What Our Horse Lease Forms Include

Purpose and Intended Use:

• Equine contract for leasing a horse when lessee has 100% use of horse during lease. Suitable for horse owners and lessees.
• Can be used for “free lease” situations where the lessee does not pay a lease fee but is responsible for the horse’s care.
• Not intended for breeding leases or lease situations where lessee only has partial use of horse.
• For partial leases, see Partial Equine Lease Agreement, and for breeding leases, see Broodmare Lease Agreement.

The Basics:

• Clauses in every Equine Legal Solutions contract.
• Information identifying horse to be leased (breed, gender, age, registration number, etc.).
• Term of lease.
• Insurance required (if any) and who must obtain and pay for it.

Fees:

• Lease fees, if any, and when they are due.
• Designated space to specify lessee’s responsibility for horse’s care and expenses during lease.

Horse Owner’s Representations:

• Horse is in good health and sound. Includes space for owner to write in exceptions.
• Horse does not have any of a list of bad habits. Includes space for owner to write in exceptions.

Protections for Horse Owner:

• Horse owner can require lessee to obtain mortality, major medical and/or loss of use insurance on horse.
• Lessee agrees to indemnify horse owner if horse owner is sued in connection with the lease.
• Lessee assumes risk of death or personal injury to self.
• Lessee assumes all risk of injury to or loss of horse during lease, agrees to pay owner horse’s market value if horse dies, is lost or is stolen.
• Lessee agrees to pay owner a specified sum if horse becomes unsound or develops certain other specified conditions during lease.
• Lessee agrees to provide specific standard of care for horse during lease.
• Owner has right to examine horse during lease and end lease early if horse is not being properly cared for.
• Owner can specify what lessee can and can’t do with horse, including tack and equipment.
• Owner can specify if lessee is required to work with a trainer or take lessons.
• Lessee can’t move horse without owner’s permission.
• Owner can list tack (if any) going with the horse that must be returned at the end of the lease.

Purpose and Intended Use:

• Equine contract for leasing a horse when lessee has partial use of horse during lease.
• Suitable for horse owners and lessees.
• Not intended for breeding leases or lease situations where lessee has full use of horse.
• For full leases, see Full Equine Lease Agreement, and for breeding leases, see Broodmare Lease Agreement.

The Basics:

• Clauses in every Equine Legal Solutions contract.
• Information identifying horse to be leased (breed, gender, age, registration number, etc.).
• Optional trial period before lease term begins.
• Term of lease.
• Insurance required, if any, and who must obtain and pay for it.

Fees:

• Lease fees, if any, and when they are due.
• Designated space to specify lessee’s responsibility, if any, for horse’s care and expenses during lease.

Lessee’s Use of Horse:

• Designated space to specify when and how lessee can use horse.
• Owner can specify lessee’s responsibilities, if any, for care of horse during lease.
• Can specify activities that are prohibited during the lease.
• Can specify who is (and is not) allowed to ride the horse during the lease.

Horse Owner’s Representations:

• Horse is in good health and sound. Includes space for owner to write in exceptions.
• Horse does not have any of a list of bad habits. Includes space for owner to write in exceptions.

Protections for Horse Owner:

• Horse owner can require lessee to obtain mortality, major medical and/or loss of use insurance on horse.
• Horse owner can require lessee to indemnify horse owner if horse owner is sued in connection with the lease.
• Lessee assumes risk of death or personal injury to self.
• Can specify that if horse dies, is lost or is stolen due to lessee’s negligence, lessee must pay owner value of horse.
• Can specify that if horse becomes unsound or develops certain other specified conditions due to lessee’s negligence, lessee must pay owner specified amount and must pay for horse’s care.
• Specifics of what lessee can and can’t do with horse, including tack and equipment.
• Owner can specify if lessee is required to work with a trainer or take lessons.
• Lessee can’t move horse without owner’s permission.
• Owner can list tack (if any) the lessee is specifically required to use on the horse.

Protections for Lessee:

• Lessee can require horse owner to indemnify lessee if lessee is sued in connection with the lease.
• Horse owner assumes risk of death or personal injury to self.
• Lessee only liable for injury to horse if lessee is negligent.

Purpose and Intended Use:

Designed for show horse leases where the horse is transferred into the lessee’s name but does not change legal ownership, this new form addresses the legal effect of the registration transfer along with the complexities of a full lease situation.

The Basics:

• Clauses in every Equine Legal Solutions contract.
• Information identifying horse to be leased (breed, gender, age, registration number, etc.).
• Term of lease (can be specific dates or open-ended).
• Insurance required (if any) and who must obtain and pay for it.

