Fee for Part Board

[DiamondJubilee]

Has anyone ever heard of an extra fee being charged to a potential part boarder of a horse that is charged by the BO?

So the horse owner still pays full board to the BO and then the part boarder would be charged an extra fee that is also paid to the BO. The reasoning is that the part boarder is putting wear and tear on the farm (footing, jumps etc) so a fee is charged to cover this. But the amount of times the horse is being worked/ridden is still the same (as in the owner used to ride say 4 x a week and now it would be 2x by the owner and 2 x by the part boarder, so still a total of 4 x a week).

I have no idea if this is the norm as I’ve been out of this for so long, but I’ve never heard of it before. The BO says its normal and all other places do the same. Of course its all up the the BO as its their place and their rules so they can do/charge whatever they like. Just curious if others pay a fee as well or have heard of this before.

[lenapesadie]

In my area, it would be more common for the part boarder to pay part of the board to the HO and the BO to collect fees for lessons given to part boarder.

[wsmoak]

It’s not just the wear and tear, any time an additional person steps foot on the property, the owner takes on more liability.

I would assume a place like this also has good policies in place about releases and doesn’t allow letting your friend show up and ride your horse without you there. That everyone involved is under a contract, both for leasing the horse and boarding “their half” of the leased horse.

[DiamondJubilee]

Yes, sorry, I did mean to mention that the part boarder would pay half of the board. So horse owner pays half and part boarder pays half.

BO when then also charge an extra fee to the part boarder.

[Jealoushe]

Never heard of this. Sounds like a cash grab or a deterrent.

[DiamondJubilee]

They do have great policies in place and all riders have to sign wavers etc, but the BO would allow part boarder to come up and ride when horse owner is not around as the horse owner does not have the time to come up the 4 x a week. The BO is ok with that part, no problem.

[lenapesadie]

Hmm. Like you say BO can make whatever policies she likes.

I’ve not heard of such a fee in my area. That doesn’t mean the fee is unreasonable of course. Would part boarder get their own tack locker / storage space?

Are we talking a $50 fee or a $250 fee here?

The wear n tear on the ring thing. Lot of barns charge a ring fee if you have a pro come teach you a lesson at the boarding barn. I find it annoying as I would ride w or w out the lesson, but if that’s the rule then that’s the rule.

[DiamondJubilee]

They would have their own storage space in the tack room. It would be a $200/month fee

I have not heard of an extra ring fee if you are taught an outside lesson, that is if you are paying board there. I have of course paid to use someone’s ring when I havent boarded at a farm. But to charge an extra fee when you already pay full board there? I do find that odd. But yes, its the BO farm in either case and they can charge what they want.

[trubandloki]

I have heard of it. Here, on this forum.

I do not think it is crazy, though it is not something I would participate in.

$200/month does not mean much if there is no idea how much things cost in that area. If board is $500/month then $200/month seems like a good chunk of money for someone to pay above their part of the board and expenses. If board is $1500/month then $200/month seems like a reasonable number.
The fact that the person leasing gets their own locker is a huge plus. Anytime I have leased the horse owner and the person leasing have had to share the same storage space since the storage space is allotted for the horse, not the person.

[EventingMaff]

Never heard of this, although as a part leasee I have had the option of paying a storage rental fee to the BO if I wanted my own locker – I never actually took those offers up though as I was always using the horse’s tack (vs mine) so paying for a locker to store my boots and helmet never seemed worth it.

The extra wear and tear arguement doesn’t justify it for me - horse would be worked the same regardless of who’s on their back. The ‘ring fee’ also doesn’t make sense to me - unless the leasee is taking lessons with an outside trainer. As for liability / insurance, I don’t know how that works so can’t speak to it.

Overall, this is not something I’d participate in (as horse owner or leasee) and would probably look to find a barn that better fits my needs and pricing model comfort levels.

[lenapesadie]

@DiamondJubilee

have not heard of an extra ring fee if you are taught an outside lesson, that is if you are paying board there.

Totally a thing. Last place I boarded at it was $10 a pop.

[S1969]

@trubandloki

If board is $500/month then $200/month seems like a good chunk of money for someone to pay above their part of the board and expenses. If board is $1500/month then $200/month seems like a reasonable number.

Really? I don’t think it sounds reasonable. I doubt I would pay $200/month for a tack locker, so other than that - what does the fee cover?

[joiedevie99]

I have never seen it in real life. I am aware of one local farm (mid level hunter show barn) that adds a fee if they are responsible for splitting the bill (board/show/etc. expenses) to both parties instead of just one.

[candyappy]

@DiamondJubilee

So the horse owner still pays full board to the BO and then the part boarder would be charged an extra fee that is also paid to the BO. The reasoning is that the part boarder is putting wear and tear on the farm (footing, jumps etc) so a fee is charged to cover this.

@DiamondJubilee

The BO says its normal and all other places do the same.

Sounds like this barn owner has a lucrative scam going. Not normal and not ethical.

[trubandloki]

To me it sounds more like the barn owner does not want to deal with people leasing their horses and has made it financially worth their time to deal with the extra people that leasing involves.

Like I said before, not something I would be willing to deal with.

[DiamondJubilee]

Thank you all for your input! I do appreciate everyone’s opinions and thoughts on this

[Vyce]

I’ve never heard of this, and I’m on my second lease horse this winter- my sister joined me and now she has my old lease mare. I’m on full lease so I pay full board and use horse’s own tack. I’ve never heard of extra fee, and several boarders lease or partial lease their horses out. My full lease is only temporary and one boarder who has several horses has mentioned possibly letting me partial lease one of her horses after my full lease is up. Any lease business is up to the boarders to handle on their own. All barn owner cares about is board being paid on time. Barn owners can do as they please, their barn their rules but an extra fee would probably have me looking for a new barn.

[NC001]

I was at a barn where an extra fee was assessed for the convenience of having a lease. It was 15% of the lease fee.

In our situation BO was the trainer and they were making money off the lease by the lessor taking lessons on the lease horse.

We left that situation.

[OneDayMore]

I’ve never heard of this either. I board one horse and shareboard another boarder’s horse at the same barn. I pay my horse’s board to the BO, the other boarder pays her board to the BO, and I and pay my shareboard fee to the other boarder. At my barn, the entire shareboard agreement (other than barn rules) is left for the boarder and shareboarder to work out as they see fit.

[LilDunFilly]

I’ve heard of it but never seen it in person. Barns I’ve been at have board and training completely separate. BOs weren’t involved with anything except making sure the horse’s monthly board was paid and all riders had signed a release waiver.

Personally, I wouldn’t care for a place that required a leaser to pay an extra fee to the BO. I can understand why one would, but it feels… meddle-y to me.