I struggled finding a lower level dressage project for similar reasons. Lots of HJ here less of a dressage scene. Ended up with a really nice TB but I leased for many years. I enjoyed it ^^
Not many opportunities to lease an English horse here. My barn is one of the very few competitive, and the ones competitive outside my barn are 3x the amount I would pay to just own.
Yeah that is why I plan on leasing next year. But I do want my own the year after if possible. I have leased and taken multiple lessons a week for awhile now.
Yes, owning usually allows you to do more because it your horse and not someone else. Although you can still progress in riding while leasing, I leased a horse for 2 years and then when I stopped and got on a more advanced horse I could ride the horse a lot better than I thought. leasing is almost the same as owning but the horse does not belong to you and you have fewer rides. It also really helps you progress before you own so you know what you're doing. :)
But I also would be limited with a half lease, where if I owned I could do more. Show/Half leasing has its downfalls, and my instructor does not offer off site instruction or full lease.
See I want one that I can handle at shows and that is semi used to showing as well. It is a newish territory to me. I plan on show leasing next year, not sure who, we have ideas, then next July get serious about buying. Right now it is casual looking, if we find something we find something
Yes! I want to do regionals one day! Oh yeah. If it was a short drive we might but that is one hell of a drive lol. She is hoping to find a few more to look at in the area. But if she cannot at least provide proof of registration we may not. He is priced decently though.