# How does my "contract" look?



## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

I've been digging around the internet for a generic lease contract, but I haven't found one that I like so I decided to make my own. I think I've cover most of my bases, but one thing I'm a little stumped about is what should the terms be if my horse gets hurt on the leaser's watch? 

Thus far this is what I have... 


Please read though each section carefully. This will outline the terms and rules of the lease. Initial by each section to demonstrate understanding. 

1.	This lease is for 3 days a week. Please coordinate your schedule with mine. I will try to give you Thursdays and Sundays, but that cannot be guaranteed. $250 will be due by the first of the month, to be left in the draw as shown, or in another predetermined spot. 

2.	I reserve the right to terminate the lease at anytime for any for any reason. I would ask you give me 30 days notice prior to termination of lease on your end. 

3.	Please, no one on the premises under the age of 18. If you bring a guest please give advanced notice. 

4.	You are required to wear a helmet when riding on the property. I’d prefer you ride with a helmet on trail, but that is up to your discretion. 

5.	If you have any questions, problems or concerns please ask! I’m always reachable on my cell phone: 631-235-2647

6.	Be mindful of what surfaces you are riding on. If you wish to ride on the grass trotting is fine, you may also lightly lope. If you would like to do more ring riding arrangements can be made to use a sand arena in the neighborhood at your expense. On trail please avoid continued activity on hard ground. Short gaps between sandy spots are ok. Absolutely no galloping, “cowboying around” or other activities that cause unnecessary stress to her. Also, no jump. 

7.	Also, be mindful of how hard she is working. If you go out for 2 hours, or do a lot of trotting/loping, on trail please allow her an “easy” day the following day. If you ride her hard the day before I come to ride please let me know so I can plan my ride accordingly. 

8.	Please use only tack that I have approved of. This includes my saddle, and eventually one of your own should you choose to purchase one. You may ride her in the loose ring snaffle bridle or the short shanked square port curb bit. Please use the pad liner under her saddle pad. Please be respectful of the tack. 

9.	In the event that Skippy is unable to be ridden we will reschedule riding days. If that isn’t possible I will refund you $21 per day that is missed, whether it be in cash or off next months payment.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I'm not crazy about it. If I were looking to lease a horse, I would have reservations. Basically, what I'm seeing is "I want you to give me 250. a month but I can't guarantee what days you can ride. I can terminate this contract whenever I want but you have to give me 30 days notice." All of this seems a little one sided. I would re word it to saying three days a week and leave blank lines to be filled in when the actual three days are agreed to verbally and write those in. I would also state a certain time that the contract is up. If either party wants to get out of the contract earlier then a 30 day notice should be provided from both parties. Disclaimer would be, "If contract or barn rules are not adhered to then lessor has the right to terminate the contract immediately"
I can understand where you are coming from but it all sounds a little over bearing. I would leave the barn rules out of the contract and just state in the contract that the barn rules would be adhered to. Make a list of the barn rules separately and post them on the barn. All of the stuff like riding on the grass, having to be over eighteen to be on the premises, and wearing a helmet would fall under barn rules.

I would also state what kind of riding is allowed in a more positive way like "said horse will be used for trail riding and pleasure riding only." As far as galloping or other stuff like that, I would just leave that to being verbally. Unless the person brings the horse back covered in sweat, you aren't going to know for sure what was going on out there on the the trail anyway. I would just talk to them about all of that stuff. Plus, you will get an idea of what kind of person they are before signing the contract with them so you can decide if they are going to be jerks to your horse. 

As far as tack, I would just put in the contract that only said horses tack should be used and if lessee wants to deviate from that tack it must be approved by lessor. I would also put that tack will be cared for properly and then just show them how you care for your tack.

I would also ask for one months refundable deposit in case anything happens like tack gets messed up or whatever. If nothing happens then lessee gets deposit back. 

That's all I can think of for right now.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I would say, "Thanks but no thanks." to a lease contract worded like yours. As LoriF says, it's sounds waaaaay over controlling. I understand this is an older horse and you're protective but it's just way too much. Also, you need a clause in there that says something about vet care being the responsibility of the lessee. Something like, "Any vet care needed by XXXX horse that is other than routine, yearly care, is at lessee's sole cost." and if she was mine, I'd make them carry full coverage with me a loss payee. I'm also not sure that what you've got there would stand up in court, need to check your state.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I think that if I were looking for a partial lease to just ride two or three times a week, I wouldn't be looking to be responsible for veterinary care or feed bills. I would definitely have that in there if it were a full lease or off property lease though.

I guess I would also have something in there about if the person gets injured on your property that you are not held liable. I think that would hold up in court unless it could be proved that it was a result of you being negligent. Here in FL there are equine activity laws that give some protection but it still won't protect negligence.

It sounds to me that you are looking for a responsible adult who just wants to go on a leisurely trail ride two or three times a week with your mare. That is what I would be actively seeking for her.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Ok, so unblend the condition of the lease with the rules we set forth basically? 

FYI, all of these discussed yesterday with him and he is ok with it. He WILL get his 3 days a week in, it just may not be the same 3 days a week. I'll do my best to honor the two days he is free, but my work schedule is so varied that I cannot guarentee. We also discussed him riding more if I'm unavailable at no extra charge. I don't think it's too hard to ask for the rider to be cautious of the ground surfaces or how hard he is riding. To me that's just a curtesy to the horse. I'm not leasing her 3 days a weeks for him to gallop her around on trail for 2 hours.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

LoriF said:


> I think that if I were looking for a partial lease to just ride two or three times a week, I wouldn't be looking to be responsible for veterinary care or feed bills. I would definitely have that in there if it were a full lease or off property lease though.
> 
> I guess I would also have something in there about if the person gets injured on your property that you are not held liable. I think that would hold up in court unless it could be proved that it was a result of you being negligent. Here in FL there are equine activity laws that give some protection but it still won't protect negligence.
> 
> It sounds to me that you are looking for a responsible adult who just wants to go on a leisurely trail ride two or three times a week with your mare. That is what I would be actively seeking for her.


