Loan horse is now for sale :(

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HollyJ

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Bit of a pointless post really as i know no-one but me can tell me what to do. Basically we got a mare on long term loan 6 weeks ago... today we got a call that shes now for sale.

Price is reasonable but the whole point of the loan was that we didn't want to buy at the moment. Now i feel that we;re in a situation we didn't want to be in...
Any advice for anyone thats been there...

Financially its not a problem... psychologically it is, after the heartbreak of losing my lovely boy three years ago :(

Do we bite the bullet!!
 
How long have they given you to think about it? Will they take her back to sell if you decide not to buy her? Is she the right horse for you?

I ask these questions because my friend ended up in the terrible situation of showing potential purchacers the pony she had on loan but decided against buying. The owner had also said in the ad that the pony was a novice ride, which it wasn't.
 
Do you like her enough to want to buy her? If not, then I would send her back before you get even more attached, don't feel you HAVE to have her if she's not going to be the horse for you. Have you got a loan agreement in place? It's a bit of a horrible thing for the owner to put her up for sale so soon into the loan - perhaps she is assuming that you will now cough up the reddies but you are perfectly entitled to return her and I wouldn't show her to other prospective purchasers either, that's not your job.

How long were you supposed to be having her for? I guess the owner must REALLY need the money as her costs are now already considerably reduced with you paying all the associated costs for the horse as the loaner.
 
We were meant to have her for a year and then after that however long we liked. The owner said she didnt want to sell her - then a few weeks down the line she does?!!

i would buy her but she is 17 so no spring chicken and she has an old injury which she is fully recovered from. i don't feel that a few weeks is long enough to know if that would cause any problems in the future. i took the chance with loaning her as i knew that at the end of the day she could be returned longterm -- buying is a whole new ballgame!

shes so lovely, not put a foot wrong and is everything i've been looking for really. i think i just liked having that 'crutch' of another owner to fall back on.

decisions decisions > that i didnt want to make :mad:
 
Who is supposed to be showing this horse off for potential purchasers??

Take her back on the weekend if you're not going to buy.

(((((((((((( hugs )))))))))))))
 
amymay said:
Who is supposed to be showing this horse off for potential purchasers??

Take her back on the weekend if you're not going to buy.

(((((((((((( hugs )))))))))))))
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Thanks- i've not even asked that but i'm afraid it won;t be me :confused:

Re taking her straight back - I will...with a note so self not to bother with loans ever again. :(
 
It seems unfair to let you have her on loan and then after such a short time to sell her.

I have loaned out ponies and horses but not without problems but if I find someone who gets on so well with them I would be more appreciative.

I tend to find that they come back just after the start of winter when costs rise and the reality of horse ownership dawns on them.

You took on a horse at a difficult time of year and helped the owners out. I wish you were near me and I would let you have one of mine! :D
 
Aww how terrible of a situation to face, did the owner at the time of the start of loan ever mention future plans? ie selling? I am sorry this has happened to you, this is always my fear too of loaning one...sadly I would give the mare back as soon as possible for the owner to then show prospective new buyers shame for the mare too..being passed around in such a short space of time.

What will you do now then?...get your own as and when you are ready and not to be forced into buying one...shame :(

Hugs I feel for you xx
 
HollyJ said:
We were meant to have her for a year and then after that however long we liked. The owner said she didnt want to sell her - then a few weeks down the line she does?!!
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Do you have a contract?

if yes

What does your loan agreement say?

legaly as If it says loan will be reviewed in 12 months it is a breach of contract by the owner, say to the owner you will loan for 3 months and after that will consider a purchase (but set the price now), as you did not enter into this loan with a view to buy, if she refuses then your best move is to hand the mare back

good luck XXXXXXX
 
Contract is for review in june but as they usually are its 30days notice on either side if for any reason either of the parties wants to break the agreement.

Sale was never discussed as the owner said she never wanted to sell her on but circumstances have changed. price saying that is fair so thats not really the issue.
 
mmmmmm......

then the decision is yours, I would stongly suggest if you are interested to do a 3 month trial before you buy, and like mentioned if the owner refuses then its hard but probably best to walk away


sorry hun, but there is not much more you can do, XXXXX
 
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If you decided to buy a horse would you be looking for a horse like her? You mention her age and soundness problems which are really reasons for counselling someone NOT to spend money on a horse, so I suspect the answer may be no. In which case I think you need to bit the bullet, let the owners know that you are not interested in buying that you would be interested in continuing the loan but if they wish to put her on the market they have to take her back and sell her directly. You may well find they change their minds about the sale, but even if they don't you'll be free to look for another loan horse of which there seem to be quite a few about at the moment so you should have plenty of choice.
 
