Advice needed - poorly pony

[Rainbow151]

This could be long, so apologies in advance. I part loan a horse, and there is another girl who loans the other part. The horse has been lame for a week, first thought was an abscess but farrier has ruled that out. Vet is querying Cushing's, laminitis and potentially pedal bone rotation. She is very overweight (previously retired but owner wanted her back in work) so very has prescribed diet pills and will see her again next week.

She has been on grass livery so obviously has now been put in a stable and only turn out into the school.

Where I need the advice, who should be paying for the sudden increase in livery cost? Grass livery to full (they don't offer DIY) is a massive increase. Heart is saying to suck it up and pay, head (and OH) is saying it isn't my responsibility, I pay to ride a horse and the reality is there is a high chance she will need to be PTS.

There is no contract, owner lives a few hours away and apparently can't afford the fees - hence finding a coupe of sharers.

To my mind if you aren’t the sole sharer, there’s no contract and you just ride some days per week, you’re just having a pay per ride deal here.

I know of a local elderly horse who lives out, and has three different ‘sharers’, who come on different days, do a poo pick, feed and have a hack. They pay £10per ride. Do you feel that’s your situation more or less?

Pretty much, as I’m good friends with the yard owner they kind of see me as the ‘lead’ sharer but I don’t have a say in how she is kept and not a lot of say in how the other sharer works her so I don’t know how the owner can expect me to pay. I don’t mind paying for feed/hay etc but for the money I pay I could part loan a horse that is fit and able. It’s hard as I do really like her

I think I’d be giving notice to end the arrangement.

No contract, not your issue. I would walk away. The horse is the responsibility of the owner, regardless of where they live.

Have to agree with Polkadotties. If you had sole use of the horse and had agreed to basically pay all the animals costs while you used it as your own, that would be different. Even then, you would have every right to give notice and send the animal back to its owner. But this is a pay per ride basis and not your problem at all. If the owner is not willing to spend a bit of money and give the animal the chance to come sound then she needs to do the right thing and put the poor thing to sleep and spare her any suffering. I do feel for you though, it is very hard when you have become fond.