Full loan, sale or part loan

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Kittyk

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I am driving myself mad about what to do that is best for one of our horses.

We have a talented gelding who is my husbands. Unfortunately my husband interests really lies in an area that our horse doesn’t suit so much and due to injury we decided to part loan him out. We also considered selling or full loan.

We found someone at our yard to part loan him twice a week at a nominal fee. She absolutely loves our horse and they asked to buy him a month or so ago (her parents). We discussed at length and said yes. Not to go into too much detail but we offered a hugely reduced price given some issues which will mean on going management etc.

They are not very experienced owners and this has shown in some of the decisions they have made recently. Left the horse on their day when he had suspected colic to go on a hack, and ridden him before checking he was fully recovered. We are now not sure that they fully appreciate what the horse needs and the focus is very much on riding. We have now cooled on the sale and are considering other options.

I know this is quite vague for obvious reasons but wondered what others would do. We don’t doubt that the loaner loves him but possibly lacks the experience to own him.
 
ihatework said:
I’m with you!
Do you have the option to full loan him to them under the condition they keep him on livery with you? Then you can oversee his care.
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This is what I'd do too but I'd be prepared for them to refuse it especially given they think they were going to get the horse sold to them.
 
I would explain to the parents exactly what happened on the colic day and say because of the lack of experience, you don't want to sell at this point. You understand that the girl loves the horse and have no intention if selling him to anyone else at this juncture but that you would prefer to keep the ultimate control of his care and offer them the full loan
 
Thanks all, I think you’ve all suggested what we were thinking about doing or one of the options.
- full loan but on the same yard for the time being
- part loan but with he same benefits as they have currently (ability to take him out, compete, pretty much treat him as their own) but we’ll increase contribution to the market rate

The girl is actually a young adult and a good rider but they are not experienced with caring for young competition horses.
 
Kittyk said:
Thanks all, I think you’ve all suggested what we were thinking about doing or one of the options.
- full loan but on the same yard for the time being
- part loan but with he same benefits as they have currently (ability to take him out, compete, pretty much treat him as their own) but we’ll increase contribution to the market rate

The girl is actually a young adult and a good rider but they are not experienced with caring for young competition horses.
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Imho it doesn’t matter whether the horse is a competition animal, a retired RS pony or a scruffy mini-shetland, or any other equine, colic is colic and should be taken seriously.
 
Fieldlife said:
I suppose the question is whether adult rider CAN learn to care about horse wholistically other than riding and put horses health & welfare first. Some riders do treat horses like machines. Some don’t learn or
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Yes, it’s the understanding that riding comes behind all aspects of care and welfare.
 
I think some of it is that he isn’t theirs so (as they pointed out) why would they have walked him/stayed with him until we arrived and the vet. My view is that if you are part loaning the horse and it’s your day then you are responsible. Much less if you are weeks away from buying him.
It sat really badly and still does but I don’t think it was intentionally done but more a complete lack of understanding and experience. Or at least I hope so.
 
Kittyk said:
I think some of it is that he isn’t theirs so (as they pointed out) why would they have walked him/stayed with him until we arrived and the vet. My view is that if you are part loaning the horse and it’s your day then you are responsible. Much less if you are weeks away from buying him.
It sat really badly and still does but I don’t think it was intentionally done but more a complete lack of understanding and experience. Or at least I hope so.
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That's a rubbish attitude, I can see why you are put off. You don't know people till they are under pressure but that's not the home you want. I especially wouldn't full loan to them
 
Strictly, they are not technically wrong about the colic day. As a part-loaner / sharer, the owner retains the full responsibility for the horse. I would probably ‘expect’ a phone call from someone sharing or riding one of my horses (I don’t do sharers any more for a myriad of reasons but I do pay riders) and then for them to go on their way. It wouldn’t affect my part loaner / sharer relationship.

But…

I would never behave the same way - and never have when I used to ride other people’s horses - because I would be so concerned for the horse that I would not want to leave it. I wouldn’t leave a stranger’s horse if I was worried about them, let alone a horse I rode myself.

The pro dressage rider we use stayed with one of mine when she looked colicky, even though the horse was on full livery at the time so would have been looked after. She just didn’t want to leave without speaking to the vet and knowing the horse was alright. That’s the sort of person I’d want to sell a horse to.

So what I’d expect from a part loaner / sharer / rider is different from what I’d expect from someone I would trust with my horse in a full loan or sale situation. Your young part loaner isn’t wrong as a part loaner but I wouldn’t be selling to her.
 
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You've said she's a young adult so I'm assuming over the age of 16. I got my first pony on loan at 11. I was pretty clueless (my mum was completely clueless!), I will never forget the day I found my poor pony colicing. I didn't know what it was then but I knew it wasn't right. Vet was called immediately & YO was summoned. I never left his side, we sadly lost him, if this "young adult" did not have the wit nor the empathy to hang around until the horse was okay I'd be withdrawing swiftly from any agreement.
 
@LadyGascoyne i think you have summed it up. I would have stayed with the horse but they didn’t have to. I guess it didn’t sit well as I wouldn’t have stayed and (to me) it showed a lack of concern and care. I think I felt really let down as it was a hard decision to sell and it wasn’t what I expected.
 
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