I would be a bit worried that the owner previously couldn't sell her, or knew that a 17 year old with an old injury is worth not a lot, so decided to loan out hoping that a loaner would get attached and buy.

Although older horses are fantastic and can go on forever. My experience is that I loaned my girl when she was 16 and we had a fantastic 8 years riding together before I had to retire her but it went so quick (and she was a low-mileage horse with no injuries). However saying that I bought a 4 year old and I only had her 3 years before she had to be retired.

I hope things work out.
 
id send her back, i got stuck showing prospective buyers around my loan pony.

So there's me with my crutches unable to weight bear properly trudging through mud to catch said beast, not one of the people that came to view offered to catch her & one moaned at me for her being covered in mud & me not riding to show her off (im now grounded permenantly) they were firmly told if they had issues to take it up with THE OWNER!

sounds to me like they are going to rely on you to do the leg work, if you are not going to buy send her back NOW
 
I'd call their bluff.

Phone up and say that as the owner has broken the loan agreement then they can collect the horse on the weekend.

I suspect they were hoping you would either buy or be the mug to fork out livery and show the horse off for potential purchasers. Now they will face the prospect of having to do that themselves.

I imagine they will back track quicker than you could possibly imagine .....
 
The suspicious side of me says they knew they would have problems selling her, so offered her for loan hoping you'd fall for her & choose to buy her.

I took on a loan horse aged 17, 2 years later her owner lost her job. I knkew when this had happened a few years previously she had been advertised, & only the meat man was interested then. Whilst the owner never mentioned selling her, I approached her & asked to buy her. I paid £200, got to keep that wonderful mare who retired from competative riding aged 27, stopped being ridden due to arthritis aged 28 & passed on aged 29.

It can be worth doing if it's the right horse & price. Only you know the horse & if that's what you want to do. If not, tell them you'll be returning her this weekend (before you get any more attached) as they have broken the contract. Tell them you will not be present to show her to any prospective buyers, & until the horse has been returned to her you are paying for sole use so she wont be available for viewing until you have returned her.

Harsh, but it's not exactly fair putting you in this situation. She should have warned you when writing the loan agreement, & kept to the notice. Even if it was to say 'I'll be taking her back in 30 days as I need to sell her'. Bet she would rather you pay the bills whilst she is advertising. Sorry, been burnt a few times, tend to suspect the worse when things like this happen.
 
brighteyes said:
Nice owner - horse is 17.
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Wasn't sure what you meant by that?

Thankyou all so much for the replies. Having slept on it - i'm still not sure...but as a few of you have said - would i have bought a horse of this age with an old injury and the answer is no...

I have also considered that maybe her owner knew that this is true of most people so has seen her settled and decided to try their luck .

what a horrible situation...i know i'm a mug for animals so this is a really bad situation for me :mad:
 
ihatework said:
I'd call their bluff.

Phone up and say that as the owner has broken the loan agreement then they can collect the horse on the weekend.

I suspect they were hoping you would either buy or be the mug to fork out livery and show the horse off for potential purchasers. Now they will face the prospect of having to do that themselves.

I imagine they will back track quicker than you could possibly imagine .....
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/\ /\ Ditto this!
 
There is a chance that the owner has been stuggling with the thought of letting her go and now she's getting used to the idea and needs/ wants the £££

I really can not see that buying a 17 year old horse is viable at this point not with so many younger fitter models on the market.

another vote for tell her to come and collect her asap as you don't want to get attached or stuck with the sale (what a faff)

Good luck be strong x
 
miskettie said:
I would be a bit worried that the owner previously couldn't sell her, or knew that a 17 year old with an old injury is worth not a lot, so decided to loan out hoping that a loaner would get attached and buy.

Have to say I agree with miskettie. Sounds as if the owner is hoping you will have fallen in love with the horse and will hand over the cash. Even if she agrees to let you continue with the loan, it would seem this person is going to cause trouble. Much as I feel sorry for the horse, this isn't your problem. Upsetting though it is, send the horse back and start with a clean slate. And don't be put off loaning. I have loaned 3 horses in the past and all the owners have been fantastic. All the best x
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Horrible situation but if she is what you are looking for I'd buy her. I don't think 17 is any great age, you could have years of fun with her. If you are worried about the old injury maybe get a vet to check her over.
 
I'd ring the owner to ask why they have changed their mind about loaning her out. They may genuinely have had a change of circumstances which mean they need to sell her to raise money for day to day expenses.

However, I would make it clear during that call that you won't be showing her to prospective purchasers and that they will need to pick her up. Or if you do decide you really want to keep her make a very low offer, the chances are with the number of horses available at the moment it could easily be the only offer they receive.
 
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