Horse Lease Agreement: What It Should Cover (Free Template)
A lease is a lovely way to have a horse in your life without buying one, or to keep your own horse in work when you can’t ride him enough. It’s also an arrangement where two people share one horse, and that only works when you’ve both agreed, in writing, what happens when things change.
My very first horse was a lease. We couldn’t afford a horse of our own, so my mom came to an arrangement with his owner: she paid part of his keep every month, and in return I got to ride him twice a week and take him to little local shows. I adored him. Then one day his owner wanted him back full time, and that was that. I was heartbroken.
Nobody did anything wrong. That’s simply the hard part of leasing: the horse belongs to someone else, and unless it’s written down, they can take him back whenever they like. Looking back, a proper agreement wouldn’t have stopped it happening, but it would have meant we knew where we stood, with fair notice and no surprises. That’s what this template is for.
Free Horse Lease Agreement Template
A ready-to-fill agreement covering the lease type, who pays what, riding and competing, care, vet decisions, insurance and, most importantly, how the lease ends.
Download Free →Different countries use different words for much the same thing. In the US and South Africa it’s usually a lease. In the UK a free lease is called a loan, and a part lease is often called a share. The template works for all of them.
Types of Horse Lease
Before you write anything down, agree which kind of lease this is. Most arguments start because one person thought it was a share and the other thought it was a full lease.
| Type | How it works | Who pays | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full lease | The rider has sole use of the horse, often at their own yard | Rider pays all keep, plus any lease fee | Riders ready for full responsibility without buying |
| Part lease / share | Set days each week; the owner keeps the horse and the other days | Costs split, usually by days of use | Owners short of time or money; riders not ready for a whole horse |
| Free lease / loan | No fee; the rider takes on the horse and all his costs | Rider pays everything | Owners who want a good home for a horse they can’t keep in work |
| Lease to buy | A lease with an agreed option to buy at the end | As agreed, sometimes with fees counting towards the price | Riders who want to “try before they buy” |
My own first lease was a part lease: my mom paid towards his keep, I had set days and the owner kept the rest. It’s the most common arrangement for young riders, and the one that most needs clear rules about days, costs and notice.
The 9 Things Every Lease Agreement Needs
1. Who and which horse
Both parties’ names and contact details, plus the horse’s name, age, breed, colour, markings, microchip or passport number. No room for “which bay?”
2. Type of lease and days of use
Full, part, free or lease-to-buy. For part leases, the exact days and times, and what happens on public holidays or if a day is missed.
3. Start date, length and renewal
A start date, an end or review date, and whether it renews automatically. A three- or six-month first term with a review is a sensible start.
4. Money: who pays what
The lease fee (if any) and a clear split of every cost: livery, feed, farrier, vet, dentist, worming, vaccinations, insurance and tack repairs.
5. Use and limits
Who may ride, whether he can compete, jump height limits, hacking alone, lessons, and whether he can leave the yard or move to another one.
6. Care standards
Feeding, turnout, rugging, exercise, the farrier schedule and vaccinations: what the owner expects, so “good care” means the same to both of you.
7. Vet decisions and emergencies
Who to call first, who can authorise treatment, a cost limit before the owner must be contacted, and who decides in the worst case. That last decision should always be the owner’s.
8. Insurance and liability
Who insures the horse, who has public liability cover, and who is responsible if the horse is injured, or injures someone, while in the rider’s care.
9. Ending the lease (the one that matters most)
Notice on both sides, when either person can end it early, and what happens if the horse is injured, sold or simply wanted back. More on this below.
Before the lease starts, write down any lumps, old injuries, vices and known health issues, and take dated photos of the horse from both sides and of all four legs. For anything beyond a short part lease, a vet check is worth it. If something happens later, nobody has to argue about whether it was there before.
