Your thoughts?

Miniature Horse Talk Forums

Help Support Miniature Horse Talk Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

RockRiverTiff

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
2,532
Reaction score
0
Location
Illinois
I want to apologize for not blogging this week, but when it comes to horse news this issue has pretty much swallowed my mind. It's very hard for me to separate my emotional reaction from my rational reaction when it comes time to sell a horse, but darn it I'm trying.

The horse in question now is my Arabian gelding (Sir). I've had him for 15 years. He's been shown extensively, is a prima donna, and is one of those horses that wants to work every day. When I was preparing to move to Chicago, I knew he would be miserable with only a caretaker's minimal attention during the week, so I offered him on lease. I even made it a cash lease to try to dissuade opportunists, but I still got horrible responses! Just when I was wondering if I'd have to find him a stable near the city, I finally got the "right" response--a family 15 minutes away whose young daughter was receiving lessons from a trainer we used to show with. I like and respect this trainer very much, and he has the same feelings for Sir.

Well I'm home now, and the lease is almost up. It gives me that *ouch* feeling in my heart to say it, but I know Sir is much happier being ridden every day at their stable than he would be sitting in my back pasture while I work with the minis. He gets great care, and from the regular updates I receive I know that he is well-loved. The family definitely wants to "continue on" with Sir, so I asked them if they wanted to purchase him outright. They had a show last weekend, they have a show this weekend--so I'm waiting to hear from them. Now here's the catch...

I googled Sir to see how he's been doing at his shows. The good news is that at 18 he's been both a Champion and Reserve Champion in Class A showing this year (wonder why they didn't tell me that...). Not too shabby! What bothers me is that the results show it's been with at least three different riders. The most recent show, the girl leasing him didn't even ride him. Do I have a right to be bothered by this? Since the lease was only with this family, I kind of feel like they should have notified me before passing Sir around the barn. They've told me several times the trainer really likes Sir, which is evidenced by the fact that one of his riders is his son, but if he's being used as a lesson horse I feel I have the right to know. Do I?

I'm also wondering now if they are eager to continue the lease for the original rider, or if it's the trainer that wants to keep Sir in his barn. I was concerned about how to price him anyway since he's older and was figuring half of market value, but I'm totally boggled by this situation. As I said earlier, I have a lot of respect for this trainer and really like the family, but I now feel very uncomfortable with my offer to sell Sir--or even re-lease him--until I know exactly who wants him and what they want him for. How would you deal with this?!
 
Ouch! I'll probably not be great with advice here, but I have to say I'd feel the same way you are. It's different to feel like your boy is being cared for/utilized by just one family/girl that loves him, than to think of him being passed around amongst lots of different riders of varying experience levels.

Then again, I'm trying to think of their perspective as the leasers. If I were paying someone money to keep their horse at my place I know I'd probably let friends ride the horse if they came over and wanted to, and wouldn't think much of it. Not quite the same, but kind of goes along the same lines.

Good luck with your decision!
 
If he was my horse I would feel very bothered if someone else was riding him especially if I didn't lease the horse to them. I can understand letting a friend try him out at the stable but having him show the horse then no, i wouldn't like that. Also, if i owned him and he's been shown and has done well (sounds like it if he won Champion and Reserve Champion) then I wouldn't like him to be used as a lesson horse if I wanted to take him back, he could have developed a bad habbit... or not. Yes, you do have the right to know if he is being used as a lesson horse, you leased him to a family, not familiess.

Good Luck!
 
I would be very concerned if other people are riding your horse other then the members of the family he was leased to. There could be legal issues if someone other then a member of the family was riding him and fell off and got hurt.
 
I would also be upset about others showing him. There is a liability issue there!! As far as pricing him I would not price him half, 18 is not that old for a Arabian. Especially since he is doing so well. If the family does not want to buy him, I would offer him to the trainer, I have no problem with a horse becoming a lesson horse. I know several that absolutely love their job, and love kids, so they are happier with all the activity!! Good luck, there is no easy solution!!
 
