Price of part loans

[merlo89]

As explained perfectly by shooting star we all pay for horse ownership and still have to do the chores.

The clue is in the name really - a share or part loan.

If you "share" a horse, for me that includes sharing the good parts (the bonding and the riding) as well as the less good parts (poo picking! )

A part loan (which to me is pretty much the same as a share) is similar to a full loan but only a few days a week. If you had a full loan you would have to pay all the costs and do all the jobs. Why would a part loan be any different?

A share has always meant half the horse to me so the half the responsibility, half the days, half paying for the horse, and half the bills.

A part loan is usually 2/3 days a week ride, stable duties, poo picking, help out when owner needs be.

 

[ycbm]

I've been looking each summer for the past 3 years for a part loan, as that's when most appear.

Most people I know need a loaner more in the winter than in the summer. This reads like you are someone who loans in the summer and then hands the horse back in the winter??

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

My sharer back in Norfolk paid £25/week to ride whenever she wanted, but she didn't have to do stables chores if she didn't want to. For me, she was doing me a favour as I didn't have the confidence at the time to ride, she did and adored Nugz.

Ultimately it depends on the reason you're wanting to loan or share your horse. If you need help financially then yes, the costs should be proportionate to what you have to pay to keep the horse, but if you just want someone to help you time and chore wise, then I don't think you can really ask the true cost of sharing as you are wanting someone to help. It'd be like hiring a freelance groom but asking them to pay you instead.

I am thinking about getting a sharer for Nugz again - and will charge the £25/week again. I would like a sharer to just ride and enjoy him.

 

[merlo89]

Most people I know need a loaner more in the winter than in the summer. This reads like you are someone who loans in the summer and then hands the horse back in the winter??

One was just for the summer, as owner had more work during that time and the other became too dangerous for me to handle and made a judgment call for mine and the horses safety.

 

[PaddyMonty]

Share/part loan, what ever you call it there has to be a reasonable pay back for the owner.
Some need the money to cover the costs, some want help with exercise and chores, some want their horse schooled, some competed as well.
If you are experienced enough to school or compete a horse to a decent level (affiliated) then you can generally find a horse to ride for free. If you aren't good enough but don't have lots of money then you need to find the owner that needs help time wise and a small cost.
Matching owner to sharer is a bit pot luck.
I've just turned down the ride on two horses. Owner has her own yard but getting on a bit and finding one of the horses a bit much for her. Perfect setup but just too far for me to travel daily.
Such is life, patience is required.

 

[JulesRules]

Ultimately it depends on the reason you're wanting to loan or share your horse. If you need help financially then yes, the costs should be proportionate to what you have to pay to keep the horse, but if you just want someone to help you time and chore wise, then I don't think you can really ask the true cost of sharing as you are wanting someone to help. It'd be like hiring a freelance groom but asking them to pay you instead.
.

I don't understand your logic. The sharer is getting the same horse, the same riding and the same responsibility whatever the owners reasoning, so why would the price differ?

Okay, if it's a time thing you are more likely to negotiate.

As I mentioned earlier a sharer is most likely to want a weekend day so I have to compromise to get help in the week by giving up a valuable weekend day when I don't need help so there has to be a benefit for the arrangement to work for me.

 

[merlo89]

My sharer back in Norfolk paid £25/week to ride whenever she wanted, but she didn't have to do stables chores if she didn't want to. For me, she was doing me a favour as I didn't have the confidence at the time to ride, she did and adored Nugz.

Ultimately it depends on the reason you're wanting to loan or share your horse. If you need help financially then yes, the costs should be proportionate to what you have to pay to keep the horse, but if you just want someone to help you time and chore wise, then I don't think you can really ask the true cost of sharing as you are wanting someone to help. It'd be like hiring a freelance groom but asking them to pay you instead.

I am thinking about getting a sharer for Nugz again - and will charge the £25/week again. I would like a sharer to just ride and enjoy him.

Exactly my thoughts, people basically wanted me to be their freelance groom and still pay.

