BRAIN PICKING TIME! - Amateur getting 'the ride' on a potential/current comp horse?

MontyandZoom said:
I was thinking about this just yesterday!!! :)

Zoomy is a super duper little mare and has taught me alot and got me from being scared of jumping to doing 2'6 hunter trials. However, she is at the end of the day a one-eyed polo pony who can't really go any further :(

We are seriously considering breeding from her while I am at uni since she a nicely bred, well put together mare with a heart of gold. I am getting more confident jumping, however I am not experienced enough to bring a green horse on jumping (even though I have with Zoom....but she's not a youngster!).

Something like this would REALLY work for me. I am not good enough to BE compete but would like to do unaff ODEs etc and having somebody get the horse out competing would be awesome. I think you would definately get some interest.....I suppose it depends what caliber of horse you are looking for.

Do you want to wait 5 years and bring on Zoom's baby??!! ;)
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Give me a PM in 5 yrs ;)
 
millitiger said:
i think it is definitely doable- when i wasn't working fulltime and the horses were at home, i picked up quite a few rides (the best was bizarrely from a lady my mum played golf with who was having a few issues with her horse) and the owners were paying for more than just entry fees.

my only consideration would perhaps be to swap the owner paying for lessons and instead ask them to pay for shoes?
i'm not sure about many people being comfortable paying for lessons but not riding.
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Oh yeah that's a good idea shoes rather than lessons
 
I think you would need to market yourself carefully. If you are experienced at bringing on youngsters, then that is the market you would need to aim for, as people would then see that they were gaining from the arrangement. In a way it's a sort of inexpensive sales livery, for a period of x months, if that makes sense?
 
OH does this but he is sort of semi-pro. He trains young horses for some of the many small breeders near us and has managed to secure one for competing on next year.

Not very helpful to you but there is a fantastic system over here (Belgium) where the regional equestrian body arranges and sponsors (a bit of food, training courses and vetting) good horses to be distributed to good riders for competing. OH has had a horse through this scheme but he increased her value so much that the owner decided to sell her..........without offering any of the profit to OH. I think he'll be looking a bit more carefully at his contract in future.

But, there may be people out there in the UK who would like a youngster competed to increase it's value?

Good luck anyway! :)
 
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sorry havent read all the replies, but my take on it, is that it will be very very hard to find anything half decent. When i was horseless, we put an ad out in the local paper, and pretty much all the replies were either completely duff horses, nutcases, or just owners wanting you to 'school' maybe do the odd compe on their horses, for their benefit so they can jump back on later down the line and have a more experienced horse. I dont think its impossible, but i think you will find it very hard to find something, and if you do, i think you will have to spend ALOT of time and effort before considering competing it.

I got an email not too long ago offering me a horse, but we had 2 horses so no room/money, and still now we only have one, couldnt afford another.. I can send you what she sent me if you want. Looks like a talented horse, only 15.2 i think, and only 4.. but i dont think you will find anything much 'better' unless you have some serious luck or serious contacts :p PM me if you want me to fish it out for you :)

Good luck - sorry not meaning to put a downer on your search, but from my experience, it will be a struggle - however, you have your own faccilities, and an adult - 2 bonuses above me, already :p
 
I would consider it, however, there is no way I would pay for you to have training, if I was placing a horse with you I would hope you were more than capable of training the horse yourself, and any training you would be having was for you, NOT my horse...if you are with me! Juno has a very unique set up IMO and is very, very fortunate to have networked some generous contacts.....well done Juno, but I think he is the exception TBH.

I think you would be best placed to look for a loan, maybe of an Adv horse that is looking to be downgraded but that the owner doesn't want to part with?
 
Before I had my kids, it's something I might have been interested for my horse who had lots of potential. So, I would say yes, you would have been exactly the sort of person who I might have considered. However, like others have said, I wouldn't consider lessons. Contribution to shoes or livery in some way, yes, possibly entry fees with consultation and agreement. I do think your market would be quite limited and you would need to 'prove' yourself in some way, provide references and build a reputation. I do think word of mouth is the way to go and build your reputation from there. Good luck,

Sue
 
Maybe someone going to uni might have a horse to loan out - as they won't have time for it but will still want it back after they've graduated or have a bit of a play with it during the holidays. I'd consider that for Wilby if he turns out to have more potential than I'd reckoned :)
 
Although I'm not pregnant at the moment I very much hope I'll be able to find someone for this sort of arrangement when the time comes. Lil would hate having a year off and I don't want to spend all the time and money that I am at the moment getting her ready to go BE just for her to have a few runs and then become a posh field ornament.

