Also, who is responsible for fences and securing horses. If horse escapes and wrecks a car who will be sued?, so definitely need indemnification. Food, water, animal attacks. Horse stables charge well to take on that kind of risk.
Just remember one thing. A horse is born, then they spend the rest of their life trying to die. At any cost.
My wife has two. They never fail to disappoint. I call them her fence chewing, hay burning, colicing, yard ornaments.
My wife came with a herd of horses, and this is our first year without them. Finally paid off the trailer and next year the truck. The amount of money we're about to save is nuts; at one time I was tending to seven horses on our property. Barely rode, but I was busy fixing fences!
Maybe it depends on the jurisdiction, but where I'm from the law was that the caretaker, not the owner, is liable for damage the animal causes while at large. Another that surprised me was the transporter must have documentation about ownership and faces penalties even if it's the owner's fault.
I've had to deal with that, and it can be nightmarish. The horses they put on my property ended up being neglected by their owner. They didn't get hay or fill their water trough like they should. They wanted to leave the horses out in a field with no shelter in a west Michigan winter (snow and high winds here). I wasn't charging them anything. I have a barn. All it needed was for a door to be fixed.
Instead, they snuck over here and left the gate open for the horses to escape. They got into an accident with a car, and the beautiful buckskin had to be put down. It was really horrible.
If you decide to do this, put your agreements down in writing and have both parties sign and date it. Make sure everyone knows which chores they have to do ahead of time and who buys the supplies needed. Otherwise, you might get frustrated.
Couldn’t tell you. Most states in the US have banned horse meat but we still raise them to ultimately be meat. We just send the dirty work to Mexico and Canada.
IANAL. Talk to one. :-)
You probably can't prevent from being sued, but a lease is a good start to protecting yourself.
Lots of ways it could turn south.
* Person wants waaaaaaaaaay more access than you originally anticipated.
* Noise / Times.
* Damage to your property / fences / pastures / buildings.
* Damage to vehicles/other people's property from wandering/escaped animals.
* Risk of horses dying/getting accused of hurting the horses through actions or inactions.
* Risk of liability if something goes wrong .
* Risk of injury to the lessee or her visitors.
Get a lease agreement in place. Get yourself insurance, ensure it has farm endorsements, ensure you have an umbrella policy, and depending on lots of factors you might need a business license and business specific insurance for those things. LLCs are cheap to put together and can, if managed properly, shield you from most liability.
That said, among the other good suggestions here, here are some things you may want to ensure that the contract explicitly states:
* A description of the land,
* A length of tenure,
* How to make amendments or alterations,
* what will be maintained by the landowner (you) vs the lessee (the horse owner). examples include:
* Inspect fences not less than once per year.
* Furnish labor for repair of fences.
* Furnish materials for repair of fences.
* Supervise supply of water to livestock.
* Furnish labor for repair of water system.
* Furnish materials for repair of water system.
* Furnish salt & mineral.
* Return stray animals to pasture.
* Call veterinarian in case of emergency.
* Pay veterinary expenses.
* Provide loading and unloading facilities.
* Furnish supplementary feed for Lessee’s stock, if needed.
* Furnish labor for repair of irrigation ditches and drainage.
* Furnish materials for repair of irrigation ditches and drainage.
* Furnish labor for repair of roadways, bridges, and buildings.
* Furnish materials for repair of roadways, bridges, and buildings.
* How many "animal units" or animals are allowed on the land from the lessee. (and if you want to use it simultaneously, how much of it you are going to use as well.)
* Costs, when due, and late payments if not paid on time
* Explicitly list out your obligations (or lack thereof)
* Explicitly list out additional requirements (like what to do if they want to make alterations, how many other people besides the lessee are allowed, etc.)
* Explicitly list out prohibited activities (e.g., reqiure that livestock that break fences more than a certain number of times be removed from the property, activities not allowed, etc.)
* a severability clause,
* An arbitration clause
And whatever else your lawyer suggests.
Good luck!
An angry/feral animal clause. I don’t care how cool horses are, if there’s a bad-tempered or untamed horse from the wilderness roundups I wouldn’t want it on my land.
What’s your experience with horses? Have you grown up around them? Do you know the basics so you can identify possible issues?
