Loaning a horse - does tack go to?

squidsin

Well-Known Member
Feb 16, 2013
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Just wondered what is the norm with this - if you're loaning out your horse, particularly on permanent loan, does the loaner get the tack too, or how does that work? Quite an expensive amount of kit to just give away really.

That should be TOO not to, arrrgh!
 
and when they've gone back if unsuitable I have a saddle, bridle, rugs, none of which fit the next horse usually.

some horses do come with tack, but you need to sort out what happens if they damage it
 
That's interesting, over here people usually loan horses out WITH their tack and rugs. Full wardrobe is pretty normal, or headcollar bridle and 1 rug as a bare minimum. Though people always keep their saddle as they can use it on anything else they ride, it's not like it has to fit the horse or anything.
 
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All the horses I know who have been loaned out have gone with their tack and rugs. My friend recently put her horse on loan and had the saddler come out the day before she went to make sure that the saddle was the perfect fit.

If I were loaning out my horse, I would want to know that he was being ridden in tack which was comfortable and most importantly fitted him. I don't know many people who would spend out on decent tack for a loan horse who they might give back in 6 months time.
 
Yup, I've known a few horses out on full loan who were sent with full wardrobe of tack and rugs, even buckets lol. I've known people to buy a cheaper synthetic saddle (that has been fitted) to send with the horse as they didn't want to risk their expensive leather one.

Personally I'd want to know the saddle fits etc so would send one with the horse. It should be drawn up in the agreement and I'd say that if anything was damaged (ie more than normal wear and tear) that it be replaced like-for-like. If you trust the person with your horse then I would also trust them with tack.
 
first horse I had on loan came from a private home - he came with nothing - and went back with nothing a year later - I had a leather saddle and bridle bought for him, second horse came from a charity, and of course his stuff did not fit her. Nor did it fit Molly when I finally bought her, so every horse has required new tack!
 
It should be drawn up in the agreement and I'd say that if anything was damaged (ie more than normal wear and tear) that it be replaced like-for-like. If you trust the person with your horse then I would also trust them with tack.

Agreed. I would also take photos of the items before they went, as a record of the condition they were in when the loaner took them.
I cannot imagine trusting someone with Mouse but not with my saddle...!
 
I loaned Star out with his full wardrobe, everything was listed in the contract and went through everything with the loaner so I know she received everything on the list and signed to say so. Anything that wasn't returned or returned damaged beyond normal wear and tear was to be replaced as stated in the contract.
Any horse I have taken on loan has also come with a full wardrobe
 
What about permanent loans? If you're not anticipating getting your horse back, would you give the (probably fairly expensive) saddle away too? I don't think I would. Couldn't afford to do that anyway.
 
Yup, I've known a few horses out on full loan who were sent with full wardrobe of tack and rugs, even buckets lol. I've known people to buy a cheaper synthetic saddle (that has been fitted) to send with the horse as they didn't want to risk their expensive leather one.

Personally I'd want to know the saddle fits etc so would send one with the horse. It should be drawn up in the agreement and I'd say that if anything was damaged (ie more than normal wear and tear) that it be replaced like-for-like. If you trust the person with your horse then I would also trust them with tack.

True, but equally, if you're trusting them with your horse - which they are not paying for - then surely you could also trust them to get decent tack fitted? I would include THAT in my loan agreement if it was me.
 
In a permanent loan you are still retaining ownership and technically could take the horse back at any time. I think the issue with loans is about how much both parties trust each other. I suppose it depends on the situation. I think if I could afford to I'd send the saddle with the horse. If you were in a tough financial situation then I think selling what you can is fair enough but it would put some potential loaners off. They'd have to pay a fair bit of money to kit the horse out and there is still the potential the owner could take the horse back and they'd have to sell their stuff on for a lot less than what they paid! Perhaps sell the tack and rugs etc to the loaner in bulk? I'm not sure how many people would feel about that.
 
I would never, ever loan the horse's tack out with it after a very sour experience with a supposed 'very good friend'.

