How much should you hear/expect from an owner when you have their horse on full loan?

I send them texts, emails and pics to let them know what we're up to... They have 'reasonable access' but essentially I think that means I can extend an invite from time to time, they don't come uninvited.

How does it work for you?
 
As the owner I would love to hear when you are attending events to watch, or if not how you did. Otherwise a call every few months to say horse is well & generally what you've been up to is nice. Could always send email instead, maybe with a photo, the owner can see horse is looking well & cared for.
 
One of mine is on loan to a HHO member. I pop over when I feel like as I can see her over the fence.
She is happy as a pig in poop, and if there were any problems I know I would be informed asap.
I trust my loaners 110%, so dont feel the need to harrass for updates, I get them anyway!
 
Depends on the circumstances.

If a permanent loan - you have taken on the horse for the foreseeable future and it is effecively yours - not a great deal. May depend on how attached owner was to horse and they might want a catch up every few months - some don't even bother with that.

If it is a shorter term loan with the likelyhood of horse returning to owner - there may be a fair amount of contact as owner reassures themselves that horse is being looked after and worked to their standards.
 
I got an email about once a month and a phone call every other month from my old loan mares owners. It was more like once a week for the first month or so. She was their baby and they were terrified at first! They came to visit after the first 6 weeks as well. I also contacted them from time to time with questions or show results/photos etc. They came to a few shows with us as well. I think it depends on the situation. If someone is loaning because the can't afford/find time for the horse you might not hear much because they are busy. My mare was loaned because although they adored her she was a very quirky ride and owner had a bad back. So they had more contact because they were still interested in her. There might also be something in a loan contract about agreed visits etc.
 
Well I have my mare on a long term loan and her owner has been to see her once or twice since I have had her (4 years!). I'd say in the first few months I was sending her lots of photos and emails but after about a year that fizzled out and now I only get in contact with her owner if something is wrong, e.g. she had to have the vet out for laminitis. It's good because I know her owners trust me :) The owner is entitled to be allowed arranged visit (unless they feel the horse is under any danger and can turn up on the spot). Depends how much communication they would like I suppose but personally it would annoy me if they were too clingy and didn't let you 'just get on with it'.
 
my first pony (in my sig) is out on loan permanently and i tend to pop up uninvited about 3 times a year. I go uninvited as i want to see how he is really looked after. He has sweetitch so tend to pop up just before start of flies in middle of summer and then end of season. I also go up in winter if weather allows it!! but mainly through summer i trust the loaner and she would call if anything was wrong and has called to ask about changing his sweetitch treatment previously. He is always well looked after and she is aware i pop up un announced i go to see him not her. When her child starts to compete this summer i shall go to shows that she invites me to.
ETS it helps he has same farrier as me so i get 8weekly updates and if anything were amis he points out, he suspected v early signs of lami last summer, he told me as it was day he had seen him, loaner rang same night, i went up at weekend and we came up with a plan to prevent it...basically he needed more work not just eating all time!!
 
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Lovely...maybe it will get better for me!! Hes for long term loan, though shes told me that if she can ever afford him she will have him back. (only told me that after signing the contract and he was already with me!!!)

At the min ive had texts most days. Ive had him about a month! In fairness to her, most has been over the contract, i broke my knee the day he arrived so didnt get to sign the contract as was in A and E! BUt she rang me the day before last asking if she could come and visit him and bring another horse with her that i can ride and she can ride her horse and go out on a hack. Im quite grateful me knee is knackered for the time being cos i dont think id like to watch her ride the horse that im spending everything i earn and more and putting all my time into whilst im on some tiny old thing ive never met!! I more than unerstand why shes suggested this but think perhaps a 20min school ride would ahve been more appropriate with it being such early days!!! Weve already had trouble cos i wanted to stick to my own insurance company who i know well (unfotunatly) and theyve always been brilliant and my own farrier, vet etc. Managed to meet in the middle, ill use her vet in emergencies but mine for routine jabs etc (theyre alot closer so have less call out fee). I just wondered whether this was all normal or not cos if it was my mare on loan id want regualr updates and would go and see her etc. She told me the other day trhat she hasnt been to see him yet as if she does shell not be able to leave him with me and will want to take him back! :/ then why put your horse on loan!!! Shes added me on facebook, my suggestion, so she can see my status' and pictures and ive booked a fun ride which i ran past her first....

