Do you let others ride your horses?

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horseloverr

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I have just recently moved to a new yard (3 weeks ago.) Since moving to that yard, I have not been able to ride my horse for medical reasons.

There is a young girl at my yard that I think is a very competent rider and I asked her if she would mind riding my horse a few days a week until I am able again.

To my surprise, she looked completely taken aback and basically we got into the yard discussion that no one liked other people riding their horses, which personally, regarding they are competent riders, I do not see a problem?!?

Other people's views on this would be very helpful, as I am a bit "bamboozled!"
 
I'm quite fussy about who I will let ride my 5yo ex-racehorse but there are a couple of competent, experienced girls at the yard who I will happily let school him. It's not a big deal here!
 
Theres a select couple of people I let ride my mare.
Simply because I am good friends with them and have seen them ride her, and am happy with how they would ride her/deal with anything that should happen :)
 
I let my friends daughter ride my old chap on the beach at Norfolk once she was amazed how great he was - as he was a cob think she thought he would be badly schooled and dead to the leg:)

Is this girl too busy with her own horse perhaps, it's a compliment that you thought to ask her:)
 
Yes, absolutely. I think it is important for a horse to be able to be ridden by different people, and generally highlights if they are well schooled or not ;)

I have taught a few novices to ride using my old chestnut, and he has introduced plenty of riders to their first jumping competitions. There are only a few people who have ever hacked him though, when he does need a confident (though not necessarily experienced) rider :)
 
I allow 2 people to ride my horse, I pay them to school him when I can't.

I would allow 3 of my friends to ride if they aked but they have their own so they don't.

I do not let novices on my horse at all, even when my boss asked to ride him I paid a fortune tot ride a trekking horse rather than let her ride mine :D
 
I encourage others to ride nugz - he's young and I think it is important for a horses education to have others riding them. He's good in that if you can't ride, he won't move without a lead from the ground. In company he would be the same hacking.

Rosie on the other hand I would've happily let loose with an unknown rider, but hacking was always a no-no as while beyond bomproof, she didn't have a 3rd gear only amble, bog-off trot or warp speed gallop and it was too much of a risk.

I think people now get too worried about 'what-if', either through their own riding nerves/confidence (which is my issue) or concern if something happens.
 
Good question!

I have one friend whom I let ride my mare when I cant & another friend rides her the odd time but ONLY in the Indoor just in case... Am very over cautious but would be worried about too many diff people riding her as she can be a bit of a handful at times.
 
My old boy was brilliant at knowing how good he had to be- he'd be a star for my mum's nervous novice friend out hacking, and would then career wildly about being a tit with me. Jumping wise, he was just amazing- if you pointed, he went. He was quite opinionated about strides (his way or no way!) but would never ever stop. I hated watching other people jump him though as I was insanely jealous- he was MINE :D
 
Yes I love seeing people on my horses I do have to be careful with my mare though as she is a handful so only a couple of people have sat on her. My gelding I pretty much would let anyone ride and my New Forest.
 
I own 3 horses, Dolly 19, Mac 15, and Ollie who is 4. There are a few people I know and trust who ride ride Doll. Although she is 19, and "a cob" she can be very nappy and sharp. I wouldn't want her to put in one of her killer swerves and have someone off. Mac is the most bombproof horse I know, and I would put my Nan on him of it came to it. Have often taken out friends of friends on hacks, and my young nephew, who we have recently adopted hacks out regularly with us on him. Ollie the 4 year old, has 2 people who ride him at the moment, and I wouldn't let anybody else ride him. A, I don't wont him ruined, and B, he is my baby, although I am too heavy too ride him myself at the moment. Have lost 2.5st, and only have another stone to lose myself, but even then, will only be us 3 who ride him.
 
Yes I do. Im currently nursing a broken ankle and am not going to be able to ride this side of Christmas. My girls only 6 and I think it will do her good to be in work till I can ride again. My 3 year old has been lightly backed and will be professionally schooled when 4 by someone else because I don't have the experience. :)
 
No. I work really hard for my horses and enjoy my riding. I will let total novices potter about closely supervised on b1 and I have had a friend on b2 when he was divving about. Hated it. pingpongPony is meant to be getting on this weekend as I think it would be good if she rides him every couple of months so if i'm ever really ill (or pregnant) she can help keep him ticking over. I hate other people on my horses though
 
My pony, yes, and my partners old mare has been ridden by others. The arabs, my older mare has never been ridden by anyone else, I backed her, and no one else has ever sat on her. My younger mare has been ridden by my partner a few times, but I would never let anyone else ride her.
 
Yes, but I'm very picky. Kal is sharp, opinionated and quirky . . . and I only let people who will help me continue his education in the best way for him and me ride him. I've been lucky enough to find a couple of sensitive, firm, talented riders to help me school him up . . . but I certainly wouldn't let just anyone on him.

P
 
Yes. My 14.2 is a schoolmistress, loads of people have ridden her. Only allow them to unsupervised when I know them well enough. Nobody else has yet ridden daughters 5yr old except her. Not a first pony type & too forwards to trust with a novice on lr. Also only 11.1 & fine, so really only big enough for kids. The few kids I do see around who I would think capable have their own, & none close enough to do a 10min swop. Ideally, I would like to introduce her to other riders though, think its in the horses interest.
 
Not often as he can be quite naughty - I pay a professional ride to school him and sometimes hack if I'm away. Last time I let a non-professional rider hack him out he span around on the road slipped over in front of a queue of traffic and injured himself setting back months of physio and vet treatment. He isn't that difficult but people are dumb and do dumb things even people who you thought would know better!

I would let someone ride him supervised in a school but only when I know the conditions are right as he is very spooky and can take off with you.
 
Wow thanks for all the replies!

Was so interesting you read all of the replies...glad I am most definitely not the only one who doesn't see much of a problem with it!

But also after reading the replies I see why some may not...

Thank you!
 
I let a few friends ride my boy - mainly out hacking with me. But that's about it. He can be quite fussy about who he does and doesn't like riding him, especially when it comes to schooling so I am careful about who I let sit on him.
 
Generally I don't let others ride my boy - people have had a sit on him but not many and not regularly.

Y/O would occasionally have a sit on him if her pony was off games.

There is another livery who's pony is out of action who I let ride on the day's I'm not up - she's such a lovely rider - quite and calm and very sensible for her age.

I don't have any concerns about her riding him or hacking him out.
 
Of course, as long as they have a good seat and are not dependant on the reins I am happy to let others ride them, I learnt from riding anything I could get on and I don't see why others who some would consider lesser riders should not learn from mine and then hopefully try to improve their own once they know how a schooled horse feels
 
I also think it is an important skill for a horse to be capable or being ridden by various people.

Mine is ridden fairly regularly by my husband as well as me and there are a couple of other people who ride her when I'm not around too. I'm going to stick my ten year old nephew who has only ridden riding school ponies on her soon too! I'll let anyone careful and willing to learn on her. She's very sensible too.
 
I was once at a yard where the yard owner did a schooling service, no one was allowed to ride or lunge or sit in the school offering encouragement to anyone else for fear of the rath of the father !
 
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