[Obi]

I am not sure what to do here and I am looking for opinions. I have a 4 year old Friesian/TB cross, 16.3, gelding. He has been started under saddle and has been evaluated by two trainers who both state that he would make an incredible dressage prospect. He learns fast, and other than a bit of a spookiness issue, he is a super horse.

Unfortunately, I have been diagnosed with a serious illness and although I should be better in 6-8 months, for the past 4-5 months, I have been almost bedridden with occassional good days. I keep my horses at home and there have been days that it has taken all my energy just to go down and feed them. I also have a retired horse who really could give a hoot if I do anything with him but feed him,

I have spent a fair amount of money toward training the 4 year old and I am prepared to continue his training but I cannot physically ride him right now. I had planned to send him back for training this fall, and to start working him undersaddle myself, but I have no strength to do so.

Because he is a draft style cross, I have been advised that giving him another 6-8 months off would not do him any harm, but I hate to see him just be a pasture puff. I have been approached to sell him but I do not want to do this at this point. I was thinking of leasing him out but would anyone be interested in a green broke 4 year old who has amazing movement, and great work ethic, and endless potential? I have had bad experiences with leasing horses (on my end, recieving sick or mis-represented horses) and I am not 100% sure this is what I want to do, or at least be a bit of a control freak on where and who he goes to. He is insured and he has his own tack, etc. I would not be opposed to off-site leasing but I would want it somewhat near by and in association with a professional trainer. I would even be willing to sponser some showing...

Am I shooting for the moon here? Does a leasor exhist? Should I just keep him at home until I am better?

[Kiwayu]

What about finding some horse-savy teenager that would ride him for you at your house in exchange for some barn work? Kinda like a free lease and you get to watch him AND have him ridden.

[2foals]

I think you will have trouble with this... Anyone who is a good enough rider to improve your horse is going to want to be paid to ride him. Anyone not good enough to improve him could mess him up a lot more than him having some time off. I agree that finding a young person might be a good way to go, but instead of "leasing" why don't you find a qualified young person who would be willing to ride him and pay them a small fee. Then you maintain control and direction of the horse and if it isn't working out you can easily get out of it.

[kookicat]

Is there a young trainer in your area who could benefit from getting a nice young horse to train/show?

[JWB]

Here's the thing with a lease... It sounds like you plan to come back and be the one riding him down the road.

If that's the case, the kind of people you want on him are going to want to be paid. There might be a fantastic rider out there who's looking for a lease and who's capable of doing the training however they're probably not going to come in and lease him knowing that once they've got him going, you'll be taking him back.

You also risk getting a rider who will not work out as well as you hope and they can REALLY mess your horse up at this stage.

I agree that you should look to find a good young rider in need of a horse to show and pay them to work the horse for you. This is what I did when I was young and broke.... I couldn't afford a lease horse but I always had rides from the "old ladies" in the hunt club with nice horses, not enough time to ride, and no interest in paying a professional trainer.

[ESG]

I was thinking of leasing him out but would anyone be interested in a green broke 4 year old who has amazing movement, and great work ethic, and endless potential? I have had bad experiences with leasing horses (on my end, recieving sick or mis-represented horses) and I am not 100% sure this is what I want to do, or at least be a bit of a control freak on where and who he goes to. He is insured and he has his own tack, etc. I would not be opposed to off-site leasing but I would want it somewhat near by and in association with a professional trainer. I would even be willing to sponser some showing...

NOT a good scenario for a successful lease.

Am I shooting for the moon here?

Yes.

Does a leasor exhist?

Possibly, but you'd take years to find him/her.

Should I just keep him at home until I am better?

Yes.

If you're ill, there's no point in stressing yourself further. Chill out and let him be a pasture puff for six months or a year - there's no harm in it.