Why do people take on full loans?

R

RIDMagic

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 February 2013
Messages
122
Visit site
I would really like to find someone to take my horse on full loan for 2 or 3 years, but many people have told me I shouldn't even consider it, as it's too risky. She is a rising 5 year old Irish Draught, lovely laid back nature but as she is young she takes confidence from her rider and needs to get out and about seeing the world and getting some experience under her belt. Sadly I just can't give her this at the moment and can see that if we carry on the way we are going, I am going to lose my confidence completely and I am not doing her any favours either. I would really like to avoid selling her if at all possible as I think in another 2 or 3 years she could be perfect for me, I just don't have the confidence, time or money that it will take to get her to where I know she could be.

The ideal solution would be to find someone relatively experienced who will full loan her for 2 or 3 years, by which point she will be older, more experienced and hopefully easier for me to manage. Am I dreaming thinking I can find someone suitable? I would be happy to let her move yards as long as it's nearby and I can visit. I'm just concerned I'll get lots of novices, nervous riders, unreliable people etc.

So why do people usually take on full loans? Is it because they can't afford to buy their own (in which case could I really trust that they can afford to keep one?) Or is it because they have never owned a horse and aren't ready to commit to buying their own? Are there many genuine experienced riders out there that want to full loan for a few years?
 
I think there a few reasons for taking on a loan. Lack of capital to buy a horse is the main one.
My reason is that I hate buying them, the only one I bought was a disaster and I don't trust anyone now. People tend to be more honest when loaning there horse than selling it as you can return it.
 
You comment about how much time and money it takes to bring on a young horse. You are absolutely correct.
Anyone that is capable enough to do a good job will not want to be your substitute for what other people pay £150 a week on schooling livery.
I think the best you could hope for would be to keep the horse where it is, you pay the bills, and then offer an exchange of free schooling/competing.
 
I dont think putting a horse on full loan is as risky as putting a young horse that needs bringing on out for full loan. perhaps thats what your friends are getting at.
 
It's nice to hear there are some genuine loaners out there... but I wonder if there are more 'bad ones' than 'good ones'...! I suppose it's just a big risk that she could go to the wrong person who can make a total mess of her and hand her back at any time, leaving me with a big problem.
 
People loan for lots of reasons, mainly because if it dosnt work out/their circumstances change then the horse can be sent back without worry or hassle of selling if they had of bought.
I have a fantastic loaner for one of mine, it was initially ment to be a year while i was pregnant but ive extended it to permanant because she loves him so much and i genuinely feel he is better suited to her and the lifestyle she gives him.

You should easily find a loaner coming up to spring
 
You may find someone to take on a nice horse with potential that is willing to invest 2 or 3 years of time and money to bring on and school your horse for you but most with the ability, experience and funds to do so would most likely manage somehow to buy their own rather than hand it back after doing all the work.
Their are people that do so, lolo's sister has a horse on loan but she, I think, does have support from the owner, you may be best to offer an incentive so you keep some control and have more influence with who has her and can ensure that she is brought on correctly otherwise you may find that she does not get the education she requires, word of mouth may be the best way to find someone suitable or consider selling and getting an older established horse that is already what you want rather than risking her being spoilt.
 
Exactly right, it is a much bigger risk putting a young horse out on loan than putting a 10 year old happy hacker out on loan. And I also agree that some people pay a lot to have their horse schooled for them. But does that mean there is nobody that would want to take a young horse on full loan, treat her as their own, compete if they want, for a few years? Is that wishful thinking? My only other option is to sell, and obviously that is something I am having to consider but would rather not if I can avoid it.
 
ihatework said:
You comment about how much time and money it takes to bring on a young horse. You are absolutely correct.
Anyone that is capable enough to do a good job will not want to be your substitute for what other people pay £150 a week on schooling livery.
I think the best you could hope for would be to keep the horse where it is, you pay the bills, and then offer an exchange of free schooling/competing.
Click to expand...
This could be an issue so it may be worth you offering to contribute towards costs. I have loaned previously and can think of circumstances where other people would eg waiting for their youngster to be old enough, older horse that can no longer be ridden, knowing they are going to start a family in a couple of years so not wanting the commitment

Good luck finding someone lovely
 
I have my boy who I've owned for 5 years but has racked up £££££'s in insurance claims and vets bills and is now semi retired which has meant little left in capital to buy another although I have the funds for the monthly up keep so I got my second boy on loan, he has all the same as my first in terms of care, treatments and I've spent a significant amount in training to better his flat work, I just couldn't have done this if I'd had to buy him in the first instance. There are people out there, it's just finding the right ones, good luck.
 
Sorry, every time I reply there are already a few more replies!!
Thanks for the advice. Be positive, that's a good point about offering an incentive. You have given me some food for thought...
 
