Is this a good idea or not..?

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Cash

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Basically, one of the horses at my yard has had a sharer for about six weeks now. Before sharing this horse, she'd only ever ridden at riding schools. She is currently asking around (on Facebook, among her friends etc) to see if anyone would let her have a jump on their horse. I believe the gist is that since she's been sharing the horse at my yard (who can't jump) she hasn't been able to continue lessons, and really wants to do some jumping.

She is essentially a nice girl, has made some mistakes (eg cantering on v hard ground on the yard tracks,) - but she's bound to make mistakes, having never done a lot of this stuff before (I know I put my first horse through some shocking things, not knowing any better really) and without being told otherwise she can't improve. However, this has led people (adults included) on the yard to be quite mean and snobbish about her, and I highly doubt anyone'd lend her their horse to jump on.

So I was thinking about letting her have a go on my horse. He is definitely not a pushbutton horse, or a totally novice ride by any means, but equally he's definitely not crazy or incredibly sensitive. In other words, he's unlikely to do anything dangerous or 'scary' over a small jump (his blood only gets up once they get a bit bigger!) and will most likely just carry her quietly over it, provided she is reasonably balanced and rides sensibly. I would of course be there the entire time, and ensure that neither of them do anything they shouldn't! Just small jumps, in an enclosed school.

He has been jumping fantastically recently, and someone mentioned that she could well 'cock up' our progress (only had him a couple of months) which I thought was a bit mean on her- and overly flattering to me, if anyone was to cock him up I would have done it by now :o :D Obviously I haven't seen her jump, but I have seen her on the share horse, and she looked totally fine, no noticeably flapping elbows or legs etc (one thing my boy does not like is being flapped at!) :D

So should I just do it, and let her have a jump? I won't be looking to make it a permanant thing (would that be an issue..? :confused: ) I just think it'd be nice for her, particularly as some people on the yard have been less than welcoming so far, and I remember not having a horse and being desperate for some riding and jumping, and wishing someone would let me. I also think it's be good for my horse to be ridden by someone else every once in a while :)
Thoughts...? I was just going to do it, until people started saying
stuff :confused:

PS sorry this is soooo long, think I've over-pondered :D Twirls to any who finish it, and choc ices to any who reply!
 
Well if in your opinion she will be okay then i dont see a problem with it, just as long as your there, and probably best if she wore a body protector too. Theres only one way to find out...and thats to get her on the horse. If shes fine doing flat work then stepping up a notch cant be a problem. I will know how she feels, when I had my first pony, I did silly things like cantering on hard ground and doing things i shouldnt etc. I just didnt know there were concequences to it. But it didnt take long before i got a *******ing...you learn from mistakes.
 
hannabanana said:
I will know how she feels, when I had my first pony, I did silly things like cantering on hard ground and doing things i shouldnt etc. I just didnt know there were concequences to it.
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Exactly..but instead of just telling her, people just tut about it behind her back...why? :confused:

Thanks for your post. :)
 
MOLLYA said:
Exactly..but instead of just telling her, people just tut about it behind her back...why? :confused:

Thanks for your post. :)
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Poor girl, Well if they do tell her I hope there nice to her, It was always the same lady who told me off, she was a bit stuck up and made me feel like utter **** afterwards, I would always walk home crying XD, at least I knew what was wrong though. Maybe you could tell her the wrongs and rights? I know shes not your responsibilty but if the others are going to be all hush hush about it, the lass is never going to know.
 
I used to try to help a clueless yojng girl at our yard, no parental support and left to it, DIY, aged 12. Her nan told me off for 'bullying' her. Pony was pts a short while later, totally due to their neglect to call the vet.

If you fell like helping then do. Just make sure you put a few things in place first. Tell hr it is just the once. Speak to her parents. Make sure she is insured.

Hope she has fun and is grateful. :)
 
hannahbanana- that's really sad! Poor you. Why do people have to look down on novices when they're probably not the next Mary King themselves! :D
Yea, I'd rather not be making it a hugely regular thing, but I am of course happy to let her know rights and wrongs. Must not to be too patronising though, she's only a couple of years younger than me :p

apercrumbie- yep, was definitely planning on keeping a close eye and coaching her through it. And as for height, yes, will keep them v v small.
 
