Leasing for the first time--am I getting screwed?

I don't think I'd try to negotiate, because I wouldn't want to insult someone who's supposed to be teaching me, and she may truly believe the price is fair. I'd just tell her you can't afford that much and that you're going to look around and see if you can find something in your price range, but you'd like to keep taking lessons with her until you do. If your lessons are $35/lesson, it would only cost you $420 every 4 weeks to take 3 lessons a week, which would be cheaper for you than the lease situation she has presented. Perhaps that would be a solution for you?

I don't think I pay that much for owning my horse, maybe if you factor in the vet stuff. Barely... I don't get lessons or the benefit of a schoolmaster type horse either though. I like the previous suggestion and just letting your instructor know that that is more than you are willing to spend and you will keep looking, though you still want to take lessons.

ETA: Nope, did the math. Barring veterinary emergency costs, owning my guy comes in under $500/mo

I don't know your situation, but after a year of lessons do you really feel leasing is the best route? I was going to lease bc I was worried about how much I didnt know. Frankly, I pay less per month to own my own horse and ride on my terms. The initial cost was a hit to the wallet, but I only pay $85 a month for board and feed (pasture with hay) and $55 for shoes on a 6 week cycle. Unless you want to invest in a $10k horse, after a year of leasing that is a huge chunk of bye bye money.

You could buy a horse and use your horse for riding lessons, which is better in my opinion.

Something to think about if your only reason to not buy is your own intimidation. I found a great mentor and I've learned so much more and learned it faster on my own horse.

My barn owner does wormings and has been a great help with cuts and scrapes and diet. If you find a good mentor and you buy some books you will do fine. We make it more complicated than it has to be.

Good luck.

$500 a month doesn't seem right . . . I live in NJ and I am currently looking to lease a new horse myself (I have been leasing different horse for four years), and the only time I paid that much was when I was with my old farm that was scamming me. This past summer I paid $400 for a full lease, with basically full access to the horse (who was a boarder, not a school horse).

Also, especially since this would be a half-lease, will the horse still be keep its same lesson schedule?

It completely depends. Is this a show horse that you will be competing on for relatively large titles? Or is it a "putz around" schoolie?
Show horses can be leased for big, big bucks, so of this horse will take you places, or if you're going to learn at a greater rate because the horse is advanced and has a show history, then I would say that $500/month isn't bad. If the horse is a schoolie that you're just doing basics on (for now) then perhaps it is a bit steep.
Really though, if you can afford it and are seeing improvements and benefit, don't look at it as being "screwed over."
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Whoops, sorry for that weird reply post.

I won't be competing. This is just for me to practice my sitting trot and lope. It's just putzing around on a school horse for two extra days a week. I don't mean to sound bitter over it, but I feel like my barn owner is taking advantage of my naivete in the horse world. I'm trying to advocate for myself, but it's difficult to do. In my mind, the math just doesn't work out. I'm having a hard time reconciling $500/mo lease versus cost of lessons/board for the animal. It's as though 500 was just a nice round number.

I know I could find a suitable horse nearer to my house for less money per month, but I feel like I'm severing a relationship with my trainer and my barn. I think I will just have to be up front and honest. $500 is exorbitant for an ornery school mare and business is business.

I don't think that there is anything wrong to ask the person to "break down" the lease fee, to give you an idea of what that includes.

That way you can see how much half board etc is and what the actual "fee" your paying for the horse is.

You have to also remember that this place is a business. Unless they have an excess of horses, by having someone lease out their riding school horse they are losing a certain amount of money (that horse would have made a certain amount in lessons).

I wouldn't pay that much to lease a horse, but look around and see what you can find. If you want to lease just as a trial to ownership you could always do it for a month or two, see if you like and then look to buy.

Much thanks, everyone. I'll have to think on it some more and get over my anxiety about opening up the dialogue.
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I know you don't want to severe relationships with them, but, um. Sorry to ask this but

WHY WOULD YOU WANT A RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE WHO WILL USE YOU!!??

If you bought a horse and kept it there you will probably still get used by this person but now at your horse's expense.

52 lessons to learn how to hack seems extreme, even if you never saw this end of a horse before. I wonder if she is not even prolonging your lessons? It does sound as if you are being taken advantage of.

How many other boarders and students are there? Are you the barn's cash cow??