Opinions on Sharers......

[Parkranger]

Just wondered how many of you have them - or have tried it? Was/is it successful?

I think that Ty needs to be ridden daily and although I try to ride out every day it's not always easy! Hence me thinking about a sharer.

My concerns are that they'll a) bugger him up b) teach him bad manners or c) make him feel that he's back in a ridinig school.

It's not something I want to do now as I want to build up my relationship with him first, but maybe in a couple of months time....

Appreciate any words of wisdom!

 

[jacks_mum]

i had a teenager when I had my first horse and it was great until she discovered boys, then she just stopped turning up which I found a bit irritating. I would get excuses from her like ' it's raining so I'm not coming up today' 'I was out till 3 this morning and tired so I'm not coming up today'.
We never really broke off the agreement, she just stopped coming and I stopped expecting her.
But it was good while it lasted.

 

[teapot]

Oo someone else did a thread about this last week.

I've done it once as the sharee - stopped doing it after 8 weeks as found the owner was just too dominating in what she wanted the pony to be doing. I was basically schooling it for her to go and compete on (wasn't told this either).

Best advice - get a written contract

 

[Bri]

Mixed views on them, brilliant idea if you get the right person...but it can often be a big 'if'!!
I had two sharers for my pony and both of them were assholes!
First one was 15 so perhaps her behaviour was more excusable. Pony had just moved yards and was a bit lively out hacking anyway...told her I didn't want her going out on him until I'd taken him out a few times. She ignored me, took him out, fell off and lost my bl**dy horse for 20 minutes in the woods! All of which I only found out from another person on the yard she'd told!

2nd sharer was 24...lied her ass off all the time, let all and sundry ride my poor pony including a 16stone girl who SHOULD NOT of been on his back...surprised it didnt break, all without my knowledge and permission.When I confronted her she said everyone else was lying and my pony was lunatic...

So yeah don't think I'd ever get another one personally. But then I'm very protective of my horses and like them to be treated the way I treat them.

 

[Parkranger]

The one thing in my favour is that everyone at the yard is quite close knit - there's only 18 horses on the yard and so I think I'd find out if anything untoward was going on.

I might just let one of the girls at the yard exercise him as a couple of them have retired horses and don't ride themselves anymore.....

 

[starsky]

I think it's all down to making sure you get the right person and don't be afraid to say no if it's someone you don't like. I have a sharer for one of mine, she is only 19, but great. Wouldn't swap and she likes to jump him over big fences that I'm too scared to

 

[Haflinger]

I think sharing is a good idea but only if the person sharing is honest and respectful.

I am a sharer myself and I find the owner fine. She's taking me out to a show on Sunday to compete and try's to include me

 

[TheresaW]

I have sharers for both of my horses and it works brilliantly. I am down the yard everyday anyway so I would know if anything untowards was going on.

 

[Parkranger]

That's true actually - I'd still want to see him everyday, whether I was riding or not!

 

[Ferdinase514]

I've had 2 sharers for Finn and both have worked out well. BUT..I did know both of them before hand.

The first girl shared a horse on my yard that was PTS so knew she was OK. Second girl had a pony on the yard, but wanted a horse to do a bit more on.

When i've advertised I've had rather inexperienced people apply, who were well meaning but Finni would have walked all over them!

I haven't found anyone at new yard yet and don't feel I can put myself through advertising to get one!

 

[katelarge]

Well, I have to speak up for sharers! I was one, I shared the horse that I now own! It was a perfect setup. The owner and I got on from day one, she expected a lot from me, but she was always clear, considerate and helpful so I was able to give it. The horse and I got on, we were fond of each other very quickly, and she even felt happy enough to go and get another horse.

The owner and I had a written contract, I paid her my share money on the 1st of each month by BACS, I stuck to the yard rules and we never had so much as a cross word. We did have set days but we would let each other know about a week in advance if we wanted to swap days or anything, and of course I did him every day if she went on holiday. It worked a treat and I learned so much in that year. So much is determined by the owner though - Rose was totally clear on what she wanted and being given clear rules helped me so much. On the other hand, we had such a laugh and great fun too, hangovers were much to the fore I remember! We really were like mates who looked after the same horse, which is what I think you are aming for.

Sadly after about a year I moved away so she put the horse on loan. But then last year she decided not to renew the loan, the loaner couldn't afford him, so she offered him straight to me! So it all worked out in the end. I think that share worked because I'm the kind of person who sticks to rules, I was not a silly teenager (late 20s I think), I already had quite a lot of experience, the yard had quite set rules and there were people I could go to for help. I think the point about being friends too was important - it made any potential problems disappear; "Can you do him next Friday instead of Saturday?" was no problem "God I'm sorry I just dropped XYZ and bust it so I'm getting you another one" - no problem. So it CAN work!

