How can I get into competing when I don't own a horse?

[tan8856]

Hi
I've ridden for years but most of it hacking. I've never owned a horse but now have my first share horse which I'm enjoying but I think I might get a bit bored with just hacking a few months from now.
The thing is that her owner doesn't want her doing much jumping or speedy stuff, she's an older lady and a happy hacker, she doesn't want her horse getting lively. Plus I don't have horse transport anyway.
So how do I get into say cross country or hunting? Do people who do these things mostly own their horses?
As I've never competed before am I likely to even find a share horse with an owner whose willing to let me do such things with their precious horse?! I'm not a novice, I've ridden on and off for many years and done a little jumping, but the idea of doing a cc course fills me with fear but also excitement if you know what I mean!
I just don't see how I can do anything other than hack without my own horse and box so any suggestions would be appreciated. Ps I cant commit to a horse on full loan at this time in my life, I have a casual share at the mo.

 

[EmmaB]

I would go for lessons, one to get your riding really up to scratch so you can put out ads/ask around if anyone needs their horse exercising, and also so that you get to know others in the horsey community! My friend was out of riding for a while, got back into it by going for monthly lessons at a local riding school and she had 2 offers of horses to ride, one of which the owner had asked the riding school if they knew of anyone to ride her horse, and they recommended her.

You just have to find the right owner really, if they don't ride themselves they may not have transport to shows/hunting but you may find someone to get a lift with.

 

[unbalanced]

I think you would need to find a share who would let you compete. Some owners will - it depends on the type of horse and their relationship with you. For example - I have a 14hh pony who is now 23 but when she was much younger I used to have kids share her (aged usually 11 or 12, I had a couple of different sharers at various times). Depending on the sharer I encouraged them to take her to pony club and I took them to unaffiliated dressage and jumping. I would never have let them hunt her but like I said, that's down to the type of horse (mine has never hunted with me, I imagine if you've never hunted you'd need someone with an experienced hunter to allow you) and to the relationship with the sharer (no way would I have sent an 11 year old out hunting on my pony for her first hunt, accident waiting to happen).
I have seen plenty of posts on here before though for people with a second horse they need some help exercising or with a competition horse they need help to keep ticking over e.g. while pregnant - you just need to be in the right place at the right time and match up. I would say it can definitely happen, you just need the right horse and owner, and expect to have to build a trusting relationship first.

 

[Jo_x]

You just need to find the right share! I shared a lovely ex event horse for two years, we didn't compete at all in the first year, partly due to combinations of injuries but mainly because my riding wasnt up to scratch, the second year I had him I competed at least once a month and more over the summer when I had more time and money.

The lady who owned my share horse had owned him for years and had a second horse which she preferred riding, but did not want to sell the other. Me sharing him helped him 'pay his way' and she loved seeing us have fun together.

 

[nikicb]

Not sure where you are based, but the RS my instructor runs has plenty of lovely horses which clients can hire to compete at home competitions. If you have any similar places near you then that may be a good starting point for you. You don't need the commitment, although it's good if you get to know the horse a little beforehand, and obviously there are no transport issues as horse and competition are already in the same place.

 

[kc100]

Its just about finding a different share - you can even advertise yourself online (preloved, equine adverts, facebook horsey groups etc) saying you are looking for a share and you want to be able to compete the horse at xxx disciplines. That way you are up front about your requirements and hopefully someone should contact you with a horse you can take out competing.

Hunting might be a different matter - if you have never been hunting before I think you might struggle to find someone that would let you hunt their horse when you have no prior experience. XC you can go schooling and have lessons with an instructor so you will learn, but you cannot really 'learn' hunting so dont be surprised if you struggle in that respect.

I share a horse who I compete (dressage only) and I ride another lady's horse who I am planning on doing some dressage with and maybe even some showjumping (and one day perhaps eventing once he is fit enough).

Transport can be a problem though - you are asking a lot to find someone that is not only willing to let you compete but has transport too. The owner of my share does not have a lorry or trailer, so we beg borrow and steal a lift whenever we can, or I hire a lorry to drive us there. If you could buy your own trailer (providing you have a car that can tow) then that would solve a lot of your problems.

Generally people are looking for a sharer to make their lives a bit easier, to help with costs and to keep the horse fit - they dont want to be spending their entire Saturday sat in their car waiting for you to finish your one day event for example. So asking them to transport you out to a competition every weekend or every few weekends is a big ask.

If you are really keen on hunting why not see if your local hunt have hirelings? I know my local hunt does (a local yard hires out horses for the day) so it is worth giving the hunt secretary a call and see if they can help.

There are competition horses out there for share, they are not advertised as readily as perhaps hacking horses are, but if you advertise yourself, explain your experience and what you are looking for then you should find something. And maybe think about other spheres of competition - XC and hunting are the 2 most demanding on the horse, the horse needs to be incredibly fit and older horses with minor injuries often have to retire from these sorts of pursuits. However dressage and low level SJ can be done by most horses at any age providing it is well schooled enough.

Ok so dressage doesnt have the adrenaline factor of XC, but once you get into it you will soon get a buzz from it and find it quite addictive. I always wanted to event, nothing was more exciting to me than XC but my last share limited me to dressage so I gave it a try, now I'd never want to do anything else other than dressage seriously - I love the perfectionism that comes with dressage, the skill involved and the drive to get it right every time. With XC you can just bomb around a course and it doesnt have to look pretty, as long as you get back clear within the time. With dressage every move is analysed, your riding is judged, all the hard work you put in with your horse at home is judged with every move he makes - it really is very exciting and really rewarding when you do well.

 

[paddi22]

If transport is a problem you could try getting a share at a yard that regularly runs competitions. Especially one day event ones, as then you can compete on site.

 

[flyingfeet]

Horse hire might be the way forward

There are specialist yards who do hirelings for hunting

In terms of other sports, polo, polocrosse and tentpegging all commonly have horse hire

Depends on how much cash you have, but on the whole I think it works out cheaper than having your own horse

 

[MungoMadness]

Find a share who will let you compete!

That's how I started. But really for me it was getting onto the uni teams that seems to get the ball rolling. After two years doing BUCS, this summer I put an ad on preloved and someone asked me to compete her new youngster over the summer. I took the mare to a few dressage comps and one combined training. Now I'm back to BUCS for hopefully another two years.

 

[chestnut cob]

Find a RS that does jumping and XC lessons - I don't know where you are but near me is a RS which holds BE events. I've seen clients there having lessons over the XC course and SJs, on school horses. So it is possible. The same RS also holds in house DR and SJ comps for people who have lessons, and I think you hire a school horse to compete. In fact, I am pretty sure there is at least one other local (and big, fairly good standard) RS doing the same thing.

Hunting - you'd need to be a decent standard, fairly brave I'd say and a competent jumper, but you can hire horses for hunter (hirelings). I did it last year when I was hunting my older horse. He was limited with the amount of jumping he could do, and I wanted to have a day with plenty of jumping so I had a hireling. Think it cost me about £120 for the horse plus normal cap etc for the day. Fab though because they bring it to the meet all plaited up and clean, you just turn up and sit on it then they collect it again at the end of the day. Fab!!

Finally, I agree with others about getting the right share. There will be owners out there who will let you do a bit of competing on their horse, I did when I had a sharer last year.