HEROS - Sale and Loan Terms & Conditions

HEROS has re-trained ex-racehorses horses available for re-homing either on long-term loan or for sale; all horses are subject to these terms and conditions and the relevant procedures are described below.

Before you take a horse

When you see a horse on the website you are interested in, please call to arrange a visit (the “Contact Us” section of the website has all contact details plus a link to Google maps for HEROS location and directions). Wherever possible we see people at either 11am or 2pm Monday – Friday and some Saturday mornings after 10am. We try to avoid Sundays as the staff here have such a heavy workload, but if there is no other alternative we will always try to accommodate you.

We request a donation be made to HEROS when you visit the stud for the first time, as this helps tremendously towards re-homing other horses. This will be explained in more detail when you call.

You are invited to try a horse as often as you like, as we want you to be confident and happy that you have chosen the right one.

Loans

When taking a horse on life-time loan from HEROS we ask you to pay a donation fee of £1,000. This is a one-off payment and a loan agreement will need to be signed and witnessed by both yourself and HEROS to confirm the arrangement. This fee is non-refundable if the horse is returned; however, if in the early stages the horse is obviously the wrong choice for you, we will find one that is more appropriate at no extra charge. We also ask that you set up a £20per month ongoing standing order to help the horses still in the centres care. An advantage of our loan system is that if your circumstances change we will always take the horse back and re-home it again without question.

Before we consider you for a loan horse we will require two references:-

Firstly, regarding your horsemanship and ability to care for the horse; either from a vet, blacksmith, a riding instructor or the manager of the yard where you will be keeping the horse. This can be verbal but MUST be backed up in writing.
Secondly, a character reference from someone who has known you for over 10 years.

When all the arrangements are finalised we deliver the horse to its new home and use this opportunity to carry out a thorough home check before we leave. As so much careful preparation will already have been undertaken, we expect this to be a formality. We will have already spoken to you in depth regarding all aspects of the management of the horse but it is essential that a complete home check is carried. Added to this we will discuss the full history of the horse and any other concerns you may gave regarding feed, bedding, turnout etc. You have to pay the transport at the rate of £1.20+VAT per mile.

Please note that a loan agreement does not confer ownership rights and at no time are you permitted to sell or loan the horse which is on loan to you. This is why individuals taking a horse on loan must meet the following requirements:-

Sign a loan agreement (a legally binding document - copy available to view)
Confirm in writing that you will contact us if you change yards and inform us of the new address.
Insure the horse with KBIS Insurance Ltd, (with whom we get preferential rates,) covering vets fees and legal liability.
Inform us at all times immediately if an accident occurs or if the horse is sick and which veterinary practice is being used so our vet can contact them.
Understand that in the event of an injury or sickness it may be necessary for us to collect the horse and return it to North Farm Stud for the convalescent period if you are unable to cope and return it to you afterwards.

If you are interested in a particular horse from the website it's always worth giving us a ring immediately as the loan horses go very quickly. To find out more please give one of us a call on the following numbers.

Office number Cathy, or Grace: 01488 638820

Grace's mobile: 07770 877543