I have never heard of this in the dressage world, though I know it’s common in the hunters. I might possibly consider a paid lease in a certain situation. I just don’t know where to start on the cost. Besides an iron clad contract, any ideas on what it would cost to lease a horse a good rider new to dressage wants to learn FEI movements on?
Any thoughts are appreciated.
I leased my GP dressage horse to a YR client for 10 months to qualify for and compete at NAJYRC in Kentucky. Her family paid $10,000 up front for the lease, and the horse remained under my care and control throughout the lease. They paid for all expenses through the term of the lease: board, farrier, veterinary and training and coaching fees. The YR client was well known to me and included within my client base, otherwise $10,000 would not have covered a lease at all for that horse, it would have been much more costly.
The first issue is there are not a lot of FEI level horses that get leased unless they stay “close to home”. And the couple have known about were done, as above, for someone to get some scores done. (one friend is going thru judges program and not in a position to own a horse to get her GP scores; she actually borrowed a horse from another friend). Dont know where you are located but I would suggest working with/thru a trainer.
A friend did a feed lease on her sale horse to a young rider whose horse had developed some sort of issue and who needed a score or two more to qualify for Young Riders. The horse ultimately went to YR and did well. The friend did not know these people other than second-hand, but met with them and it just felt right. Years later I met the mom at my barn when she came to pick up a horse and I instantly got the same vibe as my friend had.
The friend ended up not selling the horse…
It would depends greatly on what the rider’s goal is and what the horse is capable of.
Are we talking PSG, Inter, GP?
Is this for showing purposes? Jr/Yr?
If so, can the horse get the scores?
For how long?
Will this horse benefit from the exposure or is this a well known btdt schoolmaster?
This is one of the issues in our dressage community. Hunter riders are commonly paying to lease horses. From pre-green hunters on up. I knew a family that leased a pony for $10,000 a year and they never even showed. In dressage land it seems that people want free leases only.
If you are brand new to dressage you will be hard pressed to find someone who will lease you an FEI dressage horse. Start taking dressage lessons.
The FEI leases that I’ve seen have been found through word of mouth, usually with trainers.
There are two GP horses in the barn where I take lessons. One is retired from upper level work and is a schoolmaster for someone who is moving up the levels and wants to learn the movements on their young horse. The schoolmaster is owner by another client in the barn, so the horse remains under the same care, so it’s much easier for everyone.
The other horse is a horse on free lease that my trainer got from a YR who is now off at college and doesn’t have time to ride. The horse is 24 so he’s not out showing at GP, but he can do all the movements, and is fantastic for learning the movements on. My trainer pays for shoes and the owner pays for the vet work. The board is covered easily by the fact my trainer has him at her barn. Several different people take lessons on him, including me. It’s an opportunity that would be hard to come by any other way, without a lot of luck or a lot of money.
That’s where I think others are right - you have to start with dressage lessons first, get connected with a trainer, and then the opportunities will be easier to come by.
It is worth the effort though if you are serious, OP. I went from doing 1st level work to doing the 2nd and 3rd level in not too long of a time period. When I first started though, I felt like a crap rider. I had been successful in other disciplines, but I’d get passage instead of trot, ones instead of working canter, and riding this particular schoolmaster felt like an outrageous workout. I was overjoyed on the rare occasions my trainer had to cancel for one reason or another. Then after a few months, I became more solid in my position and now I find the power quite fun to experience. In the beginning though it was difficult. Like taking a drink from a firehose.
I thought OP was asking the opposite question - how much would somebody pay to lease her FEI horse from her?
I know someone in Wellington who will lease her I1 schoolmaster out for the season to riders working with approved (by her) trainers. Lease fee is $6000 for off property lease for 5 month period, which includes insurance. Rider pays all routine and emergency vet care, maintenance, farrier, board, etc.
I agree dressage land needs to see more schoolmasters from Third Level and up available for lease…makes the sport far more accessible and enjoyable for those who want to learn and compete at the higher levels but don’t have the means to buy a horse in this price range.
The answer remains the same, though. I gave answers on the other thread OP started, that leasing a dressage horse is not the same price point as leasing a show hunter and that those I know have leased FEI horses as you said above from a couple thousand a month plus expenses to care lease. In all of those instances though none of the leasers were new to dressage, and all were in full training programs with top professionals. I don’t know anyone with an FEI dressage horse who would lease said horse to a new to dressage rider, so that’s hard to put a price tag on. I suppose as in all things you can ask whatever you like and see if the price is accepted.
3rd level schoolmasters can be a very valuable learning tool because they don’t have as many buttons as the FEI horse and are often easier to ride. By the time someone figures out the 3rd level horse, they would have a better base for riding the FEI one.
Quite right, Snicklefritz. Third Level schoolmasters are easier to find, and can teach a rider everything they need to know to get to PSG. After that it’s the rider talent/competence which is the limiting factor most of the time, rather than the horses.
Thanks for the feedback. I just wanted ideas. Leasing one of my FEI horses off property is something I never considered, but a unique situation was put to me, so I wanted to consider it fairly because the person made note of leasing that way in hunterland.
I don’t think it’s something I want to do, but I wanted to consider it. A lot of people want a schoolmaster to learn dressage on, but they also want a horse where they can learn changes, pirouettes, piaffe and passage, and those are unicorns. I don’t think there is a situation where I would let one of my unicorns be out of my hands just to give someone that opportunity.
For some reason, I seem to be getting a lot of people interested in para-dressage who need a safe horse that could do the work. I’m guessing the WEG got a lot of people inspired.
Competitive para horses are really hard to come by. They need to be internationally competitive quality (same quality for able bodied riders in the FEI ring) 100% unflappable in just about any situation and at the Grade 1 Level have a 9 or 10 walk. If the enquiries are from established para riders working with repuatable trainers, that’s definitely an option I’d consider if your horse is suitable. The trainers tend to keep the horses tuned up very well to provide the safest, most consistent ride for the rider.
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