Leasing a schoolmaster PSG horse?

[LanternsAndStars]

Hello,

After hours upon hours of searching for a PSG horse which is for lease/loan/cheap I have come up short. I am looking for a PSG horse to help me through the levels and is capable of going to YR. I am wondering if anyone on here is considering loaning or leasing their schoolmaster? Not sure if I am able to ask this but hopefully I am!

Also - has anyone every leased a horse before? Was it useful, or would you never do it again?

Thank you!

 

[khalswitz]

Hello,

After hours upon hours of searching for a PSG horse which is for lease/loan/cheap I have come up short. I am looking for a PSG horse to help me through the levels and is capable of going to YR. I am wondering if anyone on here is considering loaning or leasing their schoolmaster? Not sure if I am able to ask this but hopefully I am!

Also - has anyone every leased a horse before? Was it useful, or would you never do it again?

Thank you!

Being absolutely perfectly honest, finding a sound, sensible PSG schoolmaster is like finding a needle on a haystack anyway, let alone one for cheap or loan. These animals are worth a lot of money, especially to do YR, because they are what everybody wants. The only way id say you'd find one is through word of mouth - if you were working with and riding with a trainer who had the connections you might be very lucky. But a horse like that is what literally everyone would want - it won't be advertised and it will go pretty quickly.

 

[LanternsAndStars]

Yes, I was expecting this really! It's worth a shot however. Thank you for the reply!

 

[ihatework]

This is where word of mouth and trainer support comes in. They are few and far between and those that are available will be rehomed via networking.

 

[Pigeon]

Yes, cheap, that's where you're going wrong haha

It is possible, but I think you need connections, and you're probably looking at having to continue training with it's current trainer or owner. Which will come at a price. You might be able to find an older retired horse who can show you the ropes, but it's probably not going to be suitable for competing. Something else to look at would be ex eventers, that have had an injury preventing them from jumping but are well schooled and bred and would suit a career in dressage. They won't be PSG horses though.

What level are you riding at the moment? A working pupil position would probably be the way to go, even just weekends, and you may get opportunities to compete. Also join BYRDS and get out as much as possible. You really need to market yourself! Make a blog and facebook page too!

 

[Oscar]

A PSG horse that is capable of being competitive on the YR circuit will cost upwards of £100k, there is one on Eurodressae now for €200,000-€250,000. A lease will be approx 15-20% of the horses value per year, paid in advance, plus insurance etc!! A loan would probably require the horse to remain with the owner. For a lease/loan option you will need references from reputable trainers.

Even a relatively cheap PSG schoolmaster that is sound will be upwards of £20k

That's why I always buy foals!!

 

[noname]

I know of one that is safe & sane, also a nice fun horse that hacks and jumps. always been in professional training. However cheap is relative at PSG level. I think this one is a bargain at £45k because he is easy. You'd have to be super lucky to loan an international horse. We're you drunk when you wrote that!!! 😜😜😜

 

[kc100]

From my time working on a couple of pro yards at weekends, they all had at least one schoolmaster type that had often been their first YR horse or one of their earlier horses, trained up to GP and could do all the moves - just a bit older than you might be looking for. So that is one route you could try, call up some of the pro yards in your area and ask if they have a schoolmaster they may consider loaning you or if they know of anything/anyone they can put you in touch with.

Alternatively I'd say you'd have to find a slightly lower level horse (something at medium/adv medium who has started learning bits of the PSG work) and then you bring it on yourself.

As everyone else has said, leasing horses at this level are like finding unicorn poo so you may have to settle for a horse at a lower level but has started learning the movements and is showing potential.

 

[wkiwi]

Just another thing to think about - you put 'to take you through the levels', but be aware that not all horses will accept going back down the levels again e.g. we got a mare for under £1000 that had done advanced medium in the past but not been ridden for a year (only saw it on the lunge as no-one would get on). Had been very well schooled, all lateral work and changes established; started piaffe/passage etc all with an ealier owner. Nothing wrong with her except that she has to be given the correct aids (interprets every movement as an aid), and started semi-rearing or bucking when the lower level rider didn't get it right. She just will not accept a lower level rider as she doesn't understand what they want and then gets upset. However, not all horses this responsive, but something to take note of.
So, consider aiming at just one or two levels above where you are at and then when you are doing well at advanced medium your name will become more well known and you will have more chance of finding a higher level horse. (Of course, you might already be at this level and if so then just ignore this comment!). Good luck

 

[J1993]

My friend leased a PSG horse which if I remember also competed a few inter 1s. She paid £1000 per month. She had her for about 16 months did really well with her and now she has gone to another rider. I'm only a prelim/novice level so my reaction to her was "omg £1000!!!!" She said that is cheap for what she's done!

 

[_GG_]

Agree with wkiwi.

Please don't take this the wrong way, I have no reason to think you're not asking out of genuine curiosity. However, You are obviously young yourself, wanting a horse to compete young riders and we often have younger people coming on here during half terms and holidays starting posts similar to this.

Really, if you genuinely want to get into dressage and improve yourself and work towards YR, you should look around your local professional dressage yards and either try and get weekend work or do a job around school that will help you to pay for schoolmaster lessons. There are plenty of places that do it, but generally speaking, high level schoolmasters are only loaned to those who are already at a certain level (which you may well be) and where there is a significant referee, like a trainer that has made the introduction between rider and owner. These horses are just too special to go to someone without serious references. As others have said though, even this option is not cheap in any way shape or form.

If you do get regular schoolmaster lessons and/or work a bit for a good yard/trainer, you will get your foot in the door to more opportunities. If you are really dedicated, focussed and talented, you may even be given the ride of a horse by someone that wants to help you develop...but this happens to maybe a handful of young riders each year out of thousands that are capable and wanting the same as you.

Hope that's not too negative, but it is realistic. I admire your ambition and wish you the best of luck.

 

[Morgan123]

Hello,

This is a really interesting post! I'd love to hear about what level you are riding at the moment? Do you haven a horse at the mo?

I agree with the others that you'd be bloody lucky to find something advertised, but I don't think it's completely impossible to to find a lucky chance. I know someone who events to three and four star level and was saying the other day she would consider putting her 3/4* horse out on loan or doing some sort of training livery thing with a young rider for him, but that's a one in a million opportunity for someone and is only the case because, unusually at that level, she isn't a pro rider but just has two horses who she loves. Also, to take a yr on, they would already have to be showing some really promising riding I guess!

Secondly, I think the problem with finding something is, if the horse has worked to psg before the only reason it's going to be on loan is probably that it needs a quieter life so most horses then might be retired to only medium or something. So it would be hard to find somethig that would take you all that way.....

I agree with the others that contacts are what you need, and that finding a decent yard and a working pupil position is the way to go.....

Good luck!

 

[sportsmansB]

The possibility of an ex eventer is worth exploring - though even the big eventing tests aren't PSG level - and they often have a long list of people who 'have their names' on them- owners, ex grooms, friends etc, for hunting or dressage. Also the complication of needing to pass various vet inspections along the way if you do keep going could make keeping them sound a challenge if they have had a relatively hard life
You really need to get in with a pro rider/trainer, show them what you can do, and then hope they find you one!!

 

[MillionDollar]

Yes it's possible, but for about £1,500 per month (can be lower or higher than this depending on the quality of the horse).