PUTTING MY HORSE OUT ON LOAN

[Bert&Maud]

Following earlier posts, I've decided to put my boy out on loan, and have put some adverts in local publications today and run off some little posters to put up in tack/feed shops etc, as well as ringing everyone I can think of who might know someone who would like him. I've looked up the Loan Agreement samples on BHS and H&H websites, but am just interested to hear from anyone else who has loaned out a horse, with some feedback on things to do, and also perhaps things that have been learned and might be done differently if you ever loaned out another. I'm really trying to do my best for him, but also don't want to seem like a paranoid owner!

 

[aimeerose]

My mare went back out on loan today to a fab home - feel free to PM me if you want to chat etc - its a minefield but when you find the right people it really is great.

I advertised mine in my sig on here - brill way of finding peeps

Only advice i would give is avoid teenagers! At least avoid them if you want your horse to come back with decent legs! IMHO!!

 

[shadowboy]

I have loaned and loaned out before so can give you both perspectives, and am currently loaning for with a contract to purchase if horse suitable at end of loan period. PM me if I can help answer your questions ( I also ave a blank fully legal a written by a solicitor loan agreement that you could tailor to your own needs if you want)

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

I too have been loanee (currently) and loaner, my horse had a fab year with a teenager, lots of riding and fun. I had put into the loan agreement that she had to have regular-ish lessons on him (as she wasn't vastly experienced).

We have a cob on loan at the moment, came to us on 9 September, loan with a view to buy. Loaning is working brilliantly for us, as we get a chance to find out if my husband is going to ride enough to make it worthwhile having another horse. Also, as Jason came off the horse on the day we went to try him (just a couple of little try-it-on bucks), loaning gives us the chance to decide if he is the horse for us. If the little bucks had come with a buy it or leave it scenario, it may have put us off. BTW, he is being a truly excellent boy, and we are in contact with his owner (Hi epsom!) withlots of emails and pics going back and forwards.

 

[PaintboxEDT]

im loaning at the moment and its great i couldn't ask for a better horse,hes settled in really well and gets pampered crazy,we dont have a contract !!
im hoping he will be with me until the end,i love him dearly already and we have a great bond !
i was looking for something between 15,15.3hh and ended up with him he is 17hh ! im always in contact with his owners in fact he turned up out of the blue the other day just as he was being shod,ive told them they dont have to let me know there coming just pop in when ever,its a great set up an im really happy,there are some great loanees out there just make sure you vet them fully and dont be hasty.
good luck and i hope you find a great home for him

 

[Twinkletoes]

I have loaned my gelding out since March, it was devastating coming to the decision, but he is so happy and I couldnt ask for more. His new home is fantastic.
If youre in wiltshire try www.nfed.co.uk as well as local saddlers etc, I personally wouldnt advertise nationally as one of my requirements was that my boy would stay within 30 miles of my home. I spoke to my vets, farrier and dentist, after all they see hundreds of other horsey people and may just know of someone really nice who is looking for a horse. Luckily my brother in law who works in law had my contract endorsed, it was a variation of the BHS one but included things like monitoring his COPD and specific instructions. It was pages long but really is worth putting the time into initially. Dont however rely on this to stand up in court in the unlikely and sad event that it came to that, but it will give you huge peace of mind. PM me if youd like any more info. Hope it all goes well for you. x

 

[kerilli]

be as paranoid as you like, and ask a million questions of the potential borrower. i have had bad experiences with loaning horses out, and have come to the conclusion that some people (not all, obviously) regard a loan horse as being somewhat like a company car - since they haven't paid for it, it doesn't matter what happens to it. i really hope you find someone who really cares about your horse, best of luck.
go and see the horse a lot. don't worry about seeming a nuisance... s/he's your horse, and genuine, nice people won't mind at all, imho.