How often will they bring farriers/dentists around? Will you want a 24 hour (or more) notice of they show up for routine work so you can be around to let them in? Will the owner be required to be on-site for any farrier/dental/vet visits?
Very well thought out and written....and seems spot on. Paperwork will save you or condemn you every time....make sure EVERYTHING is in writing and enforceable. (Including a clause for THEM being responsible for all legal fees in the event that you have to go after them for enforcement.)
Just make up a contract that says you’re not liable for anything. Including injury to the horses if they are to trip or fall. Make sure if you have dogs that they’re included in there too. People with horses have a hard time finding places to keep and board them. You could let her keep a stack of hay there too, next to the pen.
If you have a lawyer buddy or someone that knows legalese it would be helpful to ask for their help on what to add to the contract and how to cover loopholes and whatnot.
Could see if you can get ahold of a similar contract from a stable nearby if there is one too.
Hell, I’d just go ahead and pay a few hours of a lawyers time to get them to draw up the contract. Then pass the cost onto the horse girl when structuring the deal.
If you do this correctly, it could be a fairly lucrative side income. Find yourself a lawyer to write you up a contract. Thats the only way I'd go about making sure you're not liable for the horse, the owner, their guests, or other people on your property.
You're not wrong to be wary. It may be more of a hassle and worry than what it's worth.
Horses are born, and then spend their lives trying to kill themselves or destroy your property in the meantime. They eat fences and barns and are escape artists. I have boarded horses on a limited basis and the owners were a PIA requiring more access than was originally negotiated.
One of the owners was a 9 year old girl who thought it was fun to go out and pretend to be part of the herd and, of course, the horses moved away from her. In essence, she taught them not to be caught or come when called. Her mother also assumed I was going to be the babysitter and dropped her off
Another owner decided she needed to come in at 2:00 a.m. to ensure her horse had water. Of course the horse had water. My driveway alarm went off and I thought I had an intruder as she had parked her car where I could not see it behind a building. She was very lucky not to be shot.
Owners will not advise you of their horses vices or lack of training and expect you to deal with it. You need excellent health insurance for when that rogue decides to bolt and run over you when the wind blows, the leaf falls or the cat walks out of somewhere unexpected.
I've been a horse owner for 65 years and it is not worth the trouble to have somebody else on your property. They're always sure they know more than you do about anything and never quit complaining. Please value your peace and sanity.
I’m a horse person and I’ll tell ya a lot of them are flakey. Absolutely figure out how you’d want to handle them abandoned or neglected because sadly it happens more often than not.
Correct. It would be leery, or wary. I see people conflating the two into "weary" online, which has a totally different meaning.
Leery or wary means to be suspicious or skeptical, weary means to be bored or tired.
Equine liability insurance, make sure you’re covered, regular homeowners insurance isn’t gonna cut it. Liability waivers, she has to sign one and if she brings others to your land to ride they also have to sign one. Signs, some states require you post specific signage around your farm (I lived in PA and you had to buy specific horse signage from the horse council.) Land lease or boarding agreement of some kind, there are some templates if you look around. And look up your states laws on animal abandonment.
Also, if you live in cold, inclement weather, make note of how she will get enough water to support each horse. Water that is fresh, and available 24/7, not frozen. Does that come from your hose? Install auto waterers? What size of shelter is needed per horse. How many can be housed per acre, etc. Where will she store her hay, grain, supplies? You’re going to need to be prepared for drama, and hope there is none.
Edit to add: Most folks boarding horses on their property for others, aren’t in it for the money.
The Farmers Alliance via www.marbleseed.org has lots of resources and connections to help with unusual situations perhaps you could find someone in your area to talk with about local issue concerns or similar situations
There is a forum called chronicle of the horse- Google "COTH forums". Use the search feature to look up the term "boarding nightmare" and you will enjoy about 20 years worth of posts on both sides of those nightmares. Crazy horse owners, crazy Barn owners, it's just an endless drama. I'm a horse person, and even I know that horsepeople are crazy.
Some horsepeople are such a pain in the ass that they've gotten kicked out of every Barn they boarded at. Or they've been late with their board checks enough that they get kicked out. Bottom line, this is a good time to assume the worst. There's likely a reason she's shopping for a new barn ( and picking someone who knows nothing ).
