If buying a horse is the dream of many riders, it is not always possible to take the plunge: it is a real investment of time and money and it entails a lot of responsibilities. There is no need to be disappointed, there is a solution that allows you to be independent on horseback and to always work with the same horse without having to bear as many responsibilities as if you were the owner: discover the half-board.
The concept of half-board
The concept is quite simple: an owner or an equestrian center lets you use his horse several times a week in exchange for a financial contribution to the maintenance costs. In general, with a half-board, you can benefit from the horse, 3 or even 4 days a week. However, this number of days is not fixed and will depend on the arrangement you have with the owner of your horse. The days when you have the horse at your disposal, you will be in charge of taking care of it as if it were yours: the owner trusts you for the care and the work but must obviously be informed as soon as something goes wrong.
The terms of the half-board must be set up before the beginning of it. You have to agree with the owner on the days you will be in charge of the horse and on the price of the half-board. Most of the time, the price is half of the boarding price with a contribution to the shoeing. However, like the number of days per week, this is not fixed and depends on your arrangement with the horse owner. It is also necessary to decide what can be done with the horse: choice of equipment, care to be done, possibility of outings in competition, type of work, possibility of rearing, supervision of a professional…
If a half-board seems to you to be too important an investment, you should know that there are also thirds of board, even quarters of board. In this case, you will generally have the horse twice a week and your financial participation will be logically reduced.
The advantages of half board
Half-boarding allows you to have a horse without having to bear all the responsibilities: the important decisions are made by the owner, and you don’t have, in theory, to think about the current veterinary expenses and care (deworming, vaccines, dentist…). Half-board is therefore much more accessible financially than full board and is very well suited to riders who do not necessarily have the means to maintain a horse in its entirety. Finally, half board allows you to spend less time than you would on a horse you own perfect for those who don’t have seven days a week to spend with their horse but still want to spend as much time as possible in the stable. You can find high quality horses to take on half board and this can allow you to ride a horse that you would not have been able to afford.
Half-boarding allows you to evolve with the same horse and to form a real couple. It is the opportunity to create a link with the animal you are riding and to be able to evolve with it. Half-boarding will also develop your autonomy on horseback and make you progress quite quickly. Indeed, it is up to you to organize your work sessions, in accordance with the owner’s wishes, and you will not necessarily have a coach with you every time.
You are put in the conditions of an owner (even if the responsibilities are lightened) several times a week and you will quickly realize what it means to have a horse. It is a good way to test yourself before buying a horse.
Finally, in case of worries, it is often very easy to stop a half-board contract. In the worst case, you will have one month’s notice before terminating the contract. This allows you, if you have financial problems or if you don’t get along with the horse you are riding anymore, to end the half-board contract.
The disadvantages of half-board
The main problem with half-board is the attachment to the animal. Creating a strong bond with a horse you don’t own can be difficult, even frustrating, if the contract ends.
Not being in control of all situations can also be upsetting, especially if you disagree with the owner: it is his horse and his decisions take precedence, whether you like it or not.
If the horse stops (due to an injury for example), you are most of the time left on foot (unless you have another horse to ride) while continuing to pay for the maintenance of the horse. However, this disadvantage is the same when you are the owner, plus veterinary fees… It is therefore a situation that allows you to understand the disadvantages of buying a horse.
Finally, unlike when you take one lesson a week, half board requires you to work independently and creatively to find new exercises. This can be difficult for inexperienced riders who are not used to riding alone. In this case, don’t hesitate to look for a half-board that allows you to have enough supervision so that you can progress and that your independent sessions are beneficial to you and your horse.
Types of half-board
You will not have the same experience depending on the type of half-board you choose. There are several types of half-board: club horse, owner’s horse, and half-board with exclusive use of the horse.
Half board on a club horse
Many clubs offer half-board on their ponies and horses and some even allow you to take half-board only during the school vacations, which can be a very good alternative before embarking on half-board all year round. If you already ride in the club where you want to take half-board, this will allow you to choose one of your favorite horses, to pamper him and to enjoy him more often. You will be accompanied by your instructor and in case of problems it will be quite easy to switch to another horse. The main disadvantage is that the club keeps the priority on the horse and may continue to use it for lessons. This means that your darling will continue to be ridden by different riders of varying levels and that you will sometimes have to recover the “mistakes” of others in your work.
