Are we to green to loan

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palo42

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Hi Everyone
I need some strong advise about loaning a horse/pony
After 28 years I started riding again in February (i'm 43) along with my 9 year old daughter and now my son has also recently joined us (aged 10) Hubbys next
I'm desperate to loan but not sure if we are too green, we have limited knowledge as we haven't ever loaned or had our own to look after so ideally we are looking for someone who will advise in this area, but we are so willing to learn and do all the duties that are needed, we don't just want the nice bits as in hacking out we are willing to do field picking, mucking out ect
we have been having one hour lessons and but this just isn't enough and I end up booking again for another hour so its costing me a fortune sometimes about over £100.00 a week especially when we have a private lesson during the week.
I'm thinking If I loaned it would be less expensive and we would get more than a couple of hours riding but most of all a pony to love and cherish as if he/she was our own

So do you think we are to green? Would you loan your horse/pony to us ???

Thank you in advance for your thoughts and views
 
If you are spending £100 or more a week then yes it would be cheaper to loan but if you have limited knowledge it may be a good idea to perhaps look for a share or someone wanting help in exchange for riding to begin with.What area of the country are you in? There are often people on here looking for help. If you were local to me I would be happy to have any help providing you were willing to learn all aspects of horse care and not just in it for riding.However many people are reluctant to have novice help as they want someone who they can trust with their horse on their own.
You could also try the 'horse owners' courses that many riding schools run.These are designed to help you learn about other aspects of horse care other than riding. Also would you not consider perhaps offering your services of help at the riding school you go to now? It would be a great way to learn.
 
Maybe check if the local agri college does any stable management courses. Maybe the riding school does them. Would the riding school maybe allow you to help out and learn that way.
There is more to having a horse than the basic care. ie noticing if they are ill, sometimes the signs are quite subtle and you would need knowledge to spot it.
It is a huge responsibility too, you can't just crawl back under the duvet, even when it's -15 in the middle of winter with the taps at the yard frozen solid and icicles hanging off the end of your nose. Oh god, you have jsut reminded me what i have to look forward to lol.
As you are at the moment I wouldn't dream of loaning a horse to you. I don't doubt that you wouldn't love it or do your best by it but would worry that it's care would suffer due to your lack of knowledge. I'm not being mean but horses can be so fragile.
Once you have got some more experience under your belt, maybe a share of a nice family type horse would be a good way to go.

Please don't think I am trying to put you off but I just think you should know a bit more before you go for it.:D
 
Thank you for your advice, I live in Nottingham and have looked for courses and the nearest is in Derby and I wouldnt get there in time for the lesson. I do help out a little at the stables and they have " own a pony for day" but its very basic, There are online courses that I have looked into but I think I need " hands on " I will take on board you advise and look for someone who needs help rather than loan, and look for stables who run courses for adults not just for the kids
Thank you both, this is just the sort of advise I was looking for. xx
 
As others have said, it's not just about the commitment of looking after a horse, it required knowledge.

Owning a horse entials constantly training it too, so you need to have the experience and knowledge to do so - even an older gentle horse will revert back to a rude pain in the ass if they're not handled correctly daily. It's very different from a riding school where someone else does the training for you, and irons out any problems, And it's VERY easy to loose confidence, both ridden and on the ground.

A share would be ideal but they are hard to find for novice or beginners - not many people have horses suitable for novices or they don't want someone 'messing them up'.

However at £100 a week+ (if that's a feasible budget) you could buy a horse and keep it on full livery at a knoweldge yard that's used to helping novices. That way you have constant help avalible, and someone more experienced looking after the horse for you. Although finding a horse suitable for a novice is a minefield in itself!
 
You won't every NOT be green unless you do hands on. And as others have said there are courses etc that can help with this. But they can't teach for every eventuality, so I personally would say that doing a course and having a loan horse someplace under careful supervision would be okay. However, you also highlight that you are spending £100/ week on lessons...what about your lessons AFTER you've got your loan horse?! That won't get any cheaper, PLUS you have the expense and duty of horse care on top.
 
I agree with some of the above. When I got my first horse on loan I certainly didn't know it all... But my yard owner did. Speak to a local trusted yard and see how far they would be willing to help you and at what cost. You may find with their help, you can bite the bullet and buy your first horse. I had spent the last 8 months looking for a horse to loan and I've been riding and owning horses for years....most people don't want to loan out a perfectly good horse, they usually come with an injury or behavioural problem that you would be too novice to deal with. Have a look at the buyers market and stick to sensible breeds. I also have no less than 100 books covering all angles of horses and riding.... Knowledge is power :)
 
I would have a chat with your riding school and explain the situation. Ask if there are any horses on working livery or full livery who would be grateful of some hands on help in return for a financial contribution (either including riding or not initially.

If you are paying £100 a week for lessons for everyone perhaps split the budget in half and each member of the family have a lesson every other week and use the extra money to contribute financially to a horse to share. That way you get hands on experience AND continue to progress with your riding.

