Help - Loan Problem

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Rainbowmoon

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I loaned a horse for just over 2 months. It was fraught with problems from the day it arrived. The owner drew up a BHS loan contract, but never visted my yard. I had the horse collected by a transporter but not directly from the owner. It was at her friends yard who had been borrowing him for a few months. On arrival the horse was underweight and covered in field scars which I photographed along with all the tack supplied. We spent weeks trying to feed the horse up, had the teeth rasped, wormed, but it never settled. My son was riding it but it was never happy. I had an instructor look at them riding and she told me the saddle didn't fit and the horse had a back problem which was later confirmed by a chiropractor at my expense. From this point on my son did not ride the horse, until after the treatment and convalesence time. We bought a saddle professionally fitted, she told me the saddle supplied was the worst fitting saddle she had ever seen. But the horse was still not happy at being ridden. All this time I kept the owner informed but she told me the horse was taking the mickey put of my son and would hack out and ride in the school. She told me the saddle did fit and it needed a narrower gullet. She offered to send her sister down to ride the horse to prove he would work. Eventually, I admitted defeat and asked to send the horse back.

The owner is now complaining the horse has a very sore back and wants to claim treatment from me.
Can anyone tell me if this is correct please?
 
Oh no, what a complete cow!
No matter how hard you try with some people they just still like to take the mick.
have you kept receipts for the chiropractors visit and saddle fitting etc etc?
If not if you can get hold of some for each check you had done that would probably be a good idea.
She could try to take you to court but I doubt she would, she is probably trying it on to scare you.
But.......if she does take you to court and you have receipts to prove you took good care of the horse and if any judge was to compare the dates on the receipts to the date the loan contract started they will clearly see the horse had a problem you tried to rectify at your own expense.
I really don't think she will have a leg to stand on, it's best if you have contact with her to do it via letter (pref recorded delivery) so that its all written down incase a judge needs to see.
Good luck with it all, don't let her push you around.
 
The owner is trying it on. You'll have proof of the chiropractor visit and the saddle fitter visit and other treatment and testimonial from people you've talked to and know you and the horse. Send her an official looking letter, stating these things and give her a total of the amount you have actually spent on trying to fix her horse. That should do it but I wouldnt worry as even if she did try and take you to small claims court it would cost her to do it and she wouldnt get very far because you've done all the right things.
 
if you don't have receipts, written confirmation from your chiropracter and saddler should do the trick. Did you keep a copy of any correspondence you had as well?
 
Thanks for the reassurance. I have a saddle receipt and I can get a letter from the chiropractor. I have all the emails and texts between us.

I can also a get statement from the yard manager to confirm the horse was hardly ridden and the cost we incurred for treatment.

I forgot to add that during this time she never supplied a copy of the passport either.

You see so many stories about the loanee being such a bad person, but I have a nightmare owner. I would never loan out my horse without checking the yard where it was being kept, but she did.
 
I am sad to say that it seems she just waned rid of the pony and hoping that whilst on loan someone would foot all the bills for his back.
I would also reccommend sending her a letter with photo copies of everything, chiro, saddle fitter, instructor and everything they have done and said with dates.
IMO she wants you to pay out more getting the pony fix then she will send him onto someother unsuspecting loanee.
I cant believe anyone would let a horse go out on loan with out checking the yard the horse was going, i never would thats for sure.
 
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some people are just so silly.
she obv wanted you to loan the pony , give him to you on loan while he was not comfortable and then let you complain back to her and she is accusing you. try talk to her and explain to her wat happened, why you are right etc.
hope it works

lorr x
 
If anything you should be claiming back costs from her! if she put in the loan contract that he was fit for purpose (riding) and he wasn't then you had every right to send the horse back, anyone can see you cared enough about the horse to try and get problems sorted.
Poor horse, having an owner like that. It should be absolute top priority to check out the loan home before agreeing to the loan in the first place.
She obviously just wanted rid and as others have said, somebody to foot the bill.
 
Poor you, what a horrible and disappointing situation. No, in my opinion, it definitely isn't right and the owner is trying it on big time!!

I don't know the legalities and hopefully someone with more knowledge will reply, but if it were me I would try and nip this in the bud and and would slam back a letter to the owner.

The letter would say something along the lines that the owner sent you a horse which was in poor physical condition and had a pre-existing back problem that you attempted to remedy at your own expense. Give the dates of chiropractor visits and say that they are willing to provide a report to this effect. Further you bought in, again at your own expense, a qualified saddler who stated that the saddle provided was one of the worst fitting saddles he had ever seen. You acquired a well fitting saddle at your own expense, but the horse back had already been damaged prior to your involvement. Say that the saddler is also happy to provide a report.

Then tell them that if they persist in their demands you will have no option but to appoint legal representation to counter claim for all of your expenses in trying to resolve these pre-existing problems.

Something like that should scare the bejeesus out of them :D
 
How awful for you. At least YOU did the right thing, and the professionals you employed (instructor, chiro and saddler) will all confirm that the horse's problems were certainly not caused whilst in your care! Poor horse
 
0ldmare said:
Poor you, what a horrible and disappointing situation. No, in my opinion, it definitely isn't right and the owner is trying it on big time!!

I don't know the legalities and hopefully someone with more knowledge will reply, but if it were me I would try and nip this in the bud and and would slam back a letter to the owner.

The letter would say something along the lines that the owner sent you a horse which was in poor physical condition and had a pre-existing back problem that you attempted to remedy at your own expense. Give the dates of chiropractor visits and say that they are willing to provide a report to this effect. Further you bought in, again at your own expense, a qualified saddler who stated that the saddle provided was one of the worst fitting saddles he had ever seen. You acquired a well fitting saddle at your own expense, but the horse back had already been damaged prior to your involvement. Say that the saddler is also happy to provide a report.

Then tell them that if they persist in their demands you will have no option but to appoint legal representation to counter claim for all of your expenses in trying to resolve these pre-existing problems.

Something like that should scare the bejeesus out of them :D
Click to expand...

Yes I'd write something like this too. Cheeky woman!
 
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