Expectations when paying someone to ride

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Bangagin

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Due to current work commitments I only have time to ride at the weekends, so when I heard through word of mouth that an experienced, local rider was back in the country for a few months and offering hacking/schooling for a reasonable fee I thought it might be nice for my chubby young pony to get more exercise (and schooling is not my thing).

She came recommended by others I trust, and was great at corresponding via messages in the months prior to her returning to the UK. We had an initial face to face meeting, which I thought went well, and then the idea was she would ride once a week. Now I've had sharers in the past (not for my current cob as she's very green) but I have never paid anyone to ride my horses. Perhaps my expectations are too high. When I first met her she seemed quite laid back, but the day she came to ride she was later than she had said (not an issue for me) and seemed in a huge rush. She picked my pony's feet out, but didn't groom at all, not even under the saddle area before tacking up and taking her out for a hack. I wasn't there when she returned, but next morning when I went to feed my pony she had very sweaty marks on her still from the girth and under the saddle. (I would have brushed or sponged these off.)

She said she would let me know how my mare was (she's never hacked alone before as I always ride with friends) but I didn't hear from her until the following afternoon when she just said she was "great". I messaged back to ask whether she was relaxed or a bit tense, but haven't had a reply yet.

It wouldn't be such a big thing for me if it was an established horse of mine she was riding, but as she's rising 6 (and not done a lot due to a previous injury) I feel like I need a bit more feedback. Perhaps I'm not being realistic. I get it's paid work for her, but I just felt that everything was a huge rush (she tacked up super quickly) and it was as if my it was something she needed to do and couldn't wait to get it over and done with.

My gut feeling is to cease this arrangement and muddle through riding when I can, but I just wondered what other people's thoughts were? I know we're all different, and I don't expect her to spend precious time bonding with my horse, but her briskness and attitude left me feeling a bit uncomfortable.
 
Was the understanding that she would tack up/untack as well as ride? If so, leaving the sweat marks on her isn't really on. If it wasn't stated that you expected her to do anything other than turn up and ride she might not have allowed time for it. (Although I'd still be a bit miffed, I would expect her to shorten the riding time to allow for sorting the horse out properly at the end.)
 
You feeling uncomfortable is all the justification you need for not continuing. It's a lot of trust to place in someone! Maybe it was just a bad day for her, but if you're not happy you have no obligation to keep using her.

Personally if I got a brisk, rushed service a few weeks or months in as a once off, bad day, it maybe wouldn't bother me but for that to be her first time on the horse it would, I think.
 
generally, as someone who rides for people a lot, and with the exception of good friends or clients in an emergency situ...............you are paying me to ride and i am not a groom BUT it depends if you made it clear she would be getting ready/putting away too.

i dont get involved in tacking up or aftercare (again with a few exceptions) as IME people just take the piss and start expecting you to bring in/turn out etc or swap rugs and you end up riding for 20 min and doing their jobs! turned up to ride once and got asked to retrieve horse from muddy bog field when i'd only come in trainers and in an immaculate car-no thanks, see above, not a groom.

HOWEVER i always message same day with a detailed account of my ride and the plan going forward.
 
Thanks everyone. We didn't specifically have a conversation about tacking up/grooming, but the arrangement was she would ride when I was not there, and when we met I showed her where the tack/grooming kit was, and I said that my mare was never rugged. I was only there on that day because she was running late. I certainly don't expect her to do a full groom but brushing the saddle and girth area only takes one minute, and if she had been rolling there would have been dust and grit on her back. Even if she spent 10 minutes tacking up grooming and then the same at the other end, and rode for 40 minutes I would be happy. My tack shed is in my mare's paddock, so she doesn't even need to bring in/turn out afterwards.
 
I am an elderly RS sharer and hacker. Even now in summer after riding, I get a sponge and water brush and wipe off the saddle and girth area. I was taught at my first hacking yard that it is important to wipe off sweat marks before they dry, because dried on sweat can rub against the skin when the horse is next saddled.

I pick out the feet before riding, but not afterwards and my present share lifts each of her feet in turn to have it done starting with left fore. My problem with this is that she does it at the speed expected by yard staff. It is too fast for me and I have found it useless to ask her to hold a foot up for longer, so instead I go round all four feet a second time.

Presumably horses' brain work in an odd way because she doesnt mind that at all.
 
I agree that if you’re uncomfortable then find someone else. I wouldn’t be happy that she had left without washing off as this is poor practice, and I wouldn’t be keen on having her back.

But, you’re paying her to ride, not to groom. I personally wouldn’t expect a rider to have to do anything but ride, unless specified earlier and paid extra for. However that is no excuse for poor horsemanship; she should have groomed and washed off in the interest of the horse and spoken to you afterwards if she felt that was beyond her duty.
 
