Loan with view to buy; Experiences?

[Boodle]

Hey
As most of you know we're currently selling my sister's 16.2hh Grey TB gelding, Rocco (as she is at uni). We've had a few viewings and had an offer but the person wishing to buy was just not suitable for him. (Boarding school - ridden weekends/hols).

I think the main problem is he is green as, plain and simple we don't have the facilities to bring him on any further.

We haven't had any timewasters view him and all have been wonderfully honest about why he isn't suitable for them. He's not a ready made horse and he does need bringing on but has the enthusiasm and the potential to be a great horse given time.

The problem is, we have absolutely no grazing. We have our 4 ponies, all suffer health problems of some sort, but all can live off the grazing we have available. Rocco being a TB needs more good quality grazing, possibly stabling at night, and more structured and intensive work than what I can offer him.

It was decided today that we were going to put him up for "Loan with view to buy". Should the loanee not wish to purchase, then by the time he does come back then we will have abit more grazing available for us, and with the drier weather coming in, perhaps even a place for schooling and basic jumping.

I do think this would give abit more interest, as there would not be such pressure, as if he is not right for the buyer, or vice versa then he can come back without too much lost.

We want to make sure he goes to the right person, and that the person gets him and they know any of his hang ups and are ready to work with them.

Sorry for this essay.
What I'm really looking for is any experience of Loan with view to buy, and any advice on how we should go about this.
Eg, set loan period and then decision etc.

We do not want to sell him, but circumstances are against us.

Just because I loves him, this is Rocco (rockysocks )

Any input more than welcome.

 

[RunToEarth]

We did loan a few out but in my experience loaning horses never works out well. One loan with view to buy came back lame. I feel worried enough about me riding my own horses, out hunting I am always concious about legs, fitness etc etc. I would always be worried about loaning horses out when trying to sell them incase something did go wrong.

 

[0ldmare]

I bought one of my horses after a successful loan. I know this is slightly different to your scenario because originally the owner just wanted to loan her, but after I had had her for a year they realised how well the horse and I got on together and she offered to sell her to me.

I think its just the case of waiting for the right person and making sure you visit the yard, check them out etc, but in my experience its worked well and I still have the horse 7 years later!

 

[Tikka]

I'll never put a horse out on loan with view to buy, put a cleveland bay out, who was about 6, complete novice and wintered out, they came to try him and want to jump him, so put a course up at about 3'6 and he flew around and saw a jump which was about 4'3 and just took it in his stride, when he sees a jump he'll take you and sort himself out. So of he went with them, and I said that even though ridden in pelpham (just as he was lighter), he his snaffle mouthed, and hates any other bit. They phone back a month later saying he was no good, so want to pick hi up and tryed to jump him and he refused a 2' jump, and he was buted up as next day he was lame and got the vet out and he said he had been like this for about 1 week, tendons were damaged and never seen to, so might never be sound again

 

[Tharg]

Yikes Tikka, I hope you made them foot the bill or at least made sure they had a "reputation"

 

[oliviacharley]

you have to be really careful with this...I personally have not had a great experience, but when my pony did go out just on loan she came back, fitter, better in traffic and much better schooling...
However when I loaned her to a lady with view to buy she was meant to have her for three weeks but bought her after 1 week...I found out that since I sold her, 4 weeks later she was lame and now can not be ridden...( I unfortunately saw an ad offering her up forsale as a companion pony only) so im not too sure what happened but it upset me deeply and I wish really I had not sold her on...I owned her for 15 yrs and nothing was ever medically wrong with her and she was never lame - I secretly wonder if something went wrong while she was on loan and I was never told about it even though I was very strict about do's and donts.....
I think as long as you can visit, make sure they use your vet so he knows if there are any changes and have a good strong contract mentioning everything you want for him, rules and feeding details you shouldnt go wrong...
I visited my pony on loan the first week after she arrived and then every other month so I knew what was going on...I understand this could be different for you and you might not beable to visit as often but just make sure the contract is sealable and at least try to visit once while he is on loan...

People unfortunately take this as a good opportunity to have a horse, ride them into the ground and then give them back with problems so I would just say be very careful and ask for references....also visit the yard he is going to....
good luck....
BTW - as long as a horse is happy with you I think that is all that matters...I realise you are saying that you dont think you can give him all he needs, but I think it is so hard for horses nowadays to find good, honest owners and visa versa...are you sure you cant keep him

 

[Boodle]

Thanks for all the replies.

Rosie - It is a worry, should we loan him out then we would be sure to check where he was going and check on him whilst he was on loan.

Oldmare - That's the appeal for us. Money isn't the be all and end all, if by the end of the loan we can see Rocco is not happy and is not suitable for the loanee, even if they do offer to buy we wouldn't sell unless we were sure.

Echo Tharg, Tikka. What an awful thing to happen.

Definitely something to bear in mind when considering this.

Herringbone - A very sad story re: your pony.

