I’ve been riding for about 7 years and have been considering trying to find an off-site lease that’s free (for some context, if I did do this, it would be my first time leasing). I was wondering if anyone thinks it’s actually worth it and if you can even find them? Does anyone think that there are owners who will pay for vet/board/farrier for an off-site lease? Or is this just wishful thinking?
It can be beneficial, although I will never lease a horse of mine out again. Make sure you sign a contract. Of all of the horses I’ve leased, every single one has come back to me sore or injured even when in barns I trust – and my last one didn’t even come back at all :no: we had to have him PTS because he was kicked by a herd-mate and suffered a joint puncture.
I think it’s a big ask to have owners pay for vet/board/farrier. Most “free lease” situations are because the owner wants to get the horse off of their payroll, but doesn’t want to sell the horse.
Around here, more common for there to be “part lease” (sometimes called “part-board” or “Shared lease”). Which is where the leasee pays half on board, farrier, vet costs, etc, and gets use of the horse for an allotted # of rides a week. Free leases are rare, and the leasee usually assumes all financial responsibility.
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I have several friends who have been on both sides of the lease situation. A ‘free lease’, as in the rider pays for the feed and board on the horse without paying an additional, separate monthly lease fee, can work out nicely for both parties. The trick is DOCUMENT - DOCUMENT - DOCUMENT. The horse owner and the rider need to write a lease agreement that specifies who pays what costs on a regular basis, who pays what costs for emergency care, who makes what decisions on daily and emergency care. I have seen and helped write lease agreements that came in all sorts of flavors, from “here’s a horse, call when it dies” to “here’s a horse, my vet and farrier will do all the regular stuff but you pay for it”, to “here’s a horse but you can only ride 3 days a week at the place where it currently lives”.
So, yes, ‘free leases’ (as in no separate lease fee) are out there. Put the word out amongst your circle of horse contacts and see what happens.
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What do you mean by “free”?
It can mean you take over all expenses and there is no lease fee.
It can mean the owner pays everything and you get to ride the horse without paying anything.
The first is easier (but still not easy) to find, especially for an off-site lease. The second may be possible (probably not, but…) for an on-site lease but I don’t think you’ll find an off-site lease situation where you don’t have to pay for anything.
Leasing is very risky for the horse owner. Horses are fragile and if you break it, it’s the owner who ends up having to foot the bill for the rest of its life - you can just walk away.
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Thanks for letting me know, I have been able to find partial leases in my area but all are on-site. I figured that it would be a lot to ask that the owner still pay for vet/farrier/board, if I was to pay for vet/farrier how much (roughly) per month do you think it would cost? I’m leaving out board because I already know how much my barn would have me pay.
If you’re taking it off-site, you may also need to pay for insurance. And what about clipping, treats, tack, fly spray, etc? Since the owner has nothing to do with the day-to-day care of the horse while off-site, all that will be on you.
Regarding costs, I would talk to your trainer or someone at your current barn because prices differ with geographic area. And don’t think if the horse is wearing shoes that you can take them off - you’ll need to follow the owner’s rules with respect to that.
Leasing can be great, but not responsibility nor cost free.
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I have been on both sides of a “free lease” and both worked out well. But I know of plenty of cases that were disasters.
“Free” just means that you do not pay a separate “lease fee” to the owner, but you still pay all the expenses.
The biggest variable will be the insurance cost, which will depend on how much the horse is insured for.
Farriery and veterinary expenses vary a lot regionally, so check with local people (“normal” shoeing can vary from $80 per month to $200 per month)
Some leases are because the owner “doesn’t want to sell”. Others are because the owner DOES want to sell, but has not been able to.
The most important thing is that both lessor and lessee agree on who is responsible for what, and what happens if things go seriously wrong. It needs to be put in writing in the contract, but it is even more important that both sides understand, and agree, to what they are signing up for.
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Farrier and vet prices can vary greatly depending on the horse and where you are.
Does the horse need shoes? Two shoes or four shoes? Standard shoes or specialized shoes? Pads? Studs? Oh the farrier variables list goes on and on.