I have a horse on full loan - have had him 2 years. He arrived very green and I have out a lot of work in.

Prior to that I had bought a horse which I had to retire after a very short time, so I was wary and preferred to loan.

The downside for me is that the owner now wants to sell... and is asking more than I would pay.

So yes there are genuine loaners out there and you may well strike lucky.
 
Thanks webble and Higgledy Piggledy :) Vets bills is a very viable reason as to why someone might not want to buy a horse. Maybe the right person is out there. I'm not in a rush so can afford to spend a few months trying to find someone before resigning myself to having to sell her. She is just such a lovely horse, very laid back and sensible, just needs somebody experienced to continue her education for a couple of years, even if it's just hacking about regularly to get her confident. Thanks again everyone.
 
Thanks OldNag, you sound like just the kind of person I'm looking for. Sorry to hear of your situation though, that must be very difficult for you. I guess that's the downside from the loaner's point of view.
 
ihatework said:
You comment about how much time and money it takes to bring on a young horse. You are absolutely correct.
Anyone that is capable enough to do a good job will not want to be your substitute for what other people pay £150 a week on schooling livery.
I think the best you could hope for would be to keep the horse where it is, you pay the bills, and then offer an exchange of free schooling/competing.
Click to expand...

This. I don't mean to be harsh, but what you want is for someone to have all the risk, expense and hard work of bringing your horse on to be a nice safe all rounder for you to enjoy.

You might find someone to school your horse for free in exchange for competing and you continuing to pay for the horse, but I doubt you will find anyone with the skill you want who will want to do all the work for you and pay for the privilege.
 
You also might manage to find someone like me who actually just wants a project. But you may struggle and have to deal with a lot of numpties first, apparently reading an advert is soooo difficult these days.... :rolleyes3:
 
I had my 6yo green TB on loan purley because I didn't have the £2K outright for her at the time even though I could keep up with maintenance costs. I wanted something that was a bit of a project to put a few years of work in before Uni and then give back (I was happy with this as she came from a fabulous home). However, I ended up buying her as a 7yo as I fell in love with her!

In your case, it might be hard to find someone to long term loan a green horse unless you want someone young (unlikley and maybe unwise) or someone who doesn't want the commitment of a horse. Plus you get the chance they are unreliable or unsuitable.

I'd also worry putting a young horse out on loan with a stranger because at that stage of learning, I wouldn't want to take steps backwards by a poor rider etc.

Could a share or part loan be an option and you have lessons to bring up your confidence in the meantime?
 
I have both loaned and have a pony currently out on loan.
The pony out on loan, we wish to retain as she has a locking stifle, and if sold that maybe an issue whereby she could become misused.
We loaned for a variety of reasons,including lack of funds to buy what we were looking for. But, my daughter is a more than competent older teen, and a 2/3 year loan suited her while she finished her training. She could gain experience in bringing the horse on, and by having regular lessons, while has the knowledge that the horse returns to you at the end so is less likely to be sold on and maybe misused etc.
You do need a tight contract explaining what you want and expect. If i loaned on basis of bringing horse on, I would also want a clause that if horse is to be sold within 6 months of returning to owner, I would have first refusal.
 
Hi webble, unfortunately I just can't afford to pay someone long term to come and school her for me as well as having lessons for myself. I would be leaving myself penniless. It would be the ideal solution though.

xspiralx, I knew when I posted this thread that somebody would reply saying exactly what you did. Yes, you could put it like that. And yes, that it what it comes down to. But ultimately that is quite a black and white way of looking at it. After all, if somebody takes her on loan they do have the cost of keeping her but they also have the advantage of handing her back with no obligations should their situation change, or if she gets injured. The same can't be said if they own the horse.

And as Broke_But_Happy has pointed out, some people actually want a project to work on. And she isn't actually much of a project, she has a lovely laid back nature and for somebody experienced she won't take much work to get her going nicely. By which point they would have a good 2 or more years of being able to compete, hack out, and pretty much do anything they want with her (within reason).

I know I would be asking a lot but by the sound of some the replies, such people are out there. It's just a case of finding them.
 
One of my friends has never bought a horse she always loans, money is not an object she could afford to buy but decided that as she could loan really good horses why pay all that money and take the risk. She has evented and shown to a high level.

I also have another friend who has loaned two horses and she sent them both back due to family reasons if she had bought she would have been having to sell or struggle on in very difficult circumstances.

I think there might also be people out there who are maybe are horseless and perhaps thinking about starting a family in a few years so don't want to commit to buying but would take on a loan for a few years or maybe someone who has a work contract that is going to be for three years in this country and then they go overseas.
 
ellie11987 said:
I had my 6yo green TB on loan purley because I didn't have the £2K outright for her at the time even though I could keep up with maintenance costs. I wanted something that was a bit of a project to put a few years of work in before Uni and then give back (I was happy with this as she came from a fabulous home). However, I ended up buying her as a 7yo as I fell in love with her!

