Part loan pony cost?

[FuzzyBumbleeBee]

New to the world of horse owning/loaning

Dd1 has been offered a loan pony, we have been looking for a few months, in an area they do not come up in often.

Pony is 8, has a field mate that would need feeding grooming and putting in at night as well but wouldn't be ridden by dd.

I mentioned 1 day for riding a week and putting both pony's away 2 nights a week

No other facilitys to use like an arena

What would you expect to pay?

NW England we pay £15/week for 2 days, just one pony with an outdoor arena. We used to have a similar arrangement to the one you have and in the end walked away as all jobs for 2 ponies were being left to us and the field mate was a handful. Make sure you know what you are letting yourself into before agreeing terms.

We pay £20 a week, oversized arena, decent drainage which is a rarity here. This is for one day completely under kids’ charge inc feeding,
exercise etc (the reality is they are at the stables 7 days a week). South east London

we have insurance through Pony Club. We

Why are you only getting 1 day riding but 2 evenings of care , that is very odd . In our are £15 ish seems to be the going rate per day . Where are you riding if there is no arena ?

As there are chores to do and not particularly good facilities I personally would expect a pretty minimal charge TBH. If there's no arena is this effectively going to be a summer/weekend loan only as she can't really ride in a field or on the roads in the dark in winter after school? And by feeding does this mean slinging down a bucket of pre-mixed feed the owner has already prepared or do you have to make up the feeds and/or fill and soak haynets and/or transport hay to the field to fill feeders as well?

If it's the former I think I would expect to pay maybe £10-15 per week as bringing in/turning out and grooming is really just part of the ride rather than being a huge extra chore and it's not much more bother to do 2 rather than one if the companion is well behaved (how much grooming does a field kept non-ridden pony really need, I'd just flick a brush over to check for injuries and do his feet, wouldn't be messing around with bathing and keeping white bits white and so on on the regular). Or often the arrangement is sharer/loaner pays for the ponies farrier bills or other similar small bill (my farrier charges £65 for a trim and fronts only and he sees him every 6 weeks so that would be a good sort of contribution for a sharer).

But if you've got to make up complicated feeds yourself (measuring and adding supplements, mixing the feeds that need to be soaked in water for 30 mins etc) and do nets and in winter hay and water the field that can add a lot of time and effort so I'd probably expect the riding to be free in exchange for the chores. Maybe a token contribution only (buy the pony some kit or a sack of feed from time to time). But perhaps I'm soft with my sharers, I guess market demands dictate and if loans are hard to come by the owner could expect more?

As far as I'm aware no complicated feeds

It's dd that will be doing all of it, I am very allergic to hay/horses so will be the adult on site but sat in the car while she does stables ect but keeping an eye on her for saftey

I was hoping that offering to put them away two nights but only ride one would keep the cost down becuse of doing the extra work

They don't wear shoes as far as I'm aware she mentioned bare foot

Riding wise there is a local nature trail and lots of other places dd would be able to go
I would have to accompany her as she's only 11 by bike or lead rein so it'd take up my spare time as well untill dd is old enough to go out alone

Dd has been doing pony club since 7 and helps out all day at our local stables once a week helping on rides doing stables ect so is very knowledgeable

I think from the sound of it I will counter with a lower offer as realistically I cannot afford what they are asking or decline if they won't go lower

We are isle of wight so limited with where we can look

How much are they asking @FuzzyBumbleeBee ?

Fair enough, sounds a good plan. It may be that the offering to do the jobs on the second day without riding isn't that attractive, as if the pony still needs to be exercised the owner either has to attend anyway (in which case they may as well turn them out themselves) or pay someone else to exercise. OFC it may be the pony is fine not being ridden that often, it depends. But if they insist on the higher price maybe the compromise is your DD gets to ride two days instead of one?

If you’re looking after 2 horses for 2 days a week then they should be paying you as well as offering riding?!?! I have owned horses all my life and this is what is usual in situations like this. Horse care is far more expensive than an hour long ride!

It really isn’t , unless you are employing a professional to do the work and riding . Lots of people offset the cost of their horses by getting sharers who pay a nominal amount , do the chores on their day(s) and get to ride .

The very brief conversation this morning mentioned £30/40 per week

Yes I confirmed per week

that's way over what we can afford

I work 1 weekend day a week and
Dd is at the local riding stables all day that day
And dd2 has a club midday the other weekend day so we are very limited on when we could go out with the pony, I would almost have to tie it into dog walks if the pony is OK with dogs and take them all out down the nature trail together

I don't think they get ridden every day

I feel terrible as I mentioned to dd1 about the loan and feel like I'm going to have to break her heart now
Also the owner is well known in the area and has sort of offered the loan as a favor

I work less hours in the winter so even £50 a month would be stretching it in those months

I'm going to have to turn it down and break her heart arnt I

Well that is extortionate for 1 day , you may as well just get her an extra riding lesson

We paid £10 per day, 2/3 days per week for DD’s part loan pony.

He was on DIY livery so on DD’s allocated loan days we were responsible for all chores like mucking out, hay nets, making feeds etc. It was a very good yard though with full use of an indoor arena, 2 outdoor arenas plus an XC course. Regular competitions alongside both private and weekly kids group lessons on site which was brilliant.

That's going to be more than their weekly livery costs.

Where are you finding livery for £30-40pw? That’s insanely cheap!

OP could the second day be muddying the water? Were you expressly clear that you were offering a second day of chores to keep costs down or does the owner think that you’d be riding both days? It could be worth asking the cost of sharing 1 day a week instead, it sounds like that would work better with your other commitments anyway.

That does seem steep. Frankly, I wish you lived near me. I’d almost pay you for someone else to ride one of my horses and do some of their chores each week!!

I charge £25/week basic DIY. Very much no frills. no arena, but there are some within short hacking distance that can be used. 24/7 turnout in summer, 12 hour turnout in winter.

I get £20/week paid every 4 weeks from our sharer for 2 days, Friday and Sunday. They also pooh pick on those days and in the winter muck out and bring pony in. We have a nice indoor arena and lots of off road hacking. For them it's worth it because the little girl riding is a 3 year old with suspected autism and our pony is an elderly bombproof saint who loves little kids!

As you will be doing all the work for the other pony too for free then you should be getting use of the pony for free as you’re only having 1 day a week use of it and 2 days looking after /feeding for 2 ponies

£40 a week for one ride and a heap of chores is taking the proverbial!

So 1 day riding plus an extra two days of providing care for both horses? If you weren’t doing it the owner would have to do ig themselves of pay someone to do the care?

Ig would be a ‘no’ from me to paying gif that 1 day of riding.

Oh dear lord. Utter piss take.

Please don’t do this. This person will expect more and more and more.

In our area (NW england) we have two sharers for one horse who pay £20pw each but can ride any weekday or weekend (they split due to shift work). Chores wise they feed that one and the others who all live out 24/7 one fixed day a week. Works out at £10 max per ride. £30/£40 is extortionate

£15-30 a ride in my area depending on quality of horse/type of livery/need to go twice a day etc, hold for farrier/physio etc.

Considering overall costs at the moment, I think sharers get a pretty good deal on time/responsibilties/costs. I'd def push for 2 rides a week for that money, eps if a good, safe & sound pony.

Apols, realising >£50 a month might be a stretch for you. Go in at what you think is reasonable and fair - £10 for the ride plus put the ponies away on another day is more than reasonable! Leave the offer on the table, see if they come back to you (when they find no-one else for what they are asking!).