Any such thing as hire a horse?

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MazM

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Hi, I have not long started riding lessons and just wondered for future reference when I have learnt more.If there was any such thing as hiring a horse for a couple of hours, or a day in Cheshire area? At a yard so that I could practise more. Thanks
 
Hi are you referring to pracitce more as in your riding or just experience being around horses? I'd say when you are more experienced you could part loan a horse but I'd look at maybe asking if you can help at the riding school you are having your lessons at if you are after more experience. It is amazing how much you will pick up from watching others too. My daughter has found a riding school to help and volunteer at while she is at uni, she loves it getting her 'fix' but has interesting stories to tell after!
 
It is virtually impossible to hire a horse from a normal riding school. The licence and insurance covers them only when a member of staff is supervising a client. Hire yards do exist with a hiring license - I believe to hire horses for Hunts. But when my RS wanted to give me the share of my long term favourite we could not insure.
I agree that is is very annoying that when one learns to ride one may have lessons but not be allowed a session to practise between lessons. Unlike learning a musical instrument or a language.
 
If you are personable, honest, reliable, hardworking and will give a £ contribution then I think, when you have gained some riding experience, you would be able to find a share horse. I shared one with someone with only riding school type experience, but she was all of the above and I was quite happy to share a couple of days a week with excellent communication as to any issues.

Alternatively, I know a couple of yards who hire horses. They do hunter hirelings, usually send an escort, and would be unlikely to let an unknown person go out hacking alone... but they would be OK for a sensible person to have a play in the school.

It may help if you say which area you are in?
 
Red-1 said:
If you are personable, honest, reliable, hardworking and will give a £ contribution then I think, when you have gained some riding experience, you would be able to find a share horse. I shared one with someone with only riding school type experience, but she was all of the above and I was quite happy to share a couple of days a week with excellent communication as to any issues.

Alternatively, I know a couple of yards who hire horses. They do hunter hirelings, usually send an escort, and would be unlikely to let an unknown person go out hacking alone... but they would be OK for a sensible person to have a play in the school.

It may help if you say which area you are in?
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Thanks for your reply. I'm from the Cheshire East area. I would look into a horse share in the future but most want someone who is experienced and not a novice. I'm unsure of what is classed as a novice and what is considered experienced. I would love to be able to have a play in a school to spend more time with horses and learn.
 
SamBean said:
Hi are you referring to pracitce more as in your riding or just experience being around horses? I'd say when you are more experienced you could part loan a horse but I'd look at maybe asking if you can help at the riding school you are having your lessons at if you are after more experience. It is amazing how much you will pick up from watching others too. My daughter has found a riding school to help and volunteer at while she is at uni, she loves it getting her 'fix' but has interesting stories to tell after!
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Hi, I wouldn't mind both. Yes, I have thought about volunteering at a riding school. I will probably look in to it more.
 
If you use the search function on here you will find threads about what is a novice rider. Most will agree if your only experience is riding school then you are a novice. The problem is most private horse owners do not want their horse practice on because good training is easily ruined. When you look for a share horse if you make it clear that you want to have lessons on it as well as practice by yourself then you might have more luck finding someone to take a chance on you. You get lessons by joining a riding club and paying for transport to get the horse there or by hiring a freelance instructor to come to the yard where the horse is kept. Neither is cheap. Understand too that a share horse is not a hire but a commitment to care for it you cannot just decided not to come one week because of holiday sickness or busy. The other option is to sign up for an equine college course if you have time for it you would get lots of riding although in terms of cost I am unsure how it compares to paying for lessons by the hour.
 
After having weekly lessons for six years, I'm still a novice rider, and I wouldn't hack out alone. The closest I've been to being "independent" was at the Equirando earlier this year (here's a link to the thread).

And even though I was technically not under the supervision of our group leader when I went back, tacked up and rode over to the trec and archery area, there were literally a thousand horsey people around who would have been able to lend a hand if I had got out of my depth.

In a few weeks, I'll be taking my level three test; level four is generally considered to be "independent rider" level.

Over here in France, it's not that hard to find somebody who will organise hacking by the hour, half day or full day, who will know where to find horses to suit the riders' different weights and levels of experience, and has insurance coverage, and can organise a lorry, van or trailer if you need to transport the horses to a suitable patch of land. I've done this where live year-round, and also down in the south west where we have a holiday home.
 
Anyone who is providing a horse for financial reward, ie - hire and reward, must hold a licence under the new Defra Animal Welfare Act of 2018. That includes hunter hirelings, hacking horses, trekking horses and of course, riding schools.

If Carl Hester wanted to give you a lesson on one of his horses he would need a licence for instance.

The law has seen major changes regarding animal activities over the last 12 months.

https://assets.publishing.service.g...nimal-welfare-licensing-hiring-out-horses.pdf
 
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