Horse on loan - no tack?? Also how much qu.

jesterfaerie

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My friend and I have recently come across a fantastic little mare for loan with a view to buy.
She has ticked all the boxes so far (yet to try her).
The owner wants her to go to a home to contiune her training and to be brought back into work. She needs to be re-schooled as she hasn't really done much more than hacking and light groundwork, all intermittantly. She has also never jumped under saddle, she is 7yro, no progeny, and 14.3, apparently good to do all round. - how much would you say she would be worth if we were to buy?
We estimated no more than £1000.

However she doesn't come with any tack, which we consider to be a major problem as we are wanting her on loan (for the near future at least).
Is it acceptable to expect to loan a horse (as a ridden horse) yet not provide the tack for it?
Would you loan a horse without a saddle?

We do not want to risk buying a saddle, find she is not suitable and loose out on money.


Thanks a lot.
 
I loaned a horse without his saddle, and brought a make do one for the loaner. This was because I had one saddle and 2 horses...where was the saddle going to stay!?!
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I don't think that you necessarily expect any kit to come with a loan horse, especially if it's loaned with a view to buy, rather than a short term loan after which it's returned to it's owner. If you buy a good quality second hand saddle you can usually sell them for the same or a little less than you paid for them. Also, if she's not done very much she will almost certainly change shape considerably over the next few months so a saddle that fits her now will probably not in future.
 
She is giving the saddle to someone who is using it for their horse.
I don't have a problem with horses been sold without a saddle but I would have thought that if you wanted to loan one out and have it brought on then you would provide a saddle even for a short period?
 
Maybe up to around £2k if she has good conformation? If she looks pretty normal then £1k as long as she is healthy etc.

I would kind of expect tack but not be too surprised if none.
 
Well she was advertised for loan but my friend has told her than after a months loan if she liked her she would like to buy her which the owner is happy about. We have asked for the saddle just for a trail period until we know if we want her or not, then we can return the saddle. As my friend wouldn't have a problem buying a saddle after having her on a short loan and knowing she is the horse she wants to buy.
 
I would not necessarily expect tack with a loan horse. I view the purchase of tack as one of the running costs of horse ownership. If the saddle was part of the deal thrown in with the purchase price of the horse, should you chose to buy it, then perhaps it would not be unreasonable to expect it to arrive with the horse during the loan period.
 
I have had two horses on loan for my daughter.Both have come with a complete wardrobe and tack.We have bought extras for the horse we have on loan at the moment but she needed a new saddle because her body shape changed.She didnt do much work before we had her and she is now very fit with pony club etc.Her owner has now bought her a new saddle she was happy to do this because her horse is probably worth double what she paid for her because of the work and training we have done .I would suggest a cheap wintec incase she changes if you have to buy but even so she will need to be fitted properly.Then if she changes again you can invest in a leather saddle if you keep her.I have never heard of a loan without tack .I agree how can you try her out if she hasnt got a saddle.
I think a horse is worth what you are willing to pay.If she has a nice nature and you like her try and work out a price with the owner before you take her on loan.If not someone will get hurt take it from me even if you loan you still get very attached.We are just as attached to our loan horse as our own.
The other big consideration is insurance make sure she is insured by the owner or take out a rider policy to cover yourself.
 
Thistle but at least you send a saddle out for the loaners to ride the horse in whilst out on loan, I would prefer a cheap synthetic then nothing.

Cellie I think my friend was considering buying a cheapish saddle such as a wintec until she was fully fit when a leather saddle could be purchased. However we didn't want to risk having to buy a saddle which fitted her then having her sent back and be left with a saddle and no horse or the owner paying a little percentage of what was paid for in the first place - as she already has the saddle she is ridden in we doubt she will buy the new saddle from us - as she isn't ridden much also.
The horse is open to offers but the owner won't even suggest what region she is looking in!
 
I have had horses on loan both with and without tack but not a problem as I have my own. Someone I know had a trekking pony for the winter and that came with a decent Wintec saddle - perhaps the owner could be persuaded to get a secondhand one. (Only about £130 off ebay).
 
I think my friends worry (as she will be the one buying the saddle) would be in case she cannot sell it on. Although that may be the only option that can be carried out.
Thanks a lot
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Our loan horse came with western tack including a saddle that didn't really fit (so we spent a fortune on saddle pads..) but no English tack as the owners tackroom had been broken into.
I bought a second hand Jeffies which then fitted the horse we bought subsequently so that was OK, but had to sell the bridle as it didn't!
I also spent a small fortune on rugs while we had her, because altho she came with some, they were pretty tatty or didn't fit.
But she was well worth it; ultimately we decided we didn't want to buy her as we were looking for a youngster but I enjoyed having her and it was a good experience of having a first horse for the OH!
 
I loaned a horse out with a view to buy - I did not provide a saddle but I did send her turnout rug and the neue schule bit she used.
The mare had a sway back which aslo meant saddle fitting wasn't that easy. The loaners, who were obviously very committed and had a saddle fitted for her at their own expense.
I would not expect everyone to do that but to me, it showed they weren't fly by nights and did care for the mare.
 
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