Should you buy or loan a horse? Costs, sharing, loans and livery options

TUREFF• •0

After a few years of lessons, many riders start dreaming of a horse of their own. Owning a horse can be wonderful, but it is a long commitment of time and money, and horses can live for decades. Before you buy, it is worth knowing the alternatives and the costs that people tend to forget.

The options in order of commitment

More lessons and stable days: the lowest commitment. Some riding schools offer own-a-pony days or stable management courses.
Sharing: you ride someone else's horse on agreed days, often contributing to costs and helping with care. A good way to test your time and skills.
Loaning: you take over the care of a horse that still belongs to its owner, either at their yard or at your own. Some loans are full-time, with you paying all costs.
Buying: the horse is yours, with all responsibility and cost.

Sharing and loaning: what to agree

Whatever the arrangement, put it in writing. A clear agreement should cover:

which days you ride and what activities you can do (hacking, jumping, competing)
who pays for what, including vet bills, shoeing and insurance
who has the final say on care and veterinary decisions
how much notice either side must give to end it
what happens if the horse becomes ill or injured

Many equestrian organisations publish sample loan agreements as a starting point. Check whether you need your own insurance, such as rider or third-party liability cover.

Livery: where the horse lives

Most horses in the UK are kept at a livery yard. The main types are:

Full livery: the yard does almost all daily care, including feeding, mucking out, turnout and sometimes exercise. The most expensive option, and the least time.
Part livery: care is shared, for example the yard does weekdays and you do weekends, or the yard does mornings and you do evenings. The split varies.
DIY livery: you get a stable and grazing, and do all the work yourself, usually providing hay, feed and bedding. Cheaper but time-consuming, often twice a day every day.
Grass livery: the horse lives out in a field, perhaps with a shelter. Usually the cheapest, but without a stable for illness or box rest.
Working livery: the yard uses the horse in riding lessons in exchange for reduced fees.

Visit a yard more than once, ask about turnout, facilities and rules, and read the livery agreement carefully.

Costs to think about

People budget for the purchase price and livery, then are surprised by everything else. Regular and occasional costs include:

Shoeing or hoof trimming by a farrier, every few weeks
Feed, hay and bedding, which rise in winter
Routine veterinary care: vaccinations, dental checks and worming or worm-egg counts
Insurance: vet fees, third-party liability and loss of use
Tack and rugs, fitting and repairs
Saddle fitting, as horses change shape
Lessons and training
Transport to vets, shows or lessons
Emergencies: colic, lameness or injury can mean large vet bills at short notice

Think too about the horse's later life. When a horse can no longer be ridden, it still needs care.

Buying sensibly

Take an experienced person with you, ideally your instructor.
Ride the horse more than once and see it handled, caught and tacked up.
Have a pre-purchase vetting by an independent vet.
Check the horse's passport and identification. In the UK, horses must have a passport, and microchipping is required too; check the current rules where you live.
Choose a horse for the rider you are now, not the one you hope to become.

Questions to ask yourself

Can I visit at least once a day, every day, if needed?
Who will care for the horse when I am ill or away?
Could I cope with a large unexpected vet bill?
Have I shared or loaned first to know what daily care feels like?

If the answers are uncertain, sharing or loaning is a sensible step before buying. Do you share, loan or own a horse? Tell us what you wish you had known before, or ask your questions in the comments.