Fees:

• Lease fees, if any, and when they are due.
• Designated space to specify lessee’s responsibility for horse’s care and expenses during lease.

Horse Owner’s Representations:

• Horse is in good health and sound. Includes space for owner to write in exceptions.
• Horse does not have any of a list of bad habits. Includes space for owner to write in exceptions.

Protections for Horse Owner:

• Horse owner can require lessee to obtain mortality, major medical and/or loss of use insurance on horse.
• Horse ownership transfer is recorded, but lease specifically states that legal ownership does not pass to the lessee.
• When the lease is signed, lessee is required to provide owner with a signed registration transfer form so the owner can transfer ownership back to the owner’s name at the end of the lease.
• Lease specifically states that the lease and its terms must be kept confidential to avoid violation of any breed or discipline association rules.
• Lessee agrees to indemnify horse owner if horse owner is sued in connection with the lease.
• Lessee assumes risk of death or personal injury to self.
• Lessee assumes all risk of injury to or loss of horse during lease, agrees to pay owner horse’s market value if horse dies, is lost or is stolen.
• Lessee agrees to pay owner a specified sum if horse becomes unsound or develops certain other specified conditions during lease.
• Lessee agrees to provide specific standard of care for horse during lease.
• Owner has right to examine horse during lease and end lease early if horse is not being properly cared for.
• Owner can specify what lessee can and can’t do with horse, including tack and equipment.
• Owner can specify if lessee is required to work with a trainer or take lessons.
• Lessee can’t move horse without owner’s permission.
• Owner can list tack (if any) going with the horse that must be returned at the end of the lease.

Purpose and Intended Use:

• Equine contract designed for leasing a mare for breeding. Mare can be kept at owner’s facility, lessee’s facility or boarding facility.
• Suitable for mare owners and lessees.

Included Documents:

• Broodmare Lease Agreement form and detailed instructions.

Document Format:

• Fillable PDF, allowing you to type in information on your computer, then print out and save the filled-in document.
• Designated space at the top of each page for your business name (optional).
• PDFs are accessible with Adobe Acrobat Reader software, a free product. To make sure you can take advantage of all features, especially the fillable, savable features, update your Adobe Acrobat Reader software before downloading our equine forms.

The Basics:

• Clauses in every Equine Legal Solutions contract.
• Information identifying mare to be leased (breed, gender, age, registration number, etc.).
• Beginning and ending dates of lease.
• Owner and lessee contact information.
• Insurance required (if any) and who must obtain and pay for it.
• Includes a vet check option.
• The ability to customize the contract by using different optional attachments.

Fees:

• Lease fees, if any, and when they are due.
• Designated space to specify lessee’s responsibility for mare’s care and expenses during the lease.

Mare Owner’s Representations:

• Mare is in good breeding health. Includes space for owner to write in breeding history and exceptions.
• Mare doesn’t have any of a list of bad habits. Includes space for owner to write in exceptions.

Protections for Mare Owner:

• Mare owner can require lessee to obtain mortality, major medical and/or loss of use insurance on horse.
• Lessee agrees to indemnify mare owner if mare owner is sued in connection with the lease.
• Lessee assumes risk of death or personal injury to self.
• Lessee agrees to provide specific standard of care for mare during lease.
• Owner has right to examine mare during lease and end lease early if mare is not being properly cared for.
• Lessee can’t move mare without owner’s permission.
• Specifically addresses ownership of offspring, including unweaned and weaned foals, in utero foals, embryos and oocytes.
• Can specify terms and conditions of live cover breeding, artificial insemination and embryo and oocyte harvest.
• Can specify stallion(s) to which mare can be bred.

Protections for Lessee:

• Lessee has the right to have a vet check performed prior to entering into the lease.
• Lessee knows the mare’s breeding history prior to entering into the lease.
• Lessee may have the right to terminate the lease as agreed upon in the terms contract.

Purpose and Intended Use:

Designed to protect both landlord and tenant, this form is designed for situations where a horse property owner wants to rent out the horse facility portion of the property to a trainer or other person who will keep horses on the property; does not include residence.

