Frustrated no ad replies for sharer

D

Dottyfordylan

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Trying to get a sharer for my horse and have put advert on four websites and in a couple of tack shops. Soo many views online but no enquiries...I know it's a bad time of year but there must be someone,anyone else having problems?

Sorry rant over :)
 
Think its the same all over

People just don't have any spare money. The petrol price going through the roof has hit many people.

My friend has been advertising for a couple of months for her happy brood of 4 gorgeous neds so a lot to chose from but nothing. she's not on a bus route either (what livery yard is?) She got one enquiry before Christmas someone who needed to catch 2 buses and oh btw could my friend go and pick her up from the bus stop at around 1730 to bring her to the yard 4 miles away and return by 1845 to catch the bus home.

My friend worked out that there wouldn't be any time to barely ride unless she did all the grooming, tacking up, leave ned in stable tacked up (big mistake) and then after the sharers ride leave horse tacked up again whilst drove to the bus stop, so that totally defeated the object of having a sharer as no sharing of work at all

Maybe when the 'better weather' comes along??? Not nice I know that the potential sharer is a 'fair weather' person but sometimes that's life
 
LOL!

Yep that's where the sharer comes down looking like she's stepped out of the tack catalogue not a drop of mud anywhere!!!
 
Hrm to be honest i dont think it makes a sharer more likely to be a fair weather rider. I find there is less time in winter and dark early etc, just seems hard to fit it all in. In summer there seems more time so people may start looking more in a couple of months. But! Once you're in love/ in the habit then when the first winter sharing comes along, i doubt many people would just throw the towel in because of the cold and dark. And if they did, then good riddance because you don't want someone like that anyway. Hope you find someone soon.
 
Where are you based? It seems like no one wants a sharer around my area!! What websites have you advertised on? Can you give us more info about your horse - do you think it could be something in your advert that you have worded in a way that could put people off? E.g My warning bells always start going when I read 'not a novice ride' as I start to think the advertiser might be understating behavioural problems!! Have you tried looking through wanted ads to find a suitable sharer? Good luck, hopefully you will want to find someone!
 
Can you tell us what you're offering - how much you're asking for how many days, what your horse is like, any competing, any chores?

It might be that what you're asking for just isn't attractive in the current climate, when many people will be cutting down on luxuries as it is.

There are lots of people, even moreso in winter, who want help with their horses - so good sharers can afford to be choosy.
 
Have you tried not so usual places? When we advertised our pony in tack shops/feedshops/online we got NO responses. Put the advert up in the local pet shop and 2 calls within 2 days.

The majority of rider are often either riding school riders stepping up or ex-owners getting back into it. Neither of these tend to frequent the places current owners think of as somewhere everyone goes. Why would they when they don't have a horse?
 
xspiralx said:
Can you tell us what you're offering - how much you're asking for how many days, what your horse is like, any competing, any chores?

It might be that what you're asking for just isn't attractive in the current climate, when many people will be cutting down on luxuries as it is.

There are lots of people, even moreso in winter, who want help with their horses - so good sharers can afford to be choosy.
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Well I've advertised for someone to ride one or either of mine, happy for them to hunt/compete, would have to brush mud off before riding but that's it chore wise with no monetary contribution and no response at all ;)
 
LizzieJ said:
Well I've advertised for someone to ride one or either of mine, happy for them to hunt/compete, would have to brush mud off before riding but that's it chore wise with no monetary contribution and no response at all ;)
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If you were in Bucks I'd bite your hand off [except I already have my hands a little full with a similar arrangement!] - have you tried New Rider?
 
well...im based in chesham bucks. Advertised on horsemart,preloved,the horse exchange and equine adverts and two local tack shops. My advert states that he is a four year old coloured cob gelding 15hh. Not a novice ride due to age. He is fantastic to hack alone or in company, started jumping and doing well stabled with outdoor school dressage instructor onsite, chance to compete,brilliant hacking in my area. 3 days a week 30pounds inc mucking out etc on the days you ride [not the full ad but the gist] nothing i would of thought to put people off.

advertising in pet shops is a great idea though thank u
 
LizzieJ said:
Well I've advertised for someone to ride one or either of mine, happy for them to hunt/compete, would have to brush mud off before riding but that's it chore wise with no monetary contribution and no response at all ;)
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Shame you're not in northampton. Thats exactely what I'm looking for but getting nowhere.
If I wanted to school someones 4 yo for them and pay £30 a week for the privilidge then no problem or plod around the lanes on a 15hh cob again no problem.

