Loaning instead of Lessons?

[whenthemusicgetsloud]

When lessons were really far away but you could loan a horse really close to your house what would you do? I have been riding on and off for about a year (only on and off twice) and i used to be able to jump small jumps but i am only riding once a fortnight and i dont think i can ever improve if i am only riding that much? What do you think should i go for it? I will have friends who have owned horses to help me out!

 

[3OldPonies]

I think it's great that you are considering a loan. However, you say nothing in your message about stable management experience, and once you take on a horse then generally it is more about that than riding! You'll spend far more time out of the saddle than you will in it! How will you manage your time is also another consideration. At a riding school you need only turn up and ride for an hour then whizz off to do something else. If you have a full loan then you'll be spending time morning and evening and probably most of the weekend, doing the daily things that are necessary to keep a horse healthy and sound, not to mention time needed for farrier and vet visits. I hope I'm not putting you off, but these things do need be to be considered before you take the plunge. You may be better sharing to begin with rather than jumping straight in with a loan, if you find someone lovely to share with then you'll gain loads of experience and you'll gain a better idea of what you're letting yourself in for.

I realise you say you have friends who can help you out, but honestly it may be better to get some stable management experience under your belt before going for it. If they have their own horses, they're not likely to be available at all the times you need them - they'll be busy with their own.

 

[whenthemusicgetsloud]

I think it's great that you are considering a loan. However, you say nothing in your message about stable management experience, and once you take on a horse then generally it is more about that than riding! You'll spend far more time out of the saddle than you will in it! How will you manage your time is also another consideration. At a riding school you need only turn up and ride for an hour then whizz off to do something else. If you have a full loan then you'll be spending time morning and evening and probably most of the weekend, doing the daily things that are necessary to keep a horse healthy and sound, not to mention time needed for farrier and vet visits. I hope I'm not putting you off, but these things do need be to be considered before you take the plunge. You may be better sharing to begin with rather than jumping straight in with a loan, if you find someone lovely to share with then you'll gain loads of experience and you'll gain a better idea of what you're letting yourself in for.

I realise you say you have friends who can help you out, but honestly it may be better to get some stable management experience under your belt before going for it. If they have their own horses, they're not likely to be available at all the times you need them - they'll be busy with their own.

Don't worry I will never be put off and I do have a lot of stable management skills and am happy to do anything one of my friends will probably be sharing him with me

 

[Shay]

Although you will get more "saddle time" which is important to improve you will find that you still need lessons. Somewhere in your budget make sure that you can afford to have a good RI come out to you every couple of weeks. or join the local pony club / riding club to access their training. You will get further, and probably faster, with a loan horse. But you really won't progress even with a loan horse without an instructor.

Forgive me - but you sound like you might be quite young? Make sure that either parents are on board or you have sufficient budget. With a loan horse you are responsible for all costs and horses don't come cheap!

 

[3OldPonies]

Don't worry I will never be put off and I do have a lot of stable management skills and am happy to do anything one of my friends will probably be sharing him with me

That's good then.

Like Shay also said though, and what I forgot to say yesterday, is that you need to have the finances sorted out and you will still need lessons I'm afraid, possibly more than before if you wish to progress quickly and safely. More riding time doesn't necessarily = quicker advances in your riding; especially as riding outside the school in the big wide world is a completely different kettle of fish!

One other thing that I forgot to mention apart from the time aspect, but associated very much with it (and as you say you will be sharing the loan, which you didn't say to start with) is that you don't get days off for Christmas, holidays etc. You still need to either do the horse yourselves or arrange for someone else to do it! I know that sounds pretty simple, but it's something that people just starting out do tend to forget!

Anyway, all words of caution exhausted, if you do go for the share/loan I wish you the very best of luck and let us know how you get on.

 

[dodgers89]

I began loaning when my riding instructor went away for a few weeks. Like you, I was only having lessons once a fortnight and so I thought if I could get a part loan then I could get more practice in. I started loaning two horses last April and kept them on the owners yard at her house so she was on hand to help out and support me. I found that to be incredibly important. When one horse died suddenly in December, I got a horse on full loan and moved it to the yard. To be honest, I've found being able to ride whenever you like a real advantage and I'm certainly more comfortable on the ground, tacking up, feeding etc now. However, I would still advise having lessons, if possible on your loan horse. A horse on loan will be very different to a riding school horse (I found this out the hard way!) but if the horse is right for you and you factor everything in, including finances, then I would definitely recommend it