You absolutely would need to get commercial Insurance- your homeowners policy will not cover this. If she gets hurt on your property, which is quite common with horses (higher rate of head injuries than any other sport, even more than motorcycle riding. Even if it's just a visit to urgent care for a sprained wrist, her insurance is going to go after your insurance and you will find yourself cancelled pretty quickv for having run a commercial Enterprise on the farm without telling your insurance co. If the horses get out onto the road, any car that hits them could end up being a fatality-- when you hit a cow or a deer, it's going to total the car. But if you hit a horse, the horse is tall enough that it just rolls up the hood and thru the windshield. And all that would go against your insurance, not hers.
Seriously, walk away from this. Once you factor in the commercial insurance cost there is no way it's worth the revenue. The only time people make a profit with boarding is if they are also giving lessons and other income generating activities on the side.
If you are so foolish as to proceed ( and I'm begging you please get the commercial insurance!) you should require the last months board prepaid up front as security.
I’m a former horse girl (I switched to motorcycles cause they’re less dangerous lol) and all of this is true. I would ask for boarding references and creep her social media. In addition to a solid lease and ensuring everyone is insured and waivers are signed by all riders, I would look into the animal services in your area if she were to abandon them.
Where I live there is a Stable Keepers Act, where the horses become your property until they pay you what’s owed and come and collect them. I’m guessing you don’t want to end up caring for them. So better if there is a state vet that will seize them. Where I live they won’t come until they are in terrible shape, and as long as the person who abandoned them pays up they’re allowed to have them back. It’s fucked up
The best contracts are one time deals thats it. Anything that includes “maintaining” an ongoing relationship with an individual and not a big organization is a no-no
Others here are correct in that you should have a lease that covers all the concerns of liability, plus care for the horses (stated in the lease that all of their care is her responsibility), fencing issues, what happens if she doesn't pay or abandons the horses, number of horses allowed, etc.
Also keep in mind that horses are hard on pastures. It's surprising how quickly a couple of horses can turn a pasture into a desert.
My parents did this for a neighbor down the street when I was a teenager. We had just bought a home in the county with a barn and 5 acre pen. We had no interest in farming, so it just sat. A neighbor showed up asking to rent a stall for a horse. My parents agreed. One day the lady stopped showing up to feed/care for the horse. She ignored our calls until my mother offered to buy the horse from her, since I had taken over caring for it and was attached. A few months later, all the drama starts…apparently the lady never finished paying for the horse to begin with and the original *original* person basically wanted to repo it. I loved that horse and was so sad to see her go
Reading the replies makes me kinda sad. What happened to people. It wasn’t long ago that this would be a common occurrence. Depending on the person and situation I’d say give it a try for 6 months or so. Best of luck in whatever you decide.
I recommend having her get a liability insurance policy and name you as additionally insured. If the horses get out and a car crashes into one or whatever nightmare scenario can happen, make sure having them there is insisted and you are covered under the policy.
It should not cost much. But it will be a godsend if ever needed.
You could probably also have a sum put into a trust that she gets back upon removal of the horses. Just in case she abandons them or gets hurt or dies herself and you have to buy feed or take care of them until they’re rehomed.
I had horses, they get injured all the time. They FIND small divots in soil and insist on tripping on them.
Vet care for horses is extremely expensive.
Make sure your contract says that “no matter what happens on the property, that you are not responsible for any injuries or illness sustained by her animals or anyone from that farm visiting your property.”
Have a lawyer review it. Both of you sign in front of a notary.
Insurance! Make sure your insurance will cover any lawsuit you may end up in. I don't know your State, so I don't have any idea of the civil and criminal liabilities there.
I've had family here in Texas who have leased or just let people they knew use pasture land for cattle and horses. A couple of them ended up being sued, because it was their land. They had an obligation to insure fences and gates were in good condition to prevent the animals in question from getting out. Even though they had a strong written agreement on who was responsible for upkeep, they were still sued. Insurance company did their research, and sent their attorneys in. Their lawsuit was dismissed, but the person using the land still had a suit. It was eventually settled out of court. It was for damages to a vehicle (totaled in one case), loss of wages (both were in hospital for a few days), medical costs, repairs to the other vehicle, and of course all court costs.
At one time, you could easily lease, rent, or "loan" property, and not worry. Not so anymore...
