Sharing to full loaning?

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Bramblebear

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Hi Everyone,

This is my first post to this forum after many years of lurking – eek!

Basically I have become very attached to my current ‘share’ horse. I am the sole rider and able to ride as much as I want. I muck out, feed, turn out/in and am generally at the yard twice a day. Her owner has several other horses of her own and does not have any current aspirations to get back on my share girl (she can be a bit of a handful sometimes). I pay £120 a month which I know is a long way off what she costs to keep.

If I am honest I feel a little guilty that I contribute a relatively small amount to her keep but that I get all of the main benefits. Also, although it seems unlikely, I worry about ever having to start sharing her with any other potential sharers. So I am currently wondering whether to ask her owner if I could take her on full loan, paying for everything but keeping her on the same yard (as the owner is attached and would like to be involved in some decisions). I know that her owner could do with the money. I would enjoy the greater responsibility for her and feel a little more secure about our future.

However everyone I have discussed this with say that I would be mad to change the current arrangement because I get such a good deal at present. Has anyone else been such an involved sharer and what was your arrangement? Or has anyone gone from sharer to full loaner and felt the benefits/disadvantages?

Thanks
 
could you talk to the owner about your thoughts? maybe your concern about her wanting to get another sharer, if she has any thoughts about the future and you wanting a bit more responsibility/full loan.
she will either say yes or no so no harm done :) if she says no then you will just have to except she may need to get another sharer or you could offer to pay more if you can afford it.
 
You may be contributing comparatively little to her keep financially, but you're doing all the primary work of owning her really. Don't underestimate that, having someone else take on care like that is a huge help to the owner. If you're concerned about her wanting to take on another sharer then certainly talk to her. Do you have a written agreement regarding responsibilities?

Otherwise, if you're going to offer to take on all of her upkeep is there a reason you wouldn't take over ownership? This may be a regional difference, but I wouldn't expect to be fully financially and day-to-day responsible for a horse unless I had ownership or a written contract that said if the owner decided to sell I'd be offered first. One of the benefits of a lease arrangement is that you aren't fully responsible after all.

This is how I got my first horse so I suppose this is my own bias. But I did all the riding and care for several years before the owner decided to sell her and offered her to me.
 
Have a chat with her owner. I was in the same position as you, paid very little a month for the full use of someone's horse (and lorry!). She had lost her confidence on him and I was planning on taking him on full time, but then we lost him to colic. The arrangement was going to be that I had full care of him, covered his costs, paid small maintenance towards the lorry, but to keep him on the same yard (although we had been discussing moving), and just keeping her in the loop.

The worst she can say is no, and you'll just have to settle for what you've got at the moment (which sounds pretty good - but I know where you're coming from in regards to the instability of it).

If her owner is reluctant to agree to a full loan (make sure you bring up contracts for her peace of mind), then maybe just say why you suggested it, and that you're happy to continue being a sharer, but would like to pay more if it would mean removing the risk of someone else sharing too?

It does sound like a really good deal, but if you want the assurance that she isn't going to be taken out from underneath you/feel more responsible, then it's worth having the chat.

Good luck and keep us posted :)
 
To be fair with you feeding, turning out, bringing in, having sole ride of her, being up there twice a day etc, it sounds more like a loan than share situation anyway.

Is there a reason for you to panic that you may have to begin sharing with someone else? If the owner is happy with the arrangement and the care of your horse, then I wouldn't be forthcoming with offering more money just for the sake of it, not without drawing up contracts and having a good chat with the owner.

I would sit down with the owner, explain you are very keen for you to continue having sole responsibility/care/riding of the horse, and wonder if it is possible to draw up a loan contract that is appropriate to the situation, as you feel it has moved passed purely sharing, or you would like it to. Perhaps she will appreciate a bit of security with regards to who is responsible for what, notice periods etc, and perhaps you could ask in the clause that if she ever wishes to sell you have first refusal on the horse? Regarding the money side of things, if she is happy to draw up a contract that suits you both (and protects you both if the worst should happen), then you can discuss this as part of the contract.