On the plus side though hes a lovely lovely horse and im so so happy with him!!!Im sure shell be ok eventually. Maybe she wasnt ready to loan him out :( Thanks for comments though :)
 
Sounds like your right about her not being ready to let go, but you seem to be managing the situation well. I can understand her staying away to avoid upset, think that's a good idea until she can come & stay calm about leaving him with you. Facebook excellent idea. Don't think she should come & ride him, as it's like getting you to pay for him & she gets a free ride when it suits her. She has loaned him out, end of. If she is in a position to take him back, after the agreed notice that's her perogative & the way it is with a loan. Just enjoy him whilst you have him, & don't waste time worrying about something which may never happen.
 
When we were younger, my sister and I would write monthly letters to the owners of our respective ponies. As we got older, this swapped to emails and fb updates. But pretty regular, and if anything happened we'd notify the owner ASAP. We also did phone calls for 'big' events- like when I did my first ODE and came 2nd I phoned my horse's owner. She came to see him compete a few times. I loved keeping in touch with owners bar one who was possessive and really did dent my confidence.
 
Eek Samantha 008 you are making me feel a little bit guilty. I have a horse on loan to the most fabulous person and maybe have been a little bit more involved that she would like.

If you have a horse you are genuinely fond of, it is quite difficult to let go, but I am sure that you will soon have the confidence of the owner and it will settle down into a happy situation.

In my defence I have tried to be a good owner, still pay some bills (insurance, teeth, etc) and still trail the horse to shows etc if necessary. So hopefully the loanee has forgiven me for being a little bit annoying sometimes!!
 
I have a horse out on full loan and I get updates about every 3 - 4 weeks on facebook. This suits both of us fine. I know he's being well looked after and I get to see photo's of him. I would hate to be one of those owners who are constantly interfering. I've only seen him once since last October as I'm too busy with my other horse and work etc.
 
I suppose it is still early days, she has obviously struggled with letting him go and is worried about whether or not she has done the right thing. I would expect that level of involvement to reduce over the coming months as she gets on with her life and gets used to him not being there, also trusts you with him a little more. He sounds lovely and I hope you enjoy having him.
 
Samantha008 said:
BUt she rang me the day before last asking if she could come and visit him and bring another horse with her that i can ride and she can ride her horse and go out on a hack.
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That would really piss me off!

I had a horse on loan with a really interfering owner, and it really put me off to be honest. She wanted updates after every competition, which was fine, but when I won or did well she'd accuse me of hammering him against the clock - things like that, even though she never watched me ride him or bothered coming to see him. It all ended rather badly, as she eventually decided after a few months that he was too old to compete [but it was what he lived for and was fit and well - and we only did a bit off unaff stuff]. She asked for 3 months notice to give up the loan which I gave, and then a week later I got a text at work saying she'd be picking him up in 10 minutes - I didn't even have time to say goodbye.

Anyway not really relevant other than to say that I would be very cautious of getting involved in a loan again unless the owner was really hands off - of course I'd expect an interest and the odd update, but ultimately if you don't trust someone to look after your horse then don't loan it out to them!
 
I have a permanent loan, no contact in last 5 years and I've had him for 6 yrs. The only contact we did have was when he cut his leg and needed antibiotics (owner a vet) in first year.
 
I have had a small pony on loan for 14 years and it is at least 10 since i heard ANYTHING from the owner. Even down to when the passport regs came in, I wrote to her, as pony is registered native, passport needed to come from the breed society, and I didn;t have reg papers to get it. I heard nothing. In the end, the breed society let me apply for the passport, and put it in the owners name, with my contact details on it.

Still heard nothing.
 
Can't really help as mine thats on loan is on the same yard! I try not to interfere or ask questions and let the loaner offer info as I don't want to seem like I'm watching over her and she's more than capable :) We do ride together and have ridden 'each others' horses but always on invitation of the carer (if that makes sense). I know my loaner really well and if we weren't on the same yard I'd probably buzz in for a brew or wine once a month as a social thing more than anything as we used to share a horse together!