 

[Parkranger]

But then you're a considerate person - not everyone is like you!

Think I may advertise and see what happens. My only fear of someone in the yard helping is that if it doesn't work out, could leave a bit of bitterness in the yard - yards are bitchy enough already!

 

[AmyMay]

Not for me I'm afraid.

You've only had Ty a short time, and the two of you will soon get in to a routine. I wouldn't worry about riding everyday - realistically how many of us can and do??

Why not give yourself at least 6 months and see how you feel then?

 

[Parkranger]

That's a good idea actually - I really really don't want to get a sharer as he's mine, all mine moohhhhooohaaaaa (evil laugh)

 

[sugarnspice]

I think if you find the right person to share it can be fantastic. I had a sharer for my laddy up untill about 3 months ago, I didn't enjoy it one bit

it was mainly me. I was far to overprotective of him and wanted to know exactly what was going one with how he was being ridden etc. I wasn't aloud down to see him the days she had him (major horse withdrawel(sp) those days!).
But, like I said if you find the right one it can be really good and worthwhile!

 

[Ferdinase514]

Oh...I forgot to mention I was a sharer once! Obviously i'm very considerate!

I agree though that maybe you should give it a bit longer before deciding. Let him settle with you first maybe?

 

[LizzieBarrett]

Hi there

I'm sure u will get a lot of mixed opinions on sharing.

I've had quite a few sharers for my horse, some didn't work out due to lack of commitment from them, saying they would turn up and never did.. But now I have a sharer who has been riding Blue for over a year now, she's great and really looks after him. I would definitely say the biggest thing with sharers is communication... aslong as u make it clear from the beginning what they can do on ur horse, if there allowed to hack out on there own, jump without anyone being with them, if u want them to have lessons, rules of the yard, feed menus, if they need boots on when being ridden... This is something horse owners do every day without thinking but if your new to the horse they need to be told otherwise u find they will do what they feel is right and then its more difficult to tell them there doing it wrong. Thats my biggest tip as I think I just assumed my sharer knew the rules of the yard and then she got a note coz she was up at the yard past opening hours - oopps that was my fault.

But I would definitely say give it a go, I used to have 2 sharers and when my horse got diagnosed with ringbone I took the decision not to jump him anymore and one of the sharers decided to look for something else. But we're still really good friends and chat on email nearly everyday and amazingly she managed to find another horse to share where I keep Blue so now we get to ride together - which is a bonus, so its funny how things work out.

Sorry to have rambled on a bit, I hope that helps. Oh and one last thing, I placed an advert on world of horses when I wanted to share Blue and I got lots of interest so it maybe worth advertising there...

Good luck, let us know how u get on

 

[Parkranger]

Funnily enough I was looking at sharing Mangobiscuit's boy but then decided to get my own! We've ended up at the same yard and help each other out quite a bit.

I think perhaps I will wait - I wouldn't want to do anything until he was completely settled anyway.......and if I'm honest, I really don't want to share him. The extra cash would be ok but not make a major difference. And I suppose I can always get some of the yard girls to exercise him if I'm not around....

 

[mangobiscuit]

I feel exactly the same as you mate - but I don't think Ty will be too bad having a couple of days off work a week...and like you said we can help each other out. Think I may look into someone coming up to ride now and again but not on a regular basis and mucking out on that day as means of payment rather than financially? (words of wisdom from our mentor - u know who she is!!)
x

 

[Parkranger]

Ha haa - my fountain of knowledge!

 

[UKa]

Hi, I have been a sharer and also had sharers for my horse and have been mostly very lucky, but one time when it didn’t work out and I got rid of them. When I was a sharer I had had my own horse before so was keen to look after the horse I was sharing as if it was my own and was reliable and always turned up when I said I would. I then bought my current horse and had very nice sharers for her that were very considerate too.
My point was that I put EVERY SINGLE DETAIL into a written contract (even just small things such as what tack she is allowed to use and to use a mounting block etc) because I wanted them to handle the horse the same way as I do. I think it worked really well. I have now not bothered again with a sharer but have considered getting one again as it just makes life a little easier if you have commitments next to the horse as well.
It can be done just you need to be really clear about everything, I also only looked for adult riders for example as was not keen on teenagers (sorry if any of you are);

 

[mangobiscuit]

She is indeedy - she cracks me up, I love her attitude towards things! Our mother figure eh?

 

[PoppyPony]

I'm sharing/loaning my third horse now and every time it's worked wonderfully.
Communication is the most important thing.

 

[rojeth]

I have been looking for a share horse for ages and like to think of myself as one of the good sharers. we are out there honest