Financial contributions for sharers

[Polos]

Hi all,

I’m posting on behalf of a friend who isn’t on here.

Due to getting a new job requiring more travel time she doesn’t have as much time as she’d like for her horse and is looking for a sharer. She is hoping for a financial contribution to make costs a little easier but is unsure what to ask.

Horse is on part livery so he is mucked out, Fed and turned out etc so the only ‘jobs’ a sharer would have to do is groom and exercise the horse on their days and the occasional help with poo picking would be appreciated.

She’s worked out her livery is just under £30 a day. She was wondering if it was unreasonable to ask for the sharer to pay the livery cost for their days (as many days a week as they like, she’s fully flexible) or should it be less than that?

She doesn’t want help with vets bills or farrier costs either.

 

[JFTDWS]

I think it would have to be a very, very special horse to command that sort of money. Most round here seem to ask for £10-15/ day - but perhaps I'm out of touch!

 

[Polos]

I think it would have to be a very, very special horse to command that sort of money. Most round here seem to ask for £10-15/ day - but perhaps I'm out of touch!

I’ve never met her horse (we are at opposite ends of the country!) but as far as I am aware he is a riding club level allrounder so he’s the average sort of horse that anyone can ride and have fun on if that makes sense?

I’ll suggest £10-£15 to her though

 

[ihatework]

I’d be surprised if she got £30 a day, she might do but it’s likely to be from a novice who utilises the horse to learn from (and will quite likely not do the horse any favours).
Most people who know one end of a horse from the other won’t pay that kind of rate unless the horse and facilities are seriously decent.

 

[Annagain]

Time from the right person is more valuable than money from the wrong person.

I've had several sharers over the years and had different arrangements for different sharers because my and their circumstances were different each time. I won't bore you with details but they ranged from paying for shoes; paying £60 a month for 3 days a week (and doing job as on DIY); helping me with my flat work in return; and paying nothing but being around a lot in the week for things I can't be. I get that the horse being on part livery means money is more important than time in some ways as the jobs are done but £30 a day seems expensive to me, if they did 3 days that would be £90 a week and they could probably have two decent lessons for that. I think there's an expectation that the owner would foot more of the bill as they have the 'asset'.

I would keep it vague in the advert, maybe say something like "small financial contribution required - to be negotiated" and play it by ear.

 

[Peter7917]

Gosh no. I would think about £25 a week for 2-3 days is more acceptable.

 

[splashgirl45]

i find the idea of paying to exercise a horse as the owner cant very strange. in my youth ,many years ago, people would bite your hand off if you were a decent, considerate rider and i used to get paid to ride other peoples horses if they were working. i also didnt have any jobs to do apart from the obvious grooming, tacking up and washing off/rugging etc. if she finds a good rider who she trusts i wouldnt expect them to have to pay more than £10 a day ...i am currently riding a horse for someone who cant ride at the moment and they groom and tack up and i just have to get on and ride. they are happy as the horse is being exercised, no money changes hands...i am not bothered if i ride or not so am doing them a favour..

 

[Surbie]

Round here it seems to be £100-150/month for a 2-3 day/week share. If it's less then £10/15 per day.

Half the horses on the yard I am on have a sharer, same on my previous yard. Given how much it costs to keep them, it makes sense if you can find good, reliable people.

 

[eggs]

Crikey nearly £210 per week for part livery is pretty steep. I would expect exercise to be included at that cost.

Like others though I think she would be lucky to have some-one pay £30 to ride one day a week (obviously more if they were to share for more days).

 

[Polos]

Thank you for the responses I will pass this on to Her.

She may be a bit surprised but I may explain it in the sense that she would be paying a hell of a lot more to move him to a yard that does full livery and exercises the horse every day rather than having someone coming and having fun on her horse and keeping him exercised at no cost to her

 

[Polos]

Edit: Turns out I misread her message and it’s £20 a day for her livery so £10-15 really isn’t that far off


£30+ a day is if she moves him to another yard that does full livery

 

[Polos]

Crikey nearly £210 per week for part livery is pretty steep. I would expect exercise to be included at that cost.

Like others though I think she would be lucky to have some-one pay £30 to ride one day a week (obviously more if they were to share for more days).

Turns out I misread her message haha. She is paying £20 a day now for part so £10-15 really isn’t far off

£30+ a day is what she has been quoted at another yard that does full livery

 

[timbobs]

I charged sharers £125 a month for 3 days a week for a horse on full livery with good facilities, fantastic hacking and the opportunity to compete if they wanted.

