How do you feel about people riding your horse?

I think all horses should be ridden by more than just one person (even if it is just once a month). In the event of a sale the horse will need to be able to adapt to a different weight / style of rider. IMO a well schooled horse should not find it difficult to accept a new rider.
 
Anybody CAN ride mine but I rarely let it happen. I enjoy her too much and don't want to start saying no if asked, so I don't offer!
 
I love watching other people on mine, mostly...sometimes it can be slightly painful to watch particularly with current one who only goes correctly if correctly ridden and I cant stand watching him going along looking worried and cross with his head in air! Also got no probs with complete novices/kids having a potter. Its the ones in between that think they can but actually cant ( and gosh there seem to be so many of those!) that I hate letting on. Only because it upsets him, actually most of my previous horses have been similar, if he wasnt bothered then I wouldnt be either.
 
I've got two - one that has been known to nap and my new girl. The gelding is quite sensitive so I don't like other people riding him - mainly because they won't 'get him' and won't ride him correctly.

I have no choice about friends riding my new girl as I've broken my back so not allowed to ride. She was viceless when I bought her so I'm selective over who rides her. The gelding on the other hand is fine to be turned away and brought back into work.
 
Oh dear... I feel a rant coming on... :(


*I've had my mare on working livery (disaster- she hated it).

*I've let three adult friends who were really better riders than me ride her (two fell off, the third rode her beautifully and made me go- *sigh, why can't I ride her like that*).

*I've let a teenage friend ride her (who drove me potty because she wanted to do far more than she was capable of).

All of the above was in either a small field or a school, I would never let someone who I hadn't seen ride quirky horses well (and has ridden this mare before and got on well with her) take her on the roads because she can nap quite dramatically if she has no confidence in her rider.

My filly will be backed next year and I'd love to have someone ride the mare to escort the filly, but I don't know anyone here (moved house last year) who would be able to hack the mare out. I've had lots of offers from people who want to ride the filly, but if they can't ride the mare, they're not going to be trusted with a just backed filly (and why on Earth do they think that she will be a novice ride?!).

I seem to spend alot of time saying 'no' to people (friends, family and even strangers) who want to have a ride but haven't ridden/ridden much before. I have been quite upset over this in the past because they react as if I'm being mean or selfish.

So... to sum up, when the filly is backed, a sharer would be wonderful but because the mare is quirky, I'll probably just reduce her workload to fit around the filly's training.



PS. I've even had someone want to ride the retired TB. I said she hasn't been ridden for years, that she rears vertical and that I don't have a saddle for her. Crazy person still wanted to have a go. I said 'no way'.
 
I've had 4 different people ride my horse, and all 4 of them hit the deck with a hell of a bang within half an hour (bucked and dropped shoulder type thing).... I'm not sure anyone would want to!! (I've not come off him for 6 years however)

I get the feeling he is a one rider horse, so it's perhaps a good job he has a home for life :)
 
My case is probably a bit extreme but I don't let ANYONE ride my horse unless I am there watching and they are a more skilled rider than me who is doing something I am not capable of (which isn't much).

My husband rescued him after he was retired from racing in a dreadful state. He was skinny (you could count every rib), had a hogged mane, was riddled with worms and had given up on life at only 4 years old. He had never been schooled and couldn't even turn left in trot and could only ride in a straight line.

I school him during the summer and he rests the whole of the winter.
The main reason I don't let anyone ride him is because they are EXTREMELY harsh in their methods. I never use violence with him but I cannot guarantee that they wouldn't if I was not there.
 
I like Elz to be ridden by other people as it's good for her.

I have posted before about the problem she had trusting riders other than me as I'm very novicey. My friend however, is an excellent rider with masses of experience which people used to pay her for and she expects Elz to work properly.

It has taken some time, but my friend has bonded with her and they have both regained the confidence that they had both lost before, which is great.

I'm sure my mare enjoys the days my friend rides as they both come back buzzing and smileing............... I for one like to see that;)
 
Yeah, anytime x

I did have a sharer for my previous horse who came from Stroud to ride, she obviously thought it was worth the drive. She had to get up at 4am to get there in time for cubbing! :eek:
 
I am a sharer and Kelly's mum is very good in letting me ride her daughters horse too (Kelly is only just coming sound after being diagnosed with Cushings) either, schooling or hacking with or without company. I have also lately been offered to take Kelly's daughter out whenever I like so I must be some sort of trustworthy! :)
K x
 
It depends who it is. I have let a few small children that I know that have had a few lessons and are the sort of pony mad kids have a sit on him after I have ridden him. They are not the sort that think they know every thing and have all been grateful for the little go they have had and have done what I have told them to do when on him. I also have a friend who invited herself to see him when I first got him and she will never be allowed to sit on him again, she pulled her self up in trot off of his mouth she was swiftly told to get off and hasnt seen him since. I would hapily let my instrucor ride him, my YO and a few selected others without me being there but most people would have to be supervised just incase.
 