I have never heard of someone moving their horse so someone else can ride it for free while they still pay all the bills. (Unless that someone else is a trainer they are actually paying to ride it.) Generally speaking a free lease is like described above, where the person leasing pays all the expenses for the horse but no additional fee to the owner for use of the horse.
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As mentioned by others, a free lease typically means you do not pay a lease fee. You would still be responsible for other bills, especially if you are taking the horse somewhere else. I think you would be hard pressed to find someone who will just let you take their horse to ride while they continue to pay for everything, unless you are providing some kind of value or service like training or putting show miles on the horse.
I have, in the past, found people who let me use their horses entirely “for free” but it was really more of a barter arrangement where I did chores for them and it was on-site.
How much you would pay for vet and farrier could vary greatly. If the horse is barefoot and only needs a trim every 8 weeks, it will be significantly less than a horse with 4 corrective shoes. A horse could only require spring and fall shots and an annual dentist visit, or you could end up with something that requires a bunch of maintenance or has frequent issues. If you do lease a horse, even a free lease, all of this should be covered in the contract as far as who is paying for what.
And yes, you will have other expenses beyond farrier, vet, and board.
If you just want more saddle time and cost is an issue, I would first see if you could pay your trainer for extra practice rides or if anybody at your current barn is willing to do a part lease. Some that are busy may even be looking for someone to put a few extra rides on their horse now and then (I have ridden a few horses in this situation.) People you already know may also be more likely to work out a barter system or cut you a break on costs.
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These are excellent questions to ask your trainer, barn manager/owner, and fellow boarders. It’s good that you are educating yourself, but horsekeeping costs are extremely variable depending on multiple variables - where are you? What does the horse need? What does the owner prefer? It’s impossible for us to say how much it will cost you besides guessing at a bare minimum, which you shouldn’t use for your planning.
If you don’t really have anyone to ask, work on building up your support network first. Not only will that make it easier to find owners who are willing to lease their horse to you, but it will make your start in the leasing/owning world much smoother.
IME, it would be unlikely for you to find a completely free lease (owner paying everything) unless you are an advanced rider and a legit alternative to a pro rider or trainer. Otherwise, what’s in it for the owner? You’ll have many more options if you take on all care expenses, or find a half-lease.
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Exactly. I might free lease (zero expenses) my horse out to someone that will improve it because they are a better rider than me. Otherwise, I can’t really think of any scenario where I would just let someone use my horse and I would still pay for its bills and be responsible if it gets hurt.
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Yup-- have been on both sides of this. Neither side is easy as others have pointed out. It definitely depends on the mindsets of the people involved. As we all know, horses are fragile and many of them are in a perennial search of ways to empty their owner’s wallets with vet bills. If the owner is in a difficult financial situation and easily blames others when the horse takes a bad step under a leasee’s watch, this won’t end well. If the owner is reasonable, can absorb a potential financial smack without being flattened, and accepts the reality of accidents even with people they trust, the outcome tends to be better.
Over the years, I’ve free leased a horse or two to people I trust and accept the risk in return for the positives (having a person who clicks with the horse, cares for him, and gives him a job, freeing me from the bills and the need to ride while I’m otherwise occupied). When it comes to horses I’ve free leased to ride myself, I’ve turned down opportunities if I felt the owner was the type to blame me for an accident or be financially up a creek if something happened. I just can’t take that weight while I ride that every step is fraught with peril. Years ago, I shared a lease with another rider and the horse went lame (yes, an accident) while she was riding it. It stunk but it wasn’t anyone’s fault. We both continued to pay board and provide vet care for quite a while to see if things would improve, but ultimately, the horse couldn’t return to work. The owner was gracious about it and appreciated our efforts. Still, I felt bad. I was too spooked to lease after that for a while because it was a bad feeling even if it wasn’t my fault. But ultimately, I have leased again, as always, paying attention to the type of owner I was leasing from and taking extra care of the horse so I could sleep at night if ever anything happened.
Another thing that enters into it, is that often the horses who are available for free leases tend to be older equine citizens with old injuries and vulnerabilities accumulated already. I think it’s important that both sides are realistic about that variable–and consider it thoroughly, discuss, and write into an agreement.
