Any other horseless riders feel the same???

Definitely agree with you! Was stuck in a job with really awkward hours and a share that took 45 mins to get to after work in the evenings. Thankfully now I managed to find a share 10 mins from me which means I can ride during the week and a day at the weekend. I would say ride at your local riding school maybe once every two weeks for your horsey fix but keep an eye out for suitable shares near you - they're bound to come up! I'm due to be moving house soon and in need of more money, but like you, keep thinking about quitting my job and doing a working pupil position which is something I've always wanted to do. But with a mortgage to pay I really can't afford to do it! Just keep looking out for horse shares and I'm sure something suitable will come up :)
 
Thank you so much for the replies, and glad I am not the only one. A friend heard I was looking for a horse to ride and has offered me a very relaxed share of hes. Another friend has just purchased an 8 month old filly to play with too. Me and the OH are hoping to move within the next couple of months to the other side of the country.....then I will have to start ALL over again :(
 
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Umbongo, don't be disheartened by moving. I have moved around a fair bit but always managed to find something. Mostly through here, as is the current arrangement. Can't ride her at the moment but i love the cuddles, and there are others on the yard to keep me going until she is better.

I have found there are a lot of nice people all over the country who want help with their horses, usually a subtle post on here can find a nice match. I will say, don't get *too* attached to a share. I have found many are more short term than a full loan and it's led to heartbreak a couple of times.
 
You are not the only one. I am lucky in that I have a lesson once a week, but I so crave the one to one love of my own horse. I am saving but OH wants us to buy a place this year, plus paying off other debts, I'm not sure my dream will ever come true. I get so close and then something else crops up and the "horse dream" has to go on hold.

It's so bloody frustrating!
 
horseandshoes77 said:
Wish i could find someone to help with mine, they could have as much free riding, free transport to comps etc...i have 3 horses and only 1 bum !!
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Hi I would help you out in depending on where about you are in Durham, as I am in Gateshead, I can do weekends. I have owned my own horse, competed at a low level but am enthusiastic and would be happy even just helping exercise.
 
I'm 28, and have ridden since I was 6. Still no closer to being able to do more than ride once a week.
I moved to Spain in August and have only in the last 2/3 weeks located somewhere I can ride, unfortunately I don't drive and public transport is virtually non-existent. Unless I can beg a lift (in bad Spanish) I walk. On Friday it took me an hour to get to the yard in -6 to ride and then walked back again.

I have 4k saved up to purchase a horse although I always put it off in the UK as I was worried that I'd not be able to afford its upkeep/never be able to move out of my Mothers house/cope in emergencies.
Plus I live and ride in London and always feel a bit guilty about the lack of hacking around me. But these months without riding have just convinced me to go for it when I go home and get myself a job again.

I don't think I'll ever have the money to buy my own place, so why not blow my life savings on something I've been waiting for, for years?!
 
I was in completely the same situation as you - just finished my undergrad and having set my heart on being a vet I decided to spend the year intensively studying science and doing my work experience. I took my horse with me to uni and had a sharer there who fell in love with him and was mortified at the prospect of him leaving, so I offered him on loan to her. The combination of being a student and without my own horse left me with too much free time and no money to share a horse.

I put an advert up online saying how long I'd had horses for and my riding ability. I also specified that I couldn't afford to pay to share a horse but would do stable chores in return. In all honestly I didn't expect any responses, let alone the number of responses I got! Luckily a girl needed help with her mare as she had a busy work schedule and just needed a hand really. I now get to ride her 2-4 days a week in return for stable chores and its improved my riding having never ridden anything but my own horse for 12 years and also gives her owner a few days off being a stable slave! I was a little worried about sharing someone elses horse as I've seen first hand people's attitudes to sharers and the constant bitching that seems to emanate from such arrangements but luckily her owner is lovely and is really flexible - she's even offered to let me go hacking or jump which many people wouldn't want their sharers to do (though for now I'm happy to school!). Its definitely worth putting an advert up I'd say.
 
I'm always really paranoid about my experience when it comes to answering adverts. I hate the thought of wasting peoples time.

Like on here when people say they don't want a novice or someone bumbling along from a riding school, it makes me doubt my own ability, as I've only really worked on flatwork, done little jumping and never hunted or done x-country or anything like that.
 
Karran said:
I'm always really paranoid about my experience when it comes to answering adverts. I hate the thought of wasting peoples time.