When I was riding some hunters, they were on full livery so no jobs as such but I always sponged or brushed off and either rugged or put sweat rugs on, I'd not have left them sweaty. They were always in and clean when I got there though so I literally tacked up and went.
When I was paying someone to ride one of mine to provide a lead for the other I had him tacked up and I sorted him out after wards, but that's probably different as I was there anyway perhaps.

I'd expect sweat marks to be sponged.
 
Depends what the arrangement is. Have you written info and how are you paying her? If she’s a ‘proper’ registered self employed person working to an hourly rate that’s entirely different to a friend of a friend wanting something to ride.
 
I have paid a local girl to ride, only just out of college. She has always brushed off to start and sponged off to finish if I’m not there, and looks quite disappointed if I’m there and doing it! I think with your rider it could just be a communication problem that could be sorted. However, I would expect some detailed feedback on my young horse, certainly the first time the rider took him/her out.
 
Hallo2012 said:
generally, as someone who rides for people a lot, and with the exception of good friends or clients in an emergency situ...............you are paying me to ride and i am not a groom BUT it depends if you made it clear she would be getting ready/putting away too.

i dont get involved in tacking up or aftercare (again with a few exceptions) as IME people just take the piss and start expecting you to bring in/turn out etc or swap rugs and you end up riding for 20 min and doing their jobs! turned up to ride once and got asked to retrieve horse from muddy bog field when i'd only come in trainers and in an immaculate car-no thanks, see above, not a groom.

HOWEVER i always message same day with a detailed account of my ride and the plan going forward.
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This! I used to do a lot of freelance riding. One customer wanted me to collect pony from bog field, take off multiple rugs & an awful hood that did up with nappy pins, groom him, ride, put all the rugs & hood back on & turn him out, then clean the tack, in an hour! She complained when I rode for 30 minutes & when I explained that all the jobs took ages she told me that I was very clock watchy. Err no, you’re paying me for an hour, not an hour & a half. I asked if she could leave him in his stable, she lived there & apparently it would “disrupt his routine” When I did yard work she wanted a curved edge on the beds as her horse preferred it to a straight edge. I gave up after not too long as she was bonkers!
 
Time for Tea said:
However, I would expect some detailed feedback on my young horse, certainly the first time the rider took him/her out.
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Different situation but for the first few months hacking my RI's retired lesson mare, I would leave a note saying how she had been. Until RI said I neednt bother. Just let her know if anything seemed wrong.
 
Grassy said:
This! I used to do a lot of freelance riding. One customer wanted me to collect pony from bog field, take off multiple rugs & an awful hood that did up with nappy pins, groom him, ride, put all the rugs & hood back on & turn him out, then clean the tack, in an hour! She complained when I rode for 30 minutes & when I explained that all the jobs took ages she told me that I was very clock watchy. Err no, you’re paying me for an hour, not an hour & a half. I asked if she could leave him in his stable, she lived there & apparently it would “disrupt his routine” When I did yard work she wanted a curved edge on the beds as her horse preferred it to a straight edge. I gave up after not too long as she was bonkers!
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I totally understand if this was what I had asked for - but my situation is completely different and she saw for herself how things were before she rode. :)
 
I'm a freelance groom and also ride clients horses and I make a point of discussing the exact details of what is expected of me. If an owner wants me to ride their horse when they're not around then I would expect them to need a quick flick over with a brush as a minimum before I tack up and the same when I finish. If the horse is going to be in the field when I arrive then when I discuss with owner beforehand they have the choice of either less ride time or paying for the extra time it takes for me to retrieve the horse and then return it to the field after.

In regards to updating tbe owner on how the horse went, I use equilab and write on there how the horse went and what, if anything, we worked on and send them a screenshot.
 
i’ve never used a freelance rider, but assuming the main point is for people that don’t have the time to ride them as much as they’d like, surely tacking up/untacking is to be expected? surely if you had the time to hang about to do these things, you’d just ride yourself?🤣

with the washing off, i think it depends on the circumstances as to what i’d do if i was the freelancer and how i’d feel as the owner - if pony was dripping then yes absolutely wash off, if pony has already cooled off and it’s a bit of a girth mark/saddle patch that’s already dried, i think it’s fair to leave that one for the owner, a very small bit won’t do any harm for a couple of hours until owner is back.

i would expect a quick flick over with a brush in the important parts, and a decent update though.

i think expectations massively depend on your own standards though, i regularly hack out with a tail full of shavings and dirty knees if im in a rush🤣 as long as the important bits are clean!
 
I have my two exercised by two regular riders and ridden by a pro dressage rider on an ad-hoc basis.

Expectations for regular exercise riders, £15 per 30-40 min ride (I pay 1.5 times if they go over on longer hacks etc):

Horse brought in
Light brush
Tacked up
Ridden
Untacked
Hosed off as necessary
Put away
Bit rinsed

Updates included along with invoices.

