Thinking about loaning (advice please!)

[Amye]

Hi,

I am thinking about putting my Warmblood up for part loan in the near future. I am starting a new job next week which is 9-5 and therefore will have less time to spend with him on an evening. At the moment I finish work at 3pm so have plenty of time to get to the yard and ride him etc.

I was thinking of putting him up for 2 days a week, as I still want to spend time with him and my boyfriend also rides him one day on a weekend, but this will give me 2 days where I don't need to be stuck in traffic at rush hour and have to rush around with him to get home at a reasonable time.

The things i am mostly worried about are: Another rider letting him fall into bad habits - he can be quite lazy in the school and we are working on making him more responsive and wouldn't want another rider to change this, am i worrying over nothing? Or is it acceptable to ask for a loan for only hacking out? I would love him to go out more to build his confidence and this is what I struggle with time wise. Is it unreasonable for me to ask a loaner to only hack him out when he is capable of schooling?

How to make sure they are the right loaner for us - I was thinking of seeing them ride in the school, going round the fields with them and maybe even going out on a hack with them. Is this normal/sensible? I want to make sure they gel with us and don't want someone who is going to rag him about.

Contract - Can i just write up a contract defining days and duties etc? He is on DIY livery so this would include stable duties.

Does anyone have any stories and tips/hints (good or bad) of part loaning? I have part loaned a horse myself in the past and had a brilliant relationship with the owner and did lots with him so I know it CAN work.

I guess I am worrying about picking the wrong person! I've only owned him for around 10 months and he is my first horse. I want to do whats best for him

Sorry for the essay!

 

[Maesto's Girl]

I share and I can say do what makes you comfortable. The owner of my mare watched me ride and is happy enough for me to school and hack as she needs bringing on but if you just want hacking to start with - until you get to know the person - then I am sure that would be fine so long as you are upfront.

I wouldn't necessarily have a contract as any good loaner would recognise the need for duties on a DIY yard, but you could say it is on a 1 month trial basis? I don't have a contract with the owner which does give some flexibility on days and we started with a trial for a month - 2 days a week. Now I do 3 as I've completely fallen for her

 

[PaddyMonty]

First thing I would say is trust your instinct. If you have doubts about a person then probably best to continue looking.
Your horse so you make the rules. Each share is unique to the two parties involved.
When trying out a potential sharer get them to do as much with the horse as you need to for an informed decision, not just riding but tacking up, catching, turnout, grooming. Too many people can talk the talk but not walk the walk.
You don't mention if you plan to charge. Think about this carefully. You may get a better rider who can improve your horse if you don't charge.
And finally, be prepared for the arrangement to evolve. For example, I took on a horse just over a week ago on the basis that I would school and compete it. Zero cost, 3 days a week. Fast forward 12 days and it looks like it will be more of a share. Owner is having lessons with me which will I hope result in her competing herself but at a lower level to me. The days are no longer fixed, I've ridden 8 times in the last 12 days, hacking , jumping, flatwork. We just liase with each other to work out a few days in advance. I've also spent £120 on a new bit for horse so the zero cost seems to have gone out the window as well. All very different to the original plan but both of us very happy with how it's working.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Ditto follow your gut instinct; trust your horse's as well. Don't be fooled by this or that "certificate" or what-have-you they've got, I'd be inclined to listen to what your horse is saying and if he doesn't look happy with someone, no matter how "experienced" a rider they're supposed to be, its a no-no.

 

[View]

Trust your instinct and trust what your horse is telling you.

Good advice above, especially about what they might bring to you and your horse. I really enjoy hacking, and would be more than happy to share on such a basis (and am also happy to school on a hack because growing up only very posh people and riding schools had schools). Recently, I turned down such an arrangement when it transpired that the owner wanted me to hack because she is nervous, transmits that to the horse so it spooks on hacks - and then wanted me to pay £50 per week for the privilege. Oh, and the days would have to move around to suit the owner, so she would tell me on the day it was my day. No matter how nice the horse, this was not going to work out, so I declined.

 

[Amye]

Thank you all for your advice! I'll definitely take it all on board.

Glad everyone was very positive about loaning - I guess he's my first horse and I want to do right by him and not end up with a loaner who is only going to care about the bombing about or something, as he's not the kind of horse you can do that with (Me being a worrier no doubt).

I haven't decided about the finance yet - I am in two minds about it. If I did then it wouldn't be very much anyway

Good point about making sure they can groom/tack up etc etc. I remember a story the owner of the horse I loaned told me when I went to view him - Two girls turned up and she asked them to tack him up, they said they had ridden this and that and were experienced with yard duties - ended up nearly putting the bridle on backwards!

View - that does not sound like a good situation! I would like someone to hack him out mostly as I don't have time, and he does need his confidence building with going out. But i happily hack him out by myself and he is not dangerous - Can just be a bit stubborn if he decides he doesn't want to walk past something.

Problem with my boy is he loves everything and everyone! (apart from cows - don't mention the cows..). I don't think he would be very picky in who loaned him haha

I was thinking about telling the YO that I was thinking about loaning before I advertised, is this the normal thing to do? Obviously I would let YO know if/when I found someone. Would it be polite to tell them everytime someone came to view? It's a fairly busy and big yard and if a member of my family comes up I don't mention to YO then as they are always supervised by me.