Like on here when people say they don't want a novice or someone bumbling along from a riding school, it makes me doubt my own ability, as I've only really worked on flatwork, done little jumping and never hunted or done x-country or anything like that.
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But its always worth a phone call. Unless you really obviously did not fit the profile. I've just advertised mine and I dont mind phone calls at all. The reason I have been so insistent on not having a novice is that I dont want anyone to get hurt. If you see something, reply, but just make sure you are completely honest, thats not wasting anyones time.
 
:o

I tell myself that all the time, but then I end up convincing myself that when I get on, something will happen and the owner will think I've lied about my ability in some way.

I dunno why I get so worried about things like that. I've ridden some hefty bucks and nappy monsters and I got decent scores when I used to do unaffliated Prelim dressage.

On a horse I'm fairly confident about what I'm doing. Its just away that I fret that somehow people will know/think I'm a numpty :rolleyes: I really need to grow a pair!
 
I'm in the same boat as a lot of you. I've been riding for 15 years, even had my own horse briefly, but I'm currently just riding once a week at a local riding school.

I keep my eye out for ads looking for sharers but they all tend to be either ponies or youngsters, neither of which I'd be suitable for. I'd love to find someone who just needs an established horse kept ticking ove rbut they seem to be in very short supply round here.
 
Karran said:
I'm always really paranoid about my experience when it comes to answering adverts. I hate the thought of wasting peoples time.

Like on here when people say they don't want a novice or someone bumbling along from a riding school, it makes me doubt my own ability, as I've only really worked on flatwork, done little jumping and never hunted or done x-country or anything like that.
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Good gosh I've never hunted or done cross country either! I was very honest about my abilities - I said I'm very comfortable on my own horse but have never ridden anything else for about 12 years and I'm likely to be fairly rubbish on a new horse - and guess what...I was! Luckily a few weeks later I'm getting somewhere with horse I'm riding now though it will take a good few months before I ever feel as confident on her, or even confident about my own abilities with her. Her owners was very understanding and sympathetic so its worth being honest. If its any consolation, when I first advertised my own horse for share I had a teenage girl message me saying she had ridden at a riding school for a few years but lacked confidence etc and wanted a horse to share. Many horses wouldn't have been right for her but luckily my boy is very placid and confidence-giving, though he does like to keep people on their toes and can throw in the odd buck. I explained all this to her and she took him on and completely fell for him - she could ride him at her pace until she gained confidence and even when he did chuck her off once or twice he'd increased her confidence so much that she was happy to get straight back on and carry on. She now has him on loan and has gone from have very little experience with horsecare to being someone I consider fully able to care for my horse as well as I could. She was a very novice rider when she first started with him and has improved in leaps and bounds - she would never have progressed so much if it wasn't for sharing him. What I'm trying to say in my long and circular way is that don't worry about your abilities, simply be honest and the right horse and owner will eventually crop up for you. There are very patient horses and owners out there and no one expects you to be a champion rider - like I said just be honest with your abilities and people will know what to expect. Had you lived closer and written this post a few years ago I'd have definitely invited you to come and try my boy, but somewhere out there is another quiet horse also looking for a reliable sharer ;)
 
WeedySeaDragon said:
I'm in the same boat as a lot of you. I've been riding for 15 years, even had my own horse briefly, but I'm currently just riding once a week at a local riding school.

I keep my eye out for ads looking for sharers but they all tend to be either ponies or youngsters, neither of which I'd be suitable for. I'd love to find someone who just needs an established horse kept ticking ove rbut they seem to be in very short supply round here.
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Which edge of the Yorkshire Dales :D

I know of one or two (not mine) if you are the right side
 
:)

When I get back to the UK I'm going to ask my ex-instructor for a proper evaluation of what I can/can't do. Stop being so wussy and get the horse I've been waiting for for 20+ years!!
 
Umbongo said:
I live in Somerset. However it is difficult finding a share...due to my working hours, working 6 days a week and not a lot of daylight!
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Advertise?

We've got one horse that is too green for my lad to hack out unsupervised yet... And he's too much for me out and about at the moment... I found a lovely young lass on Equine Adverts who was looking for a ride as she was resident at our local university... I don't charge her as it's not a share - I figure she's doing me a favour in riding him out or doing a bit of schooling when she has the time...

SamanthaUK said:
YES!! OMG I'm completely the same.
I am a novice rider though so I'm wanting something that'll teach me more! I can't afford my own or to loan/share.
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Same sort of situation for me... Looking high and low for a plod... A real plod... Daughter has pony, son has loan pony for hacking out with friends and the TB for lessons, heck, even husband has the foal... I get to watch, dish out lessons to the kids, do plenty of ground work - but no riding... :(

marmalade76 said:
You'd probably need to be a bit more subtle than that as it would probably be classed as advertising, sadly.
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Would it breach advertising rules if no money changed hands? ie, horse in need of a rider as opposed to a share that includes a contribution towards the upkeep...
 
