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

[HunterJumper8983]

Sorry for the late response!

I unfortunately wouldn’t be able to trailer out, but would be boarding at a facility with a quality training program (just in other disciplines than what I’m pursuing), and could probably do some flat lessons with them or have them do a tune up if needed. I know it isn’t the perfect scenario, but is unfortunately the best I would be able to do.

As of now, I’m going to see if there’s anything available for part lease locally, though I haven’t seen any advertisements or posts in the local groups. I might try posting an ISO ad and see where that goes!

[NJRider]

How close are you to Overland Park, KS? I know of a lesson barn with onsite lease horses.

[HunterJumper8983]

About an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and thirty, depending on how far south. That is where I was lessoning before and am willing to make the drive for lessons if nothing is closer, but would not be able to do that more than once per week due to my job and time constraints, wear and tear on my vehicle, and the amount of gas that uses, unfortunately. That is why I am wanting to find a lease closer (even if it is not an “English” horse, just something I can practice two-point, transitions, etc. on a couple of days per week or so) and lesson there, as there are no hunter/jumper barns within 50 minutes or so.

[rockonxox]

There are several of us here from that area. If you pinpointed a narrower search (what part of NWMO) we may be able to point you in the direction of a closer HJ barn or ideas of who else to reach out to. I help run many of the hunter shows for the area, so can always reach out to contacts to see whose got what. Feel free to PM if you want too.

[red_mares]

If I were you, and I’ve been you, I would drive for lessons in your chosen discipline. Doing it on your own, in a barn where no one rides as you do, is difficult.

[aregard]

@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.

Check with local Pony Clubs. It was a problem in some clubs I worked with that the horse didn’t get ridden quite often enough – the kid might ride 2X a week, and the family might appreciate another person getting the horse out, and working it more (and making back a little money).

Or they may have a lull between riders on a good, sturdy Pony Club horse, been there done that, that you could catch a ride on locally.

The red flag for me is the ‘off-site’ lease, since that involves a whole lot more than just your under-saddle activities. That involves correct feeds, correct horsekeeping practices, an ability to recognize when the horse is ‘off’ and needing vet attention (not mere lameness, either). Many beginners don’t have those skills yet, so if I were an owner with a horse that needed work, I’d want to keep it where I knew it’s other needs would be met.

[HunterJumper8983]

The plan is to drive for lessons in my chosen discipline, but have a half lease closer so I can get in extra rides and not be limited to once per week. I unfortunately can’t drive a 2.5-3 hour round trip plus the 1.5+ hours to ride/take care of the horse more than once per week, so wanted to try to find a way to squeeze in more rides locally. The local horse would probably just be a basic W/T/C horse I could practice things like two-point, transitions, etc. on.

[HunterJumper8983]

St. Joseph, MO. It’s pretty bare out here when it comes to horse stuff, especially English, and even more so hunter/jumper.

[rockonxox]

Good old St. Joe. Unfortunately, you’re right on that account. There is a huge HJ community in the general area, but you’re right not super close to you Check your other post for ideas on who to contact and FB groups. You can always post on there for an ISO too.

[red_mares]

The irony here is that you are saddlebred area, looking for a hunter ride, while I have always been in Hunter Hell looking for a saddleseat barn.

Having had a Saddle horse in a hunter barn, it’s hard when everyone else does WTC differently. Be realistic about what you can do locally. Do you have a barn in mind to board at? How far is it from home and work? Is there a horse at this barn you can lease?

I do the 2-3 hour trip once a week, unless I screw up timing and it takes me 6 hours to get home (at least you don’t have beaches in MO ). Drive a couple horses, fix a couple carts, and you’ve got a long day. I get it.

[HunterJumper8983]

There are two barns within 30 minutes, and one that has been around a long time and has a great reputation (and I boarded there briefly in my early 20’s before taking a break from horses, so trust them in regards to care and knowledge). Both are Western, though the latter dabbles in a bit of other stuff, but no hunters. I’m not sure if they have leases or not, but I am looking into it. I was thinking something like a standard QH would probably do for W/T/C flatwork and be more interchangeable than something like a Saddlebred. I grew up with Western stock breed trail horses and found that I was able to practice stuff like this on them when I took low level hunter/jumper lessons as a kid (nearly 20 years ago now), as their W/T/C wasn’t too terribly different from the OTTB school horses I rode.