zeuscleoharmony
Well-Known Member
Following my previous post, I would love to know your positive experiences of loaning/sharing your ponies or horses. Did your ponies/horses stay on your yard? Go to a new home?
Loan/sharer good experiences - what are yours?
- Thread starter zeuscleoharmony
- Start date
chestnut cob
Well-Known Member
First one was a disaster but it was my own fault - firmly believe I only got the pony back because he was freezemarked, as I didn't get half of his stuff back..
Second family were brilliant. They'd been to see him first time around but I turned them down because I thought they were too far away (I was willing to let him leave my yard). When I got him back, I called them on the off chance they were still looking, which they were. I took references, visited their home and yard, met their YO, instructor, took copies of passport, driving licence, drew up comprehensive loan contracts which I had witnessed...
They took him away, called me every day for the first week, text every day for the next two, then it slowly tailed off to about once a month. I visited him about every 4 months, never felt I needed to more often as he was so well looked after. They really were the best loaners anyone could have wished for and he was happier with them than he ever was with me! They called if there was a problem, called to check if they could change his feeds, his bit....eventually I actually changed the loan contract to say they didn't need to defer to me for anything bar serious injuries and that I didn't need to be involved in day to day decisions.
After nearly 2 years, they bought him in June
Little sh** bucked her off today and broke her rib
Second family were brilliant. They'd been to see him first time around but I turned them down because I thought they were too far away (I was willing to let him leave my yard). When I got him back, I called them on the off chance they were still looking, which they were. I took references, visited their home and yard, met their YO, instructor, took copies of passport, driving licence, drew up comprehensive loan contracts which I had witnessed...
They took him away, called me every day for the first week, text every day for the next two, then it slowly tailed off to about once a month. I visited him about every 4 months, never felt I needed to more often as he was so well looked after. They really were the best loaners anyone could have wished for and he was happier with them than he ever was with me! They called if there was a problem, called to check if they could change his feeds, his bit....eventually I actually changed the loan contract to say they didn't need to defer to me for anything bar serious injuries and that I didn't need to be involved in day to day decisions.
After nearly 2 years, they bought him in June
Little sh** bucked her off today and broke her rib
welshied
Well-Known Member
My horse went out on loan 4 weeks ago and it has been a total nightmare and i am bringing him back home this week after going and finding his leg all cut up and don't thinki will ever do it again
dixie
Well-Known Member
Oh no - I've put my good experience under your bad experience post !!!
zeuscleoharmony
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Oh no - I've put my good experience under your bad experience post !!!
[/ QUOTE ]
You know what, Dixie, I have a knack for confusing people ... so don't worry - its me again!!!!
Oh no - I've put my good experience under your bad experience post !!!
[/ QUOTE ]
You know what, Dixie, I have a knack for confusing people ... so don't worry - its me again!!!!
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
I've put my own sharer experience in your other post, but from the other side I have had 2 horses on loan which has worked brilliantly. The first was from a trekking centre, as the horse was a bit on the wild side so no good for the trek. The owner loved him to bits but had no use for him, and just left me to it completely. I had him about 18months until I wanted to actually buy a horse - she didn't want to sell so I returned him (ETA by now he was suitable for trek leader). It was all very positive.
My current horse is loaned from a charity, so not quite the same as a private loan, but had her 5 years and been fab from the start.
My current horse is loaned from a charity, so not quite the same as a private loan, but had her 5 years and been fab from the start.
welshied
Well-Known Member
oops i put mine in the wrong section aswell
dozzie
Well-Known Member
I got into loaning by default really! I had a girl who was riding my pony when we lived in Reading. When we moved her parents asked if they could have the pony on loan but keep it at mine 15 miles away! She came up at weekends and rode. When she was older she rode my bigger horse. When she left to go to Uni I found a local girl. I charged £50 a month and was on hand to help if need be. Basically it covered her costs. But i was treated like an unpaid babysitter. I paid all vet bills and feed bills and the loanee only paid for damage caused by their negligence.
