The terms and price of a lease will vary, but in general the lessee pays the owner a set amount each month in exchange for use of their horse on certain days and times. For example, a horse owner makes his horse available to another rider 3-4 days a week in exchange for a portion of the cost of maintaining the horse each month.
The monthly rate of a half-lease will vary depending on the cost of the monthly board and the cost of maintaining the horse's hooves - shoeing or barefoot trimming. The lessee is typically not expected to cover medical expenses or supplements, but this is not always the case.
Rates for a half-lease generally fall somewhere between $200 - $400 per month for 3-4 days per week. It is usually understood that the horse is being shared with only one other person - the owner or another half-lessee. It would be unfair to pay for an overworked horse.
Occasionally, it is possible to find a lease for one or two days a week. When you consider that renting a horse is $25 per hour and rental horses are sent out on the trail as many times per day as business dictates, leasing is pretty attractive.
Finding a lease is the tricky part. A good place to start is at local feed stores like Damoor's and Stephen's. The sales clerks are very knowledgeable about the area and might be able to offer a lead or two. Check for ads on store bulletin boards or post a want ad detailing what you are looking for.
Another good place to look is on the public bulletin board at the end of Mariposa Street near the entrance to the foot bridge that crosses the LA River. Craigslist.org is another good resource.
If riding on a regular basis sounds good to you, but committing to ownership seems intimidating, taking on a half-lease is an excellent place to start. You will need to do a little foot work to find a horse, but it will be worth it to have a privately owned and well maintained horse to ride.
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