Part-boarder and saddle: wwyd?

[Come Shine]

Looking for some opinions.

I recently had a lovely young lady start part-boarding my grey mare.

When the saddle fitter came out, he said that her saddle didn't fit the mare and really didn't fit her anymore as it was purchased when she was a lot younger. He had a lovely new saddle that fit both the mare and the part-boarder.

Neither of us were particularly planning on purchasing a new saddle.

However, I am happy to invest in something that fits the mare, so am o-kay with buying. The part-boarder is also happy to buy a saddle that fits her because she is planning on getting back into riding and seems to be a good fit with the mare.

We are both offering to pay for the saddle. I don't want her to have to put out money on something that she really wasn't planning to, as she is only part-boarding, and really isn't it up to me to supply the tack? However, I also don't want her to think that I am scooping up a saddle that she really likes, that was a good deal.

Would going "halfies" on the saddle be a good compromise? And then when she gets a new horse, if it fits the new horse, she can buy me out? Or if she no longer wants to part-board, I buy her out?

WWYD?

[ybiaw]

Yes, to your last paragraph. :)

[ShotenStar]

...
Would going "halfies" on the saddle be a good compromise? And then when she gets a new horse, if it fits the new horse, she can buy me out? Or if she no longer wants to part-board, I buy her out? ...

Sounds like an excellent solution ... just be sure the arrangement is in writing. Memory is such a ... fluid thing ....

*star*

[Ibex]

ok, that sounds like the NICEST tack dilemma I've ever heard with a part-boarder :lol:

If you both REALLY want to buy it, I'd flip a coin rather than sharing it. That way you know you never have an issue, and it's fair. I bought tack when I was part-leasing, and was always able to re-use or sell it for what I paid.

[BuddyRoo]

Heavens! Just ask her. Tell her what you said here....

I love dilemmas like this! How nice of you BOTH!

[Just Wondering]

I'd say if you are not going to be using the saddle and already have one that works for the mare, let her buy it. Sounds like she needs to sell or trade off her old saddle anyway.

[gloriginger]

Don't go halfsies, everything might be great now, but coownership on tack is not a smart idea. Decide who buys the saddle (if she wants to let her, since it fits her...) and leave it at that.

[Long Spot]

If you both have the funds to purchase the saddle, can each of you get one? Or is it a used model not really widely available anymore?

The only potential problem I see once you figure out who will buy who out at the end of the deal is what happens if it gets damaged while in one persons care or use, repair or replacement cost from said incident, etc.

You both sound like level headed individuals, so I would just say that if you go halfsies, be sure to discuss every possible thing that could happen.

[Wigwag]

I would just talk to her. Though I'd be a little concerned with going into co-ownership on a saddle. Too easy to disappear in the future, or come to a disagreement about it. Some people can get very attached to tack they like. LOL

[Come Shine]

Thanks for the opinions!

Certainly brought up a few things I had not thought of - maybe halfies isn't the best option.

I'm not particularly worried about it getting damaged. I figure if I trust her with my horse, the saddle should be o-kay. Plus her saddle was in lovely condition.

It doesn't make sense to buy two of the same saddles since there is only one horse to use it on.

She did talk about selling her old saddle and buying this one. However, I just don't want her to think that I expect this big cash outlay for a new saddle for a horse she is part-boarding. I can see if she had been looking for a new saddle for herself, but just out of the blue, seems unfair.

The saddle was a fair price, decent entry level, standard size, and should be easy enough to sell down the road without a huge loss.

I will definitely talk to her further about one or the other of us buying it outright. She is a super nice young lady, looks awesome on the mare, so far doesn't mind her quirks, and I would like to do what I can to make this work out for her. Maybe she would really like to have a new saddle to call her own?

Thanks for the input!

[2DogsFarm]

I've had several shareboarders on Vern and always preferred they use my tack as I know it fits him.

If she wants to buy the saddle let her - forget the shared ownership deal.
That can go South way too fast.

If she decides not to buy, then I'd ask her to use your saddle that fits the mare. Is there any reason why this wouldn't work for you?

It is really a very nice gesture on her part. But she'll end up with a nice new saddle and unless your mare is unusally hard to fit, she should get more use out of it or be able to sell if she stops riding.

[Rienzi]

I really, really, really wouldn't go halfsies.
I'm glad are things are working out so well for you all, though!

[WW_Queen]

Don't go halfsies, everything might be great now, but coownership on tack is not a smart idea.

Amen to that. All it takes is one big scratch, someone's bad memory, etc. and suddenly you're either out of money or out of a saddle! Just let her buy it, obviously you already have a saddle right? If YOUR saddle isn't fitting, then sell your own and buy your own to fit. :)

[BigMick]

I have a friend who half-leases one of my horses. As most of my tack is custom-fitted to my other horse (16.3HH TB) as well as me, she decided to purchase a dressage saddle that fit her and the horse she is leasing. I'm 5'11" and all leg - my dressage saddle is an 18.5" with a forward flap. She is about 5'4". therefore, sharing tack just isn't ideal anyway.

She found one on eBay that fit her well (tried a few locally to narrow down the brand, style, etc.) and that we thought would fit the horse. We had a fitter do some flocking to make it fit well and that was that. Whenever she moves onto another horse, she'll just relist the saddle on eBay if it doesn't work for the next horse. She figures that even if it depreciates $50/year that's a small price to pay for a saddle that fits them both ideally - especially when 90% of the work done is in that saddle.

[SquishTheBunny]

Tell her to buy it if she wants it. If she decides not to continue part boarding your horse, you will buy it from her.

Saddle should go with the rider, especially if you already have one that fits your horse. Why would you need TWO saddles for her, when the PB would be willing to buy it. I dont think she would feel you were taking advantage of her.

[halla]

You are incredibly nice!

I half-lease/part-board a horse, and my saddle didn't fit him. His owner's saddle actually hurts if I ride in it too long, so I went saddle shopping. I eventually (!!) found a saddle that fit us both, and bought it myself. The only way I would have thought it made any sense for her to buy would be if she or the horse were somehow so strangely shaped that no one else would be expected to fit her tack. Otherwise, I figure it's my problem I don't fit her saddle, not hers. The saddle I ended up with was waaay more money than I wanted to or should have spent, but for this particular horse I think it was worth it. For a different horse I probably wouldn't have done it.

If you think the new saddle would be a hardship for her, or something otherwise not very useful (really odd size or something) I could see maybe giving her some money off one months bill and leaving it at that, but I don't think that's necessary at all.