The next loanee was absolutely fantastic, I honestly couldnt have asked for better. Her mum would always stay so I wasnt tied to the yard and could do my shopping! Mum brought her up in the week (12 mile drive) and we shared the feeding etc. She also went on to ride my bigger horse but I could never completely wean her off the pony! Pony was 13.2hh, girl was 5'9! Fortunately she was a real lightweight! I totally trusted her and would have her back anytime. I even allowed her to ride Tricky Ricky which is saying a lot!
They had had a really bad experience with their previous loan pony so were grateful to have a good one!
So I kept them at home, and charged a fixed amount.
The next loanee was absolutely fantastic, I honestly couldnt have asked for better. Her mum would always stay so I wasnt tied to the yard and could do my shopping! Mum brought her up in the week (12 mile drive) and we shared the feeding etc. She also went on to ride my bigger horse but I could never completely wean her off the pony! Pony was 13.2hh, girl was 5'9! Fortunately she was a real lightweight! I totally trusted her and would have her back anytime. I even allowed her to ride Tricky Ricky which is saying a lot!
They had had a really bad experience with their previous loan pony so were grateful to have a good one!
So I kept them at home, and charged a fixed amount.
Slinkyunicorn
Well-Known Member
My cob is on permanent loan from a Rescue - does that count?? Basically i treat her as if she is my own and they visit 3/4 times a year and tell me I spoil her!!
My sister has had 2 ponies on loan for my neices - one was with us for about 4 or 5 years, again we treated her as if she was ours - tack, rugs, vets, farriers etc etc and she finally went home to her original owner who had been looking for her since she had given her up however many years earlier. The one that is on loan now belongs to some people who were at the yard and know little or nothing about horses/ponies and have not tried to learn have a lesson etc It did finally end in tears with a really bad accident - no one knows what happened but she bust ribs, punctured a lung and had serious concussion and split her hat open. Anyway my neice has same pony on loan - saddle was awful and has been changed as has bit and bridle for ones that fit properly as well as having regular farrier (instead of not since Xmas when farrier did them in MAY!!) and he is like a different pony - no more spooking, spinning etc as old saddle must have been agony (opinion of saddler) and he has also shifted his fat and no longer in danger of laminitis.
Neice will be competing in showjumping, hunter trials and ODE on him soon!
My sister has had 2 ponies on loan for my neices - one was with us for about 4 or 5 years, again we treated her as if she was ours - tack, rugs, vets, farriers etc etc and she finally went home to her original owner who had been looking for her since she had given her up however many years earlier. The one that is on loan now belongs to some people who were at the yard and know little or nothing about horses/ponies and have not tried to learn have a lesson etc It did finally end in tears with a really bad accident - no one knows what happened but she bust ribs, punctured a lung and had serious concussion and split her hat open. Anyway my neice has same pony on loan - saddle was awful and has been changed as has bit and bridle for ones that fit properly as well as having regular farrier (instead of not since Xmas when farrier did them in MAY!!) and he is like a different pony - no more spooking, spinning etc as old saddle must have been agony (opinion of saddler) and he has also shifted his fat and no longer in danger of laminitis.
Neice will be competing in showjumping, hunter trials and ODE on him soon!
0ldmare
Well-Known Member
I've loaned 3 times and can reasonably say its been successful for both parties. (Well you would say that I hear you say)
Ok, this is why I think its been good for us both...
1st horse loaned - 28 year old conny came as a companion. Wonderful wonderful sweetest old girl ever. She died at the age of 34. Her owner wrote me a lovely letter saying that no loaner could have been better and that Sheenie had had the happiest 5 years of her life.
Horse 2 my gorgeous mare on the left in my siggy. She came on loan and then after 18 months the owner asked if I would like to buy her so 3 did.
Horse 3 came on loan as a companion, is a total little horror, but I am curiously very fond of him. His owner hasn't been to see him for 8 years so (assume) they are happy
Actually perhaps they were glad to see the back of him and darent call incase I want to give him back lol
Ok, this is why I think its been good for us both...