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They exist, but are rare, and are absolutely worth it for the person leasing. Whether or not they are worth it for the owner is debatable.
I guess it wouldn’t be worth it for the person leasing on a green horse. I often see ads for green-bean barely-broke horses available for free lease. That’s called looking for free training. I personally would never lease such a horse.
Doubtful.
Yes.
The only scenario I could imagine the horse’s owner willing to move their horse for you to ride it and still pay board, etc. themselves, is if they’re local, and they like the barn you’re at, and are willing to move it there and they’d keep riding and you’d pay for a partial lease. I’ve heard it happening before, but that would be exceedingly rare.
To move their horse for your exclusive use, while you pay nothing? No.
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I have a mostly free lease that I love. I am the horse owner.
I pay farrier - so I can get the farrier I want working on the horse.
I also pay insurance - because i want to know they won’t be shady about calling the vet.
We split annual shots 50/50 and everything additional, chiro, dentist is on the leasee.
She pays board.
She doesn’t pay a lease fee, but is required to spend the monthly fee on professional rides.
I am doing it because i didn’t have time to ride the horse, and she just dotes on her and they putz around the 2’ ring together.
We’re a year in, and just renewed for another - A good contract and a good relationship with the leasee is key.
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The only reasons I could see an owner willing to pay all expenses and let somebody ride for free is that the owner is pregnant and wants to keep the horse in work but not pay training or kid in college same reason as pregnant owner. But I would expect that the rider has the ability to keep the horse at the level he already is at and that the lease may not be a full year.
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Do you have the capital on hand to purchase a horse? If so, I’d purchase a horse, rather than pour money into someone else’s animal. If not, then a free lease is a good option, but it can also put a dent in your ability to save money to purchase a horse for yourself. Upside to leasing: it’s like dating, you can “break up” with a horse (or owner) that isn’t a good fit for you.
Unless you are a pro, or an accomplished amateur who will improve the horse and increase its value, most owners will pay… nothing. An owner who puts their horse up for lease usually has some sort of financial or time constraint, but they don’t want to sell the horse.
I have a “lease” at the moment, as well as my own. The owner pays board, I pay farrier, vet, and sundries (tack, supplies, basically EVERYTHING else), and if I want to show, all the fees are on me. I probably spend $500 a month on the care of this horse with shoes, supplements and bodywork, not to mention the thousands I’ve spent on tack and tendon rehab when she was injured last year. Her rationalization for paying the board: she gets free training from the rider and peace of mind knowing her horse is in good hands and in work with someone she trusts. Not every owner is like that. We’ve also known each other for… (counts fingers) 15 years(?), so that helps.
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As far as leasing being a good thing for a rider - I think leasing can be the perfect answer for lots of people. If you are new to owning leasing will give you a good idea of the time and resource commitment that having a horse requires all while giving you an out if you realize it is more than you want to handle. The contract also gives you an out (if at no other time than at the renewal time) if something catastrophic happens and the horse ends up not usable for the intended purpose. Not something an owner has. Leasing lets you ride that old ‘been there done that’ horse with out the commitment of long term retirement housing.
Leasing can allow you to ride a horse worth more than you are able to afford to buy. (Those are not typically the free lease situations though.)
Leasing can allow you to step into an area of riding that the horse does that you have never done.
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As everyone has said, you have mistaken the idea of “free lease.”
A free lease means there is no charge for use if horse (in contrast you could pay $30,000 a year and up to lease a good high level hunter, plus pay all his expenses).
A free off property lease is borrowing a horse. You then assume all upkeep costs and treat the horse like your own. Obviously good contracts are useful things in this situation.
A free off property lease can be a great way to acquire the kind of beloved quality horse that the owner will never sell, but has no time for now. For instance, a young woman going off to college who wants a caretaker for her wonderful midteens junior jumper, and fully intends to come back for the horse when it’s 20, she’s graduated with a job, and she can return to riding or retire him and keep him for her own toddlers to eventually learn to ride. That is kind of the ideal free lease!
Be wary of people who want to palm off unbroken horses so you get the expense and danger of training them.