 

[Equine_Dream]

OP when you consider you would pay more than £30 for just an hours private lesson at a riding school I think your expectations are a bit unrealistic. I don't think £30-£40 a week is unreasonable at all considering the costs involved.
As others have suggested I would advertise what you are willing to offer and then if its suitable for someone then they can contact you.

 

[RunToEarth]

I'm clearly missing a trick. When I've been too busy with work, I've had to pay people to ride and muck them out!

 

[ester]

Posting cos forum being a tit about page 2s again

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Exactly my thoughts, people basically wanted me to be their freelance groom and still pay.

If that's how you feel about it then part loaning/sharing really isn't for you, if you do take one on you're going to end up feeling resentful. You mentioned earlier in the thread about wanting to pay but not having much money. You're clearly not happy to pay, unless it's a pittance. Have you considered advertising for jobs as a freelance groom and using your earnings to go to a riding school?

 

[ester]

"On another thread with someone struggling to find a sharer most of the posts were saying she should be expecting to pay for someone to do the exercise required so it does seem to vary very much on how the post is phrased/where it is coming from."

That would be me then. I have since employed a professional to hack out. Horse has been perfect albeit a few spooks. The bonus for me is that I can deal with the youngster knowing i don't have to worry about a novice on big horse. The professional loves the fact they are riding a nice horse for a change.

It wasn't it was jules rules post I was thinking of but does show how fickle the forum can be depending on the nuances of the question!

I also kept mine in stable, turnout, hay and straw for £45 in winter less in summer so those saying £40 a week for that is way off the mark must have been somewhere pricier or shittier horses!

 

[LD&S]

I'm clearly missing a trick. When I've been too busy with work, I've had to pay people to ride and muck them out!

I think one of the differences is you might employ someone short term but hopefully a sharer (assuming all goes well ) is long term and there is generally give and take on both sides. The sharer has a lot of pleasure riding and caring for a horse they can't afford in terms of money and/or time and the owner gets a contribution of some kind.

Personally I would think it fair for the sharer to pay approx half the cost of a lesson per day and do the general care for that horse for the day. I have no idea how much it would be to hire a horse for a hack but am guessing at least £25 so £10 would be more than reasonable.

However, if you have a horse that has to be schooled, worked 6 days etc bucks naps and so on and the rider is improving the horse this would be a totally different set-up and would probably need a paid rider but I'm sure there are people out there to suit both ends of the spectrum, it's just finding them lol.

 

[ester]

As explained perfectly by shooting star we all pay for horse ownership and still have to do the chores.

The clue is in the name really - a share or part loan.

If you "share" a horse, for me that includes sharing the good parts (the bonding and the riding) as well as the less good parts (poo picking! )

A part loan (which to me is pretty much the same as a share) is similar to a full loan but only a few days a week. If you had a full loan you would have to pay all the costs and do all the jobs. Why would a part loan be any different?

But you don't have a share in all parts the owner has over riding control. Which is why a full and part loan are very different as far as I am concerned. If I am riding someone else's horse I don't expect to have a say on bitting, feeding, management, veterinary decisions etc. I also don't expect to get much of a bond going on when my comparison is 12 years of ownership. It is wrong to assume sharers will want weekends too IME.

 

[Auslander]

I have no problem with people coming and riding my horse for fun - I like watching them enjoy him. However, if I was to have a formal sharer, I would expect them to contribute, financially, and by doing the odd chore. I don't see why I should pay his livery, his veterinary/farrier/chiro costs, feed him, hay him and do all the other associated stuff, while someone turns up regularly and saves themselves the money they'd otherwise have to spend on lessons/owning their own, whilst enjoying the ride on a very well schooled horse. If I lent someone my car, I'd expect them to pay for insurance/petrol/etc, and I feel the same way about my horse!

I don't need a sharer, and wouldn't have one, as he's my "more precious than diamonds" horse, and I don't want anyone else assuming any feelings of ownership.

 

[Equine_Dream]

I have no problem with people coming and riding my horse for fun - I like watching them enjoy him. However, if I was to have a formal sharer, I would expect them to contribute, financially, and by doing the odd chore. I don't see why I should pay his livery, his veterinary/farrier/chiro costs, feed him, hay him and do all the other associated stuff, while someone turns up regularly and saves themselves the money they'd otherwise have to spend on lessons/owning their own, whilst enjoying the ride on a very well schooled horse. If I lent someone my car, I'd expect them to pay for insurance/petrol/etc, and I feel the same way about my horse!