When we did share a horse on loan together the owner used to pop up with carrots every couple of months or we'd give them a call to let them know how he was doing :)
 
i had a pony on loan (since been gifted to me) and the owner keeps in touch on a regular basis, she is on my FB as well so sees all the updates. she's been to visit a few times and is happy that she gifted her to us.

i know that if there was ever a problem and i couldn't keep her that she would do her upmost to have her back as she was/is a much loved pony.

i did say to my OH that whoever takes one of my other ponies on loan will hate me! i'm a good person to loan from but with this one in particular i'm going to be exceptionally fussy until i really know they will love him like i (now) do. he's been through a lot and is a cracking little pony but i can't keep him.
loan agreement will be tight, i will visit on a regular basis the first 6 months and expect contact from owner on a weekly basis. once the owner has satisfied me and shown they are capable of having my pony i will back off and let them get on with it. but i would be bad to start with as i don't want him being ruined.
 
JVB said:
I have a permanent loan, no contact in last 5 years and I've had him for 6 yrs. The only contact we did have was when he cut his leg and needed antibiotics (owner a vet) in first year.
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Similar situation here. Permanant loan, until payed for,neally 6 years later (in sept) and no contact.She used to harrass me all the time ,1st two years and threaten me via email because I didnt pay her for the pony ( NO DATES ON CONTRACT) ,but she kept lying to me about ownership,and refuses to give me the passport. One big mess. No contact since.
 
When i loaned a horse out to someone i visited unexpectedly probably about 2/3 times a year (once he was settled) I trusted the family very much and could see their other loaned pony was in fab condition and very happy- they were 100 miles away so distance was a problem. I would have liked to have seen more of him really.
When i loaned a pony the old owners paid her livery and vets bills which i think is very generous and would have gladly given them all the involvment they wanted but although she was very interested and commented nicely on any emails, texts etc i sent she didnt see the pony again until the day we had her PTS then she came just to lay her mind at rest that everything went ok.
In the case of the op i would be getting slightly peeved tbh!
 
I started full loaning a horse about 6 months ago, the first 6 months was a trial period, and I always said that his owner was more than welcome to do 'spot' visits any time she wanted. I sent her texts every now and then just to say he was all ok and very happy, when we first got home etc. Only once did I have to phone her when I wanted to ask her opinion on something.

Im now the proud owner of my boy, she was more than happy with how I was looking after him. I sent her regular photos to prove that he was ok and that was that. I will keep in touch obviously as he was very dear to her. I think if someone trusts you enough then they wont need to hear from you all the time.
 
I have my boy on full loan, had him for 3 years this August, and I never hear from his owners unless it's in reply to an email/text I have sent them. They don't always reply to emails unless I attach some exciting jumping pics (have never yet had a reply to one containing dressage / flatwork pics!) and even then it's usually just along the lines of "great photos, lovely to see how well he looks / how well he's doing / see him doing something he loves".

I tend not to phone them as they panic and think he is ill so I just send a text or email periodically to let them know he is still alive. I used to email them once a week which tailed off to once a month and now it's about every 3 months, sometimes longer. They never contact me and apart from visiting him briefly when I left our last yard (2yrs 5 months ago), they have never been to see him. I have gently broached the subject of lack of contact/visits and they say they can see he is happy and looked after so don't feel the need.

Personally I'd like a bit more contact but then again the chance of them asking for him back is about 0.0001% so it is essentially the same as having my own horse. When I put my own horse out on loan, I spoke to the loaners probably once a month, sometimes more, and visited every 3 months up until they bought him from me.
 
I have just (3 days ago!) put my horse out on loan, and this is something which has been really worrying me! I don't want to appear like I'm harassing her loaner for info and equally i don't want to appear disinterested. Fortunately for me, the loaner is my instructor and my horse has stayed at my old yard, so I will see her from time to time as I will still be going there to ride other horses and to muck out/help out on occasion. I'm very conscious that in future (not so much now as it's very early days) that I need to strike a happy medium between harassment and showing an interest! I'd class the lady who is loaning as a friend so am pretty confident it will all work out very nicely.

