would you let a loaner take your horse hunting?

[Bowen4Horses]

I'm surprised at some of these replies, isn't the point of having a horse on loan that it's "your" horse and you can do whatever you want with it. I have a pony on loan and it's never occured to me to ask before he does anything ....and yes, he goes hunting etc. If you trust the people he's going to then is it not up to them what he does in future ?

i don't agree. it's not 'your' horse. raff very much belongs to me, and i have the power to go and pick him up if i thought he wasn't being looked after/they were putting him at risk...
as much as you like to think your horse is going to the ideal home, that doesn't always happen... there are many many stories of horses being ruined on loan.

this is the reason why loan agreements/contracts exist. in the standard BHS contract there is a bit where you can specify what activities the horse can/cannot do. i seem to remember hunting and horseball were given as examples.

in my contract i also specify his tack can't be changed without permission, and how to girth him up etc (he used to be cold backed and i don't want that to happen again)... amongst other things.

i think if these things are written down, it avoids confusion and any resentment.

x

 

[Hovis_and_SidsMum]

I would yes.
Hovis has been drag hunting a few times (not with me riding I hasten to add), I've followed on foot and it was wonderful to see him having such fun.
It didn't blow his brains, he loved every minute of it and it was great seeing him do something I wouldn't have the guts to do with him.
Ironically he's been more of an arse this year after i summoned up the courage to go stubble racing than he ever has been after hunting!!

 

[Gluttonforpunishment]

If he were mine and I felt confident the rider could handle him I'd be happy to let him hunt.

I had a 14 yr old TB that had hunted all his life - took me about 6 months to total chill him out so that grass wasn't the green light for a good gallop but he had learnt so much from hunting that it made him excellent to hack out - the only thing that fazed him were plastic bags & we never did get to the bottom of that!

Great idea to follow the hunt and see him enjoying himself

 

[bonny]

I suppose I was talking about in an ideal world and I agree that it's not and things can go wrong......saying that I for one wouldn't be interested in a loan if I couldn't treat the horse as my own - the pony's owners live in Australia so they can't exactly have any say in what happens.....

 

[deicinmerlyn]

It would depend but probably not. If it was to try it and go now and again then i'd consider it but there is a greater risk of injury if it is hunted regularly and then there is the possiblity of an injured horse dumped on you because its of no further use to loaners.

 

[Queenbee]

difficult one:

Would I ever let anyone hunt ebony other than myself? NO! NO ONE! she is way to enthusiastic and has to be handled just so, I wouldn't ever want anyone else to have the responsibility of her hunting, she is totally focused on being up front and "the fastest and the bestest!!" she is strong, sharp, brave and petulant.

Would I ever consider letting anyone hunt my baby boy, probably the same answer as above, I would have had to do it first and be certain of the horse the hunt and the rider.

I have only ever let one person hunt one of my horses, she was a fantastic rider, we were hunting very close to home incase we needed to peel off and whilst I would do it again, I was there the whole time. That time was the exception to the rule. I would not loan a horse out and allow someone to hunt it, I would want to be present.

Having said that my old Sharer is now hunting on a horse that is not hers and I am so glad she has the chance, she is responsible, carefull and a good rider, if I had our cob I would have had no hesitation with her taking her hunting and my cob was no plod! but would never have let her hunt without me being there, not that I don't trust people but I feel that it is my responsibility as an owner to be there (I think you really have to weight it up)

 

[Bowen4Horses]

saying that I for one wouldn't be interested in a loan if I couldn't treat the horse as my own

you can't say that... because if that's the case, i don't think you shouldn't be loaning, you should be buying... i think i'm very fair. i'm happy for the loaner to treat the horse as their own... just within my boundaries. he's my horse. if she wants to own a horse then she should buy one (and i mean that in the nicest possible way).

at the end of the day, the owners are the people who ultimately have to take the horse back if the loaners break it, and also are the people who are lumbered with the vet's bills. so they should be able to set limits.

x

 

[wildwest]

what happened to his loaner from suffolk ?

 

[Maesfen]

Yes I would.

If they're good enough to loan the horse, they surely can be trusted to look after it whatever they're doing.

Same for me. I personally can't see the point of them loaning him if he's not allowed to hunt if that's what they do, why would they want him?

 

[Groom42]

I specified on my first loan agreement, no hunting (was recovering from long term leg injury, and I didn't want to risk it again) and no breeding. Second agreement (different pony) quite happy for him to hunt, in fact I would want a busy hunting, PC, competition home. However, my loaners have always paid insurance, covering everything, inc hunting for the second pony. I have had copy of policy and reference numbers etc. For second pony, I also insisted on loss of use,simply because he is so good, and if he "broke" the loaners could go and get another pony, and I could get sent home a pony that was worthless!