How realistic is my budget for what I'm looking for? Also, what to expect with off site leases?

[HunterJumper8983]

Due to the nearest H/J barns being over an hour away from me and being unable to make it to them more than once a week on a regular basis, I’ve been toying with the idea of buying or leasing a dependable confidence builder type to board locally while lessoning at the H/J barn once per week. I’m definitely still a beginner in H/J and would need something steady, though old, needs maintenance, not fancy, grade, etc. would all be completely fine. I would just like something that can safely W/T/C in a ring and that I can practice things like two-point and transitions on.

However, my budget will be very low, likely low to mid fours. I’m in the northwest Missouri area for what that matters (not sure how much location affects prices). I’ve never bought or leased a horse, as my previous horses were either purchased by my family during my childhood or given to us, so I’m very inexperienced in this area and want to make sure what I’m asking wouldn’t be ridiculous. I’m unfortunately not a confident nor skilled enough rider to make a horse.

I’ve never leased at all and know nothing about it, and would likely need to do an off site lease. One thing I’m worried about with going this route is liability issues, such as if a freak accident, colic, etc. were to happen. What is standard to be expected with an off site lease?

Thanks so much for your help!

[GraceLikeRain]

Typically the lessor accepts the liability and any associated cost for a colic or injury during a lease.

With your budget a late teens steady eddy with more of a general English background could be within budget or a program wanting to step down a lesson horse.

One piece to consider is that while all horses can be unexpected vet bills, an aging horse may have higher maintenance needs through joint injections or other support.

Insurance is a great resource but also reimburses rather than covering cost up front.

[fivestrideline]

Typical offsite leases require the lease fee plus you to have insurance and cover all costs associated - all care as well as colic or injury. On-site leases can often be cheaper, but not always.

Mid fours purchase ($5k) USED to be able to get you a lesson type oldie, but those horses are rare and have gone up in price like everything. Low to mid four figures for a horse that isn’t very green or a huge unknown is tough. Can you do smaller? 14.3-15.2ish? Are you ever going to want to jump? Have you priced out board + farrier + vet + insurance + several hundred dollars/month of buffer for “maintenance” and random needs, and can you afford that? Can you afford to retire this horse for the rest of his days, or will his retirement = the end of your riding career for the foreseeable future?

Your budget isn’t impossible but it is VERY tight. You either need experience shopping or to pay a pro to help you. I highly suggest leasing first, if only for a year to get an idea of all the costs and time you’ll need to invest to maintain a horse in this current economy regardless of purchase price.

ETA: if it’s helpful, I budget $1000/month to board and care for one horse in a LCOL area at a backyard place with no amenities. $6500 in this area will get you an OTTB with a handful of rides off the track, or a mid teens ranch type that’s been sitting in a field for a while and could use a month or two of training with a pro.

[EmilyM]

The posters here have given you good information. I’m going to add that some lessors may not be thrilled with leasing to a beginner rider boarding a horse where the trainer is not present.

Personally, no matter what horse I was leasing out, I would want it to be boarded somewhere that I knew there was a competent horseman managing his care. Perhaps the barn owner where you want to board is that person, but it’s unclear to me. Just something to think about and another reason to involve a professional if you are inexperienced at searching for horses.

[luvmyhackney]

Could you lease a local horse? Doesn’t have to fancy, you just need saddle time no matter the type of horse as long as it’s safe.

[Arlomine]

No way in hell would I lease out a horse that I liked to a beginner with no supervision for jumping. Or someone who would not be directly working with a trainer, with good oversight in terms of Burn management. Absolutely 100% dead stop. Furthermore, I would venture to say that somebody who would be comfortable with that scenario is not someone you would want to lease a Horses from.

Honestly, you’ll just be practicing bad habits if you jump without supervision at this point. Cough up for more lessons and drive time. Wait on the lease.

[HunterJumper8983]

Oh no, I wasn’t planning on jumping unsupervised at this point (or probably for a very long time), more like practicing two-point, transitions, basic flatwork.

[HunterJumper8983]

I’ve looked around and haven’t seen any for lease in my area. I might try posting an ISO ad and see if that works.

[Arlomine]

OK, got it, then I believe my best suggestion, for you would be to look for someone who already owns a suitable horse and is looking for someone to help with the bills and do a half lease. That way you have someone who is more knowledgeable than you in charge, they will be responsible for the Care/feeding decisions… You can start to get a handle on being a grown-up around horses. There are lots of people who would love to have a kind part lessor to keep their horse in shape and help with the bills. We would probably only have to pay for a portion of the horses care.

[2DogsFarm]

When I shared my TB Hunter (no lease on paper, I asked for 1/2 board. Period), if rider was a novice, the agreement included a weekly lesson with my trainer. I had 2 shares with this understanding. Both worked well for me & my horse. He was then early teens, dependable & kind to Newbs.
I had a 3rd shareboarder who had been a Jr (then in college) I’d shown with & she was allowed to ride & jump w/o the lesson requirement.