I don't need a sharer, and wouldn't have one, as he's my "more precious than diamonds" horse, and I don't want anyone else assuming any feelings of ownership.

Completely agree with this! Reading this thread confirns why I would never have a sharer.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Whilst as a sharer/part loaner you don't have a say in bitting, management, feeding, veterinary decisions etc, you also don't have to pay for injury/illness or take part in lengthy recovery/treatment/rehab if something goes wrong. In the event of severe injury with lasting damage/degenerative conditions, it's not your horse that's been devalued. In the event that a horses working life is over, it's not you who has to choose whether to PTS or keep in retirement (and pay for either) with potentially nothing else to ride until it dies. Those are the upsides of the horses owner having over-riding control. As the sharer/part loaner, and sometimes as full loaner too, you get to hand the horse back and get on with your riding life on another horse.

 

[teddypops]

I think if you want something specific done i.e. A young horse schooled, or your mucking out done everyday you should be paying someone to do it but if you have a horse that doesn't have any issues and you need help financially or with time then it's fair enough to charge someone to share. A lot of people I know who have shared one of their horses just divide weekly costs by the day then charge sharer by the day. I would also expect a share to be a long term arrangement. Costs would be specific to the individual horse and I don't think you can state a share costs too much if you don't know how much the horse actually costs to keep

 

[Lucyad]

I work full time, have no arena, lights or even a field I can ride in, so for me having someone to help out over the winter, exercising my horse 2 or 3 weekdays, is a life saver and allows me to hunt at weekends. I'm happy to keep the arrangement over summer and get a couple of nights off a week. I certainly don't charge anything, and am grateful for any assistance with stable chores (but it is not a requirement, don't mind doing them myself).

You might find a similar suitable arrangement if you advertise and ask about - however it isn't a share or a loan, it is someone riding under my terms to help me out.

 

[ester]

Whilst as a sharer/part loaner you don't have a say in bitting, management, feeding, veterinary decisions etc, you also don't have to pay for injury/illness or take part in lengthy recovery/treatment/rehab if something goes wrong. In the event of severe injury with lasting damage/degenerative conditions, it's not your horse that's been devalued. In the event that a horses working life is over, it's not you who has to choose whether to PTS or keep in retirement (and pay for either) with potentially nothing else to ride until it dies. Those are the upsides of the horses owner having over-riding control. As the sharer/part loaner, and sometimes as full loaner too, you get to hand the horse back and get on with your riding life on another horse.

Of course I was responding to a particular point about the difference between a part and full loan.

Teddy pops my general observation would be that actually there doesn't seem to be that many nice issue free horses around, or certainly not from the descriptions of them.

 

[merlo89]

If that's how you feel about it then part loaning/sharing really isn't for you, if you do take one on you're going to end up feeling resentful. You mentioned earlier in the thread about wanting to pay but not having much money. You're clearly not happy to pay, unless it's a pittance. Have you considered advertising for jobs as a freelance groom and using your earnings to go to a riding school?

I'm at college full time, and work part time.

 

[benz]

I have to admit I think it's a bit cheeky to ask for money AND stable jobs.

I used to do 5 horses on part loan, 3 or 4 days a week. I didn't pay or get paid, I did all jobs on my days and rode if I wanted (this was oop north)

There are no rules about sharing and costs so each to their own, but my own point of view is that:
-If horse is on DIY and you get a sharer in to ride and do jobs you are saving money by not having to pay a groom to do those jobs, so shouldn't charge (or ask nominal amount such as contribution to shoes)
-If horse needs bringing in to work/is green/is tricky owner is saving money by not paying a professional to ride it (and maybe saving yourself from a few bruises!) so shouldn't charge
-If horse on full livery and is an angel, sharer is saving money (by not owning horse) and time by just turning up to ride a nice horse, they shouldn't be surprised to pay towards costs. I personally would be looking at paying a portion of the cost of the days livery in this case, and if the owner says you can pay OR do jobs and I chose to pay, I would be paying the cost of the full livery for that day.
-Going for a ride by yourself does not equal a lesson and costs can't be compared equally! So saying it costs £35 for an hours lesson is neither here nor there.
-If the horse was only in work because sharer was riding it (so horse didn't need work) then sharer should pay these extra costs (ie. shoeing costs, extra feed, bedding if being brought in to work, use of the arena, use of tack etc)

