Advice... Loan or time off?

D

DoesDressage

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 January 2011
Messages
244
Visit site
I was kicked by a friends horse last year and after seeing a number of specialists and scans I will be having neuro surgery in the next couple of weeks. I will not be able to ride for about 5months (cries). I don't no what to do with my lovely mare. My mum will look after her (on DIY) and can hack her out once a week but she hasn't got the time to ride everyday. Should I try and find someone to ride her or just give her the time off? She is a 14.3hh 16yr old welsh type who does aff elem dressage. She's a lovely ride, responsive and a little spooky but not at all nasty or dangerous. Hacks out alone around the fields and lanes but needs a friend to go further afield. Do I find someone competent to ride her a few days a week (i cant pay as will have to give up my job and I'm a student) or just give her the summer off??

Thank you in advance
 
I would keep so you can see her as much as you want, and get a rider in! There are hundreds of youngsters wanting rides but cannot afford ponies! Check with your local Pony Club? You could have her on a kind of half loan/share type agreement


:D

eta - I hope everything goes smoothly with your op and your back in the saddle soon :D
 
MrVelvet said:
I would keep so you can see her as much as you want, and get a rider in! There are hundreds of youngsters wanting rides but cannot afford ponies! Check with your local Pony Club? You could have her on a kind of half loan/share type agreement


:D

eta - I hope everything goes smoothly with your op and your back in the saddle soon :D
Click to expand...

Agree totally ! If you give her the time off, you may find it hard to get her back to the same level of fitness that she is now, it does take a lot longer with older horses...
 
I would definately try to keep her in work if I were you...there are plenty of people out there looking for horses to help exercise (myself included!) I guess it's just trying to find the right person...
 
Ask your trainer for recommendations. Get some money off your sharer and then that can perhaps go,to your trainer schooling your pony to keep her sweet.... And insist on lessons for the sharer too. Don't underestimate how great this would be for someone ....
 
Depends on your horse really. I would have no qualms or worries about having a 16yr old hacked out once a week only. But there are plenty of people out there who would probably love to ride her for free for you.
I would say do what you feel is best for your horse, no harm in keeping her mileage low for a while is there?
 
I was in a similar position last year. My mare had been at stud for the previous summer, then it had been a bad winter, then I'd had to have an op, so the horse had been off for a while. I offered my mare to a few people to ride, but it was hard finding someone to put enough committment in to keep her fit enough (everyone wanted to jump her as she is great, but not many understood that she needed to be fittened before anyone was going to be allowed to jump her properly). After lots of being let down I decided to rough her off! She has come back fine i haven't done anything major with her yet, but don't see any signs of potential problems.

For me its more a question of whether the horse needs work or not. Most don't, and unless you find the right person it can be more trouble than its worth. I'd have your mum hack her out to keep her fitness ticking a bit, but relax and get yourself well..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top