Would we be mad to try and buy old loan companion pony?

[HollyWoozle]

For about 3.5 years we have had an ageing Welshie as a companion for our mini who can't go in the main field with our others (mini has EMS). Welshie is not actually the ideal companion as he needs more food than the mini but we have made it work and we adore him... we ended up with him as we already knew his owner and she saw our FB post when we were looking. Owner is nice but I think, understandably, is thrilled to have off-loaded the old family pony to a good home. She has visited maybe 3 or 4 times.

Pony has a few minor quirks and issues which we have ironed out, for example he has had some dodgy teeth removed (we split cost with owner) and got him a lot more confident with the farrier. We are also managing his weepy eyes well too.

Basically he was 29 in April and I hope that we have him until the end of his days. I don't like the idea that he does not belong to us and could be taken away at any time... I was wondering if I should contact his owner and offer a nominal fee for him? Is that a bonkers idea? I have criticised my mum for buying ponies we didn't need and here I am suggesting to buy another. I think it's also highly unlikely the owner will ever ask for him back but there is always that "what if". He is in fantastic condition for his age, great weight and moving really well. Other ponies from the same stud are living well into their 30s and I hope he has many years to go yet.

As a side note, we have three ponies (and two horses) including him and I have three nieces. My nieces live abroad but come over a few times a year and the girls have taken to thinking that they have a pony each to brush and love...

 

[SEL]

I never had anything in writing for my old companion horse - but his owner basically handed over his passport and I only heard from her once after that. I couldn't even track her down to tell her he'd been PTS.

Perhaps just ask if you could have ownership transferred? Not sure I'd even offer any cash

 

[meleeka]

You could buy him for £1, not that it sounds like it will actually make any difference, aside from peace of mind for you. What would happen if say, he needed Prascend or bute every day? Would the owner contribute if she still owned him?

All the oldies I've had have just been given unofficially with no transfer of ownership (the last one didn't even have a passport and at 30, there didn't seem much point!)

 

[Peglo]

We have a pony that is technically on loan but she’s really as much ours as the rest.
The owner gave my cousin the option to buy or carry on the loan and at the time she decided to carry on the loan as everything would stay the same anyway. Her owner never enquires about her and would never take her back so we’ll just leave it as it is. She’s mid 20ish and retired although could be ridden still, she was just stopped being ridden as she’s only 13.1/2, getting on a bit and we’re both adults now.

 

[snowangel5]

We have a pony that is technically on loan but she’s really as much ours as the rest.
The owner gave my cousin the option to buy or carry on the loan and at the time she decided to carry on the loan as everything would stay the same anyway. Her owner never enquires about her and would never take her back so we’ll just leave it as it is. She’s mid 20ish and retired although could be ridden still, she was just stopped being ridden as she’s only 13.1/2, getting on a bit and we’re both adults now.

Aww do you have any photos and what is the pony called

 

[Peglo]

Aww do you have any photos and what is the pony called

She’s called Kestrel but it gets shortened to Kes. She’s a character but lovely to have around here she is trying to rob a bucket off me
And a picture of her younger years. She’s still partial to a rear when she’s having a run around.

 

[snowangel5]

View attachment 145917

She’s called Kestrel but it gets shortened to Kes. She’s a character but lovely to have around here she is trying to rob a bucket off me
And a picture of her younger years. She’s still partial to a rear when she’s having a run around.
View attachment 145919

Did you get the bucket back in the end the rear one do you ever compete with the other two or what is the story about either

 

[slimjim86]

I guess it's a trade off between if she needed ongoing vet treatment/ meds having the owner maybe chip in versus the piece of mind that when that horrible inevitable day comes you get to have total control over when and how.

 

[Peglo]

Did you get the bucket back in the end the rear one do you ever compete with the other two or what is the story about either

I did

The other 2 I have lost to old age. I mostly just hacked as I didn’t have help when I was younger but we had lots of fun.
I have 2 others now but I’ve not done much this year.

