Buy / carry on sharing or another loan??

[Olderrider73]

Need help making up my mind, I currently share my friends horse but don’t get that much opportunity to have him for myself for a decent hack and she’s started to invite her friend to come along with us too .. do I carry in with this arrangement or do I buy my own horse so I can do what I want and when I want to or do I part Loan another horse. Where I get set days all to myself. I’m a grown adult and perfectly capable of being in my own…

 

[saddlesore]

It really depends on your circumstances. If you buy do you have space booked on a suitable yard? Are you able to do 7 days a week or can you afford part or full livery? Will you have time to exercise your horse frequently enough? To state the obvious if you own then the buck stops with you in terms of care, exercise, training and the MANY bills! That said, I’ve owned for 30 years and I would hate the lack of control via sharing. Another thing to bare in mind is that horse prices are crazy atm ?

 

[Skib]

There is a third choice. To buy or to find a different share.
Sharing with a friend is different from sharing on a contract where you have definite days. But any sharing is a 3 way relationship between sharer, owner and horse. If you like this horse, I would discuss with the owner having set times for using the horse and also for riding solo if that is what you want. I assume you are paying her?

There are benefits to sharing. I would love to own a horse and could probably afford it, but twice now I have shared long term. Sharing means I can ride just twice a week and (in my case) with no obligation to do yard work or to ride in this heat. I can go for lessons or hack elsewhere if I want and have never been tied to one particular horse.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

As the horse market is a bit mad at the moment anyway I’d hold off a bit longer and maybe find a share where you’ve more days and more responsibility. That doesn’t stop you from then planning to get your own if that’s an itch you want to scratch. .

Having your own is both fantastic and full of trials and disappointment. It’s wonderful at times and also very stressful and heartbreaking when things don’t go to plan. It’s often our dream but can turn into a nightmare. As long as you accept this and don’t mind your life and all your money being spent on it then at some point definitely get your own there is nothing like it.

 

[Wishfilly]

It sounds like you're no longer happy in this set up, so I would look for an alternative.

Do you really want to own, or is it just that you are unhappy in the share? If you want to own, I think I would try to plan for that to happen, if possible, but if you aren't really fussed, I would try another share first, if you can find something suitable.

Is owning financially viable for you at the moment?

 

[Vodkagirly]

Can you talk to your friend and see if you can resolve the issue? Otherwise I would look for another share. The market is crazy at the moment and it's not a good time to e looking for a first horse.

 

[Lipglosspukka]

Have a chat with your friend.

If she's a good friend, or indeed just a normal person, then she will understand if you want to do some bits alone with the horse.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I’d also have a chat. Can you formalise the share so you have definite days where nobody else rides him? I used to share a tb with a friend and I’d turn up on my day to find she’d been used for a lesson and was dripping. Didn’t last long.