1st horse loaned - 28 year old conny came as a companion. Wonderful wonderful sweetest old girl ever. She died at the age of 34. Her owner wrote me a lovely letter saying that no loaner could have been better and that Sheenie had had the happiest 5 years of her life.
Horse 2 my gorgeous mare on the left in my siggy. She came on loan and then after 18 months the owner asked if I would like to buy her so 3 did.
Horse 3 came on loan as a companion, is a total little horror, but I am curiously very fond of him. His owner hasn't been to see him for 8 years so (assume) they are happy
hellspells
Well-Known Member
My pony is on out on loan at the mo - I am actually visiting this weekend. Best thing I did for her (pics in PG!). I actually found her loan home through here!!
Edited to add pony is now a boat/plane journey away!!
Edited to add pony is now a boat/plane journey away!!
E_Lister
Well-Known Member
I shared a horse for about 2 years. I loved her to pieces but I was terrified of the owner at the time, I was constantly scared that she would ask me to stop doing her horse because she could always find fault in what I was doing (things like leaving the light on in the stable when I walked to catch her from the field after bedding down). But I loved the horse and we taught each other sooo much! After ending the sharing due to me getting my own horse on loan we are now really good friends, I think she was just a little posessive over her beautiful baby!
My current loan horse is a success story with a twist. I was lucky to find the perfect horse only 10 mins drive from my house and after riding her at her old yard for almost a month she came to my yard. However after an incident regarding some sheep getting into my field and scaring the living sh*t out of her she went lame. I immediately phoned her owner and told her exactly what had happened and how upset I was. The lameness turned out to be more serious than we first realised and she is currently about halfway through 6 weeks field rest at her owners yard so she can be carefully monitored by us both but her owner and I are getting on perfectly and we are working together to get her through this so she can come back to me sound and happy!
My current loan horse is a success story with a twist. I was lucky to find the perfect horse only 10 mins drive from my house and after riding her at her old yard for almost a month she came to my yard. However after an incident regarding some sheep getting into my field and scaring the living sh*t out of her she went lame. I immediately phoned her owner and told her exactly what had happened and how upset I was. The lameness turned out to be more serious than we first realised and she is currently about halfway through 6 weeks field rest at her owners yard so she can be carefully monitored by us both but her owner and I are getting on perfectly and we are working together to get her through this so she can come back to me sound and happy!
Lolo
Well-Known Member
We've pretty much always had loan ponies, ever since we were 7 and 10 respectively! We used to write long, detailed letters telling the owners all about our adventures with their pony, with photos, drawings, silly cartoons and any dressage sheet we had. They were innundated by stuff- and had open invitation to come and see their ponies any time at all. I can honesty say that those loan ponies were completely brilliant and worked beautifully for everyone.
somethingorother
Well-Known Member
I've had a part loan and 2 shares during my teenage years. Looking back i was a typical know it all teenager and might have been a bit annoying but i was good with the horses.
i had a miserable time part loaning a monster dales x as his owner was always away and didn't care how dangerous he was due to her letting him get away with everything as a cute baby. Gave him up after 6 months of it taking 4 hours for me and my friend to do him between us every night whilst being squashed, kicked, bitten and reared at.
BUT i had 2 shares for no financial contribution, just jobs which worked very well. Neither owner schooled their horses so were grateful for that side of things to be done by me. Both lasted around a year quite happily. Only problems were that one of them was a numpty who overfed the mare to the point where she was too hyper and excitable to think straight at times and looked heavily in foal. The others owner liked his booze before he came to the yard and got thrown off and undid my blood sweat and tears hours per day of work on a VERY difficult horse whenever he got on him. But that's a part of it i suppose, you have to just deal with these things. It was worth it for the reward of the horses improving so much as we went along and the bond i got with them both. Would love a share again now but i'm split 2/3 ways between uni, home and OH 30miles away at the moment.
i had a miserable time part loaning a monster dales x as his owner was always away and didn't care how dangerous he was due to her letting him get away with everything as a cute baby. Gave him up after 6 months of it taking 4 hours for me and my friend to do him between us every night whilst being squashed, kicked, bitten and reared at.