You could perhaps do this through the winter and by spring be ready to share your own or buy something and keep it on livery until you gain more experience...but by then the basic knowledge would be in place and as long as horse remains on livery whilst you continue your vertical learning curve I dont see a problem

It will be very difficult to find a horse or pony suitable for everyone in the family (ridingwise) on a share basis....and I can't imagine anyone wanting their horse to be ridden by several different novices. So thats why I am suggesting maintaining the lessons everyother week.

If you are anywhere near North London, give me a PM. I have a pony I would be happy to let you gain some experience with...(non-riding) as he is still a baby but VERY safe on the ground.

Good Luck.
 
When I got my first horse we did that because we were in the same position that you are now, the riding school only seemed to want you to get so far with the horse care. We looked into loaning but the only horses I could find were either in Scotland (we're in Surrey) or ancient. So my OH lent me enough money to buy a horse. I researched yards, I couldnt really afford full livery so found a DIY yard that was busy enough for there to be someone that could/would help if necessary.

The first morning when I had to muck out was funny - I had never mucked out before, I'd seen it done but never actually done it, it took ages but I got quicker/better. The feeding bit was easy as the feed shop I used was really helpful in giving suggestions on amounts to use and what. I soon found myself being in the position to help others when they were going away for the weekend and am so pleased that I made the leap from riding at a riding school to horse owning. It does upset me that they dont include horse owning skills at a riding school, I can see why as it can lose them business, but they could offer lessons on your own horse so then not lose the business. They were even funny about us keeping a horse on working livery, so sadly for them they did loose our custom.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, maybe look for a share which will give you the back up of the owner being around, that's certainly how my sharers went from a share to horse owning. Be prepared for lots of hard work, early mornings, late nights and wet riding, I wouldnt change it for the world at the moment I have 7 horses and love it.
 
well there are enough of you to help look after horse !I had lessons after getting back into riding after well approx 14 yr break several lessons and then my son wanted to ride i was paying £40 per week lessons for twenty mins each and like you wanted more !I didnt look at loan bought a horse and learnt a lot of stuff again quickly yes i was rusty i was on a farm with no help and things come back very quick had horse a year before i had lessons oh yes and he was three newly broken ! <by the way dont recommend this im aware its unusual for youngster to be laid back >
Id suggest putting ads up intack shops/local horsey forums are good and on here and local paper for weekend help /loan even if its one /two day a week when all your family can help /ride imsure someone will approach you a lot of people do keep horses on part/full livery were there are lots of help around anyway .If you are looking to buy in future you could put possible looking to purchase right horse after six month s or something
good luck in your journey you just have to be confident in your decision and follow it through x
ps have you any local horse charities rspca horse stables near you winters coming and they would be grateful for winter help plus there could be a bonus of the right horse looking for rehoming !
 
What about helping/volunteering at a local rescue to get experience?

You usually have to do some sort of H&S with horses course or similar which involves learning about behaviour, grooming, yard equipment, handling the horse safely, rugging up etc.

I was in the same position as you, and thats what I did (and still do) - it taught me some invaluable lessons, but I got a distinction in my exam (whoop) and without it I would have been a complete numpty when I got my first part share.

Even if you can only do a few hours, one day month - it means so much to the rescues.

And the obvious - books are a great reference tool as well.
 
Thank you all for your advise, I think that you have all confirmed that we do need more experience which if I'm honest I knew deep down but wanted unbiased advise , I did speak to the owner my local riding school ( whom I trust ) who also has livery and she did suggest that if I had full livery we would be OK, but I wasn’t sure of what to do and now you have all confirmed that I was right not to "steam " in, I realise that it’s a massive commitment and wouldn’t want to bite of more than I can chew so to speak, I worry about healthcare side of things, I would hate anything to happen because of my incompetence, So I will definitely look for someone who needs help but willing to advise and teach me, as well as looking further into courses available
Thank You
 
Also, I meant to say - when I got my share i made sure the owner knew I was a bit green and that I may need some help/explaining if its something I haven't come across before.

If you're honest in the first place, then thats on your side too!

She was fine with that - shes grateful for the nights off, and is willing to help when I have any questions.

I think a share or full livery would work better.
Like people say, you do need hands on experience and everyone has to start somewhere - so as long as you're not left to your own devices and have some support and help, and are sensible and have common sense, I don't see why you couldn't do it.

Doing the jobs the horse comes with (and shopping for it) is much more fun than just getting on a horse then off again an hour later!

Good luck!
 
What about contacting a local freelance instructor for private lessons in horse care? You could have a family lesson. Many instructors round here ddo stable management courses - especially in winter. you may even strike lucky and find one that also does livery, so you could train with them initially, and keep your pony there later. They would also have a good knowledge of whats up for sale and loan in the area.
 
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