I'm mean vet bills as far has if he does something negligent, not routine vet and feed bills. Let's say he brings a saddle down that doesn't fit my horse and she needs to been seen by a vet or given medication Otherwise he is paying a flat $250 a month. I'd say I'm a pretty understand person though, I know horses are walk catastrophes and that most times injuries cannot be helped.


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## Dehda01 (Jul 25, 2013)

When you do a lease, you are guaranteeing the horse to that person. He is paying for that horse. So he gets should get dibs on those days, not you. He is a paying customer, as long as he is not damaging the horse or personal property like tack or buildings. As long as everyone understands the terms and agrees, it is ok I guess.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

LoriF said:


> I think that if I were looking for a partial lease to just ride two or three times a week, I wouldn't be looking to be responsible for veterinary care or feed bills.


I'm talking more along the line of being responsible for the vet bills if she's injured (say she injures a suspensory and needs extensive layup, rehab and stem cell treatment) while he's riding her, he takes her out on trail and she's exposed to rhino or strangles. Slide shouldn't have to cover that kind of vet bill. I'm not saying he needs to pay for teeth floating, vaccs, routine yearly maintenance stuff.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

SlideStop said:


> Ok, so unblend the condition of the lease with the rules we set forth basically?
> 
> FYI, all of these discussed yesterday with him and he is ok with it. He WILL get his 3 days a week in, it just may not be the same 3 days a week. I'll do my best to honor the two days he is free, but my work schedule is so varied that I cannot guarentee. We also discussed him riding more if I'm unavailable at no extra charge. I don't think it's too hard to ask for the rider to be cautious of the ground surfaces or how hard he is riding. To me that's just a curtesy to the horse. I'm not leasing her 3 days a weeks for him to gallop her around on trail for 2 hours.


Oh, and as for the ground the park we ride in is a groomed horse park. 75% of the trails are well sanded like an arena. Even the "hard" dirt trails have some sand covering them. Basically, what I'm asking should be pretty easy to achieve.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> I'm talking more along the line of being responsible for the vet bills if she's injured (say she injures a suspensory and needs extensive layup, rehab and stem cell treatment) while he's riding her, he takes her out on trail and she's exposed to rhino or strangles. Slide shouldn't have to cover that kind of vet bill. I'm not saying he needs to pay for teeth floating, vaccs, routine yearly maintenance stuff.


Exactly.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

SlideStop said:


> Ok, so unblend the condition of the lease with the rules we set forth basically?
> 
> FYI, all of these discussed yesterday with him and he is ok with it. He WILL get his 3 days a week in, it just may not be the same 3 days a week. I'll do my best to honor the two days he is free, but my work schedule is so varied that I cannot guarentee. We also discussed him riding more if I'm unavailable at no extra charge. I don't think it's too hard to ask for the rider to be cautious of the ground surfaces or how hard he is riding. To me that's just a curtesy to the horse. I'm not leasing her 3 days a weeks for him to gallop her around on trail for 2 hours.


That is understandable that you do not want her worn out, that is why you have to asses the person. In my case, it would have to be set days because I have off what I have off so I wouldn't agree to that. Maybe in this guys case, it doesn't matter as much if he is retired, sets his own schedule or plain just does not care. Not knowing before that you had a particular person already, I would say that if he has no problems with your parameters then there you go, it's all set.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

He's young and works part time while going to school. We discussed what days are good and bad for him so I'll try to adhere to those two days the best I can. While my schedule is all over the place I typically get it a couple of months in advance, so planning shouldn't be difficult.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> I'm talking more along the line of being responsible for the vet bills if she's injured (say she injures a suspensory and needs extensive layup, rehab and stem cell treatment) while he's riding her, he takes her out on trail and she's exposed to rhino or strangles. Slide shouldn't have to cover that kind of vet bill. I'm not saying he needs to pay for teeth floating, vaccs, routine yearly maintenance stuff.


I understand what you are saying. Not fully knowing how the set up is or even is Slidestop rides the mare or not. I would still say that on a partial lease, the vet bills should mostly be the owners responsibility. An obvious injury that happens while the lessee is out riding is one thing but a lameness with unknown causes would be another. My mare was lame for three days last week and no one has ridden her. She must have twisted something while out to pasture. Also, if the horse comes down with rhino or strangles next week, who's to say whether that happened today while lessor was out riding or yesterday when lessee was out riding. I'm just saying that there are so many variables and gray areas that it is sometimes hard to place blame yet the horse still has to be cared for. I wouldn't want to have to pay for vet care for something that happened out of my control, possibly when I wasn't even there on a horse that I only ride a couple of times a week and don't own.

I guess that is where, if you are going to partial lease your horse, you have to choose carefully who you let ride your horse and be on your property.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

LoriF said:


> I guess that is where, if you are going to partial lease your horse, you have to choose carefully who you let ride your horse and be on your property.


Yup, I think you're right about this. This is a situation that I wouldn't go into, so really have no idea how it should work.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Ok, I think I'll take this contract and tweak it to fit my needs. Than I'll have a separate list of all the "rules" or agreements we have made.

http://www.therusticstarhorseboarding.com/images/HalfLeaseContract.pdf


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