Some free leases turn into defacto ownership transfer.
Is anyone going to let you take their horse off property and also cover all your expenses? Highly unlikely, unless you are an actual trainer and also charging a training fee. Why would anyone do that? You’ve been riding for 7 years. You aren’t a pro.
If you are a young person looking for low cost riding opportunities, your best bet is finding a working student position where you are allowed to hack or do basic schooling on the lesson or sales horses.
If you are an adult late onset rider, you may find a niche riding a horse belonging to someone who is injured or pregnant, but typically these people keep their horses at their own facility. I would even go so far as to speculate that most of the ads I see that suggest a free or highly discounted lease situation because of owner health involve horses that live on the owners property.
In that case, the horse likely not costing them more than $100 or $200 a month to keep, and finding a compatible rider is more important than making a small income. Typically people don’t do this when they are paying $700 to $1000 a month in boarding fees. In that case they are more likely to set up a lease situation that fully covers expenses, often with the help of their trainer.
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I’ve free leased out a few horses with very mixed results.
That being said, a free lease generally means the horse’s legal owner pays none of its expenses. Also called “care leases” the lessee assumes responsibility for vet, farrier, insurance, etc costs. I can’t imagine any owner willing to cover all the horse’s costs while someone else rides it, unless that lessee is a very skilled rider/trainer.
I had an outgrown show pony who went from paid lease-to-paid lease for several years, but when she was ready to step down, I did free lease her few times before she retired. Sometimes it was a full-up show program and she competed regularly (in lower-height divisions) and in others she was a lesson / lead-line pony. One free lessee tried to sell her! :O, but luckily a friend learned this and got things back on track and the pony returned to me. In all cases, she seemed to have been well cared for and appreciated.
I also free leased a lovely WB gelding who I wan’t emotionally prepared to sell, but he didn’t suit my program. He went to a dressage lady for a year and she was extremely communicative and appreciative. When her situation changed, I leased him to a young adult w/ professional trainer mom. They sounded like a good program, but soon stopped providing updates and eventually stopped riding the horse at all. He sat in a field for a year. When I got him back, I got him legged up and free leased him to a local H/J rider where she showed in the Adults for a year. They loved him and he thrived in their program. When they returned him, I realized I was emotionally able to sell him on, and he found a new home within a week or two.
So yes, there are nice quality free lease horses available out there. But there are also some pitfalls.
Have a written contract that spells out everything! What bills the owner will be responsible for (if any), what insurance is required, if there are limitations on what the horse can do (how high it can jump, for example), and the time-commitment of the lease (by the month, for a year, etc). The owner will likely required a lessee to provide regular updates/photos to assess how the standard of care is, especially if the lessee and owner are in different states/areas. The owner should expect to be notified if the lessee changes boarding barns. There may be stipulations about what kind of tack must be used, and what kind of veterinary care and regular maintenance must be performed.
Expect to be brutally honest with the owner about your level of riding and competency, and likely should have your trainer talk to the owner as well.
A free lease can be a great situation, but there are also owners that try to dump an unsound or unsafe horse on a novice-level rider looking for a free horse to ride. There are others who seek free leases to get their horse free training, and then sell the horses as soon as the horse is marketable. These are risks you should be willing to accept (and mitigate through a well written contract, and honest/candid communication with your trainer and the horse owner) in exchange for getting a horse to ride for care-costs only. A better option might be to look for a low-cost paid lease. Those horses are probably more reliably sound/trained/safe than many of the free lease offerings out there. Like horse-shopping, you may have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find the right prince. And in all things, you should be working with your trainer, as he/she might have some personal contacts that could link you up with the right situation, and he/she is also going to have to help fix things if you go out and commit to a disaster.
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A free lease does not mean no cost.
The cheapest thing about a horse is its purchase price. Think of that if you cannot afford to buy a horse you can not afford to keep a horse.
Poverty is owning a horse. Think on that. Can you really do it? No latest phone. No new cars. No haircuts No new clothes. No fashion. NO luxuries.
It is a choice those who have horses happily make. Thst they will work for the rest of their lives for an animal whose next step could be their riding last.