Just remember that even if it is full loan or share, at the end of the day, the owner remains so, and all decisions ultimately end with her. The only way to truly secure your future with the horse, is for you to look at buying, however as long as you have a good, trusting relationship with the owner, the contract and continue to communicate with her as you are, that may be enough for you both!

You clearly are a very good sharer, and I can bet the owner is glad to have you about :)
 
You are still doing the owner a favour by providing all that care for the horse, so I wouldn't be offering to pay more...I understand the responsibility bit but I would definitely wait to see if they do want another sharer or not, and then at that point you could offer a bit extra to have sole responsibility of her if you really want to. Sounds like the owner should be really please with the level of care and attention you give to her horse so I am sure they wouldn't want to lose out on that.
 
Here's another idea...

Find out how much it costs to keep this horse - livery, shoes, feed, bedding, supplements, insurance etc - per month.

Work out the difference of the monthly cost and what you pay.

Firstly, can you afford the full cost? If no, never mind, continue as you are. If yes, great! Start saving the difference in cost each month.

In a few month down the line, when you have a lump sum, offer to buy her.

If the answer is yes, congrats, you have your own horse!

If no, continue sharing as before (if that's what you want), or offer full loan... then go and treat yourself with the money you've just saved up. Or just save it for a rainy day. Whatever suits :)
 
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. It seems that the consensus is to have a chat to the owner. I think I will explain that I would like some security and see what options she is open to, then see if we can capture it in a contract. I am confident that she is pleased with me as a sharer/carer and she regularly says that she is lucky to have me.

I know that one of her previous sharers for another horse has been to the yard a few times so that is something that makes me nervous. I have worked hard to get my girl fit and more confident so am a little protective about her now.

Financially speaking I am aware of the costs and able to cover them. Embo, I liked your savings idea and actually have already been doing that just in case the owner decided to sell. I think that having thought about it, buying her may be one of the options I discuss.
 
I went from share to full loan. Was a different pony and full loan wasn't expected, but the 10 year old in me jumped at the chance to have a pony all of my 'own' and haven't looked back since! Slightly different circumstances as he is an old pony and won't ever have to give him back so feels like he is officially mine anyway
 
Embo said:
Here's another idea...

Find out how much it costs to keep this horse - livery, shoes, feed, bedding, supplements, insurance etc - per month.

Work out the difference of the monthly cost and what you pay.

Firstly, can you afford the full cost? If no, never mind, continue as you are. If yes, great! Start saving the difference in cost each month.

In a few month down the line, when you have a lump sum, offer to buy her.

If the answer is yes, congrats, you have your own horse!

If no, continue sharing as before (if that's what you want), or offer full loan... then go and treat yourself with the money you've just saved up. Or just save it for a rainy day. Whatever suits :)
Click to expand...

^ That is a great idea!

If anything as you are already doing so much for said horse I would nt be offering to be paying anymore, but I would have a chat with the owner about potential new sharers, and only if she says for financial reasons would I offer more, even then meet her halfway, but it does seem like you have a good arrangement so stick with it!
 
I have done this exact thing. Feel free to pm if you want.

I shared my current loan horse for a year then as I was doing him everyday as his owner was unable to get there due to health reasons I ended up taking on loan and havnt looked back I like the fact I don't have to query things with his owner but she would never sell him so this is as close as I'll get it suits me perfectly. I moved him where I wanted with her blessing and she now rarely sees him her choice. I didn't notice anything except the financial change as I was already giving him the same amount of time as I do now.
 
We've had a similar arrangement where someone shared our horse for a small contribution and could ride pretty much when they wanted. He was on full livery so no chores needed and it really didn't make a dent in the cost of keeping him, but it was great for us to have someone to ride him and keep his weight down.

The slightly cynical side of me thinks you won't have tons to gain by full loaning her (other than the cost of it all!) as the owner can still just change her mind at any minute. I'd just keep on with what you're currently doing or I'd want to buy her. As others have said don't underestimate the value of all the work you are doing, paying someone else to do that costs £££ - I'd love to have someone like you to help with my two and I wouldn't even ask for a financial contribution if they came down twice a day everyday and did everything!
 
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