Loaning an older pony

clopper

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20 February 2009
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Hi there - just wonering if anyone can help as I have only ever loaned one pony years ago and it was younger so I insured it for vet fees.

I now have the opportunity to loan a total school master - he is older(20+ exactly unsure but don't tell him!!) and the owner want him kept in work so he doesn't decline but doesn't want to sell him. I have a kids that he is perfect for so am delighted witht the offer of the pony.

Only thing that worries me is setting up a loan agreement as I don't think I would get vet fee insurance for this pony and I wold't want to have to remortgage my home to keep the little guy alive but it does worry me slightly as it wouldn't be my call when to draw the line on treatments. Any ideas how to go about this?
 
I think, in a case like this that the original owner has to take some responsibility for any vets fees too. I know it wouldn't be the case in a standard loan but then the loaner would have the option to insure and only have the excess to pay.

Ask the owner to amend the loan agreement to include that you pay for jabs etc plus the first £x00 of any vets bills, after that either they pay or make some very hard decisions....basically if they are deciding how long treatment goes on it's not at your expense...
 
I have been loaning a 26yr schoolmaster pony for 5 mths. I have an agreement with the owner that I cover insurance (petplan veteran insures for emergency, injury & 3rd party only) jabs, and usual upkeep inc feed, veteran supplements shoeing etc and they will cover the bute (he has arthritis) and any vets fees due to illness. I think this is very fair, and would insist on this if I had a veteran again. I think owners loaning such elderly horses really have to take responsibility for the vets fees arising from age related or other illness and TBH any decent owner would. As a loanee, I like to keep the owners informed at all times of health etc, that way its easy to make decisions about their care.
 
I have a 23year old pony out on loan,all I ask is they insure him 3rd party, and would pay up to £500 if he was injured(ie cut himself in the field). I pay for his vaccinations, if he was ever ill and if he needed on going medication for an illness.
It costs so much to insure an oldie for vets fees its really not worth it and at his age I would not want him to have major surgery and if he was seriously ill I would want to have him home to nurse him anyway.
The insurance has to be taken out in the owners name so if they want gold plated insurance perhaps you could negotiate that they pay a percentage.
 
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