Sharing - what happens if horse goes lame?

[kyanya]

I share a horse, but with no arrangment drawn up between the owner and me, although verbally we have agreed I do 2 set days a week, which involve grooming, riding, feeding, putting horse out and poo picking 1 barrow from the field each week, for an amount of money per month (paid in advance). The horse I share went lame at the start of last week - I went to the stables as normal on the first day last week, poo picked, groomed, fed and put horse out, as well as poo picking. I couldn't make it to the yard on my other day last week; I let the owner know and this was fine.

The horse is still not being worked until an assessment later this week. However in the mean time, it's time for me to pay the owner the amount for July, and I don't really know what to do. I appreciate that it costs the same for the owner regardless of whether the horse is rideable or not, but this has happened at a time when OH's been made unemployed and we need to watch what we're spending. As a sharer, would you be trying to negotiate something whilst horse is lame, or would you pay the full amount with no hesitation?

 

[AmyMay]

You pay as normal.

 

[justjoules]

I share a horse and although I trust the owner 100% and she is a good friend we have a water tight contract in place for situations exactly like that. From an owner's point of view I would expect the same amount of money as horse costs the same much like you said. Equally from the sharer's viewpoint I can understand your frustration.

If this where my situation I would pay it as it is no one's fault but perhaps discuss what the 'policy' will be on this. I would seriously strongly suggest that you get a contract in place. Loaners/sharers sometimes get a bad name (and have come in for a hammering on here lately - justifiably so in the highlighted cases) but as someone else said we can't all be tarred with the same brush.

Hope it is nothing major.

 

[jumpthemoon]

Completely agree with amymay, you should pay as normal. If you have money problems you maybe need to look into whether you want to continue sharing, but you should pay as normal until you cancel your agreement IMO

 

[eggs]

You pay and do your chores as usual.

I would strongly suggest the pair of you get a written contract asap including the notice period either of you have to give in order to terminate the share.

I don't share of loan any of my horses but if I did and one of them went lame and the sharer stopped paying/helping I would terminate the agreement. There is no way I would want just a fair weather sharer.

 

[Amaranta]

You pay as normal.

^^^^this you are sharing the horse not hiring it

 

[Kellys Heroes]

Pay as normal of course!!
You are in effect half owning that horse...it doesn't stop costing money just because its lame.
My share girl has been unrideable for near on 2 years now and although her mum won't accept payment from me anymore I still bought food, treats, etc even though she's been ill and I haven't ridden. Sharing isn't just about the riding, its about taking on some responsibility for that horse.
K x

 

[cm2581]

You pay as normal.

Yip

 

[claireandnadia]

Depends on the owner. When I had a sharer and Nadia went lame and was on box rest I stopped charging her but she was still happy enough to do her days but just mucking out, grooming etc.
I didn't wait for my sharer to ask me, I immediately made that decision and told her.

 

[nicelittle]

Pay as usual, all horses have periods where they cannot be ridden for one reason or another, and as a sharer (or owner!) you have to accept this.
If you only want to ride, and pay only when you ride, go to a riding school.

 

[hudsonw]

You pay and do your chores as usual.

I would strongly suggest the pair of you get a written contract asap including the notice period either of you have to give in order to terminate the share.

I don't share of loan any of my horses but if I did and one of them went lame and the sharer stopped paying/helping I would terminate the agreement. There is no way I would want just a fair weather sharer.

^^^ This

I would be really peeved if someone thought so little of my horse that they were sharing to not want to not pay after such a short spell of lameness.
OP if you really think this is acceptable then perhaps you should go to a riding school for your money.
What will you do in winter when you can't ride due to the weather...?

If a vet however has stated that the horse will be lame for XXX time and this is too long for you then you need to terminate the share but remember that horses aren't always fit to ride and there will be times when you just have to do the daily chores...it's part of being a responsible owner/sharer.
The owner of the horse you share is still paying and looking after her horse even though it's lame...you have to take the rough with the smooth.

 

[FigJam]

Depends on the owner. When I had a sharer and Nadia went lame and was on box rest I stopped charging her but she was still happy enough to do her days but just mucking out, grooming etc.
I didn't wait for my sharer to ask me, I immediately made that decision and told her.

This is the same as me, although my sharer didn't do "stable duties" as such, just fed/tidied up any mess after riding, so effectively she stopped sharing when my horse was on box rest/field rest. I didn't think it was fair to take money from her when she was getting nothing in return. (and yes... it cost me more having her off work and on box rest/vet treatment, but that's part of being an owner, not a sharer IMO)

I'd rather keep a good sharer sweet by doing this and then in the future if looking to start up the share again, she would (hopefully!) be keen.

 

[LaurenBay]

In most cases the sharer will carry on paying.

In my case though (when I was sharing that is) my share Horse couldnt be ridden for about 3 weeks. The owner rung both sharers and said that we didn't have to go up until Horse was sound again and didn't want any money from us (I did offer to pay though as did other sharer) Other sharer didn't go up til Horse was sound. But I carried on with my days and just spent time grooming etc. But owner wouldn't take money of neither of us. Mind you we didn't have a contract.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

If the horse is off work for a few weeks for any reason, you pay and continue as normal. If it is long term, ie, months, then the owner may decide to not accpet any money, but horses are not cars, they get ill/lame and if you find that unacceptable, then a riding school might suit you better.

 

[Wagtail]

Agree with the others. Pay as normal. Sharing is a sort of halfway house to loaning or owning. It is not fair to only pay when the horse is sound. The only exception I would make is when there is an agreement to pay per ride.

I hope things get sorted soon and the horse recovers. In the meantime, I would do as the others say and get a proper agreement written up to cover all circumstances. For example, the owner should have a disclaimer in there to release her from any responsibility should you get injured whilst handling or riding her horse, state whether anyone else can ride the horse without her permission. That kind of thing.