So that got really complicated haha! But I think it is a complex subject, and owners don't forget you're not allowed to charge people to ride your horse so be careful about how much you are asking and what that is for

 

[conniegirl]

I'm not all that far from you Merlo89 probably in a slightly cheaper area too, keeping my horse on DIY livery is about £50 a week including hay and bedding. Shoes are £100 every 6 weeks.

I advertised for a sharer for my boy who is an absolute angel who could do with a bit more work. I was going to charge £10 a day plus chores on those days. I had no shortage of people asking but every single one of them would have required supervision whilst handling or riding.
My horse is an angel, he is utterly bomb proof, very well schooled and small children can (and regularly do) handle him, Heck I was handling him whilst on crutches with a broken ankle. so it had nothing to do with him or any quirks of his. Just the standard of person was such that I would not have left them alone with the doddery 30yr old ex riding school pony let alone a fit 6yr old show horse

A lot of people vastly over estimate their ability and knowledge and you end up fixing issues caused by the sharer.

Ended up giving it up as a bad job and just backing off on his fitness over winter (and then I injured myself falling down the stairs so he has been turned away most of winter).

When I was looking to share (whilst I had injured horses) I was looking around £20 a week but even then I would have been happy to ride (and improve) a youngster or difficult pony/horse and do chores. If I could have found one for free even better but I would have expected to do a significant level of schooling on the horse and all chores on that day if not paying for it.
I've also been paid to school horses, this arrangement is normaly a turn up and ride affair, at the owners convenience (so specified day and time) and was 99% of the time schooling, no enjoyable lazy hacks etc. If I was taking a horse out on a hack you can bet your bottom dollar that it had an issue on the roads or with traffic or it was a nappy sh*** who wouldnt go away from the yard etc.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I fully understand costs
I still struggle to get my head round paying to help someone out to ride their horse for them and do their stable chores .

agreed, I think in many cases its a racket tbh. If someone rides mine, they are doing me a favour-I wouldnt expect them to do yard chores other than doing the horse properly either depending on the livery set up.

OP you couldnt afford to keep a horse at that price though, I have mine at home and on a farm with no facilities and (taking into account mortgage and cost of putting stables etc in) they still probably cost me about that in the winter (cheaper in the summer).

I also dont understand the concept of charging someone because you dont think they are good enough to ride your horse for free. they are either good enough to ride your horse, or not.

 

[ihatework]

agreed, I think in many cases its a racket tbh. If someone rides mine, they are doing me a favour-I wouldnt expect them to do yard chores other than doing the horse properly either depending on the livery set up.

OP you couldnt afford to keep a horse at that price though, I have mine at home and on a farm with no facilities and (taking into account mortgage and cost of putting stables etc in) they still probably cost me about that in the winter (cheaper in the summer).

I also dont understand the concept of charging someone because you dont think they are good enough to ride your horse for free. they are either good enough to ride your horse, or not.

I get both angles of the argument - and I do think there is a balancing act between at what point does the benefit go from sharer to owner. It is so variable.

As an owner if you are reliant on someone turning up when they say, doing your chores for you because you don't have time and riding well enough to keep your horse exercised for you, then you have to consider you are getting quite a lot from the deal too. Of course the owner could also pay a freelancer £20-30 a day to do that for them?!!!

However if as an owner getting your horse ridden is 'a nice thing for the horse, but not massively critical for the owner' and a potential sharer is going to get the use of a nice safe well educated horse then I can see absolutely nothing wrong with charging a decent amount.

In the past I have charged just under £200pcm to a sharer for unlimited use of a very nice competition horse, allowed to have lessons and access to transport. They were obliged to do chores on their days, and they could ride as much as they liked. I was perfectly willing to leave horse in field for no hassle to me (not that my sharer was a hassle, but many are).

