Full loaning - questions!

[ohdearme]

Hi!

I'm on a gap year at the moment and wanted to find a horse to part loan, but all the suitable horses for me in my area are for full loan. This may be my only chance to spend a lot of time with horses for a long time, so I really want to take advantage of that.
From what I understand (but correct me if I'm wrong!), a full loan is where a horse is 'mine' 7 days a week, all care is my responsibility and I pay all expenses (shoes, livery, food, bedding etc). However, I am a bit worried about starting a full loan, as I've never owned a horse before (I'm 19), though I have got experience working at riding schools for many years, and have done an NVQ in Horse Care etc etc.
Basically my questions are:
-How much responsibility would the owner take (or does it vary a lot) in case of injury or other serious issues? Would I be expected to pay all bills, would we split or would they pay, as it is still their horse?
-Do other livery owners tend to be helpful to newbies? Though I know standard horse care, I don't know much about first aid, or when the farrier needs to be called etc. so may be asking lots of questions to other owners! Also, if I work a late shift for example, I may not be able to bring in for the night - would someone else do this as a favour, or would I need to pay someone?
-What usually happens if the loan needs to be cancelled for some reason? Eg if I find I can't cope/have an accident/have a change in financial situation...?
-What should I do if I was going away somewhere eg holiday for a week, or an overnight stay somewhere (may have some interviews coming up in unis all over England!)?
-I think I will probably do DIY livery - do livery yards tend to provide bedding/hay/feed at extra cost, or will i have to source this all myself (as I haven't the first clue where to get decent quality at the best price!)

How do I know if I am ready to take on a full loan? I feel I am competent enough, but I worry that I will struggle balancing time, especially in the winter with the dark nights (I have a part time job) as I've never done anything like this before (only part loaned for a while, but that was only 3 days a week and the owner did everything but ride!). Also, I have savings and a part time job, so hopefully money shouldn't be an issue, but it is possible that my hours will be reduced next year, and an unexpected big bill eg vet may greatly deplete those savings.

I am definitely waffling so will stop now, but I don't want to have a non-horsy year, as this is the last opportunity I'll get to 'have my own horse'! There are no suitable part loans near me, so full loan is my only hope! I just don't want to be in a difficult situation if things go wrong!

What is everyone's weekday 'routine' at the yard, especially those who work?

Thanks so much! I know I ask a lot!!

 

[AmieeT]

I knew much less than you when I first got Red (2 years ago, hadn't ridden so much as a donkey!)- was a real shock!

Yes, full loan means that you have full responsibility, however if there is a contract there may be exceptions. I have his passport and I pay for everything- shoes/farriery, hay, bedding, worming, vacs, veterinary. They have told me that if there were ever a huge vets bill they would chip in. As for working late, it would depend on your situation- if you're DIY/assisted etc. Where I am we help each other out- same applies for holidays.

At our yard, bedding and hay is extra, but some is included- particularly if it is cut from the yard.

Knowing if you are ready... There's no way to know unless you try!! Red's owners said to me to try and if I didn't like it then it wouldn't matter. I work full time and started loaning in the Nov- IMHO it's the best way, because you get the hardest part of the year and it the summer is a reward There are people around to help, the internet is a HUGE help, and the vet/farrier can always be phoned if you're worried about anything (plus a phonecall doesn't cost a thing.)

I genuinely think that if i can do it, anybody can.

Routine- morning (6am) - feed, cuddles, turnout, muck out, hay done. Evening - bring in, fill water, feed, groom, cuddles [<--- the most important bit!). In the summer, he has 24/7 turnout, and it's light enough to ride after work, so the routine is ride, groom, ride, groom, ride, groom

Hope this helps

Ax

 

[Equi]

A full loan to me is basically that you care for the horse as if you own it, but you are not allowed to sell it on or loan it on or do anything major with it without consent. I loan two at the moment and both are mine to do as i please, but i always as a courtesy ask the owners first. (for example i asked my new mares owner if it was ok to change her bit etc)

 

[ohdearme]

AmieeT - thanks so much for that, it certainly helps! I'm probably overly stressing, but I just feel like there's so much I don't know! The new horse would arrive at the yard, and I wouldn't even know how to unload it properly! Gah! The winter is a bit of a worry - the owner has said he lives out in winter, but by me it's just been raining constantly for the past few weeks, plus I've heard we may get a lot amount of snow - is it fair on the horse to keep him out throughout all of this?! He is a Trotter, not sure how hardy they are but definitely not big hairy cobs! But I don't want to wait until Spring to find a loan - I can't go horseless that long!
The 2 yards I've looked at both offer assisted DIY, so think that'd be the best option. Would love to do part, but it's pretty expensive.

I suppose I'll never know if I don't try! The owner seems pretty nice, so I'm sure if I couldn't manage it she wouldn't have any qualms about having him back.
(...Not looking forward to telling the 100%-non-horsey mother though!)

 

[webble]

Why not look for a part loan so you can learn about the care side with support in place. First time loaning/ owning is a steep learning curve so that might be a better option for you. Another idea would maybe be someone who is pregnant and needs their horse caring for but will still be able to be hands on and offer help and advice as needed. Good luck

 

[Morgan123]

Hello, this is very exciting . I would just like to chip in that you really really really really need to get a contract - this will then state who pays vets bills etc etc. It's all too easy to just say 'the owners seem nice' but if something even minor goes wrong it can be very stressful. If you have a contract, you all know where you stand, e.g. that they would ahve to give you a months' notice before having him back, same for you to them, etc etc. And little things like who will cover the insurance - that should all be clearly laid out in advance. You only have to search the forum for fifteen million exmaples of people who think the owners are lovely and then they don't get a contract and something goes wrong. You can download them for free on the BHS website.

Being somewhere with assisted DIY is very sensible, but it would be worth seeing if you could help out a yard in the meanwhile until he arrives. It's good you've had the part loan in the meanwhile though to learn.

If the owners turn the horse out all year, that's fine, don't worry - keep him out. Clarify that they're sending him with all his rugs!! But yes, should be fine, you basically bring him in to feed him, swap him to a nice dry rug, all fine.

 

[ohdearme]

Hello, this is very exciting . I would just like to chip in that you really really really really need to get a contract - this will then state who pays vets bills etc etc. It's all too easy to just say 'the owners seem nice' but if something even minor goes wrong it can be very stressful. If you have a contract, you all know where you stand, e.g. that they would ahve to give you a months' notice before having him back, same for you to them, etc etc. And little things like who will cover the insurance - that should all be clearly laid out in advance. You only have to search the forum for fifteen million exmaples of people who think the owners are lovely and then they don't get a contract and something goes wrong. You can download them for free on the BHS website.

Being somewhere with assisted DIY is very sensible, but it would be worth seeing if you could help out a yard in the meanwhile until he arrives. It's good you've had the part loan in the meanwhile though to learn.

If the owners turn the horse out all year, that's fine, don't worry - keep him out. Clarify that they're sending him with all his rugs!! But yes, should be fine, you basically bring him in to feed him, swap him to a nice dry rug, all fine.

I have been looking at contracts...do you know if they are legally binding? Do thy need to be in some sort of format, or can it just be a document written/typed between the owner and myself? We have discussed most of those things in email (vets, her having him back etc) so I know the jist of things.

Thanks for the reply! No doubt I will be a frequent poster in the months to come with all my questions!