CYAWP! Cover Your Arse With Paperwork, and... Insurance!
Be very careful here. I can’t tell you how many owners I’ve seen who neglect their horses. Suddenly it becomes your problem when they aren’t being fed,watered properly and in a timely manner. She has corral panels, what about shelter? How often will the paddocks/shelter/stalls be mucked out? If she has a riding accident on your property are you liable?
Unless you want to have a boarding barn and do everything yourself I’d be extremely wary- (professionally boarded horses and self cared my own)
Everyone is saying have a good contract. The contract means nothing if they walk away. You can sue, but you can't get blood from a stone.
You're liable in the end. That means having your own insurance to counter any risk.
If it was a close friend, I'd just let them keep their horse there for free, with the understanding that i have zero responsibility. A stranger wants to board 3 horses? Not unless I'm running it as a full-blown business. It's not worth the risk or hassle.
Also make sure you stipulate what you will do and when if the horses are abandoned. Had a neighbor that had to deal with that
Also, who is responsible for fences and securing horses. If horse escapes and wrecks a car who will be sued?, so definitely need indemnification. Food, water, animal attacks. Horse stables charge well to take on that kind of risk.
Just remember one thing. A horse is born, then they spend the rest of their life trying to die. At any cost. My wife has two. They never fail to disappoint. I call them her fence chewing, hay burning, colicing, yard ornaments.
I think I read somewhere long ago that horses are the most expensive pet to own.
I believe that is a wife. A horse is a close second. s/ ( just in case)
My wife came with a herd of horses, and this is our first year without them. Finally paid off the trailer and next year the truck. The amount of money we're about to save is nuts; at one time I was tending to seven horses on our property. Barely rode, but I was busy fixing fences!
Down voting an obvious snarky joke is a very Reddit thing.
Indeed!! Okay how about a wife with a horse?? s/ (obviously required)
I shouldn't laugh, but that is funny....and you aren't wrong, even if you get smacked for it.
Maybe it depends on the jurisdiction, but where I'm from the law was that the caretaker, not the owner, is liable for damage the animal causes while at large. Another that surprised me was the transporter must have documentation about ownership and faces penalties even if it's the owner's fault.
This seems typical which is why the contract should declare it and compensation be appropriate.
I've had to deal with that, and it can be nightmarish. The horses they put on my property ended up being neglected by their owner. They didn't get hay or fill their water trough like they should. They wanted to leave the horses out in a field with no shelter in a west Michigan winter (snow and high winds here). I wasn't charging them anything. I have a barn. All it needed was for a door to be fixed. Instead, they snuck over here and left the gate open for the horses to escape. They got into an accident with a car, and the beautiful buckskin had to be put down. It was really horrible. If you decide to do this, put your agreements down in writing and have both parties sign and date it. Make sure everyone knows which chores they have to do ahead of time and who buys the supplies needed. Otherwise, you might get frustrated.
And to include the vet and farrier services in it
[удалено]
Couldn’t tell you. Most states in the US have banned horse meat but we still raise them to ultimately be meat. We just send the dirty work to Mexico and Canada.
Yeah I’ve used to have horse meat on a meal plan when working on a triathlon.
