How is your horse for other riders?

Mine is fine with anyone except proper novices, he gets very worried if he doesn't understand what they want and just brings them back to me for reassurance, poor lad. Hasten to add that he's not knowingly ridden by complete novices off the lead rein, on the few times it has happened, the novices in question have assured me that they could ride!
 
My mare will happily let my 9yo friend plod around on her, but when a sharer came along and booted her then held a strong contact (very light /soft mouthed horse) she bucked and reared and kicked, then when I got back on her she was as good as gold. She has done this to all sharers I have seen so far!
 
My ponies are the same for others as for me/my kids, but as they are not all suitable for inexperienced riders, I have to be careful who is put on. For example my daughter used to want to bring 3-4 friends over to ride at the same time, and would get upset when I insisted they only walk, with maybe very short supervised trots. The ponies were likely to run off, shy/rear or buck if their riders became too inconsistent, but to her they are easy ponies.

We have one old chap and any one can ride him, so generally she has one friend out at a time now, and they just stick to him.
 
The only person she goes better for then me is my instructor, which is helpful when I'm having problems. There are other people who can walk, trot and canter round on her but she doesn't go in a nice outline for anyone else. She also tests every new person who jumps her by throwing in one of her dirty stops......if they stay on she deems them competent to jump her lol
 
I think confidence is a big thing with all horses.
Last winter I bought a horse via Facebook to ride whilst my own was lame - he was a cheap horse, but was described as being a plod. He certainly was not that - but was as described, in as much as he was quiet hack. As I am a relatively experienced confident rider, he never put a foot wrong, but I could tell that he was a bundle of nerves really. When my own horse became sound, I sold him on, and I hear that all is not well, because he has met a less confident rider. I sold him to a thrid party, so not directly to the new person who has him. That is a shame, as in the right hands he is fine, but does need someone who knows what they are doing.
At the other end of the spectrum I have a TB who is now 13 (rising 14) that I have had since he was 4 years. He is horrid to ride, not at all forward going, but I can get him going as I know him so well. I can't think the number of times I have tried to sell him - to no avail. A shame really because he is the perfect hunter - but no one (me included - ish) wants to do the leg work to get him fit......These days I ride him, to get myself fit!
 
Mine will be good for whoever is riding them; they will just limit their performance effort depending on who is upstairs. But I can be confident that they will be responsive and well mannered at all times, that's pretty much the basis of what we work on most of the time. They are trained to be ridden in a similar enough way by most people who get on them to make them fun for everybody. If any horse I have goes better for anybody else other than me then that is an absolute delight and a pleasure to watch.
 
My tb is great for me, excellent with kids.. But with an adult beginner or novice he falls to pieces, literally turns into a nervous wreck.. So can't let just anyone have a sit in him.
 
Whilst I don't expect every horse to adjust to the riders skill level, & trying it on for a short time with a new experienced rider is also acceptable, I'm quite shocked how many people seem quite proud of the fact only they can ride their horse. If I had a horse that could only be ridden by me, unless it was a work in progress I would question where my training had gone wrong.
 
Well, Carefreegirl rode Ned...and she rode him like a pro! Much better than me, but she had more 'presence' or something? Whatever she was doing, Ned thought "Oh, better listen to her!!"

He's pretty good with kids on him, listens to YO too. He did throw someone off a while ago when he was having his weird few months...but I feel she was nervous as she'd never ridden him before and not giving it her all, even though she's a very very good rider on other horses she knows.

Most people don't want to ride Ned, it's not that they can't!
 
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