Realistic budget for lease/half lease in SF Bay Area

[bananasforall]

Hi there I’m looking to get back in the saddle after a little over 10 years of barely riding. Over the last year or so I’ve very casually tried to gather info and am ramping up my process now.

I’m a little worried because from what I can tell:
a) Lesson horses/school horses are practically non-existant these days
b) Sale/lease prices have gone up significantly

I was quoted roughly $5500/month to half lease a practically retired dressage horse a few years ago and was absolutely blown away. I didn’t pursue that lead (it felt absolutely ridiculous). I used to show hunter/jumpers as both a junior and ammy, and though I’m interested in getting back into it, it’s not my highest priority.

For both half and full leases, in the SF Bay area, what kind of price range am I looking at?

[Training_Cupid]

I’m in that area. You will see a very big range, from as low as about $300/mo to the $5000+, depending on location, type of horse, and other factors. Would need a lot more details and better understanding of your experience and expectations to narrow down the costs.
Also, if you are not planning to do serious showing in the near future, there are still plenty of barns with lesson horses available.

[AllSport]

I gave up because it used to be that people would lease a horse more because they lacked time. And in those situations you could find all types of good horses and owners. But now its a lot harder to find that. Now people will add up every little expense, not just board, and figure out their daily expenses and charge that or more. The lesson horses are almost entirely non-existant now. The last of them closed during covid. Because of this I’ve decided to finally bite the bullet and buy one because it seemed almost cheaper and I get to be the boss and make it work for MY schedule. I like projects though so nothing I bring home will be a great option for shaking off the rust unfortunately. I do HOPE to one day pay it forward and offer a day or two lease for CHEAP, or even possibly free. That is my hope and dream. It’s only fair.

[Demerara_Stables]

If you’re paying a lease fee (usually for show horses or at least well trained horses that you’re expecting to learn something from), the cost can vary wildly, up to 6 figures a year. In addition to the lease fee, you’d be expected to pay all of the horse’s expenses (usually in this scenario you’d be bringing the horse to your trainer’s barn).

A care lease will be the expenses of caring for the horse, as if you owned it but didn’t buy it. You should expect to pay board, farrier, supplements, body work, etc. Reasonable vet expenses (maintenance such as adequan but not necessarily vaccines) may or may not be something you’re expected to pay, but it depends on the contract. You also might be expected to pay for insurance. A half care lease would be half of these expenses. If you are leasing from a trainer, there might also be required lessons. A half care lease can easily be over $1,000 a month, which is sticker shock to some people, but the owner isn’t there to subsidize other people riding, and if you (the lessor) are advancing your riding skills and potentially showing the horse, you’re getting a lot of benefit from a horse you don’t own.

To put it in perspective, full training at most of the large H/J barns in the area starts at $3,000/month. Even pasture board on the peninsula is approaching $1,000 a month plus grain/supplements ($150-$300/month). When you add in lessons, twice monthly body work ($200/session), farrier ($100 for barefoot), and any other maintenance, that quickly adds up.

I have seen a lot of significantly cheaper leases in the bay area, ranging from $300-$700 per month for a half lease, but I can’t speak to the quality of the horses, and most of them look to be older trail riding types.

Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. If you just want saddle time on the trail a few days a week, then the $500 range is probably reasonable. If you want to be in a program with a trainer and ride a well schooled horse that will teach you, you’ll pay for that privilege, likely in the thousands of dollars per month range.

[mika0116]

CA (but Socal) here - grew up in NJ and also lived in the PNW for a bit 2ish years ago & rode there too

Full training board of horses in CA typically around ~$2k-$3k+ per month WITHOUT extras like a lease fee.

Leasing for for any sort of “decent” riding animal meaning jumping 2’6 or more or able to do 2nd-3rd level dressage and not batshit but with some probable maintenance / maybe not totally passing PPE would be around another 1k/ per month + shoes, insurance, minor vet, supplements, etc. on the LOW end. Obviously this would be $0 + shoes, insurance, minor vet, supplements, etc. for a care lease (rare these days, you’ll likely only find that thru your trainer)

I would recommend finding a half lease opportunity with mandatory lessons with a trainer you really like and respect - and that will run you probs $1,200/ month - $2,300 for 3x a week of riding (typically including lessons either 2 or 3 per week).

I dont own - I exclusively lease and half lease. I have historically paid around $1,500 to $1,700 per month (ALL IN sans insurance and maybe a few extras like chiro or supplements or minor vet) for a decent half lease - not always a care lease but an animal with like a $10k-$15k per year lease fee split.

Feel free to DM me!

Full leases for a older show jumper able to do up to like 1.05-1.10/5 ish m is going to be a lease fee of $12k-$50k+ per year. More for a hunter and eq horse. Range reflects the myriad of factors that go into horses and their rideability crazy / quirky / soundness / movement, show record, injury history, blah blah

and thats a lease FEE not board or training board. You pay board and training on top of that.

gone are the days of lesson horses jumping 3’ like back in 2005 during my teenage years. In fact, I am hard pressed to find a barn anywhere in CA or PNW that will allow a lesson horse to jump more than 2"-2’6 without being at least half leased.

welcome to late stage capitalism, babyyy! It sucks - I hate it

[Peggy]

Southern California at a not-expensive facility (current cost for a box stall with alfalfa feedings is just under $600 currently–I think).

