Feeling completely and utterly let down!!!

[Ambers Echo]

What an awful experience. But there ARE great loaners out there. I (like a few others who have posted above) have loaned a pony who went home in a better state than she arrived. Similarly I have loaned out my own and it has been brilliant. Maybe it depends on why you are loaning? If it is to get a cheap horse or to try out having a horse because you are not sure if you are committed enough to buy then maybe this is the wrong motivation?

 

[SpottyTB]

That’s certainly worth a thought, interesting! I mean said loaner, has a horse..a big cob which is out on loan as a companion. She wanted something she could ride and do more on... money isn’t an issue, which annoys me in a way because although not much of an excuse it would be better than her just being unaware... lord knows! I think, Im going to have to narrow my criteria down even more... I mean the original advert stated that she was by no means a novice ride.. although she doesn’t do much, she is a TB and a competition type horse therefore sharp and switched on... I didn’t think that would draw in complete novices! The girl could just about handle riding her, although never really got anywhere near what Gem could actually do... just seems to be that she managed her like a good doing cob.... ironically, she used to live off fresh air providing she had grass!!

 

[EventingMum]

What about approaching a local Pony Club branch to see if there are any members looking to loan? I know some in our branch have loaned and because they are at rallies etc people can see if they are ok. You have to do three rallies before competing for your branch at area competitions and now the upper age is 25 for members there could well be some competent riders looking for a horse on loan.

 

[MuddyTB]

Pony clubs or riding clubs. Or if there are people you know/trust locally see if they know of anyone.
Possibly connections in the hunt if this is what she excels in.
That said none of those routes would work for me, so maybe an ad on preloved or similar to get interest but then insist on vetting the riders. Ask them to have a lesson or go to a competition with you watching to assess them perhaps?

That said I've never dared loan mine out as I was always put off by the thought of having to vet so many people, so I can understand how hard it is.

 

[oldie48]

I also think it can be difficult to fnd good loan homes and I'd always prefer to keep them at home if I could so I know how they are being treated. I'm loaning a sect A currently to keep my horse company, he's treated exactly as if he was my own. His feet are trimmed every 6 weeks, his teeth (which were in a bit of a mess when he came) are done 6 monthly even though he has to be sedated and i've kept his vacc up to date. He put a little too much weight on in the summer but I've got his weight back down and although he's not ridden he gets regular grooming and his legs are checked morning and evening. FWIW I found my loan pony via my riding club FB page and I was pleased to say several people commented that any loan pony would have a super home with me, which I appreciated and resulted in me getting several offers.

 

[Supertrooper]

They are out there, both my friend and I loaned our last two horses and we treated them like they were our own. They never wanted for anything.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I think I would have taken her back the first time too. I’m sorry this has happened to Gem and you. A cob I used to share went on loan hundreds of miles away when his owner went to uni. She visited and immediately removed him, he was a toast rack.

I don’t understand how people can look at a horse and think they’re ok when they’re skin and bone. Good job you got her back.

 

[Templebar]

Im so sorry this happened to you, but please i urge you not to be put off.

I have loaned out my old pony in our pony club and both homes she went to were fantastic, before loaning she went to a family member who we gave instructions on how to ride her as she could be cheeky, they ignored us and branded the pony dangerous. Yet the two loan homes both had great time with her and she was borrowed by many children in the club for them to take tests or do pony swaps with, looked after any child. We saw our pony often, only once we had to make a comment about hoof length and was told that the farrier had cancelled and they were getting another appointment, but as the pony usually self trimmed with work, but had been in less work it had gone a little further. Next time we saw her, hooves were smart again.

I have also loaned myself, i find it difficult when i see lovely suitable horses for loan but to stay on their yard. Where i live in the countryside and we have our own land. I cannot afford to be paying livery and the travel and i don't have the time. I think what has made the difference in our case is word of mouth each time that was how it was found and how it was agreed. We didn't even have loan contracts etc. As above in all cases we have seen each other regularly so that helped.

I do also think that as a nation we shout up and say horses are too fat and the risks of laminitis, which i'm not denying, yes it is a problem. But to novice owners they can go too much the other way. Its lack of knowledge.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

That’s certainly worth a thought, interesting! I mean said loaner, has a horse..a big cob which is out on loan as a companion. She wanted something she could ride and do more on... money isn’t an issue, which annoys me in a way because although not much of an excuse it would be better than her just being unaware... lord knows! I think, Im going to have to narrow my criteria down even more... I mean the original advert stated that she was by no means a novice ride.. although she doesn’t do much, she is a TB and a competition type horse therefore sharp and switched on... I didn’t think that would draw in complete novices! The girl could just about handle riding her, although never really got anywhere near what Gem could actually do... just seems to be that she managed her like a good doing cob.... ironically, she used to live off fresh air providing she had grass!!

Some people keep a horse poor deliberately, because they can't handle/ride it easily when it's fit and well.

ETA: Hungry horses can be grumpy and miserable. It's possible for them to not like a yard though, for whatever reason and I suspect they can have preferences for particular humans too or prefer not to be around someone, why wouldn't they have preferences?

 

[millikins]

I can't see your pictures but I'm glad you got her back. We put our Connie out on loan to a family we knew from PC with a contract in place. He came back for a week when they were on holiday, I was unhappy as he was really depressed and whilst not thin, he just looked poor; but like you I gave them the benefit of the doubt and let him go back with further advice. I carried on checks but remained worried, in the end I just called and said I was collecting him the next day. He came home very thin, very unhappy with a sore back and I was so angry with myself for not acting sooner. He is a funny, quirky over sensitive lad who hates change and loses weight very easily, so I have sympathy for a loaner struggling with a horse like that, which perhaps your mare is too, but no sympathy if they see this but fail to ask for help.