 

[conniegirl]

I also dont understand the concept of charging someone because you dont think they are good enough to ride your horse for free. they are either good enough to ride your horse, or not.

no there is a difference, are they good enough to improve the horse in which case it is either free of I pay them (depending on the arrangement and the horse)

or

Are they only good enough to ride a well mannered horse on a hack (and then often only if someone else is keeping on top of the horses schooling/manners) in which case i will charge them

 

[ester]

Conniegirl I think that's sort of why myself and people I know have found people happy for us to ride for chores because they have already had the just out of riding school that need hand holding enquiries and accept us with relief. The last time I was riding for someone else - once or twice a week weekdays easy as I went and rode my own weekends when the mare went on full loan due to pregnancy I had two others on the same yard wanting me to ride theirs.

IHW what you describe i think is a bit different to most I come across and I would happily contribute in that situation, but mostly the competing etc is reserved to the owner. A friend paid the same for a pony she could BE and have free rein with but she gave up after a couple of years when getting him veterinary care got problematic and owners decided just to have him as a pet.

 

[conniegirl]

Conniegirl I think that's sort of why myself and people I know have found people happy for us to ride for chores because they have already had the just out of riding school that need hand holding enquiries and accept us with relief. The last time I was riding for someone else - once or twice a week weekdays easy as I went and rode my own weekends when the mare went on full loan due to pregnancy I had two others on the same yard wanting me to ride theirs.

IHW what you describe i think is a bit different to most I come across and I would happily contribute in that situation, but mostly the competing etc is reserved to the owner. A friend paid the same for a pony she could BE and have free rein with but she gave up after a couple of years when getting him veterinary care got problematic and owners decided just to have him as a pet.

What I was looking for was just someone good enough to hack out my lad a few days during the week, stop him getting bored in the school, maybe increase his fitness a bit and do chores so that I could have the day off.

He is a very easy ride, bold as brass in traffic (and we have off road riding straight from the yard) wouldnt say boo to a goose, absolute angel to handle (yesterday there was a young (maybe 7 yrs old) girl at the yard who has a severe physical disability and has to use a frame which she is suspended in, in order to walk. Lenny was led out to the school by her after a full day in due to flooding, then caught, tied up and brushed by her all with just her mum keeping an eye on her. He never put a foot wrong and when she stopped he stopped, when she dropped the rope he stopped, whislt she was brushing him he was nuzzzling her frame and giving her kisses). I've had tiny tots on his back as well as complete novices.

a very confidence building ride, my absolute pride and joy (I broke him, did all the schooling myself) and I dont have time for hand holding at the moment.

Decided it would be far easier to just not ride so much during the week and have the weekends dedicated to hacking out (we can school on hacks) then to deal with a sharer

 

[thatsmygirl]

Just to put a spin on things.
I have a sharer for my horse, safe and genuine types, I charge £20 a week all in, no extras. It's only cause I'm a bit to heavy to ride him at the mo so I keep to my other horse.
My stables, posh yard with all year turn out is £14.50 a week, and I pay £7 a big round bale off haylage from the yard which is bloody lovely stuff.

 

[JulesRules]

I think that what some people are failing to grasp is that it's not all positive for owners. There are compromises to be made in a long term share.

As an owner I personally like to have a sharer but it's not always easy.

Pro's
Help exercising your horse
Help with jobs
Financial help
Hopefully someone loving your horse

Cons
Having to give up riding days, often at the weekend or not being able to ride on that sunny afternoon when you get out of a meeting early because it your sharer's "day"
Trusting someone else with your horse.
People who do things differently and you have to bite your tongue or constantly ask them not to over rug or give too many treats, or to make sure they warm up adequately or not jump your horse 4 days in a row so that you can't jump again on your day.
Muck out not always being to your standards
Hand holding especially at the start of the share.
Sharer not turning up and letting you know at 6pm so you have to change your plans and rush to the yard.

As I said, I'm someone who enjoys having a sharer on the whole, but they can also be a nightmare.