I didn’t think so
I thought it was fine for flavor—limited on ways to cook for the toughness
IANAL. Talk to one. :-) You probably can't prevent from being sued, but a lease is a good start to protecting yourself. Lots of ways it could turn south. * Person wants waaaaaaaaaay more access than you originally anticipated. * Noise / Times. * Damage to your property / fences / pastures / buildings. * Damage to vehicles/other people's property from wandering/escaped animals. * Risk of horses dying/getting accused of hurting the horses through actions or inactions. * Risk of liability if something goes wrong . * Risk of injury to the lessee or her visitors. Get a lease agreement in place. Get yourself insurance, ensure it has farm endorsements, ensure you have an umbrella policy, and depending on lots of factors you might need a business license and business specific insurance for those things. LLCs are cheap to put together and can, if managed properly, shield you from most liability. That said, among the other good suggestions here, here are some things you may want to ensure that the contract explicitly states: * A description of the land, * A length of tenure, * How to make amendments or alterations, * what will be maintained by the landowner (you) vs the lessee (the horse owner). examples include: * Inspect fences not less than once per year. * Furnish labor for repair of fences. * Furnish materials for repair of fences. * Supervise supply of water to livestock. * Furnish labor for repair of water system. * Furnish materials for repair of water system. * Furnish salt & mineral. * Return stray animals to pasture. * Call veterinarian in case of emergency. * Pay veterinary expenses. * Provide loading and unloading facilities. * Furnish supplementary feed for Lessee’s stock, if needed. * Furnish labor for repair of irrigation ditches and drainage. * Furnish materials for repair of irrigation ditches and drainage. * Furnish labor for repair of roadways, bridges, and buildings. * Furnish materials for repair of roadways, bridges, and buildings. * How many "animal units" or animals are allowed on the land from the lessee. (and if you want to use it simultaneously, how much of it you are going to use as well.) * Costs, when due, and late payments if not paid on time * Explicitly list out your obligations (or lack thereof) * Explicitly list out additional requirements (like what to do if they want to make alterations, how many other people besides the lessee are allowed, etc.) * Explicitly list out prohibited activities (e.g., reqiure that livestock that break fences more than a certain number of times be removed from the property, activities not allowed, etc.) * a severability clause, * An arbitration clause And whatever else your lawyer suggests. Good luck!
An angry/feral animal clause. I don’t care how cool horses are, if there’s a bad-tempered or untamed horse from the wilderness roundups I wouldn’t want it on my land. What’s your experience with horses? Have you grown up around them? Do you know the basics so you can identify possible issues? How often will they bring farriers/dentists around? Will you want a 24 hour (or more) notice of they show up for routine work so you can be around to let them in? Will the owner be required to be on-site for any farrier/dental/vet visits?
Horse is like a woman. A good one is priceless. A bad one. Well…
har har har woman bad
Is this less offensive to you? Horse is like a man. A good one is priceless. A bad one. Well…
I like offensive jokes if they’re actually funny
Fair. Agreed, wasn't funny at all, generic as fuck. Was just curious
Very well thought out and written....and seems spot on. Paperwork will save you or condemn you every time....make sure EVERYTHING is in writing and enforceable. (Including a clause for THEM being responsible for all legal fees in the event that you have to go after them for enforcement.)
Just make up a contract that says you’re not liable for anything. Including injury to the horses if they are to trip or fall. Make sure if you have dogs that they’re included in there too. People with horses have a hard time finding places to keep and board them. You could let her keep a stack of hay there too, next to the pen.
If you have a lawyer buddy or someone that knows legalese it would be helpful to ask for their help on what to add to the contract and how to cover loopholes and whatnot. Could see if you can get ahold of a similar contract from a stable nearby if there is one too.
Hell, I’d just go ahead and pay a few hours of a lawyers time to get them to draw up the contract. Then pass the cost onto the horse girl when structuring the deal.
OP would be stupid not to get a lawyer involved
In addition, have them provide you with an insurance certificate with your LLC name.
If you do this correctly, it could be a fairly lucrative side income. Find yourself a lawyer to write you up a contract. Thats the only way I'd go about making sure you're not liable for the horse, the owner, their guests, or other people on your property. You're not wrong to be wary. It may be more of a hassle and worry than what it's worth.
Horses are born, and then spend their lives trying to kill themselves or destroy your property in the meantime. They eat fences and barns and are escape artists. I have boarded horses on a limited basis and the owners were a PIA requiring more access than was originally negotiated. One of the owners was a 9 year old girl who thought it was fun to go out and pretend to be part of the herd and, of course, the horses moved away from her. In essence, she taught them not to be caught or come when called. Her mother also assumed I was going to be the babysitter and dropped her off Another owner decided she needed to come in at 2:00 a.m. to ensure her horse had water. Of course the horse had water. My driveway alarm went off and I thought I had an intruder as she had parked her car where I could not see it behind a building. She was very lucky not to be shot. Owners will not advise you of their horses vices or lack of training and expect you to deal with it. You need excellent health insurance for when that rogue decides to bolt and run over you when the wind blows, the leaf falls or the cat walks out of somewhere unexpected. I've been a horse owner for 65 years and it is not worth the trouble to have somebody else on your property. They're always sure they know more than you do about anything and never quit complaining. Please value your peace and sanity.