In your case, it might be hard to find someone to long term loan a green horse unless you want someone young (unlikley and maybe unwise) or someone who doesn't want the commitment of a horse. Plus you get the chance they are unreliable or unsuitable.

I'd also worry putting a young horse out on loan with a stranger because at that stage of learning, I wouldn't want to take steps backwards by a poor rider etc.

Could a share or part loan be an option and you have lessons to bring up your confidence in the meantime?
Click to expand...


Might be worth looking through the pony club as they might have people in this position.
 
I loaned as had just finished my masters degree, which has put a huge dent in my savings. I had been a sharer for a number of years and always wanted a horse of my own, but before I bought I wanted to be sure I enjoyed having a horse full time! My loan was initially for twelve months. I kept her as couldn't imagine finding a more perfect horse. Many years later she was gifted to me.

I would certainly look at loaning again. However, I would be more interested in a long term loan. It wouldn't suit me to put in all of the work then for the owner to take the horse back- although as other posters have pointed out, this wouldn't be a problem for other people.
 
Last edited:
We have just been offered a pony on loan. he needed completley reschooling and working on . We felt that my daughter would be doing all the hard work and expenses to then hand him back ready for her kids to enjoy. If we didnt already have our own perhaps we would have considered it but i felt we would have been taken advantage of . The pony as it stands is probably worth £400 ? . We will be better off buying a youngster ourselves at that money and perhaps selling on in 4 years .
 
I've loaned. And in fact I still do, I currently loan a 17.2hh 4 year old from a lovely couple on Shropshire who breed and sell on (mainly to Oliver Townend and local enters) but who ended up with this gangly warmblood who is as slow as a dope and whom they fell in love with. I've rebacked him and the contract states either I give him back and they sell on and I get a percentage or I buy him myself.

Thats where I came in, I'm 21 and paying off a car and planning a wedding and there's no way I could afford the lump sum but I easily afford all monthly fees including insurance, vet bills etc etc. Its super ideal for me aswell because in two years time id like to be starting a family and couldn't commit to a horse if I buy.

I don't see anything wrong with loaning, but always get a contract written up, get references from the loanee (I provided references from YO, YM, even my vets provided a reference from previous horses) and visit the place. I also think it helps to keep in contact (I send emails and photos) and carry out a spot checks! I feel much better knowing Oliver's owners care enough to pop down to say hello then abandoning their horse with what is, for all intents and purposes, a stranger.

True experienced loanees are out there I'm proof! For me I just never find a loan horse bigger then 14hh haha!

And I totally disagree with people not wanted to put the work in to give you back a lovely horse down the line. I enjoy bringing on horses and I enjoy the challenge!
 
Last edited:
I had my boy on loan for 6 months before buying him. I had sold my old horse and didn't want to be horseless, but wasn't at all sure what I wanted to get next. So the loan arrangement worked out well, gave me chance to think about things for a while and have a lot of fun on something completely different from the one I sold (large warm blood mare sold ... Scrumptious highland on loan). During the loan period, the owner's personal circumstances changed and they decided they wanted to sell, so I bought him at the end of the loan period. Perfect result for me. To be honest, I'd have been heart broken to give him back, but it guess I would have done if things had been different.
 
I had my first horse (previously had ponies) on full loan from a girl who was going to university - had just bought my first house and didn't have the capital to buy but had enough income to keep a horse. After 18 months she sold him to me and I had him for 19 years until he died.
 
The reason we are loaning is simply because daughter is growing like a weed. I have no desire to over horse her with something to grow in to. I would end up in a position of keeping all her out grown ponies and having to find riders or loaners for them.

It will be so hard to let her go when she out grows her pony, but I know she will be going home where she is much loved and will be well kept.

Very much looking forward to the day we get our keeper though!
 
I took a rather green mare on loan because my then current horse was long-term broken. I ended up buying her and she became my horse-of-a-lifetime. However I had help sorting out some of her issues (which I really, really needed) from a very experienced and able friend whose horse was also long-term broken. Ideal homes can be found. However, once I got an idea of my mares potential I bought her. If the owner had turned down my offer I would have sent her back. I wasn't going to put in that much work on behalf of someone else, frankly.

I would be extremely wary of loaning out a youngster. Yes in 2-3 years it may become the sane, sensible horse you want if it goes to the right person. However you might get back a horse with less confidence and more ingrained bad habits and/or neuroses if it goes to the wrong one. I'm sorry this isn't the message you wanted.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top