There must be people around my area that need help keeping comp horses fit but just cant seem to find them. :(
 
I am about to start advertising to find someone to share my mare again. I found last winter that it was march/april time before anyone got in touch and the girl I found left us in November - not the best time of year :(
 
Just wanted to say I don't think there is anything wrong with what you are asking and if I had have been a bit closer I definitely would have been interested.

As a potential sharer who is quite time restricted with work the only thing that I would ask is whether there is a part livery option on the share days (at extra cost to sharer), so if you have this option then it may be worth adding it to your ad.

Sure you will find something, Dylan looks fab!
 
Snap!
My boy is very close to a major bus route and in a very populated area. We have excellent hacking, school which will have lights up soon and lots of company to ride with if needed... he is available pretty much anytime (especially weekends) and I am only looking for £100 a month for as much riding as the 'sharer' would like, no stable duties required unless they really wanted to muck out :(
 
Id go to a riding school and ask someone if they have a notice board??

I know its sort of taking away their buisness but if you pick a big enough one they shouldnt mind. My local one, has a notice board in their reception and i know all the shares seem to get a lot of responses.

Have you tried replying to peoples wanted ads??

I wasnt looking for a share but got an email to a loan advert id posted and ended up sharing the horse for 6 months :) then i was lucky enough to get my own... but most shares i know of come via word of mouth!!

Sorry cant be more help!!
 
I've just had to give up my share horse of 12 years (sob sob) due to relocation and if only lived in Bucks I'd def be giving you a ring!

Once I'd settled in to new routine, my first priority was going to be finding a horse but there don't seem to be any share horses going round here and to be honest the weather has been so crap since the end of November I've decided to wait til at least the evenings get lighter before I start searching seriously.

Bad weather doesn't usually put me off riding but it's not ideal for getting to know a new horse, especially if it means you can't actually ride it!

Hope you find someone for your boy.
 
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Dottyfordylan said:
well...im based in chesham bucks. Advertised on horsemart,preloved,the horse exchange and equine adverts and two local tack shops. My advert states that he is a four year old coloured cob gelding 15hh. Not a novice ride due to age. He is fantastic to hack alone or in company, started jumping and doing well stabled with outdoor school dressage instructor onsite, chance to compete,brilliant hacking in my area. 3 days a week 30pounds inc mucking out etc on the days you ride [not the full ad but the gist] nothing i would of thought to put people off.

advertising in pet shops is a great idea though thank u
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But what is the going rate for a sharer in your part of the world? My sharer pays £20 a week and can ride my horse as much or as little as she likes - she only does stable chores on the days she rides. He also already showjumps, events, does dressage (albeit badly, he definitely prefers his jumping!) and is a safe hack - she can hunt him/compete him by arrangement. I personally think £30 a week sounds a bit steep for what is essentially schooling a novice horse. You say he is not suitable for novice riders, but how many good riders would want to pay £30 a week to school someone else's horse when they can get a share like my horse (or better!) where he already does it all? I could have got a share for mine 10 times over, even in the depths of winter - the current sharer is really really brilliant and a super rider.
 
yeh i know what you mean but that is the going rate round here.i would be happy to negotiate for the right person no problem as long as they were the best person for my horse. Im very flexible but for the right person as long as they treat him right really they could do what they like...thanx for all your comments its always the way people are never in the right location for what you want
 
Thinking about it, finding a sharer very much depends on why you need a sharer - there seem to be four main categories to me:

