Loaner wants me to go 50/50 on new saddle

[sbloom]

Am I the only one to find it odd that loaner has booked a saddler and bought a new saddle in a couple of weeks, over Christmas? It’s been a while since I last bought a saddle, but the wait for an appointment was over a month, then I had to wait for the actual saddle.

I think sometimes (not always) it speaks to the quality of the fitter - I took a provisional booking on 27th, offered them an appointment for the 4th Jan as they're local to me, by the third, chasing them three times, they'd already had another local fitter out (with a terrible reputation, but they're cheap).

This is really complex and is difficult to sort out if it lies outside of any contract. She has behaved badly but do not assume that the fitter is wrong, and also bear in mind that if the saddle doesn't suit the rider, whichever one of you, then it can harm the horse even if the saddle appears to tick all the boxes for the horse. I would try and have a conversation with her, that you won't consider paying a penny towards the saddle until you've seen the paperwork and that you'd need to be there for when it's fitted, not only to check the fit for the pair of them but also to see if it fits you if there's any chance of you riding the horse again. Otherwise keep your own saddle and let her buy hers.

If she has ordered a custom saddle then she may lose her deposit on cancellation, if she's ordered a standard saddle then the Ts and Cs will be different and may depend on what stage the manufacture is at. If the saddle has been started then she may forfeit a smaller part of the deposit or restocking fee. Making an unwanted saddle is expensive for stockholding AND the workshop could have made something instead that was neeed.

 

[paddy555]

She seems to be getting on in the loan home very well in all other aspects,

thank you

can I ask how you know this? do you visit them to check on your horse? if so then surely it was either discussed at the last visit or will be at the next. If not how do you know the loan home is working out for the horse? it could be the case that after 3 months the horse will be returned. It could be the case that the saddle doesn't fit as the horse has got thinner (not fitter) In your case before doing anything I would visit the horse and discuss things.

Is there anything in the loan contract about who supplies what?
if not then far from being chased for payment I would point out that the contract to buy the new saddle is between her and the saddler, her choice and nothing to do with you.

Does the contract say you are going to fork out for everything forever? when it needs a new haynet, vet's fees, a new water bucket, it treads on the reins and breaks them?

first thing to do is to visit and see the horse. Make sure she is going to pass the trial period. Otherwise she could well be taking you for a ride.

 

[Landcruiser]

Absolutely not on your nelly. She's had the mare a month, not even half of the trial period. If she's agreed to buy a new saddle, that's on her. YOU never agreed to it, OP. There is absolutely NO WAY you should pay a penny towards it, particularly given that it's been presented to you as a fait accomplice.

 

[SusieT]

When did you last have your saddle fit checked? I know plenty of horses sent with a falling apart ill fitting saddle and I think if the agreement was the horse came with tack that is the owners responsibility - morally as well- to supply good fitting working tack.
I'd have expected you to be involved in the decision - and at one of your regular visits to the new loan home did this not come up?

 

[PeterNatt]

I would ask for an report from an independent saddle fitter stating what the problems are with the current saddle before parting with any of your money. Sounds like a scam to me!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi everyone,

Just after people’s thoughts on my current situation.

I full loaned my mare out at the beginning of December on an initial 3 month trial, all going well to be a permanent full loan home.

Just before new year I received a message from her loaner saying her saddle didn’t fit her and she’d be willing to go 50/50 on a new one with me. Now my mare has had this saddle for many years, and I haven’t had a problem with it. However the saddle fitter has checked it with the loaner and says it doesn’t fit. I was away over new year and the loaner has gone ahead and agreed to purchase a new saddle and I have received a message tonight chasing me for the payment. Apparently if the loan ever comes to an end I’ll get the saddle? On the 50/50 terms.

Does this all sound right to you? It’s an unexpected payment and I really didn’t have the money this month. I obviously don’t want my mare to be uncomfortable, but at the same time I have no idea what saddle I’ll be putting money towards and the 3 month trial period isn’t even up yet.

She seems to be getting on in the loan home very well in all other aspects, so I don’t want to be on bad terms with the loaner.

thank you

NO chance


If loaner wants a new saddle they can pay for it, it might not suit you if she gives up the loan, so no I would not, she is loaning so anything she wants to buy it is her cost. Though with my shares I say no tack can be changed without prior consent.

What if the loaner gives up and wants you to buy her out the saddle, you could be stuck with a saddle that you do not like or want, and have the hassle of selling.


Tell them if they want it - they pay for it. Not easy selling second hand saddles.


If she starts to get funny I would terminate the loan agreement.

Why should you cough up the money and not use it? the moment she uses it, it becomes a second hand saddle and not worth as much.


She has got a nerve.

What will it be next? A new bridle- new rugs new................................................

