Other people riding your horse?

[applecart14]

On average I probably ride half a dozen different horses a week.

Wow, you must be such a good rider. I feel really naff but I think a lot of it is to do with my weight as I am mega overweight.

I think i would be more balanced if I were to shed three stone. I don't remember every feeling so inadequate and useless when I was three stone lighter.

 

[PaddyMonty]

Wow, you must be such a good rider.

Nope. Just have little self preservation and I'm very cheap ( a cup of coffee if I'm lucky).

 

[ihatework]

I think the important word was 'encourage', not enforce. I'm sure applecart didn't mean it would be compulsory.

'actively encourage'
I would 'actively tell them where to go, lol'

I get a few hints dropped about YO's daughter getting to ride the livery horses, it's like some sort of ego trip and positioned as though she should get to sit on mine. I think not.

 

[3Beasties]

Love that

 

[Woolly Hat n Wellies]

I'm a sharer, so I suppose the owner must not mind other people riding her horses! In fact, I know she loves it, as she has managed to persuade my nervous mother to get back in the saddle, and actually enjoying riding, 16 years after she had a bad experience and swore she would never ride again. The woman is a miracle-worker! They are also some of the nicest, most generous people I have ever met, and let me go to competitions with them, and pretty much treat their horses like my own.

I have to admit I'm not so generous myself. I recently had a massive click with their gelding, and now I do get a bit jealous when anyone else is riding him! Not because I think they'll ruin him or anything like that (I think I have that covered myself! :-/) but because my riding time is limited by uni work and I just want to be in their place when I see them on him! Their mare is 6, and limited by her conformation. She's never going to be raking in the prize money, or flying around Badminton. Success for her is going to be becoming a really nice, safe have-a-bash-at-low-level-anything sort of family horse, so, with that in mind, I'm very keen for lots of other people to ride her. I think it's important for her to learn to adapt to different riders, and not to freak out at less than perfect riding. She was recently ridden by a novice, who has only really ridden riding school ponies, and, by all accounts, was a bit rough and bumpy with her, when I wasn't there. I'm not so keen on this, no one wants to see a nice willing horse bumped about by a beginner, but on the other hand, it was a short ride and she dealt with it with the patience of a saint, so, while it is a bit cringey, I am really pleased with the proof of the progress she has made.

 

[Red-1]

Hmmm, I see all sides.

I was a livery in a large yard as a teen, and a lot of us were AIs with big 16hh+ horses, and we all worked. We tended to do a swap, where a few times a week the kids were invited to ride some of our horses in on an evening "lesson". It was so we could all share the school at the same time, and only sensible horses were involved. It just meant that when juggling horses and work you had a couple of days in the week to bottom the bed, fill lots of nets, have a proper groom etc etc. In return your horse got worked, the kids loved it, most work was at trot, the horses were well rounded, happy individuals.

Most of the horses were competing up to Newcomers SJ, and we all hunted and team chased, and it seemed good.

Now though, I have matured some, and my relationship with my horse is very different. Then it was about the competition, now it is about the journey. I know, it sounds like a mid life crisis, but hey, its my horse, and I am entitled to do what makes me happy.

I now love taking on "difficult" horses and start from ground up, with softness and feel, from spending ages learning to move off the lightest touch, from the headcollar on the floor to when ridden. The ridden work at the moment is about the horse injecting the energy, keeping his own balance, and being ready for any change in my balance.

With this horse, he was "funny" about other riders, having had some very forceful riders in the past. I have made sure to have riders have a sit on after I have ridden to cool him off so he learns to be comfortable with this. Other than that my trainer will sit on to demonstrate something, or if we have a misunderstanding. Even then, when they get on Jay needs a moment to walk around and feel comfortable. I have also had a couple of friends who I wanted to ride him, and that has been good.

Other than that it is just Jay and me. We work together to get in tune with each other. It is a constant dance.

Would I want to participate in an "actively encouraged" horse swap? No, not any more. My husband had a horse who would loved it, we often let people ride him, in particular anyone who had lost confidence as Charles would help them feel good.

Charlie was no "better or worse" than Jay, in fact Charlie competed to Novce BE, and Jay only to 100, but now I like my horse tuned in to me on a whole different level than Charlie and I achieved, and for that I think Jay is best tuned in to.........ME!

