Would you take on this horse?

LauraElise

LauraElise

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Would you take a horse on loan that you couldn't see ridden beforehand?

I have been offered a 13 year old ID x TB for loan that has been out of work for the past 1.5 years as owner has small children. On paper he sounds like exactly what I am looking for. Owner has had him since he was 1 year old and backed him herself. He is apparently a complete gentleman who will take very little restarting.

If I take him and find out he is not right once ridden I cannot hand him straight back as owner is giving up her yard when she loans out him and her pony.

Advice please - once bitten twice shy as tried a WB that had been out of work a few weeks ago and got bucked off when it did a rodeo impression round the menage!!

Thank you
 
If it were me I definitely wouldn't, especially as you wo't be able to give him back if things go wrong.
I will only go to see horses and take them on once I have seen them ridden first, then I can ride them before I decide. But that may be just me!
 
Can she not keep her yard for a month so you can have a trial?

What would the arrangements be if you needed to terminate the loan for any reason? I assume if the horse was wholly unsuitable she would *have* to take it back??
 
no.

if he is that quiet and sensible you should be able to hop on and ride him around the field without any groundwork just to check he isn't nuts.
 
Why aren't you able to try him out before you decide?
I wouldn't take on a horse I'd not ridden. He may be perfect on paper, but you need to "click" with him too.
When I was looking for Jasper, I went to see one that on paper was perfect, and he was a very well schooled horse, but he had a look in his eye that I just didn't trust. Not very scientific I know! lol
 
I would want to see a horse put through his paces before I would consider buying or loaning him personally. People can sing the praises of their horses, but until you see the evidence with your own eyes, I wouldn't chance it.
 
Why can't you try him? can you not get him out of the field & see what he is like?

If you can't - don't do it, I once brought a horse from a field, I really believed the girl who sold him when she said he was a safe hack, he was a complete nightmare, nearly killed me a couple of times, be careful.
 
It all sounds a bit dodgy... Can't see him ridden and once you have him you can't send him back if he isn't suitable... Seriously??? Walk away.
 
I should be clear that if this horse didn't sound so suitable, bar the having had over a year off!, I wouldn't even consider it.

The owner cannot afford to keep him so it is unlikely she will be willing to keep on her yard whilst I trial him, although if she has not found anyone for her pony I suppose she may have to. I can't contribute as I will be paying to keep my stable on my yard.

I suppose one solution would be to take him for a trial period of say 3 months, with a clause included in the contract that at the end of that time I can return him if he is unsuitable.
 
Hmmm! Tricky!

If you dont you could be missing out on a really nice horse! But if you dont try him and he turns out to be "not for you" it will be a pain for all involved.

Is there any way you can get to at least try the horse to check it is sane? Or get references?
 
Hedgewitch13 said:
It all sounds a bit dodgy... Can't see him ridden and once you have him you can't send him back if he isn't suitable... Seriously??? Walk away.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify - I am assuming I can't see him ridden as he has been off for over a year, I certainly wouldn't want someone to get on my horse after that amount of time off without the proper lunging etc!

The owner has not said that I can't give him back, I am just supposing that is true as she has mentioned that she has her own yard - I imagine if her horses go out on loan she will not be keeping her empty yard!
 
dozzie said:
Hmmm! Tricky!

If you dont you could be missing out on a really nice horse! But if you dont try him and he turns out to be "not for you" it will be a pain for all involved.

Is there any way you can get to at least try the horse to check it is sane? Or get references?
Click to expand...

Dozzie, that is exactly my problem! I have been looking for a while for something to replace my current loan who is about to be retired and there is very little suitable out there. He on paper is by far the best I have found.

Does anyone think that it would be appropriate to ask her to ride him after all that time off??
 
Difficult one isn't it? Given it's your best option by far it's seriously worth a good look.

I assume some very light schooling and/or lunging would be ok to see since the horse has been out that long? Would she be prepared to do that? Some owners are quite flexible when pushed. Hard :)

If it does turn out to be a total headbanger - have it written in the loan contract that the animal must be as the owner describes or she gets it back - get yourself covered in the paperwork. If she has her own yard she WILL find space to take it back. If she won't agree to the extra clause in the loan agreement then I would very much think twice. If it's all above board she won't even bat an eyelid.