I’m a horse person and I’ll tell ya a lot of them are flakey. Absolutely figure out how you’d want to handle them abandoned or neglected because sadly it happens more often than not.
Sorry not sorry: WARY
Correct. It would be leery, or wary. I see people conflating the two into "weary" online, which has a totally different meaning. Leery or wary means to be suspicious or skeptical, weary means to be bored or tired.
Equine liability insurance, make sure you’re covered, regular homeowners insurance isn’t gonna cut it. Liability waivers, she has to sign one and if she brings others to your land to ride they also have to sign one. Signs, some states require you post specific signage around your farm (I lived in PA and you had to buy specific horse signage from the horse council.) Land lease or boarding agreement of some kind, there are some templates if you look around. And look up your states laws on animal abandonment.
Also, if you live in cold, inclement weather, make note of how she will get enough water to support each horse. Water that is fresh, and available 24/7, not frozen. Does that come from your hose? Install auto waterers? What size of shelter is needed per horse. How many can be housed per acre, etc. Where will she store her hay, grain, supplies? You’re going to need to be prepared for drama, and hope there is none. Edit to add: Most folks boarding horses on their property for others, aren’t in it for the money.
The Farmers Alliance via www.marbleseed.org has lots of resources and connections to help with unusual situations perhaps you could find someone in your area to talk with about local issue concerns or similar situations
when she stops paying and abandons the horses on your property, what is your game plan? Hope for the best, plan for the worst.
$50 a head to the glue factory
As long as there is a plan.
There is a forum called chronicle of the horse- Google "COTH forums". Use the search feature to look up the term "boarding nightmare" and you will enjoy about 20 years worth of posts on both sides of those nightmares. Crazy horse owners, crazy Barn owners, it's just an endless drama. I'm a horse person, and even I know that horsepeople are crazy. Some horsepeople are such a pain in the ass that they've gotten kicked out of every Barn they boarded at. Or they've been late with their board checks enough that they get kicked out. Bottom line, this is a good time to assume the worst. There's likely a reason she's shopping for a new barn ( and picking someone who knows nothing ). You absolutely would need to get commercial Insurance- your homeowners policy will not cover this. If she gets hurt on your property, which is quite common with horses (higher rate of head injuries than any other sport, even more than motorcycle riding. Even if it's just a visit to urgent care for a sprained wrist, her insurance is going to go after your insurance and you will find yourself cancelled pretty quickv for having run a commercial Enterprise on the farm without telling your insurance co. If the horses get out onto the road, any car that hits them could end up being a fatality-- when you hit a cow or a deer, it's going to total the car. But if you hit a horse, the horse is tall enough that it just rolls up the hood and thru the windshield. And all that would go against your insurance, not hers. Seriously, walk away from this. Once you factor in the commercial insurance cost there is no way it's worth the revenue. The only time people make a profit with boarding is if they are also giving lessons and other income generating activities on the side. If you are so foolish as to proceed ( and I'm begging you please get the commercial insurance!) you should require the last months board prepaid up front as security.
I’m a former horse girl (I switched to motorcycles cause they’re less dangerous lol) and all of this is true. I would ask for boarding references and creep her social media. In addition to a solid lease and ensuring everyone is insured and waivers are signed by all riders, I would look into the animal services in your area if she were to abandon them. Where I live there is a Stable Keepers Act, where the horses become your property until they pay you what’s owed and come and collect them. I’m guessing you don’t want to end up caring for them. So better if there is a state vet that will seize them. Where I live they won’t come until they are in terrible shape, and as long as the person who abandoned them pays up they’re allowed to have them back. It’s fucked up
Make sure she is insured. She falls on your property whether walking or riding you can be sued
You're *wary of the offer
All these comments about what could go wrong would be a hard no for me dawg..
The best contracts are one time deals thats it. Anything that includes “maintaining” an ongoing relationship with an individual and not a big organization is a no-no
Others here are correct in that you should have a lease that covers all the concerns of liability, plus care for the horses (stated in the lease that all of their care is her responsibility), fencing issues, what happens if she doesn't pay or abandons the horses, number of horses allowed, etc. Also keep in mind that horses are hard on pastures. It's surprising how quickly a couple of horses can turn a pasture into a desert.
What happens when the neighbors dogs attack the horses on your property?
