Your first share, step by step
- Find shares you like.
- Compare them side by side.
- Contact the operator to buy.
You buy directly from them. Staibles is free and never takes a cut.
Five steps, from choosing a kind of share to getting in touch.
Step one: choose a kind of share
There are four main kinds. Each is compared only with its own kind on Staibles.
- Syndicate share. You own a share of the horse and a share of anything it is sold for.
- Partnership. You own a share of the horse alongside a small number of others.
- Lease. You pay to race the horse for a set period. You own no part of it and have no claim on any sale.
- Racing club. You own no part of the horse and have no claim on any sale. Some clubs share prize money with members; others keep it to cover costs.
New to racehorse ownership? Start with how shares work.
Step two: set a budget
Many offers have two parts: a price to join, then a monthly or yearly fee towards the horse's costs. Some ask for one payment that covers a whole season or year.
Work out what a whole year would cost you, not just the price to join, and pick a figure you'd be happy to spend on a hobby. Check what the fee covers, and whether you might be asked for more if costs run over.
Step three: see typical costs
Shares come in very different sizes, so we compare them by what a year costs for each 1% you'd own. These figures come from the offers listed on Staibles today.
| Kind of share | Offers with a full year’s cost | Middle yearly cost per 1% |
|---|---|---|
| Syndicate shares | 41 | £500 a year per 1% |
| Syndicate shares, Flat | 18 | £500 a year per 1% |
| Syndicate shares, Jumps | 11 | £540 a year per 1% |
| Leases | 7 | Too few to give a figure (we can work out a full year’s cost for 7; a figure needs at least 8) |
From 48 offers from operators on Staibles, as at 31 October 2026.
Each figure is a year of fees plus the price to join spread over time (three years for a share, the length of the lease for a lease; a single payment for a set term counts as a year's worth), divided by the percentage you'd own or lease.
The figure shown is the middle one when those offers are put in order of yearly cost: half cost more and half less. Prices quoted plus VAT have VAT added. Offers are left out where a fair yearly figure can't be worked out: no share size stated, fees charged at cost, a payment that also buys the share with no later-year price stated, or a result far outside what keeping a horse in training costs. Flat and Jumps are shown separately only where each has at least 8 offers with a full year's cost. A racing club membership gives no percentage of a horse, so clubs have no figure per 1%; each club’s listing shows its price. How we compare explains how it’s worked out.
Step four: know what to ask
These are the things we look for in every operator's published terms, written as the questions you'd ask yourself. If you can't find an answer, ask the operator before you sign. It's a normal question, and they'll expect it.
Costs
Can I check where the horse was bought?
A sale catalogue lets you check the horse's details for yourself.
If it’s a racing club: A club member owns no part of the horse, so this matters less for a club.
What did the horse cost?
It tells you how much of your share price is the horse and how much is everything else.
If it’s a lease: You don't own any part of the horse, so none of what you pay buys it, and this matters less for a lease.
If it’s a racing club: A club member owns no part of the horse, so this matters less for a club.
What happens if the costs run over?
Vets' bills and other surprises have to be paid by someone, and it may be you.
Is the horse insured, and who pays for it?
If the horse dies or cannot race, insurance decides whether anything comes back.
Can I see the price without having to ask?
A price you can only get by enquiring is hard to compare with anyone else's.
The term, and the end of it
Can I read the full written terms before I sign?
Everything else on this list should be in them, in writing.
What happens when the term is up?
Some shares renew automatically and some end; you should know which before you start.
What happens to the horse at the end?
Sold, retired or kept on, the answer decides whether anything comes back to you.
If it’s a lease: You usually get nothing from a sale, so ask when the lease ends and what happens to the horse then.
What happens if the horse is injured or retires?
A good home for a retired racehorse costs money, and it's worth knowing who pays.
If the horse is sold, do I get a share of the money?
With a share you usually do; with a lease or a club you usually don't.
If it’s a lease: You don't own any part of the horse, so expect the answer to be no.
If it’s a racing club: A club member has no claim on a sale, so expect the answer to be no.
What members get
Who gets the prize money?
Winnings may be shared out, kept to cover costs, or a mix of the two.
How many owners' badges will I get, and how are they shared out?
A badge is how you get into the owners' areas on raceday, and there are only so many.
Can I visit the horse at the yard, and how often?
For many owners the mornings at the yard are the best part.
What's the most people who can share the horse with me, when every share is sold?
The more owners, the fewer badges and visits to go round. Members can buy more than one share, so there are often fewer.
How you'll hear
How often will I hear how the horse is doing?
Regular news from the trainer is much of what you are paying for.
Who you're buying from
Who do I go to if something goes wrong?
A written complaints process means there is somewhere to take a problem.
Can I see its BHA registration?
Syndicates and racing clubs should be registered with the British Horseracing Authority. The BHA doesn't publish a register, so ask to see it.
Is the operator a member of the Racehorse Syndicates Association?
The association is the trade body for racehorse syndicates.
How long has the operator been doing this?
A track record tells you something a brochure can't.
How many horses does the operator run?
It gives you a sense of their size and experience.
Have the operator's horses won races?
Winners are not the whole story, but they are part of it. If there isn't one, that's still worth knowing.
Built from the checklist we compare offers on, so it changes when the checklist does. How we compare.
Step five: contact the operator
When you've found a share you like, use the contact button on its listing. You buy directly from the operator: Staibles doesn't sell shares or take payments, and never takes a cut.
When you get in touch, mention you found them on Staibles.
