Is Sharing Now All About Money?

PaddyMonty

PaddyMonty

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Looking for another horse to play with and came across a couple of adds for horses local to me.
First was 17hh 5yo warmblood. Asking £20 a week for two days.
Second was 15.3 6yo, very green with issues. Owner doesn't have the time for horse. Asking £25 per week.
Now to my way of thinking these horses need a competent rider able to bring the horse on both under saddle and on the ground.
Do people really pay to school horses for other people? I would have happily taken on either horse and taught the owner if necessary but I certainly wouldn't pay to do it.
Strange world we now live in.
 
When I was living away from home I could have done with a horse to ride. However I wasn't paying for the privilege given I had my own horse to pay for.
 
When i was younger, i used to ride 2 other horses 2 days a week for different people because they were a bit busy. i had my own pony too. They paid me!

This taking money for sharing thing has always miffed me....
 
just a thought, asking for a bit of money would weed out some of the dreamers and timewasters. But yes, I agree in principle that a competent rider could add a lot of value in that kind of situation and that makes the financial arrangement a bit odd.
 
Standard shares do seem to be for payment, but I'd assume that's for more established horses. If a rider is schooling, training and improving the horse, then I totally understand why they wouldn't pay to do that, and why they would quite rightly expect to be paid for doing that!
 
I think it's cheeky to ask for money when the horses will benefit from someone with skill working with them and that seems to be what they need. I did consider looking for a sharer for my horse and thought of asking for a token fiver a day to a max of 3 days, but she's generally very easy to ride and do in general and the money aspect was more to ensure someone was serious and less likely to let me down. When I used to share I was at Uni and penniless. Most share arrangements I got were with young horses and I was helping bring them on, probably mostly cos I was more or less fearless! Usually started out quite well then once the horse was doing much better I often got asked to start paying.
All that said I know some owners say well a lesson is such and such and you can ride for hours this way so works out much cheaper. I don't think they consider their horse is being schooled for them in some cases.
 
I think it depends on what each person gets out of the arrangement as to whether money should exchange hands or not.

I've had situations whereby have I have sharers in the past.
Once was to keep a horse ticking over/fit that I didn't have time or inclination for. No charge.
The other was offering someone I knew (who had lost their horse) the chance to ride a well schooled horse, have lessons and access to my lorry, anytime time they wanted. I was busy with work and hard up financially. They treaed the horse like their own and paid £150 a month (which was approx. half monthly outgoings). They weren't improving the horse, but using it to learn.
 
I have done both, shared just for the jobs and also payed for the priveledge, the second was definately not worth the £20 a week contribution as she was stressy and dificult to manage but i would pay it for a nice type that i could enjoy- horses are expensive to keep so don't see a problem with asking for contributions to enjoy someone's pride and joy BUT i do think asking for contributions to ride green, poorly schooled horses or ones with behavioral issues is cheeky
 
milliepops said:
just a thought, asking for a bit of money would weed out some of the dreamers and timewasters.
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True but the downside is they could miss out on someone who could really help the situation. I've seen some adds that have said 'contribution dependent on experience' which seemed a better way to me. I didn't bother contacting either of the owners although I do rather like the look of the 17hh warmblood.
 
When I was considering it I definitely hoped to find someone who would jump her a lot as that's a weakness for me, but they'd have to be a good rider as she is so quick when she has her no moments- I had considered trying the university riding club hoping to find a good rider away from their horses and stating small contribution preferred negotiable to right jockey as if I got the perfect rider would have wanted them regardless of how skint they were and students could be pretty poor! :)
 
PaddyMonty said:
True but the downside is they could miss out on someone who could really help the situation. I've seen some adds that have said 'contribution dependent on experience' which seemed a better way to me. I didn't bother contacting either of the owners although I do rather like the look of the 17hh warmblood.
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Speak to the owner and explain what you have to offer. They may agree to no contribution if improving the horse
 
I think it depends and if both people are getting something out of the arrangement then fine. Some experienced riders might prefer a project than an established horse. I do think how many chores are required are a factor though on what is reasonable.