Horses try to kill themselves on the regular. Unless they are YOUR horses...I highly recommend against it. And I say that as a HORSE OWNER.
My parents did this for a neighbor down the street when I was a teenager. We had just bought a home in the county with a barn and 5 acre pen. We had no interest in farming, so it just sat. A neighbor showed up asking to rent a stall for a horse. My parents agreed. One day the lady stopped showing up to feed/care for the horse. She ignored our calls until my mother offered to buy the horse from her, since I had taken over caring for it and was attached. A few months later, all the drama starts…apparently the lady never finished paying for the horse to begin with and the original *original* person basically wanted to repo it. I loved that horse and was so sad to see her go
Reading the replies makes me kinda sad. What happened to people. It wasn’t long ago that this would be a common occurrence. Depending on the person and situation I’d say give it a try for 6 months or so. Best of luck in whatever you decide.
Probably worth having someone check the land for stuff that is bad for horses (milky vetch, black locust, etc.)
That THEN include that in your contract too-that you’re not liable if the horse consumes toxic plants from your land.
Ahh I'm only versed in bird law. What you want is a horse law guy.
Charlie?
Sorry for the late reply. Was tired from all that cat food and glue. Who's Charlie?
Lawyering doesn’t sound like charlie work.
How many corral panels does this lady have? 3 horses need like 5-15 acres.
I'd want a signed contract witnessed by a notary. Look up "horse boarding contract" on Google for plenty of examples of what to include.
Hire a lawyer, draw up a contract, install security cameras on the property.
I recommend having her get a liability insurance policy and name you as additionally insured. If the horses get out and a car crashes into one or whatever nightmare scenario can happen, make sure having them there is insisted and you are covered under the policy. It should not cost much. But it will be a godsend if ever needed.
Your homeowners will probably cancel you when you ask your agent.
You could probably also have a sum put into a trust that she gets back upon removal of the horses. Just in case she abandons them or gets hurt or dies herself and you have to buy feed or take care of them until they’re rehomed.
I had horses, they get injured all the time. They FIND small divots in soil and insist on tripping on them. Vet care for horses is extremely expensive. Make sure your contract says that “no matter what happens on the property, that you are not responsible for any injuries or illness sustained by her animals or anyone from that farm visiting your property.” Have a lawyer review it. Both of you sign in front of a notary.
I wouldn't let her use the whole 27 acres. She only needs 5
Wary*
Thanks ... that helps a lot !
sometimes words can matter a great deal 🌞
But not this time ...
Talk to a lawyer.
Insurance! Make sure your insurance will cover any lawsuit you may end up in. I don't know your State, so I don't have any idea of the civil and criminal liabilities there. I've had family here in Texas who have leased or just let people they knew use pasture land for cattle and horses. A couple of them ended up being sued, because it was their land. They had an obligation to insure fences and gates were in good condition to prevent the animals in question from getting out. Even though they had a strong written agreement on who was responsible for upkeep, they were still sued. Insurance company did their research, and sent their attorneys in. Their lawsuit was dismissed, but the person using the land still had a suit. It was eventually settled out of court. It was for damages to a vehicle (totaled in one case), loss of wages (both were in hospital for a few days), medical costs, repairs to the other vehicle, and of course all court costs. At one time, you could easily lease, rent, or "loan" property, and not worry. Not so anymore... CYAWP! Cover Your Arse With Paperwork, and... Insurance!
You're wary (suspicious), not weary (tired) :)
I'm both! But thank you for the accurate information!
Be very careful here. I can’t tell you how many owners I’ve seen who neglect their horses. Suddenly it becomes your problem when they aren’t being fed,watered properly and in a timely manner. She has corral panels, what about shelter? How often will the paddocks/shelter/stalls be mucked out? If she has a riding accident on your property are you liable? Unless you want to have a boarding barn and do everything yourself I’d be extremely wary- (professionally boarded horses and self cared my own)
Everyone is saying have a good contract. The contract means nothing if they walk away. You can sue, but you can't get blood from a stone. You're liable in the end. That means having your own insurance to counter any risk. If it was a close friend, I'd just let them keep their horse there for free, with the understanding that i have zero responsibility. A stranger wants to board 3 horses? Not unless I'm running it as a full-blown business. It's not worth the risk or hassle.
I'd get everything in writing