Scan Medical Insurance

Leasing a horse: Insurance/ medical and general questions!?

I have decided to lease a horse to gain more experience as I am hoping to buy a horse next year. I think I have found a great horse to lease and was hoping for some advice. She is a 5 year old TB mare. She will be boarded at a full facility barn of the owners choosing and be ridden by her owner once a week. 1) What does medical insurance cover. I can't afford to pay for a vet if the horse cuts it leg for example while it is in my care (I believe call outs are normally around $500, so one call out and my contingency is gone!) Is there cover that helps with vets fee's for smaller injuries? (Most of the policies I have found online seem to be Major medical, like colic.) Can anyone suggest any good types of cover and companies (we are in California) 2) In some of the contracts I have seen, I would be responsible for her medical care - she is worth about $2000. If she gets sick or injured and the cost of care is much more than that, would I be liable if that was in the contract? I mean, I would hate anything to happen, but if the bill came to $10000, it would bankrupt us! 3) I am getting a really good deal on this lease and the owner is really nice. I really want to make sure this is a positive experience for us both - do you have any tips? If you were to lease out your horse, what would make a great lessee? Thank you! FYI. I am saving for my own horse now, and I only have a $2000 more to go, so I can afford tack, equipment, etc etc. This contingency is for the lease, not my horse savings. I don't want to be in a situation where I have to use my horse fund on a leased horse! FYI. I am saving for my own horse now, and I only have a $2000 more to go, so I can afford tack, equipment, etc etc. This $500 contingency is for the lease, not my horse savings. I don't want to be in a situation where I have to use my horse fund on a leased horse!

Public Comments

1. I would discuss your concerns with the person you plan to lease from. I have leased a few horses in the past. In all of the contracts, I have not ever been liable for health care/medical costs of the horse, unless I was directly responsible for the injury of the horse.
2. 1. usually it will cover death and major medical, with an option to buy "loss of use" (if your horse goes lame and you cant use it for several months or even years, but you dont need that usually for a leased horse) i have never seen anything for minor medical, thats usually just assumed to be out of pocket. talk to your trainer and the owners about companies to use 2. i would talk to the owners on this one, because it varies. in my case, i think insurance covers up to the price of the horse. if he dies, i pay $15000 and the owner pays about $10000, but i believe medical doesn't exactly cut off the same way 3. make sure you have the lease in writing. even if the owners seem really nice, you need to make sure you have every important detail (especially insurance) in writing so the owner cant turn around and sue you. always treat a leased horse with respect, because it can be taken away at any point if the owner doesn't like what you are doing to the horse. a great leassee would take excellent care of the animal, put the horse first (like dont enter into a show if the horse is getting male), and would be respectful to the owner at all times i have a question though....if you cant pay $500 for a vet call, you cant afford to buy a horse, because the cost of the horse, the board, feed, tack, vet and farrier costs are going to be much higher than $500. my board alone is $500 a month.....please consider these costs before you run out and buy a horse EDIT:: understood. but you should worry about a current horse before you worry about whether you can pay for the next one. if you are unwilling to spend average costs on a lease horse, dont lease it
3. General rules about leasing: It is stated in the lease contract who covers what, what days the leaser gets to use the horse, what you can do with the horse (ie trails, taking the horse to shows, etc), when payment is due, and the length of the lease. These are your basic standard terms. More or less can be added depending on the situation. Typically when you lease a horse you would pay for: -1/2 board -1/2 of shoes -1/2 of routine vet costs such as teeth, injections, worming. Non emergency things. -all of you lessons (the owner still pays all of their training fees) which are usually stated that you will take X number of lessons with the trainer the horse is in training with -1/2 of supplements or extra feed costs if the horse is on a special diet The owner normally pays -1/2 board -1/2 of shoes -1/2 of routine vet costs such as teeth, injections, worming. Non emergency things -ALL of insurance costs (It is THEIR horse and you are just paying to use him for the time being) -All training fees -1/2 supplements of special feed costs When it comes to colic, that typically is not paid for by the leaser (unless they gave the horse rocks or something that can be dertimined was the leasees fault). Medical emergencies that are not controllable typically are not paid for by the leasee. Horses can be unpredicatable and sometimes get sick or hurt themselves and no one can control that. The only time when the leasee would pay for a vet bill is when it is their fault. They took the horse on trail and rode through heavily wooded area and the horse cut himself or they turned the horse out with no protective leg wraps. Carelessness basically is what the leasee pays for. This should all be stated in your contract. 1. If you do not own this horse you should not be paying for the insurance on the horse. That is the owners responsibility. As far as what insurance covers, it depends on what coverage you are paying for. I'm not positive, but I don't believe you could insure a horse that is not legally yours though. Equine insurance 1-800-321-5723 www.equine-ins.com 2. You said it yourself, in some of the contracts. Well if you dont want to agree to that then have it taken out of the contract. Since you are the one who will be paying the money then you can have your terms. The owner does have their terms as well though. But if you can not come to an agreement then I suggest looking for a different lease. Again, unless you caused the injury or made the horse sick you should not be liable. If you did cause the problem then of coarse you would/ should have to pay. In my contracts, if the leasee caused an injury that needs lay up and rehab time then they have to continue to pay for the lease until the horse is recovered. This prevents people from injuring your horse and walking away. Leasing is a great way to get into horses without the full commitment or costs and teaches responsibility for horse care. If you are careless you will pay for it both financially and emotionally. It comes with horses. 3. A great leasee will: -pay on time -take wonderful care of the horse -alert the owner immediatly of any changes they notice or that happen -ask before doing something like altering the diet or something new with the horse -always keep the horse clean and well groomed before and after riding -keep all tack clean -if you break something, replace it. -wearing a helmet (so that the leasee doesn get hurt and try to sue saying it was a dangerous horse; again state that in the contact if needed)