The Basics:

• Clauses in every Equine Legal Solutions contract.
• Information identifying the horse facilities to be leased.
• Beginning and ending dates of lease.
• Rent payment amount and due dates.
• Security deposit terms.
• Insurance: can specify what types are required and who must pay for them.
• Penalties for late payment and bounced checks.
• Maintenance: can specify who is responsible for both routine maintenance and major repairs.
• Alterations and improvements: can specify whether any are permitted or required and, if so, the terms.
• Utilities: can specify who is responsible for electricity, gas, water, sewer, telephone, cable or satellite TV and internet access.
• Dog policy: can specify whether dogs are allowed and, if so, on what terms.
• Manure management: can specify how and when manure is to be collected and disposed of.
• Horse shows, clinics and haul-ins: can specify whether tenant is permitted to have them and, if so, on what terms.
• Signs: can specify whether they are permitted and, if so, on what terms.

Protections for Landlord:

• Tenant says they have inspected the property and they deem it safe for their horses.
• Tenant assumes risk of loss or injury to horses on property.
• Tenant assumes risk of damage to their personal property.
• Tenant assumes risk of injury or death to themselves.
• Tenant assumes risk of trail riding and other types of riding outside of arenas.
• If landlord is sued as a result of tenant’s use of the property, tenant agrees to pay landlord’s legal fees and the cost of any legal judgment.
• Landlord has right to enter property during lease term.
• Tenant not permitted to live on premises.
• Can terminate lease if tenant defaults.
• Landlord has lien on horses to secure payment of lease.
• Tenant required to remove personal property at lease end.
• Tenant agrees to conduct business in ethical and lawful manner, comply with breed/discipline association rules.
• Tenant agrees to make clients follow barn rules.
• Tenant required to have all clients, visitors, etc. fill out liability releases provided by landlord.
• Tenant required to post stall information chart for each horse.
• Tenant’s horses required to be current on vaccinations and worming.
• Tenant must inform landlord immediately if any horse develops a contagious condition.
• Tenant can’t sublease without landlord’s written permission.

Protections for Tenant:

• If landlord can’t deliver property on lease start date, no rent due until property available.
• Landlord responsible for all property taxes.
• If property damaged by fire, etc., no rent due if property can’t be used.

Purpose and Intended Use:

Designed to protect both landlord and tenant, this form is intended for situations where a horse property owner wants to rent out a portion of a horse facility (e.g., a set of stalls or a barn) to a trainer or other person who will keep horses on the property; does not include residence.

The Basics:

• Clauses in every Equine Legal Solutions contract.
• Information identifying the portion of horse facility to be leased.
• Whether the facilities will be shared and, if so, with whom and on what terms.
• Beginning and ending dates of lease.
• Rent payment amount and due dates.
• Security deposit terms.
• Insurance: can specify what types are required and who must pay for them.
• Penalties for late payment and bounced checks.
• Maintenance: can specify who is responsible for both routine maintenance and major repairs.
• Alterations and improvements: can specify whether any are permitted or required and, if so, on what terms.
• Utilities: can specify who is responsible for electricity, gas, water, sewer, telephone, cable or satellite TV and internet access.
• Dog policy: can specify whether dogs are allowed and. if so, on what term.
• Manure management: can specify how and when manure is to be collected and disposed of.
• Horse shows, clinics and haul-ins: can specify whether tenant is permitted to have them and, if so, on what terms.
• Signs: can specify whether they are permitted and, if so, on what terms.

Protections for Landlord:

• Tenant says they have inspected the property and they deem it safe for their horses.
• Tenant assumes risk of loss or injury to horses on property.
• Tenant assumes risk of damage to their personal property.
• Tenant assumes risk of injury or death to themselves.
• Tenant assumes risk of trail riding and other types of riding outside of arenas.
• If landlord is sued as a result of tenant’s use of the property, tenant agrees to pay landlord’s legal fees and the cost of any legal judgment.
• Landlord has right to enter property during lease term.
• Tenant not permitted to live on premises.
• Can terminate lease if tenant defaults.
• Landlord has lien on horses to secure payment of lease.
• Tenant required to remove personal property at lease end.
• Tenant agrees to conduct business in ethical and lawful manner, comply with breed/discipline association rules.
• Tenant agrees to make clients follow barn rules.
• Tenant required to have all clients, visitors, etc. fill out liability releases provided by landlord.
• Tenant required to post stall information chart for each horse.
• Tenant’s horses required to be current on vaccinations and worming.
• Tenant must inform landlord immediately if any horse develops a contagious condition.
• Tenant can’t sublease without landlord’s written permission.

Protections for Tenant:

• If landlord can’t deliver property on lease start date, no rent due until property available.
• Landlord responsible for all property taxes.
• If property damaged by fire, etc., no rent due if property can’t be used.