Taken ownership of a loan horse

[Celtic Jewel]

my friend has been loan a horse for 2 years the owner of the horse decided she was going to stay permanently in Canada . She has been gifted the horse for free as he is 19 with arthritis needs a lot of joint injections. My friend payed for tack and other things. people in the yard think she crazy for her to take ownership for 19 year old horse that could need retirement in a few years. My friend wants to know your independent opinion And she doesn’t have an account so ask me to post it .

 

[Skib]

It depends what she wants to do. I hacked for an hour twice a week on a semi retired lesson mare who died after 5 or 6 years aged 24. She was not totally safe, as she would spin and drop staff riders, but we pottered along safely and cantered when we both felt up to it.

 

[meleeka]

As long as she can afford to keep the horse I don't see a problem. When I was in the situation of being gifted an older horse, I thought the money I'd saved on buying him just went to vet bills instead, so I wasn't any worse off for having an older horse.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

If your friend is happy with the situation what business is it of anyone else's.

she might just want to keep the horse ticking over and be happy with the fact he may soon be retired, especially if she has loaned the horse for a long time she may feel she wants to keep him.

 

[dorsetladette]

I think it's perfectly OK. Your friend would have continued to loan the horse I'm assuming and the cost of his keep would have fallen to your friend in that instance. Your friend may have a few more years with her lovely horse before he has to retire or a decision about his future is made. As long as his welfare is at the forefront of decision making it makes no odds weather he is loaned or owned.

 

[Mosh]

I took my mare on at 21 as she was gifted too me in heartbreaking circumstances.
She has been the horse of a life time, never reared or bucked but isn't a complete dope, she can still have me off now at 30!

The money she would have cost I spent on paying for vets bills and new tack instead and 700 rugs....

 

[Celtic Jewel]

It depends what she wants to do. I hacked for an hour twice a week on a semi retired lesson mare who died after 5 or 6 years aged 24. She was not totally safe, as she would spin and drop staff riders, but we pottered along safely and cantered when we both felt up to it.

My friend is a happy hacker

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Your friend was happy to ride and care for the horse while it was on loan and presumably would have continued to do so if the owner's circumstances hadn't changed. The owner obviously trusts your friend to take good care of the horse. Really, the only opinions that count are the loaner's and the owner's

 

[Arzada]

My friend wants to know your independent opinion

Well done her. I hope they both continue to enjoy happily hacking.

 

[KittenInTheTree]

Ever since the Coligone Incident*, I have made it a personal policy not to pay any heed to the unsolicited opinions of other liveries. I recommend that your friend do the same. I hope she and her new horse have many happy years together

*We do not speak of what occurred. It was a dark and terrible time, with much Facebook drama, and very little sanity demonstrated.

 

[splashgirl45]

I don’t see a problem, many horses can lead a very happy life as happy hackers. I would think after 2 years she is emotionally attached to the horse, hope she enjoys her horse for a long time and ignores any people who criticise her..

 

[nagblagger]

Own him, enjoy him, s#d what people think!
You can then be the responsible owner who makes the ultimate decision when his time comes. You could have a much younger horse that breaks.

If you don't own him he can be taken away or PTS anytime.

 

[Tiddlypom]

As long as friend is prepared and able to keep him as comfortable as he can be, then crack on.

Who has currently been paying for all the joint injections he has been having and how often is he likely to need them on going? Is she up for expensive maintenance vets bills?

 

[TinseLeneHorse]

I would suggest getting something in writing from Canada woman to say that ownership has passed to your friend. She will also need his passport. No matter how well she gets on with the current owner at the moment, things may change and people can be strange.

Sounds as if horse will have a loving home with your friend which is so important for an ageing equine. Wishing them the best for the future

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would suggest getting something in writing from Canada woman to say that ownership has passed to your friend. She will also need his passport. No matter how well she gets on with the current owner at the moment, things may change and people can be strange.

Sounds as if horse will have a loving home with your friend which is so important for an ageing equine. Wishing them the best for the future

She should already have the passport it should always stay with the horse especially as they require them for travelling.

 

[Polos Mum]

I would suggest your friend gets a receipt from the owner for £1 - it's sooooo much simpler to prove a purchase than a 'gift'
then everything is nice and neat.

Other that that - it's totally nobody else's business - if your friend is happy it doesn't matter what loads of strangers on the internet think - not nosy people on her yard.

If the horse is an ex top SJ that's had a tonne of mileage - she might not have long, if the horse is a native type that's pottered - and doing what she wants - she could have another 4-6-10 years.

You can spend £10k on a lovely horse that passes the vet and trips off the lorry week 1, does something horrible and needs to be retired. You can have a youngster get confirmational arthritis after no work aged 6 and never properly start work.

Far too many ifs and buts to worry about what other people thing.

 

[WelshD]

I recently sold my 16 year old pony with a history of ulcers and a list of quirks to his old loaner and her mum for £1

The husband was a little dubious so I put in a clause to say that should they not be able to cope financially with him that I would take back ownership.

That kept everyone happy.

 

[JoannaC]

Can't see the problem, she has had the horse for two years so knows all about him and was obviously happy to be gifted him. I bought a 20 year old this year and have no regrets he is a superstar. When you read about all the issues people have buying unsuitable horses and not being able to ride them regardless of age then why not take on something you know. All horses are a risk my retired mare had a horrific field accident at 8 where as my old boy I bought at 15 and had ten great years with him. She should ignore the doom merchants and just enjoy her horse.

 

[Annagain]

Someone on another thread (I think it was the the cheeky Facebook one) made the point that often, people make a judgement on their horse's value based on what it is worth TO THEM as someone who has a relationship with the horse rather than making an objective judgement. That works the other way too. Those people are seeing the situation entirely objectively because they don't have a relationship with him. On paper, he has little value and his medical conditions and age mean that he is likely to be burden. However, they don't have the relationship with him that your friend does so they don't see all the positives he brings or love him and want the best for him like I'm sure your friend does. In this case, her assessment of him is the only one that matters. I would have bought my old share horse, not just accepted him as a gift, even at 26 and already retired. Nobody else in the world would have but that wouldn't have made me wrong.

 

[Glitter's fun]

my friend has been loan a horse for 2 years the owner of the horse decided she was going to stay permanently in Canada . She has been gifted the horse for free as he is 19 with arthritis needs a lot of joint injections. My friend payed for tack and other things. people in the yard think she crazy for her to take ownership for 19 year old horse that could need retirement in a few years. My friend wants to know your independent opinion And she doesn’t have an account so ask me to post it .

I agree that your friend would find it difficult to prove who owns the horse if it ever became necessary. I think she should buy it for £1 and get a receipt.

Otherwise, good luck to her. Many's the good tune played on an old fiddle!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I agree that your friend would find it difficult to prove who owns the horse if it ever became necessary. I think she should buy it for £1 and get a receipt.

Otherwise, good luck to her. Many's the good tune played on an old fiddle!

I would have thought that if there is an email/text trail discussing this gift, as is likely with the owner in Canada, that would be perfectly acceptable as proof of transfer of ownership.

 

[Celtic Jewel]

As long as friend is prepared and able to keep him as comfortable as he can be, then crack on.

Who has currently been paying for all the joint injections he has been having and how often is he likely to need them on going? Is she up for expensive maintenance vets bills?

my friend has been sharing costs but they had full use of the horse the owner did pay for joint injections when he needed them and dentist and some of the livery . Yeah he needs joint injections every 6 months both his hocks and Fronts done .