Help! Do you pay as a sharer when the horse is lame more than a month?

[MimiP]

Hi! I am a sharer on a gelding where unfortunately we have no contract nor discussed these things in beforehand.
I pay 150 pounds a month for two days a week. Unfortunately he has gotten lame. I don’t mind paying while he is lame but it has now turned into a long term injury with no riding for at least another month and then only walking.I’m wondering what is the correct thing here regarding payment?

I personally thought I’d pay the first month but the following time after this I would pay less as I am not riding … the owner doesn’t agree and wants me to pay full.
BTW I am still going to the stable and mocking out, grooming etc.

Any suggestions here what is right? I really like the horse! But it’s a lot of money for only doing stable duties… ?

 

[Bionic Boy]

It depends on the injury I suppose. If it is going to be long term then you can give notice to stop the share. If it is short term and you want to ride the horse again then I would carry on paying.
The costs will still be the same whether the horse is ridden or not.
When my horse was out of action I actually said to my sharer to stop paying but that was for a long term injury. She still went up and mucked out and made a fuss of him. She started paying again when he came back into work.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I wouldn't expect a sharer to pay to carry out duties only. I would not take payment until the pony was recovered.

 

[Jenko109]

Owner is taking the p*** if you ask me.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

My previous share had a week or two off and the owner didn't take any money off me. I still went up and did jobs/sorted him out as it was short-term and I would have been happy to do this for a bit longer (a month or two) but if it were long-term/undetermined then I might have considered ending the share as I did want to ride ultimately. My current share agreement says I would be refunded for weeks where I couldn't ride due to horse being unwell/lame. That said I have had weeks with extra rides (when owner unwell or away) than in the agreement so if it were short-term I wouldn't ask for this because I have extra rides 'in the bank' already.

Paying to muck out someone else's horse? No thank you!

 

[EmmaC78]

I wouldn't expect payment either. I'd be a bit embarrassed to keep asking for money after more than a month or two. Although the cost of the horse will be the same even if the horse is injured, a sharer is paying because they want to ride whereas the owner unfortunately has to take responsibility for the costs even when a horse is lame.

 

[poiuytrewq]

It does cost the same, more likely more to keep a lame horse, but that’s our risk as owners. I don’t think a sharer should still have to pay no, if I was the owner I’d be incredibly grateful you were sticking round and still helping with the chores but I wouldn’t accept the money.

 

[IrishMilo]

The owner is having a laugh! When I shared out my old horse and he was lame/not rideable, I always told sharer to not pay me. And in the same vein, when a horse I was sharing last year became non-rideable, his owner didn't expect me to pay. I think if the horse is off games for the foreseeable, you're being generous still just doing the chores and the owner should be grateful.

 

[Leam_Carrie]

The advantage of being a share is you can walk away. As an owner you’re paying all the costs whatever happens. So hopefully all the sharers can understand why we’re protective of our horses.

If it were my horse I would be happy you were doing jobs and welcome any financial contribution (or none). Hopefully the horse will come right in time. Part of riding horses is when it goes wrong and bringing them back into work.

Best to have a chat with the owner and say what you’re happy to do - perhaps jobs and a reduced contribution. Be prepared to look for a new share if they want the full contribution.

 

[Backtoblack]

The horses costs haven't gone down because he's unrideable at the moment of course you should pay and in full. If you don't wish too cancel the share agreement and go elsewhere don't expect to be taken back when the horse is sound. In fact if you really care for the horse you ought to not only pay but offer extra to help with the vet bill.

 

[ester]

Owner is being unreasonable. Have been owner and sharer at different points in life, sometimes both! As owner I would be appreciative that someone was still happy to do chores when not able to ride (and I wasn't having to pay anyone else to do them if I couldnt' do them myself)

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

The horses costs haven't gone down because he's unrideable at the moment of course you should pay and in full. If you don't wish too cancel the share agreement and go elsewhere don't expect to be taken back when the horse is sound. In fact if you really care for the horse you ought to not only pay but offer extra to help with the vet bill.