I hope she is ok.
Keeping him just really isn't an option. Namely because of the money side of things. My Mum's just lost one of her jobs and so selling him is now a must in order to keep the other 4 and get them the care they require. Eg treatments and specialist farriery.
He doesen't have a stable future with us, as i'm 17 and i'll be leaving school in May to go travelling/college/uni in Sept. While his owner, my sister, is already down South at Uni there is no one to give him the care he requires. My Mum is not confident around him like she is round our ponies.
I would love to keep him for myself as I have nothing sound to ride, but he was the last here and unfortunately that means he has to be the first to go. As hard as it is.

 

[brighteyes]

Would you loan me a horse? This is Polly, 28 and after two major health crises. Loaned to us in 2000 and cost us a fortune in vets fees. We never asked for a penny help from the day we got her and she came with nothing.....

or this.....
On loan then we bought her

And both of these were with us - the dun for 18 months and the chestnut for six

Lots of people have trusted us to look after/ straighten out/ borrow their ponies and in return we have cared for them all to the highest level and handed back improved, happy, fit and sound ponies. I can't thank them enough for their trust and their ponies. Q not aimed at Boo - I'd hand over any of mine to her in a heartbeat......... just putting a word in for the honest folks.

 

[cellie]

There are some good loanees.I have welsh cob for my daughter we have had her a year and we treat her as well as our other horse .She only plodded round when we first had her she now goes to pony club the beach is ridden5 to 6 days a week and loves jumping all of which she had never done before.The owner is so happy she has offered her to us indefinitely.When my daughter does outgrow her (she is 14 2) I will try and keep her on our yard so we can help the new loanees and because we are so attached to her.I speak to her owner and send photos and have even encouraged her to come for rides.I originally wanted to buy her but the owner realised that my daughter will need to move on we probably have as near perfect arrangement as possible.
Im sure youll find him a good home I would be interested as I have a tb and love them but want to keep the welsh cob as long as possible.good luck with rehoming

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

I'm a good loanee! Asked on the forum if anyone had a weight carrier for confident but novice husband, and epsom loaned us her cob Echo with a view to buy a few months later.

Echo did actually put my husband on the ground when we went to try him, which if we had been viewing him on an outright sale basis would probably have put us off. As it was, we were pretty sure he would settle down in a new place, and he did. We bought him three months later.

I also put my cob on loan about nine years ago, he went to a very keen teenager for a year, she had regular lessons on him, and they both had lots of fun! Although he had a different lifestyle and less schooling than I would have liked him to have, overall it worked out very well.

If Rocco needs a bit of time or is quirky, a loan could be the decision maker for someone to take him on. Good luck whatever you decide to do, and if he goes, I hope you get offered something nice to ride, I realise from your earlier posts that Rocco is the only one left to ride.

 

[oliviacharley]

which uni is your sister at..? Im at oxford brookes :0)

 

[Flame_]

You sound such a nice owner you deserve something to ride for all the time and love you put in. If some of your ponies are having considerable health problems you should seriously consider having them PTS. It doesn't make you a bad person if you don't give unlimited numbers of horses a long retirement. Good luck if you still choose to sell the most enjoyable one.

 

[aimeerose]

Personally i would either loan or sell - with 'loan with view to buy' you could well end up getting a messed up horse back when a 'better' option comes along for the loaner. Either cheaper, more experienced etc

In my experience loaning has brilliant, my mare is out on loan and has a brilliant new 'mum' and is very loved.

BUT i have had experiences where 'loan with view to buy' has gone horribly wrong.

I have to admit i do agree this KVS tho, you work so hard you deserve one you can ride.

 

[Boodle]

Ah brighteyes - You give all your ponies such a wonderful life. Do you want another?! Lol. It's nice to hear positive experiences.

Cellie - That sounds like a perfect arrangement. You're lucky to have found each other. Thanks for replying.

Francisthedog - Wow! That's a lovely story. That's what I thought Re: First impressions. Rocco does take a wee while to adjust to a different rider, and to get into his stride. Mainly due to him being so green. So that's why I think LWVTB would be a good route. Thanks for your input.

Herringbone - She's at Nottingham. And loves it.

. Are you enjoying Oxford Brookes?

KVS + baggage - Have had it suggested to me before. One, Boo has arthritis of the hocks, and fetlocks of her hinds. But is still sound for light hacking and everyday life. She also has weakness in the pedal bone of her near fore, which requires remedial farriery for both fronts (to keep her level). She is also laminitic. So while she has many leg problems, she's only 16 and still a very happy bunny.
Joey out 6yo Shetland has UFP and was a rescue case, he is also laminitic and has sweetitch and is Boo's side kick. They are attached at the hip!
Trixie was my first pony, is rising 34 and has COPD and struggles to keep the weight on over winter. But is otherwise very healthy.
While Shadow is my sister's 1st pony and is arthritic and requires correctional farriery for her fores, she is 28 but is otherwise exceptionally well.
IMO none of there hangups would warrant having any PTS as they are all such happy bunnies.
I would prefer have them and keep them well for as long as I can as opposed to buying something I can ride etc. Though very often I do despair and feel rundown about the whole deal.

I do hope that come summer when i have a job I can afford to get my own pony to bring on and possibly sell, but I have been offered the ride on some new horses at a nearby yard. Which I may or may not accept... I'm very wary of getting involved with other peoples horses as I have been, and currently, being treated like cr*p by owners.

Thanks for the input.
Definitely alot to discuss with my sister.