If she was just using you on short term loan as a crash test dummy and someone who's just going to bring the horse back in to work for her - I would again think twice.
 
The horse will be fine for a walk trot canter and even a small jump, 15 minutes of work will do it no harm despite how long its been in the field. If she protests otherwise, then id suggest she has something to hide.
 
My mare was off work for three years when she had a couple of foals.

I was more than happy to just climb back on board and ride her gently round the school for 20 minutes without lungeing her first. If this horse is as good as she says she should be able to show you him ridden. It certainly should not hurt him - unless he has actually been off work due to an injury.
 
Thank you all for your replies, most helpful. Will ask to see him at least walked and trotted for short time and will do same myself. Will also protect myself if I do take him in loan agreement as suggested.
 
I personally would ask her to ride him so that I could see first, if he is going to be that easy. My mare was out of work for two years having a foal until last November and I just got back on one day.
 
I dont see why you cant lunge --quietly without saddle, then with saddle, then ask OWNER to get on for a few minutes before you get on. Dont expect perfection when they have been out of work--their muscles hurt and they can either be a bit nappy or a bit bouncy but you should get a feel of whether you like him or not.

We loaned a mare which had been out of work having foals..
She was overweight and the biggest problem she dropped weight so quickly back in work her skin was slack and we got girth rubs. She was very excitable for a while and bounced everywhere so the six weeks road walking was more like six weeks jogging.
 
I have to agree with above! Asking to see a horse ridden is only sensible. In any case, hacking the horse in walk is the way the fittening work would start and the first thing you would do anyway! (personally I would not lunge an unfit horse. I would much prefer to go straight into short periods of walk work) Doing a small amount of schooling for 15 minutes, then walking the horse down the road and back to see how it reacts is not going to harm it.
 
It depends.....

1. Do you know the owner at all or even know of her?
2. Do you know anyone who can give the horse a reference?
3. Are you a competant/confident enough rider to cope if the horse needs virtually re-starting?
4. What do you want the horse for and what is your timescale?
5. Would it break your heart if six months down the line you get the horse fit and reasonably well schooled and she wants it back or wants to sell it on?


If you still think you are going to go ahead then make sure that you get on it before you commit, if it is simply unfit 20 minutes of gentle work in the school will not do any harm. Do make sure that you get a contract, and that it includes that you may return the horse if it is unsuitable.

Bear in mind that this woman may see loaning the horse out as a cheap way to get a horse that she has lost interest in or is even scared of fit schooled and saleable so either draw into the contract first refusal on buying the horse at a set price or be prepared for him to be sold on from under you.
 
Depends how experienced a rider with different horses you are. If you've only ridden a couple that you've known well, then perhaps not but if like me, you're used to riding and handling many different horses, then as long as it is very good in traffic and is a nice person, I wouldn't have a problem with it. As it's a loan, it can always go back if it doesn't suit you and the owner must be prepared for that if you're not allowed to ride it first.
 
My last loan pony hadnt been ridden in over 18months due to 'injury' (there wasn't one) very rarely turned out but an absolute stunner - connemera X 15yo I tried him out walk and trot perfect just what I wanted dream come true yardy yarda had him for a month trial at the same yard as his owner agreed to the loan as as I said he was exactly what I wanted :) stayed at this yard for a month more then moved as soon as we moved the problems began he was constantly lame we had to have x-rays the lot I had to pay EVERY penny as the insurance 'didnt cover it' tried to contact the owner but no joy so i was paying out all these bills special shoes at £120 quid every four weeks and I couldnt even ride him.

Basically I'm agreeing with everyone else on the ask the owner to lunge and get on him first.
go careful and good luck in whatever you decide :)
 
Yeah I would! And about to do the same aswell! I am taking one on (possibly to sell on) that has been out of work for 18months due to family problems. I have never ridden him either and he will be delivered to my new home in May!
All good fun! He too is a nice person and previously been in work etc!

Can't wait!! If your experienced enough it can all work out okay! Have fun!
 
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