Horse Loan, Share or Lease?
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Other options for you to consider are a Horse Lease, a Horse Share, or perhaps you could consider volunteering or "helping out" at your local riding stables.
We have provided some useful information on each of these areas below to help you decide which options suits your circumstances best.
- A Horse Loan - What's Involved?
In simple terms, you would be borrowing or loaning the horse from the owner and would be responsible for the day to day care of the horse including exercising, feeding and mucking out.
A written agreement is usually set up between the owner of the horse and the person using the horse stating what the horse can and can't be used for and the length of the agreed loan period.
Although there is usually no up front cost attached to the loan agreement, the understanding is that the person taking on the loan will pay for the horse's upkeep.
This could include paying for medication or other veterinary costs should the horse become ill.
Therefore loan arrangements should not be considered as the "free option" since the cost of keeping a horse is significant and should not be overlooked.
- The Importance of a Written Loan Agreement
We strongly recommend that any loan arrangement is put in writing to make clear the responsibilities of the loanee and to protect the horse's welfare.
Click here for important information to consider when putting a Loan Agreement in writing
- Horse Lease - Different from A Horse Loan - How?
The main difference between a horse loan and leasing a horse is money. A fee is usually payable to the owner for the use of the horse when an Equine Lease Contract is in place.
As with a Loan Agreement, it is vital to ensure a properly drawn up Horse Lease Contract is put in place to keep everything business-like and clearly understood by all parties. Why would an owner consider a Horse Lease rather than a Loan Arrangement?
- Horse Share - Meeting The Owner Halfway
A Horse Share involves you pitching in with someone who has their own horse but wants to share the costs, workload and riding.
This type of arrangement would suit an owner who doesn't want to give up their horse totally but who needs part-time help to look after them. How does this benefit the sharer?
Some horse share arrangements only require sharing the chores in exchange for riding the horse, so the sharer benefits by having free rides on a regular basis. In other cases, the sharer would be expected to pay a proportion of the horse's upkeep - perhaps a contribution towards the cost of stabling, shoeing or feed.
The horse will usually remain the ultimate responsibility of the owner but anyone wishing to share their horse should first check that the sharer is sufficiently experienced, dependable and is going to act in a responsible manner regarding the horse's welfare.
We would strongly advise anyone wishing to share their horse to take up references beforehand of the potential sharer and clearly identify in writing how the arrangement will work.
This may seem overkill, but establishing what days the sharer can ride the horse, when they are expected to feed/muck out and check on the horse and how much (if any) they are to pay each week/month will prevent misunderstandings and keep relationships on a business-like footing.
It is also advisable to check that the sharer has their own public liability insurance in case of injury or accident while they are riding your horse to prevent costly and unpleasant legal battles should the worst happen.
- What other options do you have?
Voluntary Work - Horse Welfare
There are many horse welfare organisations that rely on volunteers to help out as often as they can to look after horses in their care.
This is such a worthwhile and rewarding role as you watch the successful rehabilitiation of neglected horses and ponies and see them happily rehomed with responsible, caring and experienced owners.
If you are interested in this type of voluntary work, why not contact your local Riding School and ask them to give you details of genuine horse welfare organisations near you.
A word of caution, sadly there are some organisations out there who are not as genuine as you may think at first and do not responsibly rehome rescued animals. Another check you could undertake is to enquire whether the organisation is a Registered Charity before you offer your assistance.
The bottom line is basically to go with your gut feeling. If you see any signs of mistreatment this should be reported to the RSPCA immediately, anonymously if necessary. Bona fide Welfare organisations are desperate for extra help particularly in these difficult economic times so will welcome you with open arms even if it is only for a few hours a week.
Click on the link to see the different types of Horse Loan Arrangements available.
Voluntary Work - Riding Schools
Looking to get fitter and spend more time outdoors? Why not volunteer to help out for a few hours a week at your local Riding School?
This is great fun and gets you up close to lots of different horses. Some of the jobs you will learn to do include mucking out, grooming, feeding and tacking-up horses ready for lessons.
Some riding schools offer free lessons or the option of a "horse loan" for an hour a week to ride if you volunteer on a regular basis as a thank-you for all your hard work.
Doing this kind of work is a great eye-opener if you are wondering if you are ready for horse ownership. You can see first-hand how much effort is involved on a day-to-day basis to
care for a horse.
If you think you are ready to own your own horse - why not take our
Horse Ownership Quiz
to find out now!
If you are contemplating
Buying A Horse
rather than entering a horse loan arrangement, click on this link to read our helpful 3 Step Guide.
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