I leased a horse - was in top condition when she left, has brought many inexperienced riders along, very well educated, sweet, does not have an extensive record but is honest as can be and quality enough to do her job competitively, vetted well, can have a sticky change if not kept well schooled. We are over halfway through year lease and trainer reached out to discuss the end of lease. The entire lease has been like pulling teeth trying to get information - rider is consistently last or occasionally middle of the pack in placings, they will not send videos or photos, show photos I look up make her look overweight and unfit, if I ask for updates I get short answers or just a “she’s good”. They have options to return, release, or buy with original lease price applied. They claim “they love her!!” but asked for a significant price reduction (1/2 the originally agreed upon price) due to the struggles the amateur rider is having with the mare which I declined and now radio silence, still will not send any updates. I understand there are risks with leasing but this was not an inexpensive lease or buy option and is a higher end program. I made it clear I expect updates and per the contract can check on her at any time but as I am out of state cannot do this physically. I have leased before and have not experienced this even with care and “cheap” leases, usually the trainer/lessee is communicative. I just can’t believe there have been no updates and now I am blind sided by this request. Absolutely no problem with her coming home just unfortunate there will be significant work to get fitness back and now a sorry looking show record. Plus we have 5 months to go and I worry how it will go if I offend the trainer. How would you handle this?
Yikes. How many states away are you? The clause in the contract that you can check in at any time probably isn’t much of a check on their behavior since they know you are so far away.
Do you have any friends in the area or at the barn where the mare is for some outside input?
I would demand a phone conference with the leaser, saying you’re extremely concerned you haven’t gotten any photo or video updates and you need to discuss how things are going to go moving forward. If it’s in the contract that they have to provide updates at specific intervals, refer to the contract (and if the time period isn’t specified, note that they haven’t been honoring the contract about periodic photos and videos).
In 2025 that means absolutely nothing in terms of quality of riders or horsemanship unfortunately. I’d do what you can to go see the horse and if not then take her back asap. I’m guessing you are not the only person to have issues with this place.
You can’t undo these show results or whatever the program has done for her body condition, but you can just go pick up your horse if they want to return her and both of you are unhappy with this situation.
I’d say the lack of contact and updates is a huge red flag, as is the low ball offer to buy.
Terminate the lease and go get your horse. Give the leasee a prorated refund on the lease to keep things amicable.
I would not worry about offending the trainer. The trainer is the one who was responsible for the updates and managing the horse and the low ball offer. Be calm, professional and polite. Just say you’re sorry that horse wasn’t a fit for the leasee, and that you’d both be happier with a different match.
I had a situation where I once leased a winner. Same thing ended up happening, so I point blank texted the trainer “hello, why was X eliminated in every round this week? Is everything okay?” This opened the door for the horse to come home, which she did.
Bring direct is more helpful than just asking for an update.
Edited: I totally missed they want to end the lease. I would just go pick up the horse. No refund - but my contract also states that. What does your contract say about terminating the lease?
This. The second I wasn’t getting photos/updates as agreed upon, I’d be on the road with the trailer.
Another vote for get your horse back 
Offending this trainer should be very low on your List.
My Suspicious Nature (based on long ago experience) asks if that low-ball came to you through the trainer?
If so, I’d suspect client might have offered a price closer to your expected & this “Pro” skimmed off their commission* 
*Even if commission is part of your contract.
Where’s she at? Maybe one of the people on this forum could go check on her, to determine if it’s a “pull the plug now” or a “have a stern talking to with the trainer about updates”.
I second this thought.
Concur with everyone else.
I think you can phrase it is a friendly way, but reiterate that you are used to more communication. The lack of details in the updates they’ve provided has led you to try to fill in the blanks based on the horse’s loss of condition and the less-competitive show results.
Tell them that you feel eager to start getting the horse back in shape, and given what they’ve recently shared with you about the incompatibility of the horse for the rider’s skillset, you would like to come get your horse.
I wasn’t under the impression that they had said they wanted to end the lease, but rather they had a conversation as an update about what they wanted to do at the end of the year, and while the amount the horse would cost was quite clear in the contract, they made an offensively low offer, citing how difficult the horse was with the rider (despite being a great horse with many inexperienced riders previously). When OP refused (obviously), they now refuse to communicate with her at all although technically the lease is until the end of the year.
I agree that from the horse’s and the OP’s perspective, the sooner she can get the horse back and undo the damage that was done, the better. Hopefully there is a clause in the contract about violating terms of the lease, as they have.
To my mind it’s somewhat weird that the rider has (per the trainer) had difficulties with the horse and yet the rider wants to buy the horse? I understand that this horse is a quality horse, and the rider is (through the trainer) suggesting a very low (half the originally agreed upon) price. But if the rider doesn’t get along with the horse why does she want to buy the horse?
Combine that with a lack of updates, and it makes me wonder if there isn’t something else going on.
If I were the OP and I could afford it, I would terminate the lease and go get the horse. Just end the saga right now. If you’d rather give the rider 30 days notice (and I don’t know if the contract requires that), you could demand a current video of the horse being ridden, along with some photos of her to show her overall condition.
Good luck.
I would agree - I’d request a check in call to discuss what’s going on and if the rider is struggling, determine if we need to mutually part ways.
I have been burned badly in lease horses coming back to be ruined, hurt, and skinny after going out beautiful and fit. The last thing I’d want is to accept radio silence. Listen to your gut and check in on the situation and don’t be afraid to terminate if you feel like things aren’t adding up - I am sure that’s in your contract (or at least hope it is!)
The trainer calling and offering you a low ball offer on an already agreed upon sale price really is the perfect opening to just cancel their lease if your contract allows you to do that.
@Posting_Trot makes an excellent point. Why would someone want to buy a horse they aren’t getting along with???
I agree w everyone else who said to go get her. I know of one trainer who refers to lease horses as “something to use up”. She’s despicable in my opinion.
The trainer wants to get the horse for below market value, sell it to a better rider at the barn for actual value and pocket the difference.
It happens.
All it requires if for the owner to want the horse off her board bill, and to believe a quick sale is easier than taking the horse back, re-conditioning and re-schooling it.
Yikes, that’s like someone in a store deliberately chipping a vase and then demanding it be sold to them at a discount (and then repairing and reselling it on eBay for almost the original cost).
Perhaps, to resell it for what it is worth. And pocket the difference.
Edit: oops, didn’t see McGurk already had the same comment.
Yet another vote for end the lease, pick up the horse.
This is super sketchy, and the radio silence is worrisome. What “troubles” have they been having?
At the bare minimum, try to find someone to go check on the horse for you. I’ve seen people on this forum do it for a random poster a couple of times. I’ve got friends in Columbus, Ohio, Ocala and Tampa, FL! I’m in middle Georgia.