1 - experienced horse, owner needs money rather than help

2 - inexperienced horse, owner needs money rather than help

3 - experienced horse, owner needs help rather than money

4 - inexperienced horse, owner needs help rather than money

I think the ones where you are most likely to get a response are 1 and 3, followed by 4 and lastly 2. You say that £30 is the going rate where you live, but for what type of share and what type of horse? Not all shares are equal - I am sure you would agree that your novice horse is a very different proposition to mine for example. Not in a bad way, but a horse like mine is easier to find a sharer for and they are more likely to pay more too. My sharer pays less than I could probably ask for, but I value her as she is reliable, an excellent rider and horsewoman. Perhaps consider dropping the price a bit if you can or otherwise making it more appealing - realistically, Dylan's age will put people off. Potential sharers won't know that you are prepared to negotiate, they may well just take your ad at face value :)
 
id say its most like number 4. Maybe i should edit my add to state im open to offers for the right person... As it seems i may be shooting myself in foot. If i was looking at the ad i would be interested or certainly ring to enquire. You'd think even if its not exactly what someone is looking for they might ring up to find out a bit more. I will get editing!lol
 
I would also take the price off the add, it puts a lot of people off ;). Im near Watford and used to be in Chesham (what yard were you on btw) and i have a 9yr old schooled up to medium dressage, bombproof in traffic and good to hack and jumps 1.30 happily horse who has a sharer that pays £20 a week and I still did have a bit of a struggle to find someone at this time of the year (in summer i got one like a shot but she gave up come winter - typical!!) so its probably the weather. My sharer has 2-3 days (her choice) and only does jobs at the weekends as she works during the week :)
 
Thats definitely the going rate round here, livery is so expensive!! I found a nice yard id love to move to but assisted diy (thats all they do) so just diy including nothing apart from chucking in a feed and turning pony out in the mornings is £220 a month!!!!

Just wait for the weather to pickup, also I've had the most responses from the freeads/adtrader.
 
Sorry, think you're asking too much.

You're expecting them to do chores, school your green horse and pay almost the cost of DIY livery for the privilege?

Understand keeping a horse is expensive but if you want a good rider who can improve your horse and is happy to do all the chores then I really think you need to reduce your price by quite a lot.

There are a lot of people at this moment who want help with their horses due to lack of time - good sharers can afford to be choosy and will be able to find horses to ride/compete for free or for very little contribution.

The reason that you've had no response is that there are many people already offering a better deal than you - so you need to make what you're offering more attractive.
 
It is the same for me.
Have been advertising my 13.2hh 16year old Haflinger x Ango Arab for few months and haven't had any reply (except from a 14 stones girl when I specified no more than 10 stones due to my ponys size!)
I was asking for £10/week for 3 weekdays when the sharer could ride.(+ 1 extra weekend day if they couldn't ride 3 weekdays)
No chores as he is out 24/7-rugless- very low maintenance pony!!!(except for the mud to brush off!)
The £10/week are more per principle as I don't want anyone taking the mickey and would like to find the perfect person!(+ it is also to keep him fit as he has a tendency to put on weight!)
I only hack with him (lots of off road hacking!) but you can hire a outdoor school half a mile away for £5/hour if the sharer was interested.
He is an easy pony, prefer an adult as for hacking I think it is safer, wouldn't like a child to go hacking on its own unless the parents come with him!

I think my ad is fair but still no reply! Bit disappointing really!
 
I'm not sure she is offering too little actually.....I have just found a sharer who is paying me £100 a month for three days a week. I'm in Beaconsfield. The only thing that might be limiting your market is the age/inexperience of your horse....mine is 14 year old and for a lower level rider a good schoolmaster up to novice dressage and 90cm jumping....which is what my sharer is looking for to gain experience nd get some competing in etc. I don't expect my sharer to do any chores really but thats because I am a bit OCD and like things done my way ;)
How about popping a sign up at places like Shardeloes OP? Or scanning the ads of people wanting horses to share?
I'd maybe reword the ad to emphasise that altho he is 4 he is an easy safe hack if that is the case? Also is he rising 5? I'd probably put that he is 5 (after all its January now) if you are confident that he is a reasonably safe ride, as the age might put some off.
However if he is tricky or needs a lot more schooling (ie doesn't safely walk trot canter on each rein quietly) then yes, you re going to struggle for a sharer as people probably don't want to pay for the priviledge of hving to school someone's horse for them.
Good luck!
 
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