Splitting the costs fairly
The cost table in the template has a row for every regular cost and a column for each person. Fill it in together. If you’re not sure what the horse really costs each month, our horse cost calculator gives you a full breakdown in a couple of minutes, and what owning a horse actually costs explains the ones people forget. A few things are worth agreeing on specifically:
- Routine costs (farrier, worming, vaccinations, dentist): usually split in proportion to use on a part lease, or paid by the rider on a full lease.
- Vet bills from an injury during the rider’s time: who pays, up to what amount, and how the insurance excess is handled.
- Existing conditions: usually the owner’s cost, which is another reason to record them on day one.
- Tack and rugs: whose they are, and who pays if something is broken or lost.
The Clause That Matters Most: Ending the Lease
When my first lease ended, it was the end of my world at that age. A notice clause wouldn’t have kept him, but it would have given us time: time to save, time to look for another horse, time to say goodbye properly. This is the part of the agreement I’d ask you to spend the most time on.
Your agreement should answer each of these:
- How much notice does each side give? 30 days is common for a part lease; a full lease often needs 60 days or more, especially if the horse has moved yards.
- When can it end immediately? For example, if the horse is being mistreated, the agreed care isn’t being followed, or payments haven’t been made.
- What if the owner wants to sell? Does the rider get the first chance to buy? Does the lease carry on with the new owner, or end with notice?
- What if the horse is injured or unsound? Does the lease pause, end, or carry on at reduced cost while he recovers? Who pays for his rehab?
- What if the rider can’t continue? Moving away, losing a job or simply losing confidence all happen. The same notice should apply both ways.
- How is the horse handed back? In the same condition, minus normal wear, with his tack, passport and records, at a time that suits both.
A lease isn’t a sale. Keep your horse’s passport, stay the named owner with the vet and your insurer, and keep the right to visit and check on him. A good rider won’t mind; a rider who does is telling you something.
Get the agreement in writing
The free template walks you through all 9 sections, with a cost-split table, a condition record and space for both signatures.
Get the Free Template →Common Leasing Mistakes
- Agreeing it all verbally. Everyone remembers the conversation differently six months later. If it isn’t written and signed, it’s guesswork.
- Not meeting the horse properly first. Ride him more than once, see him caught, tacked up, handled for the farrier and ridden out, before you agree anything.
- Vague costs. “We’ll share the bills” causes more arguments than any other line. Name every cost and who pays it.
- No vet limit. Agree a figure above which the owner must be called before treatment goes ahead, except in an emergency.
- Forgetting insurance. Check the owner’s insurance covers the rider, and that the rider has their own liability cover if they need it.
- No review date. A three-month review lets either of you say “this isn’t working” without it becoming a falling-out.
If the horse is going to live at a livery yard during the lease, the yard will have its own agreement with whoever pays the livery. Our livery agreement guide covers what that one needs.
Questions Owners and Riders Ask
Is a horse lease agreement legally binding?
A signed written agreement is far stronger than a verbal one, but contract law differs from country to country. Treat this template as a practical starting point, and have it checked by someone who knows the law where you live, especially for a full lease, a lease to buy or a valuable horse.
Who pays the vet bills on a leased horse?
Whatever you agree, so agree it in writing. A common arrangement is that routine care is shared or paid by the rider, injuries during the rider’s time are covered by insurance with the rider paying the excess, and existing conditions remain the owner’s cost.
Can the owner sell the horse during a lease?
Only if the agreement allows it. Most good agreements say the owner can sell after giving the agreed notice, and many give the rider the first chance to buy.
What’s the difference between a lease and a loan?
Mostly the word. A UK “loan” is usually what the US and South Africa call a free lease: no fee, and the rider covers the horse’s costs. Check what each person means and write the details down, whatever you call it.
Should I get a vet check before leasing a horse?
For a full lease, a long lease or a lease to buy, yes. It protects both of you by recording the horse’s health at the start. Our pre-purchase vetting guide explains what a vet looks at.
Keep Learning
Further reading: British Horse Society sample loan agreement · Loaning a horse without tears, Horse & Hound. This template is a practical starting point built from experience, not legal advice. Have it reviewed against the law where you live before you rely on it.
