Equine lease agreement: free in Word, or sign it online

Reviewed in October 2026

An equine lease agreement lets someone use a horse for a set period without buying it. The owner keeps title. The lease sets the fee, where the horse lives, who pays board, farrier and vet, how the horse may be ridden and what happens if it is injured.

Use this template Download in Word

Ten documents free, no card. Signed by the owner and the lessee.

The full equine lease agreement

EQUINE LEASE AGREEMENT

This Equine Lease Agreement (the "Agreement") is made on [date] between [Owner name], with address at [address] (the "Owner"), and [Lessee name], with address at [address] (the "Lessee").

1. Horse

The Owner leases to the Lessee the horse named [barn name], registered name [registered name], breed [breed], color [color], age [age], registration number [number] (the "Horse").

2. Type of lease

[Full lease: the Lessee has exclusive use of the Horse.] [Half lease: the Lessee may ride the Horse [number] days per week, and the Owner keeps the other days.]

3. Term

The lease starts on [start date] and ends on [end date]. It may be renewed by written agreement.

4. Lease fee

The Lessee pays [amount] per [month or term], by [payment method], on the [day] of each month.

5. Location

The Horse will be kept at [stable name and address]. It will not be moved without the Owner's written consent.

6. Costs

The [Lessee or Owner] pays board, routine farrier work, deworming, vaccines and dental care. Emergency vet costs are paid by [the Lessee, the Owner or shared [percentage]].

7. Use

The Horse may be used for [trail riding, lessons, shows of a given level]. It will not be jumped over [height] or ridden by anyone except [names or the Lessee only].

8. Care and veterinarian

The Lessee will follow the care plan in Schedule A. The Owner's veterinarian is [name and phone]. The Lessee will call the Owner at once if the Horse is sick or injured.

9. Insurance

The Owner keeps [mortality or major medical] insurance on the Horse. The Lessee will follow any condition the insurer sets.

10. Assumption of risk

The Lessee understands that riding and handling horses carries inherent risks of injury. The Lessee accepts those risks for itself and its guests.

11. Early termination

Either party may end the lease with [number] days of written notice. The Owner may end it at once if the Horse is mistreated or the fee is unpaid for [number] days.

12. Governing law and signature

This Agreement is governed by the laws of [state]. The parties agree to sign it electronically, with the same effect as a handwritten signature.

Schedule A. Care plan: [feed, turnout, supplements, shoeing schedule]

Owner

Name: ______________

Date: ______________

Lessee

Name: ______________

Date: ______________

What the template includes

Horse identification with registration number
Full lease or half lease
Start and end dates
Lease fee and payment day
Where the horse is kept
Who pays board, farrier, vet and dental care
Allowed riding and jumping limits
Care plan and the owner's veterinarian
Insurance on the horse
Assumption of risk
Early termination, governing law and electronic signature

What you fill in

Field	Example
Owner	Claire Donnelly
Lessee	Emma Price
Horse	Biscuit, Quarter Horse gelding, 12 years
Lease type	Half lease, 3 days per week
Term	November 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027
Lease fee	USD 350 per month
Stable	Willow Creek Farm, Lexington, KY
Emergency vet	Shared 50/50
Jump limit	2 feet 6 inches

How it gets signed

1Choose «Use this template», fill in the fields and review the full equine lease agreement.
2Send it by WhatsApp or email. The other party opens the link on their phone without an account.
3They tap the brown bar at the bottom that says «Sign as …» and draw their signature once.
4Everyone gets the signed PDF with its signature certificate. Anyone can check it at signsolu.com/verificar.

The signing screen tells each signer that signing means agreeing to sign electronically. It links to the electronic signature disclosure that the ESIGN Act asks for.

What you get once everyone signs

The signed PDF. The final equine lease agreement with every drawn signature in place.
The signature certificate. It lists each signer and the date and time of each signature.
A record you can check. The folio on the certificate opens the document history at signsolu.com/verificar.
Reminders. Turn them on and SignSolú reminds every signer who has not signed yet.

Your first ten documents are free and need no card.

What the law says

Some states have equine activity laws that deal with the inherent risks of horses. A few of them ask for specific warning wording in written contracts.

Check the current statute of your state for any wording it asks for. Add it to clause 10 before you send the lease.

The ESIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. 7001 gives an electronic signature the same legal effect as one on paper. A contract cannot be denied effect only because it was signed electronically.

Full lease or half lease

A full lease gives the lessee the horse every day. The lessee usually pays all routine costs, and the owner pays only insurance.

A half lease shares the horse. The lessee rides on set days and pays a share of board and care.

Questions to settle before you fill it in

Who pays a colic surgery or a major injury?
Can the lessee take lessons with their own trainer?
Can the horse travel to shows, and who pays hauling?
Who decides on euthanasia if the owner cannot be reached?

Write each answer in the lease. The hard conversation happens once, calmly, before anything goes wrong.

Common mistakes

No riding limits. State the discipline, the jump height and who else may ride.

No vet authority. Name the vet and the spending limit for emergencies when the owner is unreachable.

Before the lease starts

A pre-lease vet check, with the report attached to the lease.
Photos of the horse from both sides, with any marks or old injuries.
A trial ride with the owner or trainer present.
A copy of the insurance policy and its conditions.
The barn rules of the stable where the horse lives.

Attach the vet report and photos to the lease. Both parties sign the same record of the horse's condition on day one.

When the lease ends

The horse returns in the condition it started, apart from normal aging. A second vet check at the end settles any question about soundness.

Some leases give the lessee an option to buy. Write the price and the deadline in a new clause if you want that option.

Renewal works the same way as the first lease. Send a short amendment with the new dates and fee for both signatures.

Leasing a horse to a riding school

Owners sometimes lease a quiet horse to a riding school for lessons. The school usually takes a full lease and pays all routine care.

Limit the number of lessons per day and the rider weight in clause 7. Ask the school to name the owner on its liability insurance.

Before you sign

Sign a PDF you already have. Upload it, place the signatures and send it.
Digital signature explained. How a signature drawn on a phone holds up as evidence.
Read every clause of the equine lease agreement with the other party before anyone signs. Change what does not fit your deal.
Check how electronic signatures are recognized where you sign in the e-signature validity guide by country.
Learn how anyone can confirm a signed document at signsolu.com/verificar.
Make an online signature once and use the PNG on any PDF, contract or email. It is free and needs no account.

Other templates

Frequently asked questions

Is an equine lease agreement signed online legally binding?

Yes. The ESIGN Act gives electronic signatures the same effect as handwritten ones. The signed PDF and its certificate show who signed and when.

Who owns the horse during the lease?

The owner. The lease gives use of the horse, not ownership.

Can I attach the horse's vet records?

Yes. Upload them with the lease so both sides sign with the same health record.

Is a half lease cheaper than a full lease?

Yes, usually. The lessee rides fewer days and pays a share of board and care instead of all of it.

Can the lessee move the horse to another barn?

No, not without the owner's written consent under clause 5.

Can a minor lease a horse?

A parent or guardian signs for the minor. Add them as the lessee and name the rider in clause 7.

Does the other party need a SignSolú account?

No. They open the link on their phone and sign with the brown bar at the bottom.

Can I edit the clauses before sending it?

Yes. After «Use this template» you can change any clause before you send it.