Getting a sharer for your horse...

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Blackhawk

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Well it looks like I may have to get a sharer.
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I'm not over the moon at this thought, but after my op I can't ride until February. It's not fair to let my boy languish in a field as he is happier in work.

I have a few questions.

1. What experiences have you had of sharers?

2. How much would you charge per week for:

16.2hh 5 year old bay IDxTB gelding. Very loving, chilled and relaxed but a youngster so needs to be treated as such. Impeccable ground manners and lots of character. Backed at 4, competed SJ unaffiliated and hunted before being turned away by another owner. Recently bought back into work. Hacks out very well on busy roads. Very easy to do in the school, but needs an experienced rider to get him working correctly as he is a youngster. On full livery which includes everything. Sharer to ride 3/4 days a week. Can show/compete with transport available.

3. I'm really worried about someone else riding my horse. I just feel that as he's young I don't want him spoiled.
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Is that really horrible? I'm worried I won't pick, or find the right person for him.
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Thanks for any advice.
 
I totally understand your concern, Ive ummed and ahhed about this myself, but ultimately keep coming back to worrying about the person not being suitable, or ruining the horse.


Is there any chance you can find a friend to ride him, someone you trust?
 
It might be better to turn him away for a couple of months than have him ruined by another person.

The kind of experienced rider you are looking for may want to be paid rather than pay for rides.
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[ QUOTE ]
It might be better to turn him away for a couple of months than have him ruined by another person.

The kind of experienced rider you are looking for may want to be paid rather than pay for rides.
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[/ QUOTE ]

I agree.
 
I agree with m_x_q as well. Good sharers are hard to come by, and especially as your horse is young and given that he has had time off recently, I'd say it would be safer to turn him away rather than even risk silly people trying him out.
I'm not saying that from the owner side of the fence either, I'm saying it from the sharer side.
I don't pay for my share horse, my owner is desperate for him to be ridden and she even offered to pay me for it - this was after I was contemplating spending £35/week for an inexperienced horse I wouldn't in all honesty be able to do much with. £20-30 seemed to be the norm for "average" horses, anything above was for schoolmasters right up to those ex-Badminton horses! But I agree that someone that experienced won't necessarily be looking for a horse to share, but they may be looking to get paid for riding.
 
He is young - turn him away. All our young horses get time off - usually 2 months. You have nothing to lose by turning him away, and plenty to lose if you select the wrong loanee.
 
If you put the effort in you will find the right sort of person.

It depends what you want. Do you want someone to continue schooling him or are you happy with him being hacked?.
 
You would know if they were the "right" person the moment they sat on him, so i would look. Yes there are some nightmare people out there Im sure but if you want him to stay in work then at least try......

I share, and my horses owners found me through newrider.co.uk. I have been riding Boris since september, and over the weekend the owner rode him in the school for the first time in ages (shes not keen on schooling), and siad to me tonight " I couldnt belive how well he's going, forward (he was a lazy git), off your leg, nice and round" so i must be doing something right!!

Good sharers are out there you just have to spend a bit of time looking for them!
 
[ QUOTE ]
If you put the effort in you will find the right sort of person.

It depends what you want. Do you want someone to continue schooling him or are you happy with him being hacked?.

[/ QUOTE ]

Either to be honest. I'd prefer to have him doing something as he enjoys work and being interested. He loves hacking, but will equally go very well in the school. He just seems to light up when he's doing something. I wouldn't expect someone to school him for me just so I can jump on in a few months. Just keep him happy and ticking over really.

I will think about turning him away, as the other posters have valid points too. If he's been turned away for a year, what's 2.5 more months?
 
When my TB was about 5 or 6 yo I went down south to Uni, put her on full livery, then set about finding someone to ride her whilst I was away (for only one year).
I was given the name of someone who was interested...and went to watch them having their weekly lesson at a riding school, liked what I saw, and they came to meet my horse...and try her.
I didn't charge any money, just let sharer have my horse as hers...worked beautifully....horse was happy and working...sharer had the pleasure of 'owning' a horse...and I had my horse looked after and loved, as well as ridden.
So try local riding schools especially the older riders who go in the evenings...
Good luck
S
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I had a sharer for my horse when I was in my final year at Uni, she was a local lass who was desperate for her own horse but her parents wouldnt let her. She used to do him a couple of times a week in return for riding him whenever she wanted to. I have to admit though I used to go down and check on him still when she had done him, and in the end he went away on loan as I didnt really trust her enough. He went away to a girls boarding school and loved it, although I know it probably wouldnt suit everyone!
 
I currently have a sharer. She does about 40% of everything and we split everything other than vets bills 50/50. I feel that this is fair for 3/4 days riding, doesnt have to do farrier visits or vet or go get feed & shavings. She can take him to whatever she wants, as long as its not affiliated.

The only downside is that a)she seems to be a lazy sod and doesn't muck out properly + cleaning/wiping tack is apparently 'not in her job description!' b) she is a bit spoilt c)Beau REALLY wants to get one over on her (naughty boy!)

I would say though that all the folk I had to come see Beau were of a standard that I didn't feel was right for him riding wise. They just wanted plods and wouldn't care if he worked properly - at least this girl works him! If he needed more specialist work or reschooling I wouldn't have found anyone (they needed to be able to ideally ride above my level or same as me)

If I didnt have to share him - and had been better with my finances I would have him all to myself and of half full livery!! Despite having only ever had him to myself for 1 yr of the 3 I have owned him sharing is I feel a short term measure. But as you only have till Feb, it might be good to give him the winter off and maybe just advertise for someone to do light work with him. Just to keep him ticking over
 
There are good sharers out there.
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I currently share a horse FOC. Owner was originally looking for £30 per week but after me trying the horse and advising her about what she really needed to do with him she decided it would unrealistic to charge me for the priviledge of schooling her horse and teaching her.
System works very well. I bring the horse on and teach her to ride the way I'm schooling him. I'm taking him out and about competing getting him used to it all and she has just started to compete a level of two below where I am.
Works really well.
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We have a loaner/sharer for our pony. She has unlimited access to her and can ride whenever she wants. On days she can't make it the girls will look after her and muck her our. She pays a set £35 a week and I pay everything, feed, farrier, vets, bedding, insurance etc. I think it's a really good deal for her - she has the horse without the responsibility. She's a nice girl and seems to be getting on well with Ebony.
 
I've had several bad experiences with sharers as none of them were really right for my horse as he was green or they were unreliable. I used to charge £20 a week for 5 days of riding and no chores and had a share agreement drawn up stating conditions of care etc. If I was in your position and a I could afford it I would pay an RI or reliable friend you trust to school and hack your horse whilst you cannot.
 
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