Half-board on an owner’s horse
A half-board on an owner’s horse allows you to work on a horse only worked by its owner (or sometimes a professional rider). This often allows you to ride horses that are more “qualitative” and better trained than club horses. Be careful, this last point is not always true because some clubs have very good horses at their disposal. However, an owner often has more requirements concerning his horse: way of working, care to be given, equipment to be used… Finally, if the owner wishes to recover the exclusiveness of his horse or simply if he thinks that the horse does not suit you, it is easy for him to put an end to the contract…
Half-board with exclusivity of the horse
More rarely, you can have the chance to find half-board where you will have the exclusivity of the horse. This is for owners who cannot ride their horse for various reasons or for people who wish to have their horses valued but who cannot afford the services of a professional rider. This is more for riders of a certain level and for competitors. It is once again an opportunity to find a quality horse, without necessarily having a limited number of days in the week since these sport horses often need to be worked every day or almost every day. The price of this type of half-board is quite variable; It can go from free, if the owner assumes that you are doing him a real service to take care of his horse, to the price of a full board if it is an all-expenses all-gains entrustment.
How to find a half-board?
The first thing is to ask around. Ask your club and your friends to know if they know an owner who is looking for half board for his horse or simply to know if the equestrian center makes its horses available for this practice.
If you don’t find what you’re looking for within your network, don’t hesitate to visit the clubs and stables near you. This is an opportunity to meet a manager who will be able to inform you and who knows his horses and those of his owners very well. He will be able to tell you very quickly if there is something at his place that can correspond to your needs. This also allows you to discover the structure if you don’t know it and to find out the rates of the DP if they offer it, of the pensions and the lessons: you will be quickly fixed on the correspondence with your budget.
Today, you will find on the internet, many ads from owners looking for half-board. You will also find many ads for half-board on Facebook: there are many groups dedicated to DPs, sometimes even divided by region or department.
There are so many ads for half-board that it is difficult to find your way around. That is why a passionate rider has created Fizzy.Horze, a site that aims to use the criteria of search ads and proposals to “match” a horse and a rider. The site will then present you with files of horses that may suit you and you will have to select those that suit you. If the owner is also seduced by your profile, Fizzy will allow you to make contact and exchange by phone. In short, easy, and well-constructed, it will allow you to save time in your research by sparing you the sorting of the numerous ads on the net which will not always lead you to something. Do not hesitate to visit www.fizzy.horse to find a half-board that matches your riding profile.
Tips for a successful half-board
Même s’il est assez facile de se décider pour une demi-pension, le but est de trouver du premier coup le cheval qui vous convient le mieux. Pour cela, il est important de prendre son temps et de commencer par trier les offres : n’envisagez d’essayer un cheval que si vous êtes sûr qu’il correspond à votre recherche : niveau d’équitation, budget, discipline envisagée… Et prévoyez de l’essayer une ou deux fois si vous le pouvez, pour voir si vous avez une première impression avec. Il n’y a pas qu’avec le cheval qu’il faut s’entendre… Il y a aussi son propriétaire. Une bonne entente avec lui permettra à votre demi-pension de démarrer sur de bonnes bases. Pour cela, discutez avec lui et vérifiez que votre vision du cheval et de son travail sont en adéquation avec sa pensée. Sinon, vous risquez de rencontrer des désaccords qui pourraient gâcher l’expérience. Bien que s’entendre avec la personne qui possède le cheval n’est pas obligatoire,
Finally, do not embark on a half-board without having first listed your rights, obligations, and prohibitions with the owner, ideally formalized in a contract. Establish the days of riding, the price including the boarding as well as the participation in the expenses: choose who is in charge of the additional expenses such as the farrier, the veterinarian, or the deworming. You should also clearly define together the authorizations or prohibitions such as those to go outside, to compete or to jump alone or in lessons. Then define the duration of the contract and the notice period in case of termination of the half-board.
The establishment of a written contract is not mandatory but is strongly advised to be insured in case of worries. Do not underestimate this step which can be tedious but could be useful.
During the months of half boarding, make sure to communicate with the owner of the horse. This will allow you to collaborate in the best possible way for the well-being of the horse and will create a logical progression in its work. For this, nothing better than regular reports of your sessions to keep the owner informed.
You will have understood it, taking a horse in half-board can be much more advantageous than the purchase of a horse but that requires all the same to take its time so that it is a success. It is necessary to be aware of what it implies, and it is necessary to keep in mind that no two half-boards are alike. It is up to you to find the one that suits you!
