Do you school or let others school your horse for free?

JackDaniels1

JackDaniels1

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Think i'm on a good deal here!

I contacted a lady who put an advert up about schooling and exercsing horses for free - she didn't want payment and she didn't want to pay the owners either. She is experienced and loves a good project horse. I contacted her with regards to schooling my mare a couple of days a week for me, she came out today and she rode her beautifully
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A couple of people are saying to me, I should be charging her but she is doing me a favour by exercising her
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sounds like a win win situation to me, if you need help with schooling your horse and shes up to the job and doesnt want paying for it then y on earth would u b charging her?! tell them to shut up!
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I didn't pay to ride my old share horse. I would also get given his tack to take home and could just go down whenever i wanted to ride.

At the end of the day, if you are happy for her not to make a financial contribution and you are happy with the way she ride like you said she is doing you a favor and at the same time, you are doing her a favor by letting her ride your horse.
 
Ignore them! If she is benefiting your mare with her riding and helping you out by keeping her schooled why would you ever spoil it by asking her to pay you???!
 
I actually get paid for schooling someones horse- Would do it for free and tell them that but they are also my boss for my other job. They know I'm no professional rider
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I wouldn't let anyone school Pip, for money either way or not
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my friend is on a horsey college course, i let her ride one of our horses every so often for free, in return she looks after them when we are on holiday. She gets practice in and i get a horse exercised when i am too busy sometimes , its a win-win situation !
 
I would agree with what's been said so far.

Not meaning to hijack, but I've been vaguely thinking about this issue for a while now - the difference between a sharer and someone who rides other people's horses professionally (but as a freelance, not necessarily as a competitor etc). Before I went to uni I was a freelance rider and groom. I worked for people in a variety of disciplines and provided different services (oo-er
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) but I was paid for all of it even though some of the situations (e.g. one client had a county-level M&M worker that I schooled, hacked and occasionally competed; I often had a few days' hunting or lessons on others' horses) might have looked like a share from the outside. It never occurred to any of us that it was anything other than my living and most of my clients were the first to suggest pay rises at the start of each season. The only ride I took on for free I did because she was a good horse left sitting in a field and I certainly never had to make a financial contribution (other than the amount of money I put into our training which enabled her owner to sell her for a handsome profit
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)
Now, ten years on, although I'm not as fit as I was I still have the skills I had then (and quite a bit more patience). I now find myself providing the same services (and some casual instructing) for the princely sum of £100 a month! I don't begrudge this, don't get me wrong, as I wouldn't have been able after some years off riding to just step straight back in as a professional, and I'm in a great environment where we're all good friends; but since I moved away from home the horsey people I know now think of me as the sharer, not as a local freelance. Just wondering if I've marketed myself wrong!
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Sorry this is so long!
 
I used to school horses for free, loved a project and would very often start riding one and get asked to do 3 others! Loved it though and at the time couldn't afford my own! No doubt it will suit all!

p.s. This was how i ended up with my horse as the owners decided they couldn't cope anymore, so watch out she doesn't get poached by someone else on your yard :-)
 
I ride B for someone else. I don't contribute financially and I don't get paid to do it. I do it because I enjoy it, the owners were having problems and a lack of time. I do it because I enjoy it, and enjoy working a horse that isn't straightforward. People say I should charge but I feel that I am getting to do something I enjoy doing for free. It's like I have my own horse, no one else rides her and it doesn't cost me anything, plus I am also working their haffie too.

Although I am hoping to take her on loan....
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It's the same old debate - usually it's about sharing though - does the owner pay the helper/rider, or the other way? Personally I wouldn't ask for money from any sharer/rider, and apart from when I work I don't expect to be paid or have to pay for a long-term, regular share. I do do some freelance grooming, for which I am available on demand and expect payment for my services, but my "share/ride for pleasure" horses are done without money changing hands.
It's always worked for me!
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What's wrong with a good old-fashioned symbiotic relationship?

Why does everything these days have to have a price attached?

She wants a horse to ride, and you want someone to ride your horse. Sounds perfect to me, and no need for any money to be involved.
 
Sounds a fair arrangement for you both.However ,it would be wise to have some sort of insurance in place ,just incase she had an accident .You should certainly make sure you are covered for third party liability if she is hacking out.I know this sounds boring,but even good relationships with friends can turn sour if someone is seriously injured or at worst killed.You could lose everything you own ,so check you are covered!
 
If your happy with the lady riding then I dont see the problem
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I have a friend that used to ride my last mare, Shes started to come out and ride my youngster and shes doing a great job, She gets the riding and I get a routine going with my youngster as at the minute I am not finding the time of day . Works out well for both of us .

At the same time I won't let just anyone ride her , They have to be understanding and firm .

As long as you are happy in the situation then happy days
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Why does it always have to be about money? To me if you get a good rider who is happy and capable to school/ride your horse without any money changing hands then what is wrong with that?

I would be only too please to have somebody do that for me, Where do you live JackDaniels1? lol
 
I look after 2 ponies and a horse for free. But I'm the only only one whos rides one and can do what ever I want with him. The owners arent around all the time so its a win win situation
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Someone rides one of my horses (she likes schooling). She doesn't want the commitment of her own horse and offered to pay me, but I am happy to have someone to ride him on the days I work. I find it a huge help.
 
I think it is all in relation to how much more experienced the "sharer" is than the owner. I would love to find someone decent to ride mine for free, but by good I mean riding to at least advanced level well. As this is never going to happen, I pay a pro to school him the days I can't get up there.

I would gladly school someone's horse for free if I felt I could genuinely help them improve. Its great to learn by riding as many horses as possible.
 
Win win!! I have a lady who rides and competes one of mine, she has brought him on leaps and bounds as i simply don't have the ability or time!! I wouldn't dream of charging her a weekly fee as some have suggested?! she does give me half towards shoes though, and arrangement that suits us both - I have seen "shares" advertised in my area for £120 per month - more than the cost of the DIY livery they are on and for 3 days on a plodder!! I think if you are having to charge that amount of money because you can't afford to look after your horse, you should look long and hard at your situation...what if the sharer gives up??? I always understood sharing as a time contribution more than a financial one...
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