Owner taking our loan horse back!

W

Walder

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 March 2007
Messages
748
Visit site
i am so upset - i have had a loan pony from an elderly lady who has bred horses for years - she had bred a number of foals from her and i have had her on loan for over a year now, when she came she was dreadfully over weight and had done nothing except stand in a field and have babies - i have done pleasure rides and done in hand showing and hacked about on her and she has loved it! - she was diognosed with artritis in her coffin joint in May and my sharer and i have worked really hard to keep her going as per vets instuctions. Tonight i have had aphone call form her owner saying that her other 2 brood mares have not taken AI so not in foal and she wants my pony back to have another one from her - No rush - she says in a month will do! My sharer has just rung and ive had to break the news to her - we are both heart broken - There was not even a 'sorry' from the owner - we have looked after her so well she is 100% better condition than when she first came and i have spent ver £1000 on back treatments, vets bills, saddles ect ect. Not that i begrudge the money its just that it was insinuated that the loan was long term not for just a year!
Sorry for the long one i am so upset and i know you lot will understand x
 
What a shame....can you afford to buy one for yourself when this one goes back? Rather rude of the lady to not consider your feelings. Do hope you can find another to love .......
 
It is unfortunate and I do sympathise, but that's always the risk with loan horses.
You can put in a lot of hard work and end up with nothing.
frown.gif
 
Sorry to hear this however that's the pitfall of loaning, the horse doesn't belong to you...the other side of it is that because the horse doesn't belong to you, you can send it back whenever you like, which also happens!

Did you have a contract? If not, the insinuatin of a long term (and the owner may think a year is long term) isn't going to stand up.
 
thanks HORBY - its a bit more complicated than that - i have just bought a new boy - couldnt bear to part with my loan pony so my sharer jumped at the chance to do more both riding finacially and stable chores - That was the only way i could consider buying my new one - i didnt want to drop the owner in it by saying 'sorry cant keep her any more' My sharer adores her too so it was ideal. That will teach me to worry about letting some one else down!
 
we did have a contract but im afraid no time was specified - the lady is quite elderly and had a hip operation couple of months ago and said that she would not be wanting her back in the near future. I agree that loans are a risk and that its her perogative to take her back but it doesnt stop it hurting like hell!!!
 
I agree and it must be heartbreaking to let go especially under the circumstances that she is to become a foal-sausage- producing machine again
frown.gif

Cazx
 
she is 15 - artritis in leg - she like coming in at night and laying on her rubber matting = the vet says she need to be ridden every day to keep the joint supple - she has glucosime/condritn and bute to keep her comfy she adores being groomed - when she goes home im not saying she wont be looked after but she wont have any of those things and im sure she must be too old to have another foal? she will live out in all weathers too.
 
Really sorry to hear - I know how hard you worked to get her right.
That's the problem with loans - I've had 3 loan horses and had problems with the last owner. I couldn't face it again so ended up buying. I understand how you feel - it is gutting to put so much work in and not get a sorry or a thank you.
Just make sure you hang onto your saddle, rugs etc that you bought.
The only thing my last loan horse's owner gave me was a saddle that didn't even come close to fitting (so I had to buy one), a really cheap and nasty bridle (so I bought one of those too) and roundings for a pelham. When I took her back I forgot the roundings were on my bridle. Next day she came to our yard and took them when I wasn't there - no note or anything. Made me feel like I'd tried to steal them.
It is hard to give a horse back but you need to focus on your new boy now - having him will make it easier and he's all yours, no-one can take him away!
 
thanks Hullablallo - You are right in saying that i have to cocentrate on my new one but poor sharer is beside herself - i feel so bad for her - she has only had her full time for a couple of months and was os excited she has been awake every morning at 6 cant wait to get odwn the yard - i feel like ive given her a present then snatched it away! That feeling is even worse than the pony going home
 
Have you made the owner aware of her medical problems, the drugs that she is on and the routine needed to keep her healthy? I am surprised she wants her back in a month or two to keep her over the winter when surely she won't be putting her to the stallion until next year.
 
Its not your fault and I'm sure she understands that so try not to beat yourself up.
Is there any room for negotiation with the owner so she can keep her for a while. I can't believe she's going to try and breed from her this late in the year. It may just be postponing the inevitable, but at least it would give your sharer time to get used to the idea and look for another horse. Mind you, once I've known they were going I've always preferred to get it over and done with. I had to give a month's notice on my last one and found that really difficult.
 
That's rotten covering her this late on. Serve her right if she doesn't take as well. I do feel for you but it does sound like this was always going to happen, maybe better sooner than later when it would be even harder. No consolation I know. You say she is elderly, has she made a will..............Ooh I am mean today!
 
i think there is a hidden agenda - she has 2 mare with foals maybe one of the foals have been sold and the mother needs a companion. i'm off on holiday tomorrow - great start this has been - so i will arrange to send her back as soon as i can when im back - no point in prolonging the agony - mind you the owner will have to pay for the petrol as im skint - still paying vets bills for her (didnt even have tetnus up to date when i got her)
 