???? Oh God love you, your sense of humour is so endearing! ????

 

[Muddy unicorn]

The horses costs haven't gone down because he's unrideable at the moment of course you should pay and in full. If you don't wish too cancel the share agreement and go elsewhere don't expect to be taken back when the horse is sound. In fact if you really care for the horse you ought to not only pay but offer extra to help with the vet bill.

You’ve got to be kidding! The owner is responsible for all the horse’s costs and certainly 100% of the vets’ bills - why on earth would you expect a sharer to pay? If someone can’t afford to keep a horse unless a large chunk of the associated costs are being paid by a sharer, then maybe they should think very carefully about whether or not a horse is affordable given their current financial circumstances…

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I’ve been on both sides and as an owner I would not expect a sharer to pay for a horse they cannot ride. I’d appreciate their time to help out at least in the short term.

On the other side I did stupidly continue to pay for a horse I could not ride at one point but I shouldn’t have done. I did also keep doing chores and helping with rehab which I was happy to.

 

[poiuytrewq]

???? Oh God love you, your sense of humour is so endearing! ????

Forum reply of the year is presented to Mrs Jingle
???

 

[bouncing_ball]

I think it depends IMO how long you’ve been sharing the horse and how good the arrangement is and whether you want to stay long term.

One of my long term sharers kept paying when one of my horses had a four month abscess. (Not that we ever knew it would take that long). I offered him not to pay. I think I offered him a little riding on my other horse (who was a bit hot for him).

I was poulticing and mucking out both ends of day and my other sharer (for mother horse helped a lot too.)

I think if it’s a long term arrangement that’s working really well and you are a sharer taking on the risks and rewards and relationship means considering keeping supporting through injuries.

But if it’s a new / not great / short term share arrangement then logic would be to walk.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Forum reply of the year is presented to Mrs Jingle
???

I would like to thank my so supportive manager, my hard working roadies, the rest of the cast, without them I am nothing, my long suffering husband, my adorable children from Ethiopia, The Congo and Thailand, Auntie Biddie down the road...........??

 

[ester]

But you offered him not to pay, offering and someone wanting to still contribute is a different situ.

 

[bouncing_ball]

But you offered him not to pay, offering and someone wanting to still contribute is a different situ.

it is but my sharers were both great sharers and I think I was a good owner and good to them.

But personally I kind of think once you have a long term relationship with horses and sharers they should commit through good times and bad. And I want sharers for whom it’s about the relationship with the horse and doing what’s best for the horse not just riding. Trusting my sharers to always put horse first.

I do realise it’s a transaction but interestingly the ones who helped me with the nursing of injured horses or kept paying (I had one that did chores for 2 horses on her days but didn’t pay, and another that paid but didn’t do chores) were the best sharers who I had for years.

the ones who disappeared when there whilst there was no riding and didn’t visit on box rest didn’t tend to stick around long term.

 

[ycbm]

The horses costs haven't gone down because he's unrideable at the moment of course you should pay and in full. If you don't wish too cancel the share agreement and go elsewhere don't expect to be taken back when the horse is sound. In fact if you really care for the horse you ought to not only pay but offer extra to help with the vet bill.

Do you live in the real world ?

 

[SO1]

When I was sharing a horse over 15 years ago and the horse came down with laminitis I still paid and did my jobs. However I had been a sharer for 3 years and had become friends with the family.

I think it would depend on what the lameness issue was how long it would take the horse to get better. If someone was sharing my pony I would not expect them to pay if the pony was off work for more than a month.

 

[EllieBeast]

Am I the only one who thinks £150 per month AND doing stable chores (so horse clearly isn’t on full livery) is excessive? Especially for a 2 day share.

op, Generally I’d say if you like the horse and there’s likely to be a time when he can return to his previous level of work then keep paying. But unless he’s being fed pure gold leaf I doubt the costs justify charging quite that much!

