Guide
How to buy a share in a racehorse
To buy a share in a racehorse in Britain, choose a horse offered by a syndicate whose manager is licensed by the British Horseracing Authority, read its agreement, then sign and pay online. On Horsebox today shares start at £34 a month. You do not register with the Authority yourself; the manager does.
Choose a horse
Browse the horses for sale. Each one shows its price, its syndicate and its trainer.
Check what you are buying
Open the horse’s page. It says whether the share is owned or leased, how big each share is and how many are left.
What you see“Equity (non-lease)” or “Lease (no equity)” · Share size · Total shares · Available
Read the agreement
You see the full terms before you pay. Use the list below for what to look for.
Sign in
Enter your email address and we send you a six-digit code. There is no password.
What you see“Check your email” · 6-digit code
Sign and pay
Check the cost breakdown and the total. Tick the Terms box, type your full name and press Sign and Pay. You pay by card, and your card details go to Stripe, not to Horsebox.
What you see“Type your full name to sign” · “Sign and Pay”
Confirmation
You see a thank-you screen and get a confirmation email. A signed copy of the agreement is saved in your account.
What you see“Thank You!” · “View My Horses”
After you buy
Your horse joins My Stable. Every 1st to 4th adds a result card.
From then on, decisions about the horse’s training and racing are made by its trainer and the syndicate’s manager.
Read before you pay
The British Horseracing Authority’s code of conduct says what a syndicate’s agreement must cover. Look for each of these:
- How long it runs, and how and when it ends
- Whether the horse is owned or leased
- Your share, and whether you can sell or transfer it
- The costs, and whether they are fixed or can change
- How prize money is treated
- The plans for the horse if it is retired
- How you can leave early, if you can
- Whether the horse is insured, and whether you benefit
- Who the trainer is, and how decisions are made
Source: British Horseracing Authority, shared ownership regulation.
Check the seller
Everyone who manages a syndicate or racing club must hold a licence from the British Horseracing Authority, which publishes the list of licence holders.
The Authority's list of licensed managers
Joining a racing club instead
The steps are the same, but you are buying a membership, not a share. The button says Join the club.
Racehorse syndicate vs racing club
Giving it as a present
Press Gift this on a horse or a club. You buy it in your own name and stay the customer, including any monthly cost. After you have paid, you tell us who it is for and the day it should arrive. We email their certificate at 9am UK time that day, or you can print it. They need a Horsebox account and must be 18 or over to claim it.
Questions
Do I need to register with the British Horseracing Authority?
No. The syndicate's manager is the one who registers.
How much does a share cost?
On Horsebox today a share starts at £34 a month.
Is my horse guaranteed to run?
No. Horses can be injured, underperform or be withdrawn from races.
Can I visit my horse?
It depends on the listing. What you get is set by each syndicate or club and shown on every horse.
Can I buy a share as a present?
Yes, where the listing has a Gift this button. You pay and stay the customer.