Seems to be the going rate around here (Surrey).

 

[ester]

It very much depends on location and other availability.
Friend also needs to decide whether the exercise or the money is more important. If the exercise and level of rider to do things unsupervised is more important than you open your options up a bit more regarding cost.

For myself having someone ride was more important so I never charged and it worked well for both of us. I've also been the sharer and never paid, I'd struggle to justify that and the time for riding someone else's unless it was an excellent schoolmaster.

 

[Littlebear]

I have a friend that does mine a few days a week, to be honest its a god send to me sometimes, she does jobs and its a beautiful rider who I trust completely, I wouldn't have a sharer otherwise, she effectively pays £6 a day towards costs as the horse doesn't really cost me a lot (lives out in summer, no shoes etc) and looks after her on the days she does, it works well for me but I know some people charge £10 a day which is fair enough.
I don't think anyone would pay more than that unless its a mega star that they could compete etc.

 

[marmalade88]

It very much depends on location and other availability.
Friend also needs to decide whether the exercise or the money is more important. If the exercise and level of rider to do things unsupervised is more important than you open your options up a bit more regarding cost.

For myself having someone ride was more important so I never charged and it worked well for both of us. I've also been the sharer and never paid, I'd struggle to justify that and the time for riding someone else's unless it was an excellent schoolmaster.

Agreed. I never understood wanting sharers to pay. If you're in a situation where you want your horse exercised and they're doing you a favor then it's a win win; they get to ride and you don't have to pay a professional to exercise your horse. I'd be willing to pay to share a good horse but it would have to be excellent in all disciplines.

 

[Bernster]

It’s a funny old situation. I’ve had sharers in the past and they’ve never covered the full daily cost, not even half the total months livery bill for 2-3 days a week. But it does work to ask for a contribution if they’re getting a benefit and they’ve generally not been improving /schooling my horse - it’s been for them to have fun, learn, have lessons etc. Plus it helps their motivation and to pay towards the costs.

Yes I save on paying others to ride but that’s factored in by not charging them the full whack. Works great for them as it’s far cheaper than owning and far less risk.

 

[ohmissbrittany]

Agreed. I never understood wanting sharers to pay. If you're in a situation where you want your horse exercised and they're doing you a favor then it's a win win; they get to ride and you don't have to pay a professional to exercise your horse. I'd be willing to pay to share a good horse but it would have to be excellent in all disciplines.

For me, it's about them having skin in the game. Often free-loaners don't do what they're supposed to because they're not paying for the privilege (ie not riding or even showing up at all in some cases). Additionally most loaners are not the caliber of riders that I would pay to ride my horse, and have had an appalling few show up who couldn't seem to do anything but canter circles crookedly. The pros that would put improvement on one are not looking for loan horses, they're advertising schooling livery or services to come ride.

 

[littlefluffball]

I think every situation is different and she needs to think what the benefit is to her and her horse as well as to the sharer to help work out a cost. I have a very informal arrangement with a friend. there is no financial contribution from me at all. I have the horse on the days she works late - bring him in, groom, ride, feed and poo pick field. She is delighted to have someone help out the days she can't and to have a competent (but by no means professional) rider to keep her spirited ex racer in work and improving on his flatwork. I am delighted to have a horse to ride and help out with. Win win. It is also very relaxed in that there are 2 set days per week she works late so they are "my" days but she is absolutely more than happy for me to ride on any other days. Even when she is going to be there she struggles with the time to ride so is happy for me to come and jump on while she does the rest. Equally if I am unable to make any of my days i just let her know and she makes arrangements with her Mum. Then if for any reason she can't make "her" days I always try to help.

No money changes hands but all parties benefit. Obviously if it was to become more "formal" then a proper agreement would be drawn up.

 

[Leo Walker]

Bucks/northants shares go from free to about £200 a month. Most are under £100. I find the whole thing so weird. If someone rides my horse I am grateful to them for exercising her and thats that. The only time I ever charged was £60 a month for 3 days a week and that was for a very nervous person who needed her hand holding and didnt do my horse any favours at all.

 

[Leandy]

i find the idea of paying to exercise a horse as the owner cant very strange. in my youth ,many years ago, people would bite your hand off if you were a decent, considerate rider and i used to get paid to ride other peoples horses if they were working. i also didnt have any jobs to do apart from the obvious grooming, tacking up and washing off/rugging etc. if she finds a good rider who she trusts i wouldnt expect them to have to pay more than £10 a day ...i am currently riding a horse for someone who cant ride at the moment and they groom and tack up and i just have to get on and ride. they are happy as the horse is being exercised, no money changes hands...i am not bothered if i ride or not so am doing them a favour..