There is a lot of sharing round here I suspect partly because in London you have a population who are not settled enough to have their own horse at this point in their lives and partly because the cost of keeping a horse and riding at riding schools is so high that sharing is a very viable option.

I think asking something does help see to who is committed and with one notable exception, the free sharers at the yards I've been at have proved to be less reliable than the people who pay. i.e. not turning up and giving up sooner.
 
I have a friend who 'shares ' two of ours .
Tatts is my ex driving horse who I backed at ten he's a bit of a fruitcake but a nice one we tried dressage he was going to a nightmare to settle and I had no stomach for dragging him around the 1000 un affiliated prelims it would have taken him to settle , so we tried hunting he loved it my back did not .
So I asked a young man I know if he would like to have a day , I taught him at pony club when he was younger and always liked the calm but firm confidence he naturally had .
He now hunts Tatts all seasons and field masters from him some of the time .
I keep the horse feed the horse make sure he's had enough work etc etc I think of him as the FYF 'a ( fit young friend) horse they get so well and I enjoy seeing Tatts enjoying his work .
He also has done a lot with H my young ID he takes him for training for which I pay and will do some low level eventing over the summer he also hunts him when MrGS does not need him .
He has the use of my truck and can ride the horses when it suits him.
When I see these paid for shares I wonder what this package would cost.
In reality it's not what it's about ,it's about having the fun of sharing doing stuff with someone who enjoys it .
So PM I think you and I see a share in sort of the same way .
 
I think it can work out both ways ( sharer pays/ or you get paid) depends all on what you both expect/want out of it. I pay for someone to ride my horse, she competes her for me also. I would not expect her to pay as in my eyes she is exercising, competing and educating her.
 
PaddyMonty said:
True but the downside is they could miss out on someone who could really help the situation. I've seen some adds that have said 'contribution dependent on experience' which seemed a better way to me. I didn't bother contacting either of the owners although I do rather like the look of the 17hh warmblood.
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I don't know how many people looking for a sharer would expect to get someone like you though? I wouldn't expect it, if I advertised one of mine for share. I'd assume I would be getting less experienced people and would therefore expect a contribution.

(I did have a share while I was at uni.I didn't ask for any money as I just wanted the jobs done while I was away and was happy to keep horse in work. Wish I had done as my tack got damaged and care was sub-optimal.)

saying contribution is negotiable is def better but it might not occur to people :)
 
Where in Northants are you OP? I have a 17hh gelding who could easily do with more excercize than I can give him (weekend hacker here) I wouldn't someone to pay me for doing me a favour......
He's in Uppingham though so maybe too far?
 
I think in your position PaddyMonty the likelihood is that you aren't going o see many share horses advertised that would suit you.
The type of horse you would want would be the horse that the owner doesn't want a numpty on so may be well currently paying someone to ride.
I'd be looking to advertise yourself, it may be that someone that hadn't previously considered a sharer might be swayed by a free rider!

I don't have a horse to ride at the moment. Luckily have an eventer friend who is only to willing to throw some exercise riding my way. I am also in the lucky position to have good value lessons on a PSG horse once a fortnight
 
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PaddyMonty said:
Looking for another horse to play with and came across a couple of adds for horses local to me.
First was 17hh 5yo warmblood. Asking £20 a week for two days.
Second was 15.3 6yo, very green with issues. Owner doesn't have the time for horse. Asking £25 per week.
Now to my way of thinking these horses need a competent rider able to bring the horse on both under saddle and on the ground.
Do people really pay to school horses for other people? I would have happily taken on either horse and taught the owner if necessary but I certainly wouldn't pay to do it.
Strange world we now live in.
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I think sharing depends on what the people involved want from the situation, help with chores, schooling, exercise or money. Some people may want everything....
I suspect sometimes there is a charge to weed out the dreamers and people expecting paid. If they sound interesting why not call and have a chat and see if its negotiable. TBF I think £20 is minimal cost to ride with minimal commitment.
 
ihatework said:
I'd be looking to advertise yourself, it may be that someone that hadn't previously considered a sharer might be swayed by a free rider!
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Agree, and this is a great idea :)
Though you might open yourself up to the dreamers and timewasters instead, lol!
 