I probably wouldn't advertise her though, I'll hope to be able to find someone local through word of mouth as I can just imagine the number of nutters and numpties I'd get wanting to loan her if I advertised her on horsemart.
 
Just going to throw in my opinion, because I can :D

I can see that it's possible someone would want to have someone ride their horse. A bit small, I know, but I had a 14.3 mare that had bags of talent, quirky, but talented (jumped 4'3 easily, I'd got her flatwork up to aprox. elementary depending on the day of the week!) and I loved her to bits - but I knew that really, she ought to be in a competition home. If I'd known of someone locally who'd take her on and event her, I'd have loved it! Especially if i could still visit and have the odd ride ;)

Tbh, I'd love to see someone do something with Danny - doubt I'll ever have the talent, he's not an impessive looking horse but he's got a good jump in him and can pull off a reasonable dressage test though he isn't very careful.... I just doubt anyone would take him on as he's so 'ordinary'!
That, and he's miiiinnneee :D Sorry!

Good luck anyway, I hope you figure something out!
 
Certainly possible, in fact the rider that got my eventer I met her at the pub, got talking to her a few times, asked around about her, liked her, liked the way she rode. She is an amatuer but 100% dedicated and I paid his shoeing and half all competition fees (we split prize money) and it has worked very well. Certainly more satisfying as an owner to see a good rider that just needs a good horse going up the grades rather than paying a pro. I feel it is far more personal, regularly updated, have a say in decision about his career. For her she knows he will never be taken off of her (he will never be for sale), can afford to compete as finances are supported, has been offered more rides as her profile and results have improved.

I am actually seriously considering this again with a 5 year old that I have sat in the field due to lack of time.

It has to be an arrangement that works for both parties, but it is possible and she has achieved great results with him.
 
Well, well, I do wish you a lot of luck. I read your post earlier on in the day when I should have been working and have now just go home from seeing to the nags and taking L to PC dressage training. However, I think you may have a bit of a struggle finding just the right sort of person to take on their horse and pay for most of it. As you know, we do have some connections via our YO and her business partner (not revealing who it is on an open forum, but I know you know of whom I speak). Will definitely get YO to ask around for you, but I would not be overly optimistic. From my limited experience, it would sound like it would suit someone who has a nice competition horse and who is pregnant and does not want them to go to waste. Or the small breeder option might be another option, like another post further on up.

I do wish you luck with it, and I am still working on the other 'project' and its not a lost cause - business partner is coming around to the idea that eventing is great for our business - slowly, slowly, catchey monkey as they say!!!!!!
 
Gah why weren't you looking for this last year :-(

I would have loved a set up like this (I agree though I wouldn't contribute to lessons though unless they were with a trainer that I chose) to keep my horse being competed last year when I was pregnant.

I think that although you are a 'stranger' you come across as a sensible, devoted horsewoman who obviously cares a lot about your horses. For me, and I should imagine many others, that would mean more to me than sending my horse to a pro.

So yes, I think it is doable.
Good luck and I will keep my eyes and ears open for you.
 
Quick reply as I havn't read the rest of the replies...

I think that there are folk out there who would be willing to get involved, I know I'd do it. I have 3 TBs and just don't have the time and money to work them all how I would like too, having someone take one on to go compete would be awesome. I love being an 'owner' at comps, and have had folk involved previously competing one of them in particular however it's never lasted as it's always been an informal agreement. Also I'm picky about who sits on them (aren't we all?) but your blog etc make it all very easy and honest and open to keep in touch and see them progress.

Sounds like an ideal situation to someone like me... :)

Good luck!
 
Keep putting the word around and someone will come up with an offer! Just be a bit fussy/sensible so that you're not taking on an idiot!

I'm an amateur and I got the ride on a youngster, through word of mouth. I took him to his first events, doing intro and pre novice. He did stay with owners most of the time but they paid me to go ride him, paid his entries fees etc. It worked really well, and they felt involved. They didn't want him to be a number in a big yard, being schooled by the working pupils and only sat on by a pro at events. (Sadly he was injured in the field out of season, and although he's made a full recovery he is not eventing).

