Look for a new share or back to riding school?

Captain Bridget

Captain Bridget

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I've lost my confidence with my current share so am giving him up sadly, he's a lovely boy but there are too many negatives against him to continue.

I really want to be able to hack out, with a bit of schooling sometimes so a share seems more likely. But I don't know whether I'd find a horse suitable for me to ride or whether I'd be better to go back to a riding school, have some lessons and hopefully regain my confidence..

Problem with riding schools is they are expensive and I wouldn't be able to hack out regularly on my own, which I really enjoy.

Any thoughts are welcome.
 
I'd have a few lessons to help build confidence back up while you look around for a share. It could take a while to find the right thing, and you might find the lessons are the right thing for you just at the moment until you get your confidence back :)
 
I know a lady that loans a pony from a riding centre. Pony is a schoolmistress type, and still does three days a week for the centre. Loaner gets discount on lessons there. Would this sort of thing work, perhaps?
 
I found it really hard going from a share back to the riding school, so I gave up for 18 months :( Pm me what you're looking for and where you are, I'll help you look:)

You might find a family friend ready for a quieter life but they don't want to let go yet x
 
I'd be more inclined to share another horse, you can always save up and have lessons on that horse if you so wished.
There are plenty of safe horses up for share due to owners circumstances such as a lack of time due to work commitments etc. It's just a matter of finding one, keep checking on all the websites and make sure to put the word out to horsey friends! Also, if you ride the horse a few times before deciding to share then you will get a good understanding of how the horse is. Furthermore most people are honest when advertising a horse for share as it will only come back to bite them if their not! :D

Best of luck!
 
Hi, I had a share which i lost confidence on, I was lucky enough to find a fab riding school that i didnt know existed about 10 minutes up the road from me!

I went with a view to have a few lessons and then find a new share but that was 6 months ago! I have had many lessons and feel alot more confident and am now having talks with the yard owner about part loaning a lovely schoolmistress they have.

There are plenty of shares around and plenty of riding schools, maybe write a pros and cons list of each and go from there. At the end of the day we ride to enjoy ourselves right? If your not happy you could try something else.

Good Luck :)
 
I could have written that OP myself, in exactly the same position as you C_B :(

I am in hants too - hants/surrey borders and there are no decent riding schools near me so only thing I can do is find another share. It is difficult though - if it's not the horse thats a nutter it's the owner lol!
 
Hi,

I think having a few lessons somewhere would be a good idea for the moment. I was a bit wobbly by the time I got my new horse and things weren't going well - I wasn't sure I wanted to keep him or keep riding. I asked around for good riding schools for nervous riders and went to a lovely school near me that I hadn't used before so no expectations from before I lost my nerve!

Fortunately the lessons and horses there were lovely and showed me that I still enjoyed riding, and could, I just needed to get the hang of my new lad. Having lessons will keep you ticking over, and build your confidence again - and as others have said, if you let people there know you're looking for a share, something may come up :)

Good luck!
 
Lessons at RS are the way forward...

If you turn up looking at a share and sound like you want to get your confidence back for free instead of going to a RS might not look so good
 
Just a thought, if you have lessons on a share the owner may have definite feelings as to the way they want the horse taught, and a good freelance instructor will be on a par with or dearer than a lesson at an RS and you have your share costs as well.
 
I've just sent an email to a local riding school that I've not been to, they say on their website they cater for nervous riders but I don't want to be lumped with novice riders as I'm not a beginner at all, I just worry! Hopefully they'll get back to me and I can go up and have a look round. I'd like to try this place as I've been to most other riding schools around here in my time and they weren't all that great!

I'm in East Hampshire, the horse I've just given up was over the border in Surrey but it was really too far to go, it's at least half an hour to Surrey and probably more if you go towards Sussex sadly.

It's strange the horses that give me confidence, at college I had the same issue but the horses that helped me regain my confidence were a strong, forward going big Irish boy and a little skewbald mare who had a tendency to buck but was very sweet. They weren't confidence giving as such but they were kind of predictable if you know what I mean.
 
Oh darn sounds like you and my cheeky forward going but safe mare would have suited each other perfectly! Well if you ever move on me ;)
 
JessPickle!
Where abouts in east sussex? Ive just had to give up my current share as they have moved yards and are now 40 mins drive away :( gutted. Im in Brighton.. are you anywhere near? And are you still considering sharing?
 
I lost my confidence at a riding school, had a year off then decided to look for a share. I found a lovely 16.2hh tb gelding (surprisingly wasn't put off that he was a tb) and we clicked right away.. 6 months later he's all mine! Wouldn't go back to a riding school after sharing personally as prefer the freedom of doing whatever I want (within reason!) But may be best to have a few lessons just to rebuild confidence :)
 
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