Opinions/advice please!

[Hanifleur]

I came back to riding after a 25 year break 6 weeks ago and am having private lessons along with my 3 daughters. I'm happily regaining my confidence in walk, trot and canter and have popped a couple of small cross poles. I'm desperate to get more horsey time in as I'm loving it so much, but want to do more than just lessons.

I have been in touch with a lady who has a 12yo ISH gelding plus miniature shetland on a yard 30 mins away from me. She has young children and feels that her gelding isn't getting enough riding and is worried about him getting unfit and she has offered for me to ride him and groom the pair of them 2-3 times a week in return for the odd bag of carrots!

The ISH was purchased from a riding school 5 years ago and is apparently very kind and patient. I was very honest about my current riding level being fairly novice after a long break so hopefully he's not too much horse for me, but I don't have any experience of this breed so any advice would be gratefully received!

I'm going to meet her at her livery yard at the weekend to see if it's a partnership that could work. Trying not to get my hopes up in case it's too good to be true, but do you have any advice on what questions to ask etc when I meet her and the etiquette around meeting a horse for the first time?

Thanks so much!

 

[HeyMich]

If you want to try and ride him, make sure you see the owner riding him first. And then only get on if you are 100% happy with what you've seen!

 

[vhf]

ISH - Irish Sports Horse can be a very random mix of breeds. Traditionally they'd be a mixture of TB with either Connie or Irish Draught type, but the modern ones are often a high percentage of warmblood. Every traditionally bred one I've met has a been lovely, genuine type, and some were extremely talented, but there are exceptions!
Make sure you have a very firm agreement about responsibilities and expectations right at the start if you do go ahead. think about insurance... etc.
The critical thing is to see the horse handled, make sure it's in a way that you are comfortable with, see him ridden and be happy with what you see, try him yourself if you feel safe, preferably in a low-pressure situation (e.g. try and not have half the yard there watching!!!)
Ask questions - about things that will be important to you. Like what time you will be expected/not welcome, whether the owner will be there or not (especially the first few times you ride), what the riding is like (is it the sort of riding you want to be doing?) Check whether she lunges first before she gets on if he's not in regular work due to her lack of time. Is this something you are confident to do? Do you want to be riding a horse that needs this? and so on.
Do a lot of watching and a lot of listening. Then go away and sleep on it for 24 hours and see how excited you are in the morning!! (Petrified is fine, so long as you're also excited!)

 

[Hanifleur]

Thanks for this that’s really helpful. Judging by the pics I’ve seen he looks more Irish Draught than Connie but can’t be sure obviously.

I will definitely be asking to see her ride him before trying myself and I think there’s an instructor attached to the yard so would most likely schedule in a few lessons on him before going

solo. I’m only after doing some flat work and hacking at this stage until I have some more hours back in the saddle.

Any other advice for me? I really appreciate experienced opinions!

thanks a million!

 

[cbmcts]

Mmmm OP you might want to take the photo down unless you have the person who's in the picture permission! Apologies if you have asked them.

PS The horse is lovely

 

[Hanifleur]

Oops totally didn’t think? How do I do that please?

 

[doodle]

Oops totally didn’t think? How do I do that please?

It’s too late. You can only edit your post for an hour after posting.

 

[Hanifleur]

Oh no! I’m off to a great start here!??

 

[splashgirl45]

i thought it was longer than an hour, if you look at the bottom of your post if edit is there tap it and it will take you back in then you can delete the photos. oncee edit has disappeared you are too late but worth looking just in case

 

[Carrottom]

My advice would be to be as open and honest as you can be. Most horsey peeps love talking about their horses, don't try to impress, just try to listen and learn, and have a good time too. I find that the best times with horses are often when not riding.

 

[shamrock2021]

be honest about your riding ability with the horse owner. I have a Irish sport horse Is Not forward Going to my leg but isn’t a novice ride for many reasons like can get very forward when jumping and hacking. My Irish sport Horse is mostly draft .

 

[Lurfy]

This lady's horse may be quite different to the riding school horses you are used to. They are used to a range of riders and usually tolerant of errors. They also probably get more work than a privately owned horse.

Having said that, he may suit you very well and with some lessons to get you going on the right path, it could work out well for all involved. Good luck and happy riding.

 

[Hanifleur]

i thought it was longer than an hour, if you look at the bottom of your post if edit is there tap it and it will take you back in then you can delete the photos. oncee edit has disappeared you are too late but worth looking just in case

Definitely no edit button unfortunately!

