Can I pick your brains about sharing?

[funnytree]

I am going to see a mare on Sunday with a view to sharing her with her owner. She is on full livery ( I have always kept my horses on DIY so not sure if it's more difficult to bond on full?) The lady who owns her is quite nervous and novice apparently but the horse is a 6 year old bred for dressage and quite sharp, the arrangement would be for me to ride 3/4 days a week and contribute £150 per month.

I am in my 40's and have ridden since a child, in the past I have competed a couple of my horses at affiliated novice but would not call myself a dressage rider by any means. It is so tempting as since having to have my boy pts last year I have missed equine company terribly but at the moment do not have the finances to buy another. But I am worried that it won't work - no idea why!

So, what do you guys think? Does anyone have any experience of sharing on full livery, did you bond with the share horse ok?

Thanks for reading x

 

[ozpoz]

I don't know if other's experiences will help you here, horses and people are so individual. : )

Try him, you may love him or hate him. If the former, then sleep on it before making up your mind. If you don't like him, then hang fire until you find one you do like.

 

[Goldenstar]

I get confused by all this bonding stuff.
If you like riding the horse isn't that enough ?
If you think you can get along with the owner and the horse is nice give it a try .

 

[Micropony]

IME there aren't many full livery grooms who will get upset with you for doing part of their job for them (as long as you fit in with routine etc.), so I really wouldn't have thought it would be a problem if you wanted to turn out, catch in, skip out, brush horse etc. Full livery means so many different things to different people anyway. You might even find that without all the "time hoover" jobs that come with diy you have more time to spend with the horse getting to know it.
With a less experienced owner full livery might even be a blessing - I think the hardest thing about being a sharer is when you feel the horse isn't being looked after properly. Could still happen with full livery, but you can be reasonably confident the basic feed, hay, water, clean bed, routine etc will be fine.

 

[Elrothiel02]

I have been sharing a mare on full livery for two months now and I would say we are pretty good friends. I wouldn't say we have 'bonded' but she certainly know who I am and will come up to me in the field and whatnot.