Cost savings may be the primary impetus for a rider to decide to lease a horse, but there are a number of other motivations as well. For example, leasing allows a rider to
- pursue equestrian interests without making a full-time commitment. “Adults often lease because they are so busy.” “It’s a very pleasant situation for them because they’re glad to be able to fit riding into their lives. Leasing makes it easier.”
- choose a horse who’s tried and true.
- improve skill. “Riding the same horse regularly can impact a rider’s skills more quickly than riding a variety of school horses.” With a leased mount, “a rider can easily move up to another horse without having to sell the one she’s been riding.” That’s a common consideration for a parent like whose child is likely to outgrow a precious pony within a year.
- to move up to a horse.
- compete the right horse at the right time. Junior riders and college students don’t have the time or money to keep up a horse of their own. But leasing gives them the chance to ride and show competitively during the time they do have. With a short-term lease, the rider can show to her heart’s content until it’s time to head off to school, and her parents won’t be left with an expensive horse to sell.
- ease into ownership. For students, especially, leasing is a good way to test the waters to see what the responsibilities of caring for a horse are. Perhaps most importantly, Leasing provides a rider with education and sense of being in the loop’ as part of a supportive equestrian community.
- And that’s an essential element in building the bridge to ownership.
At the outset of your search, take stock of what you have to offer as well as your goals. For instance, in matching a rider with an appropriate horse to lease:
1. activity what they’ll be doing.
2. ability the skill level each one has achieved and how they’re likely to progress together.
3. size their stature relative to one another. Neither should be too big or too small; the goal is for “just right.”
4. temperament opposites may attract, as the saying goes, but that may not be the best combination for a satisfying horse-rider relationship.
It is better for a rider lease a horse our staff already knows. Our staff can monitor the partnership and keep a close eye on progress.
Leasing Options
Once a match has been made, the horse’s owner (technically, the “lessor”) and the rider who’ll be leasing him (the “lessee”) must agree on the terms of the arrangement. There are two basic types of leases:
With a full lease, a rider generally assumes responsibility for a horse for a fee. In most cases, she also pays some to all of his board either at the barn where his owner normally keeps him or elsewhere as well as the cost of routine farrier and veterinary care. In return, she enjoys essentially unrestricted use. A full lease usually does not specify when or how much a horse may be ridden nor does it limit access for competitions and shows.
In the case of a partial lease, a lessee agrees to cover a portion of a horse’s expenses usually half of his board at the barn where he resides in exchange for a certain, usually proportional, amount of riding time. The horse’s owner pays the balance of the bills and continues to have a role in his care and use. Sometimes referred to as a half lease or share lease, this arrangement generally requires ongoing contact between owner and rider to avoid conflicts, especially with regard to scheduling riding and training times and participating in competitions and clinics.