Looking to Lease a Show Jumper

[LEquus]

I'm an American here for a few years and I've been loaning a nice little horse to get me started jumping again. His contract is up in Autumn and I've been thinking I want to upgrade to a serious jumper to take me through the levels.
I don't want to buy as I don't want to have to sell or ship when it's time for me to leave.
How do I go about finding a competition horse to lease? I imagine it's mostly by word of mouth, but I haven't done much networking with trainers.

 

[ihatework]

Leasing isn’t as prevelant in the UK as it is in the US, although certainly still possible.

I’d be inclined to approach local sj’ers/trainers with your requirements and see what, if anything, comes up.

It might be worth putting out a wanted advert on Facebook/sales websites too. You never know who is browsing.

I would caution though, if a horse is good enough to lease rather than loan you will probably find owners quite particular about where they go. You should probably make some connections with local trainers and consider where the potential horse would be based.

 

[LEquus]

Leasing isn’t as prevelant in the UK as it is in the US, ...

Thank you, I thought as much. Showing/training seems more DIY in my area than it was in the states where it's usually an event for the whole farm with the trainer. The farm is beautiful and well run, but everyone does their own thing. Only one other girl seems to compete regularly.
I have made some plans to train and show with another well-known local trainer so hopefully he can help me find something.

 

[ihatework]

You might need to buy unless you base yourself in a professional set up.
A lot of people that would have a horse worthy of leasing would be nervous of doing so to someone on DIY new to the country and without that support network established.

 

[Wishfilly]

I know that leasing is quite a big thing in the US, even at relatively low levels, but in the UK, it's relatively uncommon, and usually only really a thing that happens with pretty serious competition horses/ponies (I've only ever really been aware of it with FEI ponies and racehorses, although I'm sure it happens in other circumstances). Depending on what you are aiming at, it may be difficult to find a suitable horse to lease. I agree that a trainer/professional set up might be able to help though.

I understand that buying then selling could be a hassle, but I'd seriously consider buying, with maybe a view to putting the horse on sales livery when you come to sell? Especially if you are going to be here for weeks rather than months.

I also wouldn't necessarily rule out another loan- people do sometimes loan schoolmasters who could help you progress up the levels- although again they may be quite fussy about your set up.

 

[IrishMilo]

I'd recommend joining the BSJA page on Facebook. A few crop up for lease on there occasionally - usually older horses looking to be stepped down a level though.

 

[Shay]

We leased competition ponies on and off for years - but I absolutely accept it is much more difficult when you don't have the age / height constraints. They are serious competition animals that the owner wants to retain - basically you buy the ride.

You need to be well established as a competition rider with really good facilities. No one is going to let thier beloved (and usually expensive!) animal go to someone who can't produce them to thier best, and give them a good experience as an owner. We always found ours though the higher levels of British Showjumping. If you are looking for a rider - that is pretty much where you fish.

You do find lower level horses avilable to "lease" which is basically a paid for loan. That is more fraught and you have to be as careful with that as with an outright purchase. We also had a breif association though pony club with an american family who were looking to buy youngstock, pay for it to be prefessioanlly produced and then export it back to the states. They said (and I have no basis to verify) that European produced horses had so much value in the states that the sales revenue from 2 of the 3 justified the purhcase price, training and export of the third for their daughter. But this was dressage, not show jumping.

I would echo IHW. The simplest route - although certainly not the cheapest - is to buy what you want outright. When you need to leave hopefully you will have a sufficient record that sale will be simple. If you don't then you are leaving the horse at the mercy of a dealer which is more difficult. Only you know what level of experience you have gained in the last few years and what prospect you have of jumping successfully at higher levels.

 

[LEquus]

You might need to buy unless you base yourself in a professional set up.
A lot of people that would have a horse worthy of leasing would be nervous of doing so to someone on DIY new to the country and without that support network established.

The yard is owned by pros who are often gone competing internationally, but since COVID I've been able to train with them more and have set up regular lessons with the well known coach they work with. Both are now on the look out for a lease for me. Facilities and staff are great and I do full livery.
I just meant that going to shows is more DIY than I'm used to and people seem to find their own trainers who come to the farm as opposed to how it was in the US where the whole farm worked with the head trainer and everyone went to shows all together in a big trailer/semi. Now I'm getting my own little trailer and learning to be more independent. Lol
I'll be here for a few years so would love to give a schoolmaster a long-term home with plans to compete at least monthly. I have the funds to buy and for the right horse MIGHT purchase and ship them back with me. However, I've seen one too many of my compatriots buy and struggle with shipping or selling when it was time to go. It was a nightmare just getting my dogs here so I'd really have to fall in love with the horse to take on that headache.

 

[Caol Ila]

It's not that hard to ship a horse across the Atlantic. Probably easier than a dog because they've made it easier, due to the amount of money involved in international shows, sales, and racing. You hire one of the international transport companies and they do all the logistics and customs faff for you. It cost about $4000 in 2006, but I have no clue what it would be now.

And you're right -- the whole training barn/program thing you find in the US isn't a thing here. It's not always a thing there, either (thank God) but if you're into that, you're unlikely to find it in the UK.

 

[LEquus]

It's not that hard to ship a horse across the Atlantic. ...

I really wish I never had to leave! I spent my early years showing hunters in the states at a farm that sold them for six figure prices...I can't believe how reasonable everything is here. It's almost like they want everyone to be able to enjoy horses here...shocking! It took me a while to figure out the difference between a loan and a lease since loaning isn't a thing at all there. Closest thing would be a half lease for a school horse.

My friend was looking at shipping the pony she bought while here last year. Unfortunately the £10,000 fee was out of her reach.

Eventually I might consider spending that to ship the right fancy young horse. Right now I think it's worth it to spend the 10% of the horse’s value annually on top of expenses to lease an experienced jumper…Perhaps with a view to buy.

 

[Caol Ila]

Horses are bloody expensive in the States.

Anyway, for the last 13 years in this country, I reckoned loan/share//lease were the same thing, just British/American words. Back in the US, we had "free leases," where the leasee paid all the horse's expenses, including board and vet, but they did not pay the owner to lease the horse. Then we had "full leases," where the leasee paid the owner and had full use of the horse and both parties divvied out expenses however they felt was fair. And we had "half-leases," where the leasee paid the owner and only rode the horse a couple days per week, and the owner (or someone) would also ride. All those arrangements exist in the UK, although the last is usually called a "share."

 

[ohmissbrittany]

They're cheaper to buy here, because they are cheaper to produce here. That's why so many Americans still choose to import even as American breeders are catching up on their quality.

Where are you located? I have one I'm looking to lease out because I've not got the time right now (and honestly, no drive to compete, and it loves a horse show)... I'm focusing on endurance for a bit. I'd only do it if the horse can stay at current yard, or within a reasonable driving distance as she's my pride and joy and I've heard too many lease horror stories to just send her off. Xx

Funny story, the horse and I are both American as well.

PM me if interested!

 

[Caol Ila]

You want to make real money, but cheap coloured cobs and send them to the US. They don't even need to be good ones. Just piebald and hairy. People will pay tens of thousands for horses that couldn't fetch £1000 here.

 

[LEquus]

Is the 10% of the horses value per annum accurate? So for a £25,000 horse you'd pay £2,500 per year in addition to running costs.

 

[ihatework]

As a rule of thumb, yes