I agree with this. If it were me, I would only want a competent rider and I'd just think myself fortunate I didn't have to pay a professional to exercise for me if I found one. So I would regard the benefit as the saving of extra expense not in receiving payment. I would want someone to provide me with a service, not the other way around. I sort of get the idea of a nominal payment in the hope that the commitment would encourage someone to be more reliable but I do have difficulty with the idea of taking money for someone to exercise my horse. If someone wants to pay to ride they should go to a riding school.

 

[SEL]

Gosh no. I would think about £25 a week for 2-3 days is more acceptable.

That's the figure sharers used to pay on one of my old yards.

And if you've got a special horse (either talented or difficult) & you want someone decent then often it's a free share but mucking out or poo pick on their days.

 

[Desert_rider]

I pay £30 A month for 2 days for my share mare, but on my days I turn out 2 others, feed, hay, poo pick, water and muck out 2 stables. Previously to this I had a share where I paid £50 per month and all I really did was poo pick (she was on individual turnout), top up water and give hay in the winter.
I wouldn't pay £30 A day. At the end of the day it is a mutually beneficial arrangement. The owner gets time off and I get a horse to ride and look after without the time and financial commitment of my own.

 

[Happyhorses637]

It totally depends. Good share arrangements work so both owner and sharer feel are getting a good deal.

Pay or chores or free depends on what’s on offer, quality of horse abs and facilities what restrictions etc.

 

[tankgirl1]

Not read the thread - 30 quid a day for part livery? Where is this horse stabled? Next to Valegro?

I've hopefully just found someone to help with my ponies, not asking for any money, them being reliable and willing to help with chores is all I ask

 

[Courbette]

I've shared a few horses ranging from unofficial arrangements where no money was taken to my current horse who I ride twice a week and contribute £130 a month on a yard with good facilities.

As a loaner I'm always a bit dubious when people charge by the day. What happens when the owner goes on holiday or needs some extra help. Does the sharer then pay more for the extra days or is it ok having 'free' days if it benefits the owner but not, for example, if the sharer has some time off work and can fit in some extra time with the horse. I think a reasonable weekly figure based on the average amount the sharer expects to ride is much fairer if a contribution is required.

 

[HLOEquestrian]

I agree I also find the concept of paying to share a horse strange.

I'm in a situation where I have 'shared' the horse in my avatar for coming up 3 years now, I don't pay any money as I do the owner a favour by exercising and schooling the horse (he's an ex racer and is young - I am a competent rider and have worked and trained on professional dressage yards), and I have the advantage of riding a few times a week when I want as I am not in a position to have my own horse at the moment.

 

[ester]

Not read the thread - 30 quid a day for part livery? Where is this horse stabled? Next to Valegro?

I've hopefully just found someone to help with my ponies, not asking for any money, them being reliable and willing to help with chores is all I ask

In the thread she comments that she added it up wrong

 

[Courbette]

I agree I also find the concept of paying to share a horse strange.

I think the question of money depends on the owners / sharers circumstances. In the past I have had informal arrangements where I haven't contributed any money but instead have voluntarily bought some tack, feed etc and payed for lessons on my share horse that hopefully benefited the both of us. When I have found horses by word of mouth through friends the owners have been happy for me to exercise their horse with no contribution as it benefits them.

I relocated and found my current horse through an online advert as I was new to the area and didn't know anybody locally. I get the impression my current owner found a loaner as she wanted the financial contribution as much as the extra help as he is on a more expensive yard. It can be hard once you have had horses to go back to a riding school and if your not in a position to own your own horse sharing can be an ideal solution. As a sharer tho I am obviously happy when a contribution isn't needed as it leaves more money for fun things like lessons! I have always done yard jobs for my owners and provided holiday cover.

 

[scruffyponies]

Sharers require a great deal of supervision, at least for the first few months. If you don't charge anything at all you'll get an endless array of flakes who use you as free riding lessons for a few weeks (taking up your precious weekend free time) then disappear.

I ask for a regular £30/mth for that reason. My costs are low (not on livery), but at that I can be sure I won't make a profit, but neither will I get taken advantage of. It also means that sharers are around long enough to build a relationship with the ponies, and learn basic safety etc, even if they never get even close to 'improving' them.