[GraceLikeRain]

@fivestrideline

ETA: if it’s helpful, I budget $1000/month to board and care for one horse in a LCOL area at a backyard place with no amenities

Same and my base board is $350 as a reference point. I’ve got a unique set up where I’ve got great care and amenities. Despite my board my farrier bill is currently nearly as much and averaging out saddle fitting, massage, shots, dental, insurance, misc cost, etc my monthly is around $1k. OP I’d recommend pricing out all of the expenses to ensure your month to month can absorb everything.

[outerbanks77]

@HunterJumper8983

Oh no, I wasn’t planning on jumping unsupervised at this point (or probably for a very long time), more like practicing two-point, transitions, basic flatwork.

Is there somewhere closer with lesson horses where you could practice this? Some really basic flat lessons 2x a week might be cheaper, and definitely lower risk than taking on a horse just for this purpose. There are also off-horse options you can look into, like the Home Horse, work on a Bosu and/or yoga ball and plenty of other exercises to improve your balance and reflexes.

[kaya842]

In the MO area, IMO, you are more likely to find an older kind stock type that’s never seen an English saddle for that budget vs an “English horse”. IIWM, and I was set on purchasing/ leasing (I think you will have a tough time finding a full lease in your budget in your geographical area for your boarding situation) I’d go with the “born broke” all around/ western horse and get saddle time in. Even better would be to find that horse in a half lease so you get 2-3 rides a week and half the bill and no horse to retire when everything is said and done. In my area, lower level lesson barns will half lease their lesson horses for a decent price (more than an individual would BUT the barn horses are true steady lesson horses) which may be something a more local facility can offer, even if it’s not a jumping barn.

[HunterJumper8983]

I actually did take some flat lessons from a mostly Western barn for awhile at the same time I was taking H/J lessons, but found that some of what was being taught was contradictory to what I was learning at the other barn, and I ended up confused. The two styles of teaching were much, much different. I was told that I was probably at a stage where I wasn’t ready to be taking lessons from two different trainers at once (at least with two different styles).

[moonlitoaksranch]

Hmm, it sounds like finding a trainer to continue lessons with might be your best bet right now. Horse ownership is in your future, I suspect, but you’ll improve faster by riding different horses.

A good trainer to vouch for you is a great way to find a lease horse.

[HunterJumper8983]

I do plan to continue lessons, but can only make it to the barn over an hour away once per week. I would like additional rides and this is the only way I could think of. I’m going to look into the half lease option Arlomine suggested, though.

[Vyce]

I second the half lease option for now OP. It sounds like it would suit your budget and circumstances best for now. Things can always change in the future! I’ve never owned (was a horse crazy but poor kid and I did odd jobs like mowing neighbors’ lawns, babysitting and dog walking just to earn lesson money) but I’ve had 3 full leases on barn horses and the last several years I’ve partial leased with a private owner. All my leases were on site only. Partial lease is only off site with owner or trainer present. With the barn leases I was not responsible for routine vet, hooves etc. I just paid $X amount per month. Unless the horse got injured then I was responsible for vet bill. Same with partial lease- $X amount for Y time plus some chores around the barn. But I just trail ride or do flat work in the arena, no jumping etc. I found my partial lease through leasing the barn horses. Owner was not actively looking for a partial lease but she didn’t mind if the right person and circumstances came along so she ended up offering me a partial lease when my last barn lease ended because I had ridden with some friends of hers and they recommended me to her. I found her through the horsey grapevine (or she found me lol) so you never know- sometimes people don’t advertise they’re looking or open to the idea of a lease. I guess I mean try to get word out to horse owning friends? Or any trainers you know that you’re looking for a half lease. Hope something good comes your way OP!

[dmveventer]

Would your plan be to trailer out your horse for lessons at your current barn, or keep riding their horses and practice separately on your own? One thing I haven’t seen mentioned yet is that even if you did find a safe, beginner-friendly horse in your budget, it may not stay that way without at least occasional rides by someone more experienced. Even the best lesson horses need tune ups every now and then, and it’s easy to introduce bad habits without realizing it if there’s no one else keeping an eye on things (this is true for a lot of experienced riders too!). Buying a horse doesn’t really get you out of needing to have someone knowledgeable involved locally, so you’d be better off looking for a solution to that problem first and then deciding if buying a horse is really the best thing for you from there.

[Spudsmyguy]

There’s a nice Off track standardbred at New Vocations in Ohio right now. He’s 10, is getting regular rides and although he prefers to pace, he will canter when asked. Looks to be a calm, good citizen.

[fivestrideline]

@dmveventer

Buying a horse doesn’t really get you out of needing to have someone knowledgeable involved locally, so you’d be better off looking for a solution to that problem first and then deciding if buying a horse is really the best thing for you from there.

Echoing and emphasizing this!!

It MAY work to board locally if you can commit to hauling in at least every week, but sometimes you need more help than that (would you be willing to use your one haul in day for a training ride? Can you haul in more than once?). “Commit to hauling in” is likely to require a personally owned truck and trailer vs borrowing or tagging along, though.