Horse Sharing Agreement UK: What to Include

What this document is

A horse sharing agreement is a written contract between a horse's owner and another rider (the sharer) who contributes financially and often in time or labour in exchange for agreed riding days and responsibilities. It is not a transfer of ownership.

The owner keeps legal title to the horse; the sharer gets defined rights to ride and care for the animal on set terms. The agreement records who does what, who pays for what, and what happens if things go wrong.

Typical ground includes allocated riding days, contribution towards livery, feed, farrier and routine veterinary costs, responsibility for tack and equipment, insurance arrangements, and how either party can end the arrangement. Because horses involve real risks to people and property, a decent agreement also deals with liability, behaviour around the yard, and what happens if the horse is injured during a sharer's riding session.

Without a written record, disputes tend to come down to memory and goodwill, which rarely ends well when money or a much-loved horse is at stake.

How to use this document

1. Work out what kind of share you actually want. Before drafting anything, be honest about the arrangement. Is this a casual part-loan where someone rides twice a week, a full loan where the sharer takes on most care, or a competition-focused share where one person rides and another funds? The label matters because it drives every other clause, from cost split to decision-making rights.
2. Agree the practical terms in detail. Pin down the specifics: which days each party rides, who handles morning and evening care, how tack is stored and shared, and what the monthly financial contribution covers. Vague phrases like 'share the costs fairly' cause arguments. Spell out amounts, frequencies, and who pays the farrier, dentist, physio and routine vaccinations.
3. Deal with insurance and liability openly. Horses injure people and damage property. Check whether the owner's insurance extends to the sharer riding, and whether the sharer needs their own public liability cover, often through a riding club or the BHS Gold membership. Decide who pays the excess on veterinary claims and what happens if the horse is lamed during a sharer's ride.
4. Cover decisions, illness and competitions. Set out who decides on treatment if the horse falls ill, who the vet contacts first, and what happens if expensive procedures are needed. If the horse competes, agree who enters, who pays entry fees, who transports, and how prize money or sale proceeds are treated. These are the questions owners and sharers most often forget until it is too late.
5. Include a clean exit route. Set a notice period either party can use to end the share, typically between two and four weeks. Cover what happens to any kit the sharer has bought, how final costs are settled, and confirm that the owner can end the arrangement immediately on welfare grounds if needed. A tidy ending keeps the yard calm and the horse settled.

Common questions