreement.

 

[inkratlet]

Sorry, I'm really upset by this

I posted a question, I HAD to explain what I get and what I pay for, how else is anyone supposed to draw an accurate comparison?

I NEVER slagged anyone off. Some people took it upon themselves to comment on what I pay for now and suggest I was being ripped off - I DIDN'T SUGGEST I WAS BEING RIPPED OFF - I didn't ask for their opinions on whether or not I get a good deal, I know I do! Sarah was rightfully upset by that, but now I don't even know if she'll talk to me and I've potentially lost a friend as well as a horse who I was really fond of.

This morning I was ready to start feeding, mucking out and turning out in the mornings and evenings, now I don't even know if I'll be allowed to see him again.

Thanks for that!!!

I was looking for horse ownership in the future, maybe a year or two away when my friends filly is ready and wanted to know how it compares financially.

Can someone please point out to me where I slagged Sarah off?