Full loan -visiting?

I've loaned 5 or 6 ponies over the past 10 years or so for between 3 months and 4 years and during which the various owners visit a maximum of about twice and in some cases never but we did give them regular updates by email photos etc. Like someone else said the ponies were often for loan due to lack of time or difficult personal circumstances and in some cases the owners were a 3-4 hr drive away so difficult just to pop in! Though I wouldn't have minded them visiting regularly and monthly check ups would be fine but I think I'd find weekly a bit suffocating.
 
I've only ever loaned a horse off-property once, the rest have been on-property loans. The one who was loaned off-property was being kept at another livery yard a few miles away from me. As far as the person loaning the horse was aware I visited and came to see the horse only at competitions, however I actually went to see the horse a couple of times a week, every week. I did not bother them and I didn't go onto the yard, I would drive past the field and call the horse over and give it a once-over check. I totally trusted the loan people, no question about that, however the horse did belong to me and it was my responsibility to still keep an eye on how it was doing. They ended up buying the horse about a year later as they loved her so much and she was a wonderful competition horse.
 
When I got my lad settled in his long-term loan home, I used to visit between 3-4 times a year - arranged visits to see him, have a chat with his loaner, sometimes sneak a ride out with her on a friend's horse - and dropped by his field occasionally when I was in the area (with her agreement). I never had cause for concern when I saw him and I was happy for her to treat him as her own. He had a great time with her, was thoroughly well looked after, and came home to retire. The owner of my loan mare probably only saw her twice in the 3 years I had her, but we stayed in touch by text and facebook (with regular pictures), so I know she kept tabs on her that way. We were pretty good friends anyway, though, so I know she trusted me and I was always happy for her to come and visit when she could. My general feeling is that if you trust the person and build up a good relationship (with a good contract in place too), constant checks shouldn't be necessary. I shared a yard with my loan mare's breeder for a while and having her constantly looking over my shoulder was really stressful!
 
I've had a little pony on loan for over a year and the owner has not come to visit with me knowing, but I have said she can come any time and to just go in and see her if she wants. We were near a footpath and are now next to a main road so all is there to see. I think the owner means to come and see her but life gets in the way and she sees her on Facebook so I don't mind at all!
 
Fingers crossed I have found a lovely short term loan home for my girl, until I have sorted a new place for her to go and have settled into my new house.

I will probably visit once a week for the first 2/3 weeks just to see how everything is, as they are only 50 minutes away. However if she settles in and seems to be getting on ok, I might go once/twice a month. They have kindly offered to let me ride out with them when she has settled in- they have other horses and said they will some me some of their fantastic hacking. Fingers crossed so very tightly!!!!
 
When we had use on loan, the owner never visited.
We have a mare out in loan to the most perfect family,but they live the other side of the country to us.
We checked weekly for about a month,inspite of the distance.then,every couple of months and now every 6 months or so, but they update on Facebook so we see what they are doing.
They look after her exactly the same as we did at when we had her too, and their yard set up is so I liar to ours, it's almost spooky!
We do pre arrange visits,due to the distance,but I would anyway out of courtesy,
Couldn't wish for a nicer family.
 
I've currently got 1 out on full loan and in the past have loaned others.

I would always have a clause in the loan contract that enabled me to visit unannounced and to remove the horse with no notice.

In reality I would always pre arrange a visit unless I had a gut feeling something was amiss.

Always I would visit in the first 1-4 weeks and then, provided updates were regular and I was confident, 3 monthly after that.

I've only ever had 1 dodgy loan.
I checked the horse after a fortnight and wasnt massively happy, had a bad gut feeling.
Went back unannounced a week later, climbed over the gate to get access, didn't like what I saw and went home to collect trailer immediately.
 
ihatework said:
I've currently got 1 out on full loan and in the past have loaned others.

I would always have a clause in the loan contract that enabled me to visit unannounced and to remove the horse with no notice.

In reality I would always pre arrange a visit unless I had a gut feeling something was amiss.

Always I would visit in the first 1-4 weeks and then, provided updates were regular and I was confident, 3 monthly after that.

I've only ever had 1 dodgy loan.
I checked the horse after a fortnight and wasnt massively happy, had a bad gut feeling.
Went back unannounced a week later, climbed over the gate to get access, didn't like what I saw and went home to collect trailer immediately.
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thats not good....


i think announcing a visit is politeness tbh... i would also tell my loaner when im coming - day etc - if i had a bad instinct she wouldnt be there but for me im more than happy with her - :D horse is more gleaming than i ever had her lol :D


misskk88 - hope it works out for you :D in my limited experience id probably go for every other week - let them bond... im backing right off with my loaner - i will go in a couple of months as i want them to bond...horse couldnt give two hoots when she saw me...which is exactly what i wanted for my girl :]
 
I had my first horse on loan and he had reared vertically with his owner which is why she put him up for loan. I believed it was his saddle and gave hers back as soon as he was moved to my yard and then had a saddler come out and I bought him a very nice secondhand saddle that fitted him perfectly. He was always very well behaved for me but when she came to see him the first time I could see that she was shocked how well behaved he was for me when ridden and then wanted to start riding him again. It started getting more and more frequent and when she brought her husband with her I said I wanted to know if she would sell him as I wasn't happy that now I had got him going again it seemed that she didn't want to let go but if she did want him back I would sell her the saddle that fitted him at the price I paid for it. She went off with her husband and had a chat and I think he persuaded her that as they were struggling with the children and working also I knew he didn't like the horse and it certainly didn't like him. So I bought him Would I loan again yes as I have off my farrier and trainer when mine are off work. Now I would expect a contract that says the owner can visit any time but riding when I am paying all the bills should not become a regular perk.
 
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When I was loaning a horse the owner only came to visit once about 6 months after we took her home, very briefly, on her way to the other side of the country. She didn't visit our house before sending her horse to us and was incredibly trusting! We obviously took great care of her horse and I loved her to pieces, however if I was ever to loan a horse out i would definitely check out where it was going and would visit / stay in touch on a fairly regular basis to make sure horse/loaner (and me!) were happy.
 
I get worried about being annoying. I have one out on loan because I just don't have enough hours in my day for him and he's such a cracking horse it was unbearable seeing him just standing in the field. Buuuut I also have another horse who I am schooling and keep her at the same yard so I see my loaners all the time and I'm trying desperately hard not to step on any toes as I really want her to enjoy him without thinking I'm breathing down her neck or checking up on her all the time! I do like to watch her ride him regularly and I think she appreciates my input and asks for advice. I think it all depends on your individual situation. People loan horses out for different reasons and if they don't want to visit I think that's up to them.
 
When I put mine on loan I made it a condition of the loan agreement that I could visit unscheduled at any "reasonable time" (i.e. not in the middle of the night!!).

Likewise, I've got a lovely mare on long-term loan at the moment - and I'm quite happy for her owner to pop over anytime she wants for a coffee/chat; if the yard is totally disorganised and sheer chaos reigns it matters not, I know she'll understand :)

Its the only way to be IMO. Honesty and transparency.
 
I've loaned 2 in the past. First one, owner didn't come up at all over the year he was with me. Second loan, owner came up twice. The second time she came to sign her over to me. I haven't seen her since but keep in contact over facebook.
 
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