@HollyWoozle you could always ask for transfer of ownership if that’s what you want. I don’t think it’s a crazy idea. When you’ve loaned them for so long they do feel part of the family.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Maybe contact the owner and ask if you can make this a permanent arrangement? Say you are willing to take complete responsibility for her, including the finance, and just want to make sure she can stay with you to the end.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

What a gorgeous spot you have your horses in!

 

[poiuytrewq]

I do t think it’s mad. I have my neighbours little Welsh mare here and people keep asking when she will go home as they are in the process of moving back into their house.
The original plan was I’d have her here for summer and she and one of mine would go there for winter.
But I don’t think I can do that now

 

[HollyWoozle]

I knew that the forum would understand me in this of course. I somehow feel odd about asking but I think I will just say we love him, we will cherish him and care for him as we have done for the last years and that it would mean a lot to our family to know he would be with us for the rest of his days. She can always just say no I suppose.

 

[HollyWoozle]

And by the way, I LOVE Kes and what a fab name!

 

[Squeak]

We have an old pony out on loan and the loaners (who have had him many years from before he retired) asked if they could buy him for the same reasons as you. We refused because we'd kept the pony his entire life to ensure he was always safe as we love him and didn't want that to change but we had the conversation that he would never be taken from them and they had our full permission to pts if they ever needed to and when they deemed right. We appreciated why they asked and that they love the pony and it was a useful conversation to have - I don't think there's any harm in asking.

 

[I'm Dun]

We have an old pony out on loan and the loaners (who have had him many years from before he retired) asked if they could buy him for the same reasons as you. We refused because we'd kept the pony his entire life to ensure he was always safe as we love him and didn't want that to change but we had the conversation that he would never be taken from them and they had our full permission to pts if they ever needed to and when they deemed right. We appreciated why they asked and that they love the pony and it was a useful conversation to have - I don't think there's any harm in asking.

Same with my old boy. Hes on loan, I wont ever take him back and she can treat him as hers, but never ever ever will ownership be transferred over. Hes been stolen on loan twice, which is absolutely ludicrous, but retaining ownership meant I could get him back. I'm his safety net in a world that hasn't been kind to him at times.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Don’t I meant don’t I don’t think it’s mad, I get it

 

[poiuytrewq]

My little mash covered princess! The yard is trashed. Mash everywhere!
I adore her

 

[NLPM]

I think it's a good idea to ask. She is so adorable!

Not to be negative and I'm sorry to bring up something so serious on a lovely thread, but I really wish I'd done the same when I was in your position. Many years ago, I had a lovely companion mare with no visits and very little contact from her owner throughout the years I had her, even though I sent regular photos . She was perfect for what I needed and we grew very fond of her, especially one of my geldings. One day when I went to the field I found her clearly very, very ill. If she was mine, I would have had her put down in the field there and then, surrounded by her friends and after only a short period of pain. She was 36 at the time. I contacted the owner and instead the mare went to hospital, had days of investigations, with no diagnosis ever made - she took a turn for the worse and was put down about a week later having suffered the whole time both physically and emotionally, being away from familiar surroundings. I do, honestly, understand the owner's desperate desire to save her and I know they acted out of love and hope. It's just not what I would ever have chosen for any of mine.

 

[HollyWoozle]

@poiuytrewq would be perfect girlfriend for ours (also a mash lover ).

@NLPM I'm sorry that happened to you. That’s another reason I’d like to feel we have total control of his future.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Even if ownership is not transferred, there are some really useful points raised here that you can run past the owner. Good luck, I hope it works out for you.

 

[honetpot]

I have had two on loan without a loan agreement, the last one I sold as a young pony and he was loaned by the owner to someone who tried to sell him so the owner asked if I would have him, and she never showed any interest in him again, so I considered that I was responsible for him and when I eventually had him PTS for a health issue I never informed them.
I always have a loan agreement when I loan out and I want to be in control right to the end, what ever happens, one had to be PTS out on loan and I paid all the bills. I think it depends on what you agreed at the start, but spilting bills sugests that they want some input. I suppose it's only an issue if you have a disagreement on care, my loaner wanted the pony treated for colic, surgery etc, and as the owner I had final say.