I set the agenda, with either me or our pro dressage rider, or pro eventer coach so this is the example:

Hi [rider]

Feedback on Miri from [pro rider] today:

- feeling very sound and even
- ⁠worked very sweetly but won't maintain a frame due to lack of strength
- ⁠when she's tired, she becomes heavier in front and lacks self carriage so she tries to balance herself on the rein

Given this, and the physio advice re working over her back and getting a swinging walk from behind, can you:

- hack for the next two weeks, focusing on letting her have her head and balance herself. I appreciate she's not an 'on the buckle' horse yet but giving her room for self carriage rather than allowing her to lean on the bit will be helpful
- ⁠longer strides on straight lines to encourage her to swing from behind.
- suggest better to ride positively and think about getting those bigger steps rather than letting her amble about or give quick, short steps
- ⁠if she leans in trot, half halt, if she comes back then big fuss but if she doesn't, ask her to come back to walk, reset so that she's really with you, and then trot again
- ⁠if she goes above the bit, don't fight her to come down, give her space to figure it out - visible shape is less important than engaging correct muscle groups
- ⁠no time in the school unless [coach] or [pro rider] can watch her for resistance and provide structure from the ground
- physio next week Wednesday 10am
- let me know if you want a lesson with [pro rider] or [coach]
 
She would not be for me - turning up late, rushed, not even sponging off sweaty patches after the ride. And then ignoring your messages. Rude and unprofessional.
The deal was that she rides while you are out and busy, so of course she should be doing the absolute basics of good horsemanship. She should then factor that time into her price and get on with it all efficiently.
I wouldn’t trust her with your nice young horse.
 
And yes, I have used a freelancer before and she was not expected to ‘do all my jobs’ but she was expected to tack up herself and pick out feet, sponge off and rug as necessary. It was never called into question, she would never have left them like that. She offered to clean bridle after each ride but I said not necessary, I would do that.
 
I’m happy to tack up if need be and turn out etc but extra tasks are charged per hour the same as riding. She should have asked you exactly what you wanted her to do and how long to ride for. Talk to her.
 
I pay someone to ride my horse. She will tack up but doesn’t groom but does wash her off after of sweaty and strips my saddle of sweaty saddle pad etc. she’s fantastic, so reliable and gives me a full report after each ride. I fully trust her and she has got my horse going superbly.
 
I ride a horse once a week, an old boy I hack out. Sometimes on my own, sometimes with the owner of him and another horse.

I don't get paid and don't care about that (I was never looking too either, just grateful someone gives me the chance to ride) but out of respect I groom, brush out mane and tail and pick out feet, tack up, put tack away and groom again/sponge down. Plus I fuss like I would my own, I'm genuinely very fond of the horse. I feel honoured to be trusted with him.

Sometimes I will skip out the horses stable or sweep the little yard - I don't want to feel like I'm taking over though so don't do it too often.

I'd still do the same if I were paid. It's about having respect, both for the animal and for the owner regardless of whether payment comes into the equation or not. It's a privilege in a way. (I'd make a cr*p business woman ) 🤣🤣
 
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Once upon a time people were grateful to be offered the opportunity to ride and the arrangement usually worked in everyone’s favour. These days far too many people expect something for nothing. There’s a huge difference between advertising a service which is properly run and managed and ‘helping’ out. Far too many people see £££s signs for little work or effort. A properly run service would be costed appropriately and anyone with experience would see brushing off as part of that service if employed as a sole provider.
 
Bangagin said:
Thanks everyone. We didn't specifically have a conversation about tacking up/grooming, but the arrangement was she would ride when I was not there, and when we met I showed her where the tack/grooming kit was, and I said that my mare was never rugged. I was only there on that day because she was running late. I certainly don't expect her to do a full groom but brushing the saddle and girth area only takes one minute, and if she had been rolling there would have been dust and grit on her back. Even if she spent 10 minutes tacking up grooming and then the same at the other end, and rode for 40 minutes I would be happy. My tack shed is in my mare's paddock, so she doesn't even need to bring in/turn out afterwards.
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Personally i dont think should need a conversation about the tacking up and grooming! That is common sense and common courtesy! Id like to think if I had a rider she would for that time, treat them like their own’
If not.. bye bye 🫶🏻
 
If you are employing her (rather than ‘come and ride for free’) then you need to specify exactly what her tasks are, and how much time you are paying her for.

Yes, she should have been on time, but unless you specifically laid out what she needed to do in terms of care, grooming etc, then it gets a bit tricky.

Have a conversation with her. Lay out what you need from the arrangement, draw up a proper contract and discuss what happens payment wise if she’s late/doesn’t fulfil what’s been set out for her to do.

It’s a business relationship, not a social one.
 
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