I acquired the horse I currently own and compete at Novice, by swapping a quiet TB I had which didn't jump but had good paces for dressage. They wanted a safe hack, and didn't want the quirks of their older eventer. His quirks are he gets very tense dressage, so we'll never get placed, but he's such fun XC and I'm getting the experience over bigger, technical tracks. I do have to pay everything for him though as he's mine, but I would never have been able to afford a horse of his talent had it not been for the chance conversation struck up with his original owner.

So don't give up!
 
weezy said:
i would consider it, however, there is no way i would pay for you to have training, if i was placing a horse with you i would hope you were more than capable of training the horse yourself, and any training you would be having was for you, not my horse...if you are with me! Juno has a very unique set up imo and is very, very fortunate to have networked some generous contacts.....well done juno, but i think he is the exception tbh.

I think you would be best placed to look for a loan, maybe of an adv horse that is looking to be downgraded but that the owner doesn't want to part with?
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totally agree with above, and i think most owners would be looking for someone who has competed further than pn, sorry, as they will expect you to educate the horse, not the other way round. Maybe you need to look for a loan schoolmaster who can take you up the ranks before, or at the same time, you are looking for other rides. There are too many other riders who have competed at a higher level who will get the ride before you.
 
I'm still kicking myself, a few years ago I was offered a fantastic horse to event, the owners were going to pay for everything, including entry fees, lessons, livery, shoes etc. They also had a lorry that I could have used to go eventing. All I had to do was ride him!

I said no... :(
 
Somebody offered me something very similar, only they were going to pay for full livery and keep, and I'd either get lessons or school it myself. Competition fees I think were going to be fit. I turned it down. I know it sounds weird, but let me explain ;)

Basically..my concern was that (esp given she was fairly green) although I was promised that I'd keep her long term, I was pretty worried I was going to be used to get some schooling on the horse and some experience then she'd be sold from under my feet. Obviously this varies from person to person but her situation was that she couldn't ride competitively any longer but didn't want to sell the mare. Still...it was just a feeling. Also, she paddled a lot with her left leg which worried me (irrelevant really seeing as I was explaining a possible downside unrelated to the horse)

Turned out I made the right choice as a couple months later I saw the same mare for sale as a broodmare due to unsuitability for riding. Obviously different reasons, but I'm fairly sure it would've come down to selling her anyway.

Having said that...I now have been offered another horse at my yard to ride and compete as a 'back up' horse (even though it's higher level than mine - just older) and I pay nothing towards livery or any of that, but I will pay competition fees. I get to tow with his vehicle and box though, so its not all bad :)

Sooo that's my take. It's possible, but just be certain the owner has no suspicious motives or anything going on, and hopefully you'll be fine :)
 
Thank you so much everyone this really has opened a few different avenues and given me some more options to think about which I hadn't considered before. I guess the key is to work out what I want and as a result what I can offer the loaner.

I've started keeping an expenses spreadsheet so that I can work out how much budget I have available for 2 horses and exactly what I would need the loaner to help out with figures wise.

It seems that shoes, half the entry fees, and livery are the 3 areas people would be prepared to contribute towards ranging from one to all 3 so there's some food for thought for my budgeting

and a few options of....

keeping a comp horse going when owner is pregnant
Bringing on a younger horse
taking on a more advanced horse but downgrading

Hhhmmmmm..... *scratches head* thanks peeps lots to put my thinking cap on for

Ta :)
 
Salcey said:
Hard but not impossible I'd say. Have you thought of smaller time breeders who are desperate to get their youngstock up and doing and getting recognised but maybe don't have a jockey to get them there. Just a thought!
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I so wish you were closer to me Chloe, just the sort of person I've wanted and am looking for.
 
Chloe_GHE said:
I just Googled Wynnstay you are 193 miles away :(
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That's what I meant although we're not quite that far from you, about 40 mile from Weston Park! That far and I'd never get any benefit from it myself as I wouldn't be able to travel down or feel I was involved in any way and if I had a horse 'doing' things, I want to be able to see it doing them; shame.
 
Haven't read every single reply but years ago I good a horse who I didn't want to sell but for personal reasons couldn't "keep" for a few months. He went off to one of the colleges (this worked well for me, but others I know have had mixed results). However, an alternative would have been someone who could keep him to a good standard/ride him and compete him but without too much financial input from me, so I would think there are various reasons why people have horses they cannot compete for a season and are looking for a home for them.
 
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