Beginnings of Leasing

  When you get to a certain level of riding, being able to ride your own horse will help you progress more easily. The reason for this is because you will be able to get to know your horse well enough so that you can focus more on the things you need to improve on.

  Looking for your own horse to buy can be a little intimidating. It's a big expense. If you aren't sure you are ready for all of that responsibility and you don't know how serious you want to make your riding, leasing a horse is a good way of getting your feet wet in horse ownership.

  Most people who decide that they want to lease their horse out to other riders are people who love their horse and don't want to sell him, but they can't afford to keep him or they don't have the time to ride. As a rider who isn't sure if horse ownership is right for them, this is a great option for both parties.

  The difficulty with finding a match is that you aren't just looking for the right horse, you're also looking for the right person to work with. When you decide to go out and visit a horse of interest, remember to also get to know the owner. Just like in a job interview, you should make sure that both the horse and the owner are a good match for you and you can be sure that the owner is trying to find out if you are a good match for them.

  Right before you sign the papers to agree to a lease, make sure that you understand all that is involved. You don't want to be stuck in a contract that you do not agree with. Are they asking you to ride their horse 6 days a week when you can only ride 4? Do they want you to compete at a show every weekend? How are the vet, farrier and board fees being paid? Is the leasing fee affordable to you? These are all things you need to consider before signing. If the owner is not willing to compromise or you feel like something about the whole thing isn't quite right, you still have the chance to walk away.

  Once you have signed the lease, remember to keep in contact with the owner and keep building a relationship with them. If you walk up to the horse one morning and discover that he is hurt, let the owner know as soon as possible so that there will not be any issues with communication.

  Throughout the lease, you will be able to see if you would enjoy owning your own horse. If you enjoyed leasing, you might want to renew your contract or look for a new horse. Sometimes there are opportunities to buy the horse after you have leased it. This may not always be the case, but if the owner really can't afford to keep owning the horse and they know that you can, they may be more at ease to sell the horse to you because they already know that you'll treat him well.

  Now you have a more indepth look into horse leasing. When it comes to the legal aspects of leasing, talk to a local professional in your area. These things differ from country to country. However, leasing is a great opportunity that most people tend to overlook. I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about buying a horse. Even if you are sure you want to own, try leasing out the horse you want to buy for a couple of months first. There are many people who go out and buy a horse without thinking about the responsibility and costs that follow the initial purchase. As a result, the horse won't be looked after properly or will be up for sale again.

  If you want to know more about finding the right horse for you, I have already talked about the things to consider whether you are buying or leasing in a previous post. If you would like to learn more about that, you can read Searching for Horses by clicking here.

 Thank you for reading Pure Horse Sense and have a wonderful weekend!

  Until next time, happy riding!