About a year and a half ago I was paying close to $1K for a half lease that included half of board/feed, shoes, vet plus two lessons and one free hack a week. That also gave me access to a tack locker. The horse in question maxed out at 2’6" and had a dirty enough stop that he was able to stop inside a bounce once. But it gave me an opportunity to ride closer to my house than my horse was.

Then my dad died and my Monday free ride day turned into Monday estate day and I did the math, including paying for the horse’s expenses when I was at a show with my horse. So I switched to eight lessons a month (which roughly halved my expenses), and then six. I did lose access to the tack locker and had to schlep my stuff back and forth. Not being tied to that particular horse worked out bc it reached a point where I was no longer comfortable jumping him and was able to ride other horses.

Sometimes you can get lucky and get access to horses capable of >3’ for expenses if you’re in the right place at the right time with the right people, but that’s not common.

[173north]

Also in SoCal. Full lease at a show barn is going to be board and training ($2k+ per month), plus vet/farrier/tack costs, plus lease fee (30% - 50% of horses’ value) and possibly a commission on the lease fee.

Half lease for a horse already in the barn is generally half of expenses, no lease fee. $1500 - $1800/mo is not unusual for a half lease with a few lessons a week on something nice enough to bop around a local show.

If you are flexible — ie you don’t need/want lessons or a swanky facility, would be happy to just flat an older horse, mostly want to trail ride, are confident on something a bit quirky or forward, etc — at least around here there are always half leases available for well under $1k/mo through private owners who just want a hand with bills and getting the horse exercised.

[mika0116]

Did we lease the same horse in LA?!!?

Yeah - the less costly leases were often old and injured enough or quirky enough where riding them eventually becomes counter productive.

I am unlearning super defensive riding to fences still close to 4 years later…

[Peggy]

LOL. Probably not but, as you said, that’s what’s commonly available. I was still mostly riding him after giving up the half lease. But at some point I realized he was hurting more than helping and refused to jump him over anything but cavaletti. The horse I mostly rode after that was pretty good for me but had periodic soundness issues.

[mika0116]

More of a joke

But… I leased said horse probably 5 years ago -2018/2019. Would refuse so badly he several times put his front feet down in an oxer.

Paid to have him worked over by a vet – old check ligament injury (from well before I leased him) horribly healed aka not healed at all. Strangely, he moved relatively soundly when he was feeling good, but would have random (IMO chronic) lameness.

I put my foot down terminating the lease a demanding the horse be retired to flat only. Ex trainers turned around and sold him to another trainer that then leased him out as a jumper & horse refused often with new good riding AA between horses. I lost track after the first AA whom I showed her the horse’s medical eval documents when I ran into her at a show after he stopped out in the .70s & asked me why my barn sold him.

Probably a disturbingly common scenario…

[bananasforall]

Sure, that makes sense! I used to compete in a/aa shows in CA, in both jumpers (through the junior/aos) and hunters (through junior/aos). I’m not expecting to find a full lease for a horse ready to walk into a show ring and win the AO’s or anything, as I know that showing at that level is definitely not in my budget right now. That said, I want to actually ride. Would love to jump too, but not just for the novelty of it. I was a working student for a hot minute and fell in love with flatwork so honestly I’d be happy to do that too if it’s a better fit.
I mentioned this before too, but horse care is super important to me. I’ve had some experiences at barns where it’s pretty obvious horses are not receiving the care they need in an effort to save cost and I have a really firm boundary against that. I am a little rusty obviously, but I grew up on the hot/quirky horses so those are kind of my bread and butter. I know that can lead to cost saving, so def something I’m keeping an eye out for.

[bananasforall]

I love that you want to pay it forward. One day I hope to be able to do the same!

[bananasforall]

Thanks, this is pretty helpful. I sold my last horse back in 2010 so I’m a little out of touch with regard to cost of monthly expenses, but that all seems in line with what I was expecting given that it’s bene 15 years.

Are care leases generally common/available? And to clarify, are you saying that for this kind of lease, the lessee is responsible for cost of all care as well as full board and training?

I wouldn’t say I’m sticker shocked, but I am a little surprised. Seems like there’s been a bit of a cultural shift in how people charge for leases, and they’ve generally become much more expensive. C’est la vie.

[bananasforall]

In fact, I am hard pressed to find a barn anywhere in CA or PNW that will allow a lesson horse to jump more than 2"-2’6 without being at least half leased.

Is that because of liability concerns or just to squeeze every dollar from the skill/experienced horses? That blows my mind! I did a few dressage lessons at a barn in the greater area, and they don’t allow anyone to tack up their own horses. Is that a common thing now these days too? I don’t know about everyone else, but I actually like grooming/tacking/etc. So weird.

