Full loaning- is my horse desirable?!

[Rupert-the-bear]

Just looking into different options at the moment, but just wondering if you think i'd be able to full loan my horse easily or not? He's an 8y/o 14.1hh new forest gelding, bombproof to hack and perfect gentleman to handle, only faults are he has sweet itch but is very easily managed with his rug (that would come with him) and he is still very green in the school (not at all nasty or naughty, just a bit unbalanced and behind your leg) He's great with novices but because he's green in the school (and he's my absolute pride and joy) i'd like an experienced home for him. Obviously homes would be vetted, loan agreement, regular visits etc

 

[zaminda]

I would have thought you wouldn't have too many problems, he sounds a nice type. He's also a good size, about the same as mine, and he has been out on loan a few times, mainly through word of mouth. There are quite a few pc homes out there, who are great, but maybe can't afford to buy a new one, and update the lorry at the same time! One of Mr T's homes would have bought one, but loved him, and knew he wasn't for sale, so snapped him up.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Your boy sounds lovely; but you'd need to be very very sure that the person who had him would know how to manage his sweet itch.

I let my boy go on loan to someone and made sure that it was in the contract that he had to have his sweet itch rug on at all times when turned out; and also the YM was made aware and promised she'd see to him properly.

I sent him away with a lovely full mane & tail and he looked absolutely gorgeous; I was so proud that I'd managed his sweet itch so well and expected he'd be kept in the condition I'd sent him to the yard in.

The first weekend he was there it was very hot and the midges would have been out. I went to see him and was shocked at the way he looked; he'd rubbed his mane all raw so that it was bleeding and horrible and his tail he'd all rubbed away at. Some of the "kids" at the yard (it was a riding school) had put him out without his sweet itch rug on, not realising, and he'd rubbed himself in just one weekend outside.

I was incandescent: words don't describe it. He's now back with me and won't be going anywhere again, ever. What made it worse was that the god-almighty YO, when I spoke to him about it, said that the horse had been sent to his yard in that state and it wasn't something that had happened there. Arrogant lying git, I wasn't a happy bunny

Sorry, am not telling you what you want to hear, but anyone taking on your boy will need to know how to manage a horse with sweet itch. Its no good them blithely saying Oh Yes they'll deal with it, and even if you write it in the contract there's always some other numpty at a yard who'll turn yours out without a rug.