Worth considering a lease?

[alternate_universe]

Keeping this vague because barnmates may be on here.

I am finding myself in a financial situation where I can finally look at doing a care lease or a very inexpensive paid lease (like lowest 4s). I am a good riding adult who is looking to show in jumper classes below 3’6 with interest in moving up when I am ready. I currently ride a horse that belongs to my coach and am able to ride multiple times a week outside of lessons. Said horse is available for showing and can do the classes I am interested in. That being said, since there is no formal agreement and I am not guaranteed any number of rides or use at shows.

Would there be any benefit to pursuing a lease of my own? What about leasing the horse I currently ride? Or is that a ridiculous idea since I already have free access to the horse?

[Scribbler]

Getting a free ride is wonderful but as you point out, it’s informal and you have no leverage to dictate the terms.

At the other end of the spectrum is owning where its all yours, especially if you do self board or have your own property and manage all details.

A care lease or paid lease falls in the middle and gives you most of the short term rights and responsibilities of ownership.

Many riders choose ownership or drift towards it for the autonomy it can pro ide. But obviously you pay for that autonomy.

Have you had a frank chat with your coach? What are your immediate goals and is the coach the kind of scatty or manipulative person who would pull the horse from you at a critical time? Will you get a better horse on the lease market?

I can’t imagine you will get the use of a sane sound proven 3 foot 6 competitive horse for a free care lease or even a very low lease. Typically a lease is 1/3 of the horses retail value, and an ammie friendly 3 foot 6 horse is likely up around $100,000 because they are unicorns to have both good minds and athletic scope.

In other words, you may have a much higher quality horse here than you can ever afford to lease.

[hoopoe]

I would certainly start with a talk with your coach. Is this horse available, what are the terms? Sounds like it is an arrangement just waiting to happen. This arrangement would give youa firm set of goals to work towards

[CHT]

If you like the horse you currently ride, offer to lease. It sounds like your coach is trying to work with you to have you on a suitable horse, and may be giving you free rides because she thinks you can’t afford to pay - now you can, so the right thing would be to tell your coach about your new situation/goals and see what the two of you come up with. If you don’t love the horse, or it isn’t available to lease. then hopefully your coach will help you find something better.

[outside_leg]

@Scribbler said it best. The horse you’re describing typically comes at a higher lease price unless it’s seriously quirky or you have a personal connection to the owner.

Since you have a personal connection to your trainer, your first action should probably be to see if she is willing to lease the horse and what she would want for a fee. Since you’d presumably be staying in lessons and showing with her, she may be more flexible on terms.

[alternate_universe]

Yes. Current horse is by no means fancy or of desirable breeding, but is safe and can do the job. He has maintenance needs and a history of suddenly being lame due to one thing or another, so that worries me when I think about leasing him.

If I were to search for a lease elsewhere I would 100% be banking on getting something through unusual owner circumstances, quirks, etc.