emilyjeff
Member
Hi everyone, I've found these forums really useful so far, so hoping for some advice please.
I'm 36, rode regularly as a child and helped out at stables on weekends etc, got to a fairly good level. Gave it all up when I was about 16 and hardly rode after that as got married, had kids etc. Anyway, in the last 3 months or so I have started riding again and rediscovered my love for it! The thing is I am now wanting to do a bit more than riding once a week.
The place I am riding now is a very small but friendly yard which does livery and some lessons. I have been riding a 14.2 cob gelding who is on working livery but doesn't get used a lot as he's not really suitable for the kids to ride. And his owner hardly rides him, like maybe once a week! So, I have the option of sharing him, riding 3 or 4 times a week and as much or as little care as I want as the rest of the time he is on full livery. Sounds great doesn't it....the only thing is he's not really the kind of pony I would choose for myself. He's strong, stubborn, and hard mouthed. Don't get me wrong I can control him ok, and my YO obviously trusts me to ride him but I would choose something a little softer, safer and more well behaved if I was choosing a pony for myself.
So the other option is, I look for a share or part-loan somewhere near me. The plus side is I may get more the type of horse that I am looking for, but the negatives are it would be a horse I don't know, in an area I don't know, I wouldn't have as much support as I do at my yard, and I probably wouldn't be able to continue my lessons there.
Any words of advice please- what would you choose?
I'm 36, rode regularly as a child and helped out at stables on weekends etc, got to a fairly good level. Gave it all up when I was about 16 and hardly rode after that as got married, had kids etc. Anyway, in the last 3 months or so I have started riding again and rediscovered my love for it! The thing is I am now wanting to do a bit more than riding once a week.
The place I am riding now is a very small but friendly yard which does livery and some lessons. I have been riding a 14.2 cob gelding who is on working livery but doesn't get used a lot as he's not really suitable for the kids to ride. And his owner hardly rides him, like maybe once a week! So, I have the option of sharing him, riding 3 or 4 times a week and as much or as little care as I want as the rest of the time he is on full livery. Sounds great doesn't it....the only thing is he's not really the kind of pony I would choose for myself. He's strong, stubborn, and hard mouthed. Don't get me wrong I can control him ok, and my YO obviously trusts me to ride him but I would choose something a little softer, safer and more well behaved if I was choosing a pony for myself.
So the other option is, I look for a share or part-loan somewhere near me. The plus side is I may get more the type of horse that I am looking for, but the negatives are it would be a horse I don't know, in an area I don't know, I wouldn't have as much support as I do at my yard, and I probably wouldn't be able to continue my lessons there.
Any words of advice please- what would you choose?