 

[Twinkletoes]

I agree. Luckily I have an open invite at the yard where my boy is, it is also their home too, and so they say I can turn up whenever I want which is great. Definately go as much as you want, like kerilli says if they are genuine, they'll completely understand that you'll want to do that.

 

[burtie]

I have loaned out horses a few time and never had a bad experience. The last one came back rather out of the blue when she bought a horse of her own, but she had been well cared for and she kept her all winter so no complaints for me. She is now out on loan again and it seems to be going well, but this time I have found someone who wants to keep at the yard she is at so that for me is even better.

I always have a contract and use the BHS one.

 

[louisewatcham]

When I put my old mare out on loan as a companion it turned into tears and heartache - and that was with someone I knew well. It's a very long story but in brief my mare went lame. Our BHS loan agreement stated who would pay for treatment but failed to stipulate who would actually attend when vet came (silly me I assumed it would be her). She however was too busy(!) so I had to drive the 80 mile round trip every day, with my toddler in tow, first to await vet then to poultice/ equiboot on etc. Eventually vet diagnosed inoperable keratoma and I decided to have her PTS - she had pedal ostitis too. Loaner refused to let me have a 'healthy' horse that she 'loved so much' PTS on her premises so after much screaming, shouting, threats (from her and her OH) and tears I hired a trailer the following day and spent 4 hours loading stressed lame horse into it to bring her home. I had known her for 2 years and we looked after each others horses at the livery yard we were on. I thought I could trust her to do the right thing but was badly let down. Contracts just don't cover out of the ordinary circumstances. Hope this hasn't put you off - it certainly was a one off situation.

 

[Snowberry]

I've loaned out several horses/ponies and also loaned them for the kids too. Most of the time its been a positive experience.
Recently I loaned Glen out for a year and last month went to fetch him back! I was gobsmacked!
I'd vetted and referenced the new owners, drawn up a loan agreement and regularly called them to check he was ok. When I arranged to collect him, I turned up at their yard (they werent there!) and I didnt recognise my pony!
He was scruffy, dirty and in very poor condition as was the tack I had lent them.
His feet were over grown, definitely hadnt been shod for 6months or more.
His coat was dull and he looked generally peed off.
I brought him home and then looked at his passport (which went with him) and they hadnt bothered keeping his vaccinations up to date either. Even though I'd called to let them know they were due, I even offered to pay!
When I called her, she just said she didnt think to get him vaccinated, they dont shoe their ponies too regularly and 'oh yeah, sorry bout the muddy tack'!!!!
(this was a woman in her 40's who works on a hunting yard!! Not exactly inexperienced horsey person!
I was fuming! Wrote to her to say I am invoicing for the cost of getting him vaccinated again but heard nothing!

 

[Bert&Maud]

Thanks for all the advice etc. I've advertised him locally. Loads of replies from people who didn't read the words "seeks loving experienced home for hacking/companionship" and asked "I want him for hunting" or "can I teach my 15 stone husband to ride on him"? NO NO NO! Anyway, a lovely lady came to ride him last Saturday and fell in love with him straight away, she asked nothing of him which is exactly what he now needs, and they seemed very happy together. So I'm going down to vet her place at the weekend, and then she's coming back for a longer hack providing I've OK'd the accomodation etc. Have discussed the terms of the contract with her - she's had loan horses before so it was all familiar to her anyway. So all being well I hope it will work out. Now, does anyone have a good way of stopping yourself weeping buckets when you deliver your much adored baby to his new home?

 

[chestnut cob]

Good luck!

I cried when I delivered my boy to his first loan home but they really weren't the right people for him, which is why he came back quite quickly. Second time around I knew they were right for him, I let them take him (I took up references, visited the yard, have a contract, have photo ID and proof of address) and I've only just been to visit him over a month down the line.

This time I knew it was the right home so although it's a bit sad, mostly I'm just pleased he has found such wonderful people. He will have a home for life with them and they just adore him - they even apologised when I saw him sunday that his shoeing would be a week overdue (I stipulate 6 weeks)!