 

[ester]

It works both ways though, you can have bought a saddle and the owner give 30 days notice to return the horse. . . and then you have a saddle you bought for a horse you don't have.

 

[SadKen]

No, because you already have a saddle that works for you and the horse, and you don’t need another one because you aren’t riding the horse as she is on full loan. I don’t buy things I don’t need and won’t use. You provided tack, which I don’t think you were even obliged to do, and if she doesn’t like it she supplies new tack which remains her property if the loan ends. And that’s before we get to whether you personally as the horses owner have trust in the fitter she has hired. Can’t believe she thought you should pay tbh which would ring alarm bells for me. What else will you be expected to contribute to down the line?

 

[marmalade76]

When I had the cob on loan, I bought a saddle to use on him and kept it when he went back. Wouldn't have occurred to me to ask the owner to pay for it.

 

[ester]

If the terms of a loan were that horse didn't come with saddle then yes I would expect to purchase one myself and keep it when horse left. But we don't really know what the arrangement is as OP hasn't given us anymore info.

 

[marmalade76]

If the terms of a loan were that horse didn't come with saddle then yes I would expect to purchase one myself and keep it when horse left. But we don't really know what the arrangement is as OP hasn't given us anymore info.

Indeed, but there's nothing stopping the loanee buying a saddle of her choice to use while she has the horse.

My dad loaned his horse out a few years ago, the loanee complained about the saddle provided, tried everything else in dad's tack room and then my saddle that I'd used when I was riding the horse, none were good enough so dad told her to buy her own in the end.

 

[nutjob]

But we don't really know what the arrangement is as OP hasn't given us anymore info.

We know that the owner has supplied a saddle which was previously OK for the horse for several years. Now the loaner has had a saddle fitter out of their own choosing who has determined that the horse needs a new saddle, not simply a refit. Without the owners consent the loaner who has only had the horse a couple of weeks is now demanding money to pay half the cost of the new saddle which OP has never seen and did not agree to.

This is a very bad start to a permanent loan agreement where the loaner is committing to expensive purchases without the owners consent then requesting money for it. It could be that there is a genuine problem with the current saddle but this should have been discussed and agreed prior to committing someone else's money and discussing other options. It's not the right way to behave and I would be PDQ going to check on what is else is going on with the horse.

 

[ester]

I did mention communication earlier

 

[ycbm]

I wish the OP would come back and tell us why the horse has gone on permanent loan. I reckon most people in receipt of a free horse like that would be so grateful that they'd just buy their own saddle. I can't help wondering if this horse is difficult in some way and the loaner is actually doing the OP a favour in taking it on. She posted in 2021 about buying unseen with a view to selling on for a profit, and looking for land to keep multiple horses on, so I wonder if this one won't pass a vet or something.
.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Someone i know got a horse on full loan and none of the tack fitted at all. Loaner brought all new tack for it herself and if the loan ever comes to a close the loaner will keep the tack and the owner of horse will have horse back with its previous tack.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I wish the OP would come back and tell us why the horse has gone on permanent loan. I reckon most people in receipt of a free horse like that would be so grateful that they'd just buy their own saddle. I can't help wondering if this horse is difficult in some way and the loaner is actually doing the OP a favour in taking it on. She posted in 2021 about buying unseen with a view to selling on for a profit, and looking for land to keep multiple horses on, so I wonder if this one won't pass a vet or something.
.

I have this on my share clause.
must not have any tack (saddle or bridle) introduced without prior knowledge and assistance of the owner..


Op could have something like.

The horse is on full loan to .....NAME...................... the equipment the horse is to be loaned with are as follows

Bit................. type...........
Saddle............ make..........
Rugs.........
bridle........... make.........

If the loaner wishes' to changes any equipment or tack it is understood they do this of their own choice and the owner of the horse is not responsible for any cost of additional tack or rugs/

that is what i would say sort of.

 

[dottylottie]

i think i might be going against the grain here, but i think the loaner could be reasonable to ask for half the cost if the saddle genuinely didn’t fit and/or was causing issues - if i was taking a horse on loan that came with tack, i wouldn’t expect to have to buy a new saddle because it didn’t fit. i would think a loan horse would be “good to go” in that sense, so if i’d taken on said horse thinking we could crack on only to find out i was going to have to shell out for a new saddle because the old one is causing issues i’d be upset.

HOWEVER, i do not think the loaner has gone about this correctly at all. owner should’ve been involved in the whole process and agreed to everything before it went ahead.

this is different if the horses saddle has been regularly checked and has fitted correctly up until the loaner has decided it doesn’t, obviously. in which case i’d be miffed at the loaner if there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the saddle!

for clarity - i’m not saying an owner should provide absolutely everything before a loan begins, if the horse doesn’t have a saddle and the loaner takes it on then it’s on the loaner to get one, im just saying i’d expect tack to fit correctly!