BUT i had 2 shares for no financial contribution, just jobs which worked very well. Neither owner schooled their horses so were grateful for that side of things to be done by me. Both lasted around a year quite happily. Only problems were that one of them was a numpty who overfed the mare to the point where she was too hyper and excitable to think straight at times and looked heavily in foal. The others owner liked his booze before he came to the yard and got thrown off and undid my blood sweat and tears hours per day of work on a VERY difficult horse whenever he got on him. But that's a part of it i suppose, you have to just deal with these things. It was worth it for the reward of the horses improving so much as we went along and the bond i got with them both. Would love a share again now but i'm split 2/3 ways between uni, home and OH 30miles away at the moment.
Dubsie
Well-Known Member
We're very, very lucky with daughters loan pony, who she has been riding exactly 1 year tomorrow - found the advert in the local tack shop. She's a companion to a TB and had been without a rider all year so was fat and fed up of being stuck in a field at the end of our road!
The owner is lovely, as she's there every day she sees to the pony unless she asks us - but I do text and ask if I'm passing and think a rug could come off/go on her TB if it's got hot or cold, plus if she's away they come to us or we help out. Otherwise daughter simply grooms and rides, we almost get told off for poo picking!
Pony hasn't been the easiest of cheeky Welshies due to not having been ridden much and never having had a consistent rider (she's 11 now), quite a challenge really (ditch rider, buck, mini rear, snatch reins etc)! Many lessons later it was a pleasure to overhear lots of people comment on how well they were going in the SJ on Saturday (joint 1st and trophy for most stylish round
).
Quite often her owner will come to watch a show, which is nice too.
Sadly daughter is getting rather long legs for an 11.2, not sure what we're going to do after/during next year, but may have a shorter friend who might be able to take over, and not sure if we'll loan or buy a bigger one it depends whats available I suppose!
The owner is lovely, as she's there every day she sees to the pony unless she asks us - but I do text and ask if I'm passing and think a rug could come off/go on her TB if it's got hot or cold, plus if she's away they come to us or we help out. Otherwise daughter simply grooms and rides, we almost get told off for poo picking!
Pony hasn't been the easiest of cheeky Welshies due to not having been ridden much and never having had a consistent rider (she's 11 now), quite a challenge really (ditch rider, buck, mini rear, snatch reins etc)! Many lessons later it was a pleasure to overhear lots of people comment on how well they were going in the SJ on Saturday (joint 1st and trophy for most stylish round
Quite often her owner will come to watch a show, which is nice too.
Sadly daughter is getting rather long legs for an 11.2, not sure what we're going to do after/during next year, but may have a shorter friend who might be able to take over, and not sure if we'll loan or buy a bigger one it depends whats available I suppose!
brighteyes
Pooh-Bah
No bad, all good and had many in but only two out over the years. Loans who were short(ish) terms were mostly helping other people out so duration was never meant to be longterm. Loved every one of them and cared for them with absolute deference to them belonging to someone else and with extra special regard to the owners' wishes. Can't be any other way, really. One of mine is out on loan atm and I keep a close eye on her, though the home is perfect. Contracts and CLOSE monitoring are a must and communication via telephone is equally important. Respect for the property of others is also hugely vital as far as I am concerned. I sent mine out fully equipped. I have most 'in' with nothing - maybe their personal, preferred bit - but I prefer to use my own rugs and tack etc.
We lost our most special girl in January, eight years after a loan turned into owning, and I owe the people who let her come to us everything. That little superstar pony gave us my most precious memories, ever.
We lost our most special girl in January, eight years after a loan turned into owning, and I owe the people who let her come to us everything. That little superstar pony gave us my most precious memories, ever.