Do experienced riders in Edinburgh area exist for sharing?

[Noodlejaffa]

I'm going through a moral dilemma at the moment. To cut a very long story short, I've had to sell two of my horses earlier this year, (kept the third one) due to impending divorce. Even house/yard up for sale and it's not shifting either. All very traumatic, but glad I've kept my mare (if only for my own sanity!).

I shifted my mare to a yard near Edinburgh 6 months ago and really love it. Floodlit arenas, wee indoor, lovely fields, great stables, excellent hacking - generally a very pleasant place to be.

However, now that I'm all by myself, I'm struggling to fit in the amount of riding I used to do, as well as mucking out, working full time, etc. I've always told myself I would never loan any of my horses as I had a very bad experience in the past with a mare of mine coming back in a particularly sorry state. But now I'm contemplating whether I should think about a sharer, even for just 2/3 days a week.

I would only be looking for someone who wanted to hack out, and absolutely no chores involved! But my mare would require an experienced rider as she's a sensitive sole who can be rather stubborn when she choses to.

Do experienced riders (with their own transport) exist in the Edinburgh area who'd be looking for a share like this? I just fear being bombarded with enquiries from unsuitable people if I advertised.

And where would be the best place to start looking?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

you could try a couple of the more competitive riding clubs-they might have some non-owner riders, also the universities-lots of students that couldn't keep their own horses. depends where she's kept really, i.e. travelling distance.

 

[gembear]

you could always advertise on the FB pages.
you probably will get a couple of responses that might not be quite right, but so long as you give as much info as possible as to the type of rider you want and the horse then that should be limited.

ultimately though, it will depend on how much £££ you're looking for and location.
it's normally teenagers/students looking for shares and they tend not to drive.

 

[jmlima]

...
it's normally teenagers/students looking for shares....

Hey, I resent that!

Gumtree might be a solution for advertise. You WILL get some people completely unsuitable answering your ad, but with a bit of patience and clever questioning you can sort them out before wasting a lot of time.

 

[gembear]

Hey, I resent that!

Gumtree might be a solution for advertise. You WILL get some people completely unsuitable answering your ad, but with a bit of patience and clever questioning you can sort them out before wasting a lot of time.

Ha! I'm outside that bracket too. I'm an adult and currently have my first part loan after I started looking earlier this summer.
I'm not experienced however, but a novice rider

I would always bypass any ad that advertised as "experienced", i've never been one to exaggerate my abilities and won't pretend I know everything. I do know that plenty of people do however, but like jmlima said you can weed most of those out through a few email exchanges saves wasting your time.

 

[kirstyfk]

If I had my own car I would jump at the chance! Unfortunately I don't. If it was 6 months ago my sister would have been ideal but she is moving going travelling in a months time. I'll ask her though as she might still like to ride up until she goes.

 

[Kallibear]

I think you might struggle. The kind of experienced rider you'll be wanting is most likely wanting to school and jump too. I know I wouldn't really be that interested in paying someone to just hack.

However if you're not asking any money you'll poss find a student or similar just wanting saddle time.

 

[Noodlejaffa]

Not looking for any money. It's a time issue, not a financial issue.

 

[Sayra]

Where is the yard, we have a student who has just started a placement at my work and who is renting a flat in Edinburgh. She has left her horse at home and was talking the other day about trying to find a share/something.

I don't know how experienced or anything she is but if you want me to get her contact details for you, i can. She doesn't have a car so maybe where your yard is won't be suitable for her anyway?

 

[Jojoba]

Sayra - send her my way if noodlejaffa isn't suitable