Having said that, the very first day with her new 'owner' went a bit wrong and my naughty horse trashed a gate, cut her leg and let herself and her mates into next door's nice green field - oops :o
 
i took a horse on full loan... the owners came up 4 times in 1 week :o

that was too much!!....

if i put my horse out on full loan i think id want emailes every 2/3 weeks and a visit once a month whether they are there or not.... but then again she would stay on my present yard so i woul dhav e people checking up daily :)
 
I have 2 of my horses out of full loan, and also had one out previously, i generally leave the loanees alone, but have them as friends on Facebook, so get nearly daily/weekly updates, they are instructed to ring me asap if ever the horse is ill/injured.
Bar that i ask to be notified if attending a show so if i have time i can attend if not they give me an update, also i always get updates after lessons.
I always start off once a month, but then leave it as a now and then visits but never longer than 3-6 months.
But i am very lucky as in both of my loanees i trust to care for the horse they have as they both love them to bits.
I most likely have more photos of them 2 horses now than i ever did before they went on loan
 
I would expect to hear from Owner as often as they felt necessary but hopefully frequency lessening over time.

OP, maybe your loan horse's owner didn't want to loan but was maybe in a situation where she had to? it sounds like she misses the horse desperately and to be honest I would see no harm in letting her ride. maybe let her do it on her own... with you at the yard obviously but let her school / hack out while you're mucking out or something just so it's not quite so 'in your face'... when she gets back you can then ask her how it went - as an owner would to someone else riding their horse (so you're flipping the scenario on it's head) also try YOU contacting HER to give her information, rather than her asking for it all the time... might help put her at ease.

As for the vet . insurance co thing... I think thats fair enough, although why she would insist on using a vet that is located further away for emergency situations I don't know but each to their own I guess! at least by agreeing to it you are putting the responsibility on her and if, god forbid, anything were to go wrong, it's not you or YOUR vet to blame...
 
CBFan said:
I would see no harm in letting her ride.
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I have to disagree with you here. The horse is on loan to the OP, OP is paying all the horse's costs, and is liable for any damage to the horse, third parties, the owner during the loan period etc. Not to mention the fact that OP is probably doing all the horse's chores too!

It does make sense though for OP to be free with information and updates to reassure the owner that horse is well loved and looked after.
 
I must be the owner from hell!!

My little boy is out on permanent loan, as of 3 weeks ago this weekend. He's ben on loans before, and has been beaten/abused/starved/dehydrated etc, and that was from someone we knew AND got references from! So, I am obviously very wary of what he does etc. The lovely girl who has him was made to come out regularly before she got him, and then we contact all the time (almost daily via facebook). However, in my defence, we did warn them this would be the case for the first few months, until we knew he wasn't too much for them, and they weren't going to abuse him!

I expect to go uninvited, they gave me permission, whenever I want, within reason. I expect to be able to ride him once a month (even though I wouldn't) and i expect to be able to take him to a competition as long as they have notice and are not doing anything. This also allows them to compete him.

My other horse is on a yearly renewable contract. He's my 2 day eventer (turned showjumper, turned show horse), and is rather precious. His last loan home, my mum grew up with her mum, knew they were capable etc., but unfortunately, he went to a girl who got bored after 9 months, didn't ride him, and when she did just galloped him everywhere, and then gave him back after 11 months. He is now on loan to a lovely boy, who will be competing him, who again we know very very well!

This time round, I will be keeping a much closer eye on my horses, however, I think I have reason for it, and they were both warned prior to being loaned out that I would be a pain for the first few months.

After about 6 months, I will go visit once every 3 months or so, and keep in contact via facebook, but not be so annoying [= but still expect to be able to ride and compete etc. within reason.

bexcy-bee x
 
Ive lent horses too a HHO member and she emailed or facebooked me whenever anything fun or interesting happened with them or with pictures.

Now one of mine is with one of my close friends at a yard that I used to be at just down the road. She mails me all the time and I know I could go and see him whenever and that she would happily let me ride him. I take one of mine over to hack with them maybe once or twice a month (I am invited more often!!) She often posts love for him as her FB status which is cute.

I think its down to trust, if you trust who has got them then its ok. Maybe it will get better for you in time. Also I think that if I just loaned a horse to someone who just broke their knee it would make me a bit worried as Id guess that my horse would be cared for by other people and if you were coping etc. Maybe thats why shes a bit pestery?!
 
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