Brandy said:
I used to try to help a clueless yojng girl at our yard, no parental support and left to it, DIY, aged 12. Her nan told me off for 'bullying' her. Pony was pts a short while later, totally due to their neglect to call the vet.
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:eek: :( How awful!! At least you knew you'd done the best you could, little comfort I guess. :( Well this girl's situation is definitely nothing like that, there's always someone keeping an eye out on the yard in case she does something REALLY stupid!

Brandy said:
If you fell like helping then do. Just make sure you put a few things in place first. Tell hr it is just the once. Speak to her parents. Make sure she is insured.

Hope she has fun and is grateful. :)
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Yep, want her to know it's definitely not a permanant thing. And yep will check with her mum RE insurance.
 
ahh think thats really nice of you, as long as she knows its not an invitation for her to ride her all the time and you're fine with it just ignore what the other people are saying. definatly tell her (in a non patronsing way) what she is doing wrong i have learnt so much from people giving me advice and pointing out my mistakes-in fact i really appreciate it when people do :D
 
MOLLYA said:
hannahbanana- that's really sad! Poor you. Why do people have to look down on novices when they're probably not the next Mary King themselves! :D
Yea, I'd rather not be making it a hugely regular thing, but I am of course happy to let her know rights and wrongs. Must not to be too patronising though, she's only a couple of years younger than me :p

apercrumbie- yep, was definitely planning on keeping a close eye and coaching her through it. And as for height, yes, will keep them v v small.
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I know it was mean, but i suppose alot of people would be appauled at what I did and probably only human nature to shout at me. But how was I to know? I was 11 and I had no parental help like all the other girls at the yard at my age, plus I learnt to ride on my friends horse rather than a school, not the best idea as I didnt know cantering across a public neighbourhood green was naughty :P I think the best thing a newbie rider can have is some proper assistance while learning, not just actual riding and care, but the cans and cant's, things to look out for, when its right to call the vet etc..I dont think it matters what age the newbie and the assistant is and how big the age gap. If you've got the knowledge...share it!
 
I think that would be a really lovely thing to do and as some-one who's never been able to jump her own horse when people offer to let me jump theirs, even tho I do it in no style whatsoever, I'm just so grateful they let me have a go. Certainly wouldn't expect it to be a permament thing and just savour it as a one off treat.
From the sounds of it she's reasonable competent, you will be there to supervise and how else [do people expect] she is going to improve?
You could just start her off over trotting poles & work on her jumping position- as she can surely practice this on her share hrose anyway and gives her something constructive to take away from her ride, with some smaller fences at the end for fun? So long as you are upfront that it is a one off & are there to correct anything should it go wrong I don't see why not.
 
What a lovely person you are MollyA. It is so refreshing to meet someone who's willing to accomodate and help novices. So many people in the horse world seem to forget what it's like to be beginners, particularly if they've been brought up with horses.

If you are completely comfortable with the idea, then I would go for it. :)
 
What a kind person you are! I too was mad keen but pony-less at times but I was very lucky in that I did have some friends who were very generous when it came to sharing their ponies! I was even lent a pony to ride at a show by a woman I'd never met before! I would be willing to help out a pony-less child if I knew one.

All I would say is if this girl is a novice to jumping, put on a neck strap and make her use it!
 
Like others said, it would be a lovely thing to do. :D I can't stand people who are 'precious' about their horses and won't share. :o

BUT you need to be sure how you're horse will behave. She is very unlikely to do his any damage or 'hinder your progress' but he could well frighten or hurt her.

I have had various horses I would totally let a novice rider have a go jumping on - they were safe and sensible and if the rider lost their balance they would just stop and wait till they regained it. If the worse came to the worse and they fell off, it wouldn't freak the horse. And they would just pop over the jump in and nice quiet rhythm, regardless of what the rider was doing.

However my horse at the moment wouldn't be at all suitabe. His jumping is rythmical, sensible and honest but he would totally freak out if the rider lost their balance or fell off. Not at all suitable for someone to have a go.
 
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