 

[Hanifleur]

This lady's horse may be quite different to the riding school horses you are used to. They are used to a range of riders and usually tolerant of errors. They also probably get more work than a privately owned horse.

Having said that, he may suit you very well and with some lessons to get you going on the right path, it could work out well for all involved. Good luck and happy riding.

I can but go and see I guess! I’m hoping the fact that he was previously a riding school horse says something about his personality. I’m aware that he’s likely to be more sensitive and forward than the horses I’ve been riding so far but fingers crossed he’s manageable. If not I’ll be totally honest though - I’m not into taking big risks these days!

 

[Adoni123]

I would ask:
What he has done before in the past - has he competed?
Does he like jumping? Flat work? Hacking?
Is he good on the ground? Is he ever a monkey being lead? Pick up all four feet to check? Is he good with kids or will they have to be careful around him (always be careful anyway)
Has he ever thrown a buck or any other vices?

Honestly I think what's best as it's a share is visiting him a handful of times when the owner is there - first time get her to do everything and if you're happy with it the second time you could take him in, tack him up and ride him!

As long as the owner knows you are more of a novice rider at the moment, I'm confident that he is OK. It seems to be quite easy at the moment especially with Covid, to find someone to ride your horse. Therefore, if he couldn't cope with a novice I'm sure she would just find someone more experienced!

When I previously shared a horse, I ensured I had an extremely good relationship with the owner. I would message her all the time with absolutely any ridiculous question and she'd always had advice for me.

 

[Hanifleur]

Thank you Adoni that’s really helpful. She’s very aware of my ability and responded to my post looking for a share - she wasn’t actively looking for someone and isn’t looking for me to do anything beyond riding and grooming. The kids will definitely only be coming with me once a week to pamper the Shetland rather than the ISH so no worries there.

I get the impression she’s just really struggling for time but doesn’t want to sell or loan them out full time and just wants them to have more attention than she can give them right now. I shall go into it eyes wide open though and try to let head rule heart!

 

[Adoni123]

Thank you Adoni that’s really helpful. She’s very aware of my ability and responded to my post looking for a share - she wasn’t actively looking for someone and isn’t looking for me to do anything beyond riding and grooming. The kids will definitely only be coming with me once a week to pamper the Shetland rather than the ISH so no worries there.

I get the impression she’s just really struggling for time but doesn’t want to sell or loan them out full time and just wants them to have more attention than she can give them right now. I shall go into it eyes wide open though and try to let head rule heart!

No problem at all - I was on the same boat 4 years ago with a share after 10 years!

The only thing I'd be wary of if this woman has had a horse a long time is she might think he's an angel but he might still have some quirks that she's extremely used to and sees them as a non-issue, but since she knows you haven't been riding in a long time I'm sure it'll be fine

Good luck!

 

[Annagain]

Generally speaking (and this is very general!) I find horses that are up for share are the ones that owners will do anything to keep (otherwise they would sell or loan them) so they are usually decent honest types. Be honest about your ability and your expectations for the share. The horse might be perfect but if the owner is only willing for you to have one day a week when you want three or they want the weekends and so do you, it won't work.

I've been a sharer and a sharee and find set days the best way to manage it as everyone knows where they stand but you'll always need a bit of flexibility within that to swap a day here and there or do more if the other person is away etc.

Good luck! It's a really good way to have the benefits of a horse without all the responsibility.

 

[Cob Life]

I’ve got 2 share horses now (both same owner) started off with blue but as the other has come back into work I’ve taken on her too. I’ve got a great relationship with the owner (and her parents as they are at their house) and they hare happy for me to come and go as I please so I ditto the recommendations on making sure you keep a good relationship with owners etc.

make sure you don’t over horse yourself. The first 2 months I shared him blues owner stayed with me while I rode so we could get to know each other, but I still went through a few weeks thinking “omg what I have I done” (He can be a little spooky) when we were left on our own but I persevered and now we work great together and he’s saved my ass more than once!

ask lots of questions about what he’s like with new rider etc too. I got off after trying one and the owner turned round and told me I was the first new person he hadn’t bolted/bucked/bronked with. luckily although I am a nervous rider I have ridden quite a few naughty ponies so could have handled it Had it happened but considering I’d described myself as a novice to the owner... I would have still tried him, a heads up first would have been nice though! Ultimately I said no to him as if she wasnt truthful about that, what else could she be hiding? So beware he may act different with a new rider.