[bananasforall]

Yeah this is the kind of thing I def want to avoid. I’ve unfortunately had experience both with creative dirty stopping that shattered my confidence (spent an entire summer of my junior years stopping out of every single class I entered, sometimes at the first jump… not fun), and horses that get pushed from place to place even with serious injuries. No thanks to both of those.

[SweetMutt]

I agree that $5500/month for a half lease is unreasonable. Things ARE super expensive here, and I’ve heard of trainers asking staggering half lease prices, but I wouldn’t pay that.

Now, I do find the bay area H/J scene to be particularly condensing into only A-show barns and catering accordingly to the clientele that want and can afford to do that. I see fewer half lease options in that world - but not zero! It’s worth a shot to reach out to a few barns, state your intentions, and just move on if it doesn’t work out. You might have more luck with barns that are a little more off the beaten path or sort of an all-around barn.

What part of the bay area are you in?

[bananasforall]

I agree that $5500/month for a half lease is unreasonable. Things ARE super expensive here, and I’ve heard of trainers asking staggering half lease prices, but I wouldn’t pay that.

I can see that being reasonable in a specific context, but for that situation it felt ridiculous. Especially since if I remember correctly it only included one ride a week. And like I said, the horse was very very old and on the verge of being retired. So yeah, I feel like I dodged a bullet there.

I see fewer half lease options in that world - but not zero! It’s worth a shot to reach out to a few barns, state your intentions, and just move on if it doesn’t work out. You might have more luck with barns that are a little more off the beaten path or sort of an all-around barn.

That’s good to hear! Any barns you specifically recommend? (feel free to DM me)

I’m in San Francisco, which means I have reasonable access to some South Bay and North Bay spots.

[mika0116]

Ehh its just economics of today’s day and age - not to be flip or demeaning. But it is that simple.

Horses and the cost of keeping them has gotten wildly more expensive.

It is mostly the land value as well as feeding and maintaining facilities – ESPECIALLY in CA or other affluent desirable areas like New England outside NYC, NoVa, etc. The land is just desirable and worth more so farms are closing and selling to developers and there just isn’t as much land to keep a string of 10+ schoolies in field turnout and if there IS land - its hella expensive.

Horses are a business and for a businesses to make money off a lesson horse you either need MANY of them or they need to work a ton (or both).

Horses should only jump 2-3x a week (I think 3 is pushing it but under 2’6 I can get past it) so that’s 3 “intermediate” lessons you can teach on a horse that jumps PER WEEK. Not enough to make a sustainable biz. That’s why most lessons you’ll see are flat only and then once you jump - typically some sort of lease arrangement is required to make it sustainable for the barn.

FWIW - not to be pedantic, but my house which I bought for $1m+ in CA in the last 3 years - was valued at $750k in 2019. And it was in worse condition in 2022 because former owner was a recent divorcee with a young child and she was NOT handy or aware of how much effort it takes to maintain a 1970s mid century original home. No real value increase - just the economics of the US (world, really).

It is just not sustainable for trainers and barn owners to offer riding lessons on school horses at a net loss – at least not without $$$ clients making up the difference.

There’s plenty of people with $$$$$ who want and are able to ride - especially in Bay Area/ LA / other coastal parts of CA. A junior at my barn before the one I am at now had literally 5 - 6 horses, ranging from $100k to $300k+ each and had them all on training board except 1 was her semi retired short stirrup horse. She had literally over $1 million dollars worth of horses before she was even 18.

Horses are a luxury sport

You’re paying for a service (riding instruction and training and quality is typically more expensive) and access to an asset (a safe and fun horse is a more desirable and expensive asset)

Nothing to do with grooming and tacking - this is standard protocol per the above economic reasons

access to the horse PERIOD costs you that. I see you last were in horses in 2010. It is a completely and I mean COMPLETELY different cost and access structure.

I left horses in 2009 and returned in 2015 and I was shocked - the acceleration of costs and deceleration of access is 20x from 2018 to 2025 (now).

[Bristol_Bay]

At the barn where I kept my hunter, there weren’t any riders who weren’t also paying for grooming. The grooms only get a fraction of what the clients pay, and the trainer keeps the rest, so of course it’s required to have grooming services.

We were also charged for grooming supplies $40 per month, and asked to pay a surcharge when they got new footing.

It’s so different from when I got involved with horses.

[Demerara_Stables]

@bananasforall

Are care leases generally common/available? And to clarify, are you saying that for this kind of lease, the lessee is responsible for cost of all care as well as full board and training?

I’m in this group on facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/357412287746026/ and there seem to be a fair amount of cheap/care leases out there - but again, most of these look like trail riding types. Honestly who knows if the majority of these horses are even sound - I’ve seen some not great looking horses in this group. So, yes, they are out there, but the quality is probably not great.

As far as costs, typically a care lease would be if you paid for all of the horse’s expenses as if you owned it. So board, training, vet, farrier, etc. This can vary based on the contract with the owner, so my suggestion is if you find a horse that you think is a good fit, to have a conversation up front with the owner about expectations and then get everything in writing.

Also sent you a DM.