 

[ester]

depends where the horse is kept

 

[IrishMilo]

But personally I kind of think once you have a long term relationship with horses and sharers they should commit through good times and bad. And I want sharers for whom it’s about the relationship with the horse and doing what’s best for the horse not just riding

But the whole point of sharing is that you share because you don't want the commitment of the good, bad and the ugly. Otherwise people would just have their own. When I was in the position of looking for a share horse, I wanted a horse to ride. Not look after. And in exchange I was happy to help with chores and or/commit financially. That way both parties benefit. How does the sharer benefit by continuing to pay for a horse or do chores for a horse they can't even ride?

 

[Emmalee23]

What's the cause of the lameness? Has the vet actually been out to treat the horse or is the owner treating the horse themselves?

If the lameness was caused by a injury while you were riding the horse, then it would be fair that you cover the vet bills and associated treatments and expenses.

If the lameness is caused by a previous injury, laminitis, a recurring issue or an injury in the field then it would be fair for the owner to cover the costs.

Personally, I'd want to know exactly what the vet says about the lameness and exactly how long they think it's going to take until the horse is back to full work. If the vet is sure the horse will be back in a month or two then I'd continue paying normally however if the vet thinks it would take longer than that then you need to decide if you want to continue paying for a lame horse in the hopes that you can ride again or make the decision to walk away. As a sharer, you will always have the option to walk away.

If you do decide to continue then I would make sure that you put something in writing moving forward to protect you from such situations especially if it looks like the lameness could be recurring.

I had to walk away from a lease because of an unreasonable owner who would only use a specific vet & farrier. I was having issues with the farrier and it was causing lameness issues with the horse but the owner refused to allow a different farrier to get a second opinion even though I had to pay farrier costs myself. After the owner refused to allow me to have a chiro out for a check up (I was paying for it), I had to make the hard decision to walk away and end the lease as the owner was so set in their ways that it was having an impact on the horses overall health

 

[AWinter]

I’m not sure really, my sharer pays £40 a week, no stable chores just riding/grooming. She’s absolutely fantastic and treats him like her own, there’s been the odd week or two he’s been off and she’s been happy to carry on paying and going to see him. I’m not sure what would happen if it was longer term but I have a feeling she would continue paying and going to spend time with him. It just depends how you feel about it I think, it’s different if you’re doing chores too because I guess you would feel a bit put out.

 

[JoannaC]

Am I the only one who thinks £150 per month AND doing stable chores (so horse clearly isn’t on full livery) is excessive? Especially for a 2 day share.

op, Generally I’d say if you like the horse and there’s likely to be a time when he can return to his previous level of work then keep paying. But unless he’s being fed pure gold leaf I doubt the costs justify charging quite that much!

I was thinking the same, seems a lot.

To me a sharer is paying, doing chores in exchange for riding and therefore I would be grateful if they continued to do chores but certainly wouldn't expect payment or at least should be reduced.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I wouldn't expect a sharer to pay for my lame horse and when I had a paying sharer I didn't expect her to pay as the horses was out of action for months.

I think the owner is being unreasonable especially expecting you to still do all the chores on your days.

 

[Trinket12]

When Sugar did her check ligament (which coincided with the barn closing for a bit with our first lockdown) I didn’t take any payment from my leasor (share). Once we were able to go back to the barn, I gave her the option of being part of Sugars rehab (a lot of walk!) or if she wanted to ride one of the barn horses in the interim (and not pay me) so she could canter and jump until Sugar was back in play.

She decided she wanted to stick with Sugar and we went back to our original agreement.

If something like that happened again and riding was out for a while, I would not expect her to pay me.

I wonder if the owner needs the cash though? When I decided to get a sharer it was for the benefit of extra schooling, I never wanted to be stuck in a situation where I depended on them financially.

 

[Karran]

ShareMare got lami for the first time ever last summer. I've shared her for nearly 8 years now, doing a set 3 days a week and stepping in when owner is poorly/away. Perhaps foolishly it never even occurred to me to not pay for the three months or so of box rest she had, when I still went up on my days and did my chores!