'Contribution depending on experience' is a very good way of putting it. Lots of beginners will exploit owners, and ruin their ponies, not from any bad motive, but because they're thoughtless and don't know any better.
I have sharers, but they're all kids, so none improve the ponies they're riding... which means somebody has to train them to a standard where they're suitable to start with, and train out any bad habits which start to emerge. I don't mind doing that, but only for sharers who are committed. If anyone knows any better way to identify commitment than to ask for a small contribution, I'm all ears!

I'd snap a good riders hand off if they offered to ride my ponies for free, but there are very few out there, and even fewer who would choose to ride a field-kept native.
 
If I wanted a rider to train my horse I would, and have paid for it. Then they're working for you on your terms.

Sharing has always been about money hasn't it? I would hate to share my horse and would only do it if I was desperate for money to help with costs or desperate for help with working or caring for the horse which I couldn't afford to pay for. You don't have the same control or expect the same standards sharing as you do employing a rider or paying for livery IMO.
 
I share my boy, he is an established HOYS level native. He has his quirks but nothing even a novice couldn't handle.
Rightly or wrongly I consider him to be a very attractive loan prospect, he needs no schooling, is 100% in the heaviest of traffic, non spooky, will go at whatever required speed.
I do charge for my share, 3 days a week at £20 but offer riding 7 days at the mo.
I think it's a fair price, it covers the extra insurance, and is way cheaper than riding once a week or having to fork out for your own.
It does weed out the timewasters and non commited.
 
I did try advertising a few years back. Despite listing my experience (inc pics) and what I was looking for ie sports horse type, 16.0hh min etc you would not believe what i was offered. I had to decline around 20 horses (ponies) without even seeing the horse.
Not sure I'm desperate enough to go that route again just yet.
 
I would expect people to pay of they're just turning up to ride. Doing chores is fine, I think, as is asking sharers to do them. If it's the sharer's day, I'd hope they would do pretty much everything, particularly if they want to have the horse for the day. I think that sort of sharer is the type who might be looking to buy their own soon.

Saying that, if a rider is going to improve the horse, then I wouldn't ask for money, seems a bit mad. My current sharer desperately misses the whole social thing at the yard and actively wants to do mornings and the whole weekend. She doesn't pay, because she does so much for me, I would be cross if she tried to give me money and I don't want her buying stuff for the horse, either.
 
Nativelover said:
I share my boy, he is an established HOYS level native. He has his quirks but nothing even a novice couldn't handle.
Rightly or wrongly I consider him to be a very attractive loan prospect, he needs no schooling, is 100% in the heaviest of traffic, non spooky, will go at whatever required speed.
I do charge for my share, 3 days a week at £20 but offer riding 7 days at the mo.
I think it's a fair price, it covers the extra insurance, and is way cheaper than riding once a week or having to fork out for your own.
It does weed out the timewasters and non commited.
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Now that I see as fine (even a little cheap) and I'd happily pay to ride a horse already schooled to the level I can produce to or higher but not a big young warmblood who knows diddly that I would have to put a lot of work in to on the basics.
 
ihatework said:
I think in your position PaddyMonty the likelihood is that you aren't going o see many share horses advertised that would suit you.
The type of horse you would want would be the horse that the owner doesn't want a numpty on so may be well currently paying someone to ride.
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I think you are probably right. Finding these owners is more tricky as they do't seem to scan preloved etc :(
 
PaddyMonty said:
I did try advertising a few years back. Despite listing my experience (inc pics) and what I was looking for ie sports horse type, 16.0hh min etc you would not believe what i was offered. I had to decline around 20 horses (ponies) without even seeing the horse.
Not sure I'm desperate enough to go that route again just yet.
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That's the thing though isn't it. Nothing in life is for free.
I can quite imagine all the chaff sifting you would need to do, but that might be the price for finding a horse to ride.
Like you say though, depends on how much it's worth it.

I was looking for a horse to loan a few years back and boy did I have to sift through the chaff. Just when I was giving up hope I got a call out of the blue from a stranger about what has turned out to be my ideal horse (that I have since half purchased). It was worth the effort.
 
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