My first thought is to talk to the trainer about them leasing or buying the horse with a buy back option, if the original lessors don't want to renew the lease and keep the horse exclusively to themselves.
 
Thanks everybody--I'm surprised you all made it through that monster post! To answer some common questions:

Two leases and a third show agreement were signed, and I do still have the copies. In regards to my liability and to that third show form, the stable he is at has him insured and ownership was transferred last year so his rider can show him in the Amateur Owned classes. (And yes--I know exactly where the agreement guaranteeing that he goes back into my name is.) So while I am not liable for the other riders, I am still concerned about the use of my horse.

Sir is very accomplished in the show ring. Over the years, in large classes at Arabian shows he has taken championships in hunter, western, and most recently country english pleasure. If this year's placings are any indication, then age has done nothing to diminish his natural talent. I know what his value is to a serious rider, but am more concerned with finding him the right forever home. He's always got a home with me, so if I can't find a better one he's staying.

I had thought about asking the trainer outright if he is interested in Sir, before all of these issues arose, because I realize his current rider is young and likely has future plans that would take her away from the stable, but the family reassured me that their interest is long-term, so I didn't want them to feel I was going behind their back. That said, if I was going to sell my horse to a trainer there would be no "good home discount." The point of this whole ordeal was to find him a good, appreciative home with a lot of personal attention. While I realize the trainer can probably offer that too, it's not exactly the semi-retirement home I was hoping for, and I know my horse would be working for his keep as a lesson horse. Considering that the lease sum was very modest, I hardly feel it justifies his current use as a lesson horse.

I still don't understand why neither the family nor the trainer felt it appropriate to ask me. Is this why when I asked about how he was placing I was told, "OK," because they didn't want to lie about who he was winning with? It just feels crummy. I was truly elated to see his placings online, but then to see the name of a stranger as his rider was a bit of a shock. Really the whole ordeal puts a bad taste in my mouth.

I appreciate all of your suggestions and am glad to know I'm not being overly emotional in my response to the situation.
 
The most recent show, the girl leasing him didn't even ride him. Do I have a right to be bothered by this?

HECK YEA!

Since the lease was only with this family, I kind of feel like they should have notified me before passing Sir around the barn. They've told me several times the trainer really likes Sir, which is evidenced by the fact that one of his riders is his son, but if he's being used as a lesson horse I feel I have the right to know. Do I?

OF COURSE YOU DO!

Sorry but they are using him as a lesson horse behind your back and making money off your old horse. You have been lied to and deceived and that would tick me off to no end which makes the contract NULL AND VOID. Don't care that Sir is going so good, he can go just as good in your backyard doing much of nothing. My "work a holic" old horse is the same way but he's also found out laying around works real well too. I'd go pick up Sir in a heartbeat. The trust issue with all involved just went out the door.
 
I have mixed emotions on this situation. On one hand I think it's wrong that they didn't disclose other people are riding and showing the horse but on the other hand if your lease agreement doesn't have a clause stating that she is to be the only rider then you really can't be upset. I leased a quarter qelding years ago. The woman I leased him to let her mother ride him. She hadn't been on a horse since she was seriously hurt 15 years prior. After riding my gelding the woman got back into horses and started training professionally again. I was thrilled. I didn't think someone else was going to ride him but in the end it helped gained this woman's confidence and my horse had someone using him and loving him. I don't know if this helps or not but I can see both side.
default_wink.png
 
I replied to Tiffany privately on this....but my biggest qualm would be that the TRAINER is using this horse obviously as a lesson horse, which was NOT how the lease was tended to be, contract or not. And the fact that others were showing it....oh man, I would not be happy about that.

I agree with you SampleMM that in some cases like yours, yes, ok, so someone else rode the horse you leased out, or like someone else stated if they had friends over and knew that was the safest horse....BUT for a trainer to be obviously using him as a lesson horse and letting other students show it.....not the same thing imo.

I'm with Marty....the trainer (who is not the one leasing the horse) is making money off the horse and that was obviously not how the arrangement was understood.....and he would be back in my backyard NOW!

~kathryn
 

Latest posts

Back
Top