I'd be a hypocrite if I had a problem with it, as for the last few years the only way I've been able to ride is from people being nice enough to let me ride theirs!

I've never been terribly precious about it, but it depends on the horse for me. When I had a very sensitive difficult thoroughbred I'd let a relative novice on just for a wander round, and I had very experienced people ride him once or twice with me there, but to be honest he was very much a one person horse and was always pretty tense with anyone else on board, so it wasn't much fun for him or them.

My last mare was basically anyone's ride - she'd work properly with an experienced rider but anyone could really get on and w/t/c or pop her over a jump. I was happy really for anyone to have a sit on, and happy for competent friends and people I trusted to ride without supervision and take her out hacking and stuff.
 
i let people ride my horse who i ask.

I wont let anyone on her who ask me.... its just cheeky :D

i think it does most horses good to have a different rider on them now and again :)
 
I don't like it, but I've gotten better about it. My ex-racer is occasionally ridden by my SJ instructor if I'm away or can't ride, but I don't think he goes any better for her than me, not because I'm as good (I'm not), but because I know him better and he knows me better.

I actually think my other instructor would suit my horse very well, he's very quiet, doesn't believe in making anything into a negative experience for the horse, never loses his temper, but equally he doesn't put up with any nonsense - just carries on asking consistently until he's given what he wants. But, he has never ridden him so I could be wrong ;)

I do have one friend who I said should sit on him in walk, maybe trot, just to get the feel of bending a horse around her leg. She's got quite soft hands and isn't a bad rider, but she is quite nervous so I said it'd have to be after I worked him or something - she refuses to get on him though, his temperament scares her. Which is fine :)

Generally though I don't think I'd be happy about anyone except pros riding him (and even then, only some of them). Mostly because it's taken a long time to get him settled and working reasonably well, and he's not always the most sensible of horses.
 
In Ireland, most people have there own land, so livery isnt as big. However, I am a complete control freak when it comes to my horses, and while I dont mind my horse been riden by somone else, they will not hunt or do any sort of activity on my horse, in case it gets injured. my ex is a very good cross country rider, and rode horses for lots of different people. His rule was - dont send me the vet bill and i wont send you the doctors bill - I knew that i couldn't seperate the "accident" from the rider, so nobody other than my sister gets to ride my horses, and even at that, I'm nervous.
I think that if you are riding your horse and it has an accident, you only have yourself to blame, but if it is someone else, you will automatically blame the person riding, even if you dont want to, if you know what I mean!!!!
 
fitzaud2 said:
they will not hunt or do any sort of activity on my horse, in case it gets injured.
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Good point..my mind, and it looks like most other peoples minds, jumped to schooling and how the horse reacts before thinking of the potential accidents and the disputes that can be a result - I suppose thats where the trust comes in, and picking a sensible rider that wont panic or get into silly situations, and experienced enough to know things that seem insignificant and common sense for you but inexperienced riders just dont know. And theres insurance and red tape and the whole liability blame-culture aswell! (one day we will probably have to sign liability wavers to enter a yard or something extreme like that!)
 
No one rides my beau. I hate it. May let a beginner have a little go if they do as they're told or a friend cool her off. Sharer rode her for few months when lottie was ill before the shoe arrived but even though she's a nice rider I hated it. I think it's coz i'm an only child. I don't share well. Lol.
 
As a rule I don't let other people ride my horses. I usually get them as young horses and we get used to each other's foibles. The mare I have at the moment is particularly a 'one-person' horse and I don't think it's fair on her.

Also I spend a lot of time, money and emotional capital on them - is it so wrong to want some 'return' on this just for myself?

My old TB adored a friend of mine and used to look after her - that was so lovely to see as he was obviously pleased to be ridden by her. I've also had an experiment with someone riding another mare of mine which was a complete disaster - never again!
 
I have a sharer for my old boy and i couldn't be happier about the situation, she is very good with him she calls me if there is the slightest thing wrong with him, she is a nervous rider but he is a super confidence giver so they compliment each other. when he was ill for a while i told her she would probably be best to find another horse she had the other horse 2 weeks and asked to come back.

as with people on the yard riding my horse i don't mind as long as i am there. i generally don't offer mine to ride as my old boy has a sharer and i think its rude to let other people ride him too, and my other horse is a youngster that i am bringing on so until i am happy with him i wouldn't allow other people ride him.
 
Spotsrock said:
No one rides my beau. I hate it. May let a beginner have a little go if they do as they're told or a friend cool her off. Sharer rode her for few months when lottie was ill before the shoe arrived but even though she's a nice rider I hated it. I think it's coz i'm an only child. I don't share well. Lol.
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i'm not the only child but still hate sharing :) feeling the same way about the shoe, my first baby, i want her to be just mine :)
 
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