Old fashioned working for rides, how times have changed!

[lottiepony]

I have a friend who is currently horseless so in return for some poo picking she rides my mare a couple of times a week. This is how I always used to get 'free' rides be it at the riding school or for friends I would put in hours and hours of hard graft doing all the tasks under the sun just for the delight of getting to sit on a horse whilst it grazed down the lane or as a complete and utter treat a hack out.
Now I know nowadays times are harder and money is tighter but it does make me smile how people now do all the chores and a get little riding (or none in some cases) and pay for the privilege! Congratulations to the person that thought this up don't get me wrong it can be the perfect solution if your struggling to afford your horse etc just seems a bit mental when I think what I used to do as a child, those were the days but clearly I'm a bit old fashioned!

 

[TrasaM]

Hi BEE
Sounds a bit like my current situation. I ride my friend's cob for her sometimes and the YO old boy rest of the time. I'm grateful for the practice and am learning lots about all the bits that go with horse ownership..tack cleaning, poo picking, feeding grooming and so on. It's a loose arrangement in that I'm happy to help when I can, but did occasionally give her some cash plus I've contributed to the cost of cobs saddle. Suits me but yard politics can sometimes get a bit sticky in that we( friend n I) end up picking poop for horses we don't actually own or ride.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

I used to muck out at a local riding instructor's place, groom the horses, turn horses out and bring them in, and also lead in the lead-rein classes (which is probably what has put me off children for life!), all in exchange for a free ride at the end of the afternoon (and a bacon sandwich at lunch time!). Once I had my own horse, all the help I gave was in exchange for an hour's free one-to-one lesson on my mare, and as time went on I also let her use my mare for other riders in exchange for riding her own horse at a more advanced level.

It was a fantastic arrangement for me, the riding instructor and my horse in the end, and I didn't mind giving up my weekends to help!

 

[fidleyspromise]

I used to help out and as an occassional treat would get an extra lesson/hack out/exercise one of the horses. Learned so much and it was great.

Now go to a riding school and it felt wrong as the horse was tacked up for me and they took the horse from me at end of lessons - waving away my offer to help. I've been there a few weeks and I'm now allowed to tack up/untack my horse which is the very least I can do.

I'm debating getting a sharer for mine, but I'm so wary of her faults, and there'd be no chores to do as i like looking after them myself. Will think a bit more on this.