Aw what a shame and I don't mean that as a jibe as I too have a loan horse. I can totally understand how you feel as I would be gutted if the owner decided to have the big lad back as I am so attached to him and so is Mcfly even though Doug does bully him lol.
When I loaned him I got an agreement printed out which was basically the one from the BHS website only modified to suit my situation. I listed everything on there that was given to me at the time. I have since given the bridle and saddle back and bought new because I thought they would be able to use them as they had recently taken on an ex racer and it might have come in handy if it fitted and heh if I could not have afforded a saddle and bridle I must be a right tight arse lol.
Is there no way of getting this mare back after the foal has been born and weaned or see if she will sell her to you at a reduced cost seeing as you have spent so much money and time trying to get her right?
It does seem very cruel to me which is why I got an agreement set up that the horse could only be removed from me if I was deemed to be guilty of neglect or cruelty. I am far too caring a person to allow that to happen and a recent conversation with the owner made me feel very happy when she said she trusted me 100% as I am a very honest and genuine person who would never let any animal suffer and even more so whilst under my care.
I really hope there is a happy outcome for you and your friend/sharer in all of this and I do think the owner has been inconsiderate of your's and your friend's feelings at the very least. Do people not conceive the idea that we can get attached to horses so easily, I think not sadly
frown.gif

I don't mind breeding per se but I deplore the over breeding of individuals purely for the gratification of the owners which I am sad to say may be the case here.
Horses in my opinion like humans should never be exploited for any excuse !
 
jojoban that is completely what I was thinking (about a will !!!!)Im walders sharer and yes completely heart broken and upset as Walder is too. What a witch the owner is, she has even seen how happy the pony is, and how fantastic she looks, which I thought was what every owner wanted for their pony's that go out on loan. I still have my fingers crossed thats she'll change her mind!! (very long shot I know) it just the pony is perfect in a million ways and will be missed so very much by myself and walder! xx
 
Well have a great time (where are you off to?) and forget all about it. There's nothing you can do til you get back anyway.
Good luck with the petrol money - ask for cash in advance. My nightmare owner asked me to deliver her horse as she didn't have transport and said she'd pay for the petrol. Got to the yard a bit late, got told off because she wasn't ready for us yet. Then she whisked the horse off and left me to turn my trailer in a really tight space with no help. I was halfway home when I realised she hadn't offered me the money. At least I was so angry about the whole thing it stopped me getting too upset.
 
[ QUOTE ]
jojoban that is completely what I was thinking (about a will !!!!)Im walders sharer and yes completely heart broken and upset as Walder is too. What a witch the owner is, she has even seen how happy the pony is, and how fantastic she looks, which I thought was what every owner wanted for their pony's that go out on loan. I still have my fingers crossed thats she'll change her mind!! (very long shot I know) it just the pony is perfect in a million ways and will be missed so very much by myself and walder! xx

[/ QUOTE ]

Just a thought but as the pony is 15 have you seen her come into season this summer? Although she's not a maiden is she? Would the lady want to have her back and keep her all winter if she is less fertile than she was. Can you stick her on the pill? (I am joking before anyone says anything!) Just thinking aloud.....older ponies, cushings, no seasons. Might be worth chatting with the vet about her previous treatment too. If the lady just wanted to have her back because she missed her I would be suggesting none oif this, but it really sounds like she is much better off with you.
frown.gif
 
I feel she she may not change her mind unless the mare doesn't take (to being in foal) this Autumn and then she'll offer you her back for the winter and then this snatch back will rear its' ugly head in the spring.

It's heartbreaking I know as I took on a near RSPCA case TB Gelding from a dodgy couple in the middle of a cold wet winter many years ago.

I spent £400 in vets bills feed alone in 4 months to get that horse looking fantastic and had only ridden him for about 4 weeks when the owners anounced they had sold him from under me.
I was gutted and beside myself. I didnt' have a leg to stand on except my 4 weeks contract-end notice. They offered me '1st refusal' to buy him, at a higher rate than the '1st refusal' they had already given to the girl who had already put a deposit on him!!

I heard that 2 weeks after this girl bought him she took him showing where someone approached her and offered her double what she had paid for him, and he was thus sold again!
 
As everyone says, no matter how heartbreaking this may be, that is always the problem with loan horses. Have you considered offering to buy her?

If she isn't going back till next month, then it is highly unlikely that she will "take" on the breeding front and the old dear may offer her back to you....you need to have a rock-solid contract this time, or buy her, because as someone else mentions, I expect she will ask for her back again at the beginning of the breeding season next Spring. The woman could have another 7 or 8 years of breeding out of her so perhaps she won't be happy to sell - you can but ask though.
 
I do agree about getting a contract. I wouldn't let my loaners dicate the contract though, they signed one I had put together. I have a clause in that states (besides the one about removing him I believe he's not being well looked after) either of us can terminate the loan as long as a month's notice is given. I have this idea ATM that I will have my boy back for my kids to ride as and when I have them, but in reality he will probably never come back off loan.
 
I'm a bit shocked at people trying to convince owners that their horse is unwell etc.
Living out in all weathers is perfectly acceptable imo, being a broodmare is not a bad life. 15 is the oldest a maiden would normally be put in foal, many broodmares have 6/7years of foal producing.
Yes, it is sad but you know this when you loan it can go back so I would accept it with good grace, let her know wat medication she is on and concentrate on your new boy.
Either that or buy her.
 
i have not tried to convince the lady that the pony is unwell - she has arthritis - xrays show it. She has bred many foals for the lady in question and she will not have a bad life back with her - she is enjoying the life that she has now. I have accepted that she must go back when her owner wants her back but i posted on here for some support as it was so sudden and very very upsetting. I was led to believe it was a long term loan so this has come as a bolt out of the blue. We have grown very attached to her and her to us.
 
I know how heartbreaking it can be to have a long term loan pony taken away suddenly and really feel for you (hugs), as others have suggested you could offer to buy her and if the women does let you have her back for some reason make sure you have a long contract stating time frames etc.
I do think it would be nice if you were able to pass on your vets findings and recommendations for the mares care via letter to her owner so that she can be kept happy and healthy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top