I arranged the free long term loan of a lovely horse for this person, from a good friend I had originally sold the horse too. When I originally owned the horse I paid to have a custom fitted Italian saddle made for the horse, at great expense. I assured my friend who was loaning out the horse that as I knew the person taking the horse personally and could vouch for them as honest and reliable, so to let them also have the saddle on loan.

A few short months later the person loaning announced they were selling the good saddle to get a cheaper 'self adjusting' saddle for the horse. I pointed out that the saddle wasn't theirs to sell, and if they were selling it with owner's permission then I would offer to buy it off the owner. She quite literally threw a hissy fit and claimed she now owned the saddle and the horse!!!!:devil:

What followed was a very nasty and difficult situation where the horse's loaner flatly refused to return the saddle to the owner and has now cut all contact with myself and the horse's owner. Of course because I arranged it all and assured the owner of my good friend's credibility there was never a contract for either the loan of the horse or tack. How foolish was I? Luckily my friend doesn't hold me responsible for the virtual theft of both her horse and the tack.....but a huge learning curve for both of us about loaning tack and horses.

NEVER do either IMO - unless both the horse and the tack remains on your yard.:stomp:
 
I would never, ever loan the horse's tack out with it after a very sour experience with a supposed 'very good friend'.

I arranged the free long term loan of a lovely horse for this person, from a good friend I had originally sold the horse too. When I originally owned the horse I paid to have a custom fitted Italian saddle made for the horse, at great expense. I assured my friend who was loaning out the horse that as I knew the person taking the horse personally and could vouch for them as honest and reliable, so to let them also have the saddle on loan.

A few short months later the person loaning announced they were selling the good saddle to get a cheaper 'self adjusting' saddle for the horse. I pointed out that the saddle wasn't theirs to sell, and if they were selling it with owner's permission then I would offer to buy it off the owner. She quite literally threw a hissy fit and claimed she now owned the saddle and the horse!!!!:devil:

What followed was a very nasty and difficult situation where the horse's loaner flatly refused to return the saddle to the owner and has now cut all contact with myself and the horse's owner. Of course because I arranged it all and assured the owner of my good friend's credibility there was never a contract for either the loan of the horse or tack. How foolish was I? Luckily my friend doesn't hold me responsible for the virtual theft of both her horse and the tack.....but a huge learning curve for both of us about loaning tack and horses.

NEVER do either IMO - unless both the horse and the tack remains on your yard.:stomp:

Wow, so she basically stole the horse and the saddle?!
 
Wow, so she basically stole the horse and the saddle?!

Yep! And I would have sworn my life on her integrity etc. etc.....no fool like and old fool! Drawbridge is up now, nobody apart from my very closest family will ever get a favour out of me again I am afraid. But Karma is a great thing, though often moves exceedingly slowly towards its target, but always get there in the end, of that I am sure as is the horse's owner.:wink:
 
My horse went out on loan with a full contract etc. She was kicked in the first couple of weeks by a dominant horse, and they dilly dallied about getting a vet out - she had a broken splint bone, and had to be taken to hospital by the charity I had rehomed her with. Of course, after that, I brought her back home, even though we were having dreadful times for all sorts of reasons, which was why I had given her away.

The contract stated that the horse had to be insured - I had cancelled her insurance. The charity paid £2000 for her care and Aimee donkey and I went out to collect the money to pay them back. I expect if they had had my tack they would have had bother getting it back as well. They basically went and took the horse back and took her straight to hospital.

The person taking her on loan was a veterinary assistant, the home was fully checked etc, they signed a contract but in the end a contract is only a piece of paper and enforcement of it is often very difficult. She never even had the decency to pay anything towards the horse's costs.
 
Yep! And I would have sworn my life on her integrity etc. etc.....no fool like and old fool! Drawbridge is up now, nobody apart from my very closest family will ever get a favour out of me again I am afraid. But Karma is a great thing, though often moves exceedingly slowly towards its target, but always get there in the end, of that I am sure as is the horse's owner.:wink:

Have to say, you are not on your own, I have heard more than one story like this. Some ones cousin I know took her two horses and loads of kit to the value of around £4000. Police were not interested.
 
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