BUYING / LEASING A HORSE

Horses are for sale or lease for a variety of reasons: the owner is off to college, the rider has outgrown the horse, or the rider wishes to change showing divisions are among the most common. Often our horses will spend their entire life at LEC in the care of Betsy Webb and her staff. All of our horses are hand-picked by our staff to meet the individual rider’s needs. One horse may have several different owners/riders throughout their lifetime while residing in the care of the LEC. We call these horses “Legacy” horses.

Let Betsy and her experienced staff help you with the purchase or lease of your horse. Their knowledge and experience can save heartache and expense in the long run. Betsy has years of experience in matching riders with their perfect equine partners.

Our mission is to make sure that your buying, leasing, and owning experience is enjoyable and fulfilling and that you end up with your perfect equine partner. If you are interested in buying or leasing a horse, please contact the Barn Director, Betsy Webb, to discuss the options available to you. In addition to lesson horses that are show quality, LEC has horses that are a great lease for someone just looking to have fun on horseback in the ring and on the trails. Ask about our Equi-Lease program for more details and to find out which horses are available for lease.

BUYING A HORSE

Why Buy a Horse?

People buy horses for several reasons including having a horse to use as they please (for practice, showing, trail riding, or just for fun), having a horse to be competitive at shows, or because they enjoy the special bond that can form between a horse and its owner. Horse ownership can completely alter an owner’s life through the bond shared with a horse. Depending on what you wish to use the horse for (for fun or for showing), the price can vary widely. Horses are priced based on four key qualities:

  • “Ridability”- What kind of rider does the horse require?
  • Soundness- Is the horse healthy and capable of performing his job?
  • Age- In horses the older horse is not “old,” he is “experienced.” A smaller child or a beginning rider will need experience from his mount.
  • Appearance or Color- Usually these qualities are just icing on the cake.

A rider’s ability, skill, and experience will greatly determine a horse’s performance and often a new horse and new rider combination will need to start slowly in order to work their way towards a solid partnership. A rider who has only been riding one year will not be able to get the maximum performance out of a horse like a rider with 15 to 20 years experience so it is always important to be patient and encourage learning and understanding between rider and mount when making a match. It is easy to make a mistake but it is a lot more difficult to fix the mistake. Novice riders are often blinded by beauty or ability and the cheapest one is not always the best one. Manners, suitability and health should be paramount when considering a horse.

LEASING A HORSE

Try Before You Buy

Leasing is often the perfect way to “get your feet wet” without making a long-term commitment in terms of time and finances. Expensive show horses, for example, may be leased for the duration of the show season allowing you to ride and show a better horse than you might be able to afford to buy. Although these types of leases usually involve a Lease Fee that is separate from the Boarding fees of the horse. Leasing a horse is also a great way to try something new such as showing in a new division or with a different breed of horse. Your lease on a horse can extend for a short period (3 months) or a long one (1 year). With a typical lease, during this time the owner retains ownership of the horse but he gives the use of the horse to the lessee. The lessee may or may not have to pay a Lease Fee but he will be responsible for the horse’s monthly expenses including board, shoeing, and routine veterinary care.

Partial Leasing

You may find a horse offered on a partial lease, usually half but sometimes less, and in these cases, you get use of the horse for a specified percentage of the week in exchange for half (or less) of the costs of keeping the horse. If you find a suitable horse and come to a verbal understanding with the owner, be sure to get all the details in writing. The Lease Contract should cover the following: length of the lease, terms of payment, terms of use of the horse, insurance, liability, boarding, tack use, showing, treatment of the horse, farrier, vet, and any other personal specifics related to your agreement with the owner.