 

[PoniesRock]

As someone who previously loaned I found myself in the situation when my pony needed a new saddle. I bought her a new saddle and returned her old one to her owner, had the loan come to an end I would have returned the horse and kept the saddle. I kept the owner in the loop about the whole saddle drama I was having at the time so she was aware of what was going on. I wouldn’t have expected the owner to pay towards the saddle unless she had specified it needed to be a certain brand ect but she was just happy I was sorting a saddle which fitted the pony.

 

[w1bbler]

I had a loan horse several years ago. The saddle he came with didn't fit, luckily I had a saddle that could be adjusted to fit. I thought a full loan meant full responsibility for the horse.
I returned the non fitting saddle to owner & then sold my saddle to her when the loan ended ?

 

[Sanversera]

call her bluff. take the horse back and find someone new for it.

 

[mini_b]

I had a horse on full loan, saddle didn’t fit as horse got fitter and changed shape.
Bought my own second hand saddle that fitted and that I liked. Returned old saddle to owner.

 

[Kaylum]

I really wouldn't take the horse back because she wants a new saddle. I would see that as a positive. The saddle might not fit the person using it. Always keep communications open and just say sorry I can't afford one at the moment. If it doesn't fit the rider properly it could make quite a difference to how the horse works.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Hi everyone,































Just after people’s thoughts on my current situation.































I full loaned my mare out at the beginning of December on an initial 3 month trial, all going well to be a permanent full loan home.































Just before new year I received a message from her loaner saying her saddle didn’t fit her and she’d be willing to go 50/50 on a new one with me. Now my mare has had this saddle for many years, and I haven’t had a problem with it. However the saddle fitter has checked it with the loaner and says it doesn’t fit. I was away over new year and the loaner has gone ahead and agreed to purchase a new saddle and I have received a message tonight chasing me for the payment. Apparently if the loan ever comes to an end I’ll get the saddle? On the 50/50 terms.































Does this all sound right to you? It’s an unexpected payment and I really didn’t have the money this month. I obviously don’t want my mare to be uncomfortable, but at the same time I have no idea what saddle I’ll be putting money towards and the 3 month trial period isn’t even up yet.































She seems to be getting on in the loan home very well in all other aspects, so I don’t want to be on bad terms with the loaner.





























Ò

thank you you

So without you agreeing, she has ordered a saddle, expects you to pay half and if she returns horse, buy the rest of the saddle?
I would say pick it your horse and run!

I would of at least expected a discussion- how does she know you don't have another suitable saddle or that you are happy with the saddle or fitter she has chosen.

 

[honetpot]

I loan out, they go with full tack and rugs. The last one went with two saddles, they are listed, as I expected him to change shape with work. The only time I have been asked about buying a saddle, I met the fitter, who was absolutely rubbish, and tried a saddle that pinched, so they go sent away, The loaner and I then discussed what type would likely suit, they bought a second hand one, we tried it, I paid for it, so there was no misunderstanding who owned the saddle, and it came back with the pony.
Going on previous experience, I think they want their cake and eat it, and it starts off like this. You have the end responsibility and even if the loaner was experienced I would want to make sure the saddle fitted, to my satisfaction, because if it gets sent back with any problems you will be paying for it. I would be asking for horse back, but you only get to p$ss me off once.

 

[MagicMelon]

I can see both viewpoints, she has the horse on a trial period so to be honest you would expect the horse to come with a well fitting saddle for that period because she shouldnt be expected to be out of pocket straight away buying a saddle for a horse which might not work out. Different if she'd had the horse some time and was on a proper loan basis. But I also think she's gone about it wrong by agreeing to a saddle and then telling you OP you have to pay half of it! I think I'd want to speak to the saddler, maybe even get her out again and see in what way the saddle doesnt fit? Is it something that could be changed or at least made to work for the remaining trial period at least? Why did she have the saddler out, did she see signs the saddle didnt fit? I would have thought she'd have asked you first... does seem a bit weird. But I think Id want to go check on the horse just in case!

 

[abbijay]

I had a horse on loan, came with all tack but not necessarily what I would choose as we developed his way of going. His owner trusted me to make suitable decisions based on his training but we had known each other for over a decade and he wasn't my first loan from her. His saddle was ok, not great (for him) but useless for me for dressage and neither of my other saddles worked for him so I traded one for a second hand dressage saddle. I would never have thought to ask his owner to contribute to anything I chose for him, even if what he came with didn't work. But equally nothing I bought or used on him was going back with him! Our loan agreement did spell out what he came with, what condition it was in and that anything beyond fair wear and tear was my responsibility.
The main reason I ended my loan was communication issues - without good, clear communication you are on a hiding to nothing. You both should have discussed this before now.