Glad its not just me!
I still get to ride at least once a week (at a local stables) but I'm sitting my final A level exams in the summer and then off to Durham University so getting my own horse isnt an option.
I would love to find a horse share a couple of days a week but its proving difficult to find...!
(I live in Northampton if anyone on here is looking for a rider/helper!)
 
Haven't read all the replies, but maybe do like other boards and have a sticky at the top of the page for horses without riders and riders without horses. That way people in a similar area can hook up and maybe work something out. I don't know. Could be an alright idea.

Terri
 
I know the horseless rider feeling all too well!! Even though I'm not exactly classed as a horseless rider but my horse is in a different country whilst I'm at uni..

I've been keeping an eye on adverts but nothing has caught my interest yet. Do people think it's worth putting up an advert if I can only do evenings (plus weekends) and that only during term time?
Good luck to everyone looking for a ride or some time around horses! :)
 
Moment_of_Joy said:
Do people think it's worth putting up an advert if I can only do evenings (plus weekends) and that only during term time?
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I don't see why not... The lass who rides for me can only really make it on weekends or one afternoon during the week... Her study schedule is pretty heavy... She'll also go home during term breaks so I'll have to wangle something for then... She's a really nice rider though so worth it for me and she thoroughly enjoys spending time with him... I'd personally rather her ride when she can than offer a share or some such and introduce expectations of time/duties on both sides... :)
 
Today I feel like posting a thread saying 'Any horsed up riders wishing they were horseless in the snow' ...... most days wouldn't be without the neds but if you want my lot until the snow goes ....?

Seriously, think you are wise waiting until you are in a position to give a horse a good home and good life before taking another one on. Life will surely change and there will be space in you life for a horse and your plans sound quite exciting already.
 
Definitely worth trying to advertise! My two have a sharer each and all of us work full time. The way around it is to have them on assisted livery during the week so all they need is exercise and to have a floodlit school. One lady rides both on Thursdays, one lady does the gelding on Fridays and Saturdays. They are professionally schooled on Tuesdays ... That gives me some evenings off and the neds plenty of exercise. We all compete in different disciplines, do sponsored rides etc. Just depends on keeping the " rota " alive ;-)
 
Dear Horseless riders,

If any of you are in Surrey then I would love the help with my yard. I have about 10 in, they all love a bit of extra fuss, exercise and I love a bit of help mucking out! No charge, but muck out and you can ride as much as you want! I have two girls that do this all ready and its a great arrangement. The keener you are the better and I will transport to shows etc. Only snag is you can't get attached as they are all for sale and you must have your own rider insurance in place.

If anyone is interested PM me for more details.
 
Moment_of_Joy said:
I know the horseless rider feeling all too well!! Even though I'm not exactly classed as a horseless rider but my horse is in a different country whilst I'm at uni..

I've been keeping an eye on adverts but nothing has caught my interest yet. Do people think it's worth putting up an advert if I can only do evenings (plus weekends) and that only during term time?
Good luck to everyone looking for a ride or some time around horses! :)
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depends how far you can travel- if you can get 45 mins by car then i could probably help you as i leave 3 at home when i go away to uni! PM me if you are interested!
 
natalia said:
Dear Horseless riders,

If any of you are in Surrey then I would love the help with my yard. I have about 10 in, they all love a bit of extra fuss, exercise and I love a bit of help mucking out! No charge, but muck out and you can ride as much as you want! I have two girls that do this all ready and its a great arrangement. The keener you are the better and I will transport to shows etc. Only snag is you can't get attached as they are all for sale and you must have your own rider insurance in place.

If anyone is interested PM me for more details.
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Sounds absolutely perfect! I SO wish I lived in Surrey...
 
Well is anyone on the somerset/dorset border is looking for a lovely but green welsh cob to play with in return for doing some pooh picking don't hesitate to get in touch! :)
 
Anyone know of any websites where people would advertise if they need help with their horses?
I've tried the horse exchange, horse deals, adhorse and project horses...any others anyone can recommend?
 
I found Facebook horse communities can be quite helpful here. If anyone is near me (Sussex) I have a lovely 16h rising 5yr old WBxID mare who'd love to be ridden, and is on full livery so no jobs! PM me if interested. :)
 
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