 

[el_Snowflakes]

Occasionally do a swap with friends for fun but I'm always glad to be back on my horse! I don't allow her to be ridden by lots of others as I enjoy riding her too much myself! It is nice to see how she's going though, was amazing to see my instructor ride her the other week. She is very experienced in dressage & was nice to see the tune she got out of her

 

[Mince Pie]

I will let other people ride my lad as long as they are either capable or prepared to listen to me when I ask them to do something. I'm on a small yard but my yo is a BHSAI, 1 livery is a ym and another is also a good instructor who I have paid to ride mine as I can't tell whether he's taking advantage of my weak left leg or if I'm crooked and making him crooked.

 

[ester]

Anyone is welcome to have a play on my lad if they want, most of my horsey friends are better riders than me anyway! and he isn't at all difficult unless jumping.

 

[Charmin]

Mine has had 2 different riders since I went to uni, they've each done a fabulous job with her. They weren't too keen on schooling but they did it, and as a result my mare has been kept ticking over and not needed restarting for the summer. They were taken to competitions and had a whale of a time.

I got a bit jealous but only in the wish it was me way, not no one's allowed to ride her ever. Tbh on the flat she's a sane, pretty uncomplicated ride and I love seeing others ride her. I've been known to sling all my riding friends on board and it makes me so proud she just gets on with it!

I ride friends horses occassionally too, swapping over which is fun and I think it really helps your riding. I'm a bit picky about who rides her not under my/mums supervision, anyone who would be harsh with her (she's young and can be green about things but is as honest as they come) is not allowed.

 

[GinaGeo]

I don't mind other people hacking my horse, as I know he's safe. He is only little though so I am picky about the size of the person riding him and also their general way around horses - he can be a sensitive soul. The only person who has ever schooled him properly, other than me, is my trainer. A couple of friends have had a sit on and a play but he gets worried easily and was confused by the differing aids so it didn't last long. Oh and nobody else has ever really jumped him. My less confident mother had a play once, but didn't ride well enough and soon got kicked back off before he developed any bad habits. He needs somebody he trusts over a fence.

 

[chestnut cob]

'actively encourage'
I would 'actively tell them where to go, lol'

Quite.

 

[Lynsey&Smartie]

Bring him down to northampton and I'll happily hop on for you. Cant promise I'm good but certainly male.

I might take you up on that, I'm not too far away!

 

[ClobellsandBaubles]

I wouldn't have ridden much at all for my uni years if people weren't kind enough to let me ride theirs Purely on a selfish side it does wonders for my riding to ride so many different types of horses and ponies and get out and about (in fact have never really had a horse that was solely my own which no one else rode) which helps if you want to work with horses, or compete in the modern pentathlon I suppose

 

[Annagain]

Anyone can ride my share horse (with owner's blessing and she trusts my judgement) as he's such a gent. Her 7 and 6 year olds ride him in the school (he's 17hh) and they're very novicey even for their age. Anyone capabable can ride my boy. He can be very strong so can frighten a novicey rider. Of the 11 rideable horses at my yard I've ridden 6. The others - one you couldn't pay me to sit on, one I'd be too frightened of damaging as he is seriously good, one I'd squish, one I've just never got round to riding and the other has only been there 4 weeks so haven't got my hands on him yet! We often have a swap around for fun or borrow each others' if ours is lame.

I think it does them good. My share horse would be good anyway without lots of people riding him as he's so polite but when he was showing he always gained at least two places after the judge rode him as he would always be so easy for them to get going well.

 

[SadKen]

Yes as long as she doesn't like them more than me

My friend rides my girl, for my friend's sake more than my girl's! I wouldn't mind anyone getting on really, she's sweet and quiet, but only in the school as she is very precious and more can go wrong out and about.

 

[Fides]

My mare I take pride in letting people ride - she's a good girl and anyone's ride as long as she is ridden correctly. My boy - I wouldn't trust him lol

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

would anyone really want to lol!

 

[PaddyMonty]

would anyone really want to lol!

Yep.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

haha the above comments made me chuckle.
I'm happy for pretty much anyone to ride Doodle, its good for when ride judges get on and she's fab with novice's. However it is still with-in reason and they have to be willing to do as I say and treat her with respect!
Topaz however... well my mum is far more protective than I am and doesn't like just anyone getting on, and then there are those who refuse to ever ride her. The people who have ridden her though, (with permission of my mum not me), LOVE her which makes us all warm and fuzzy inside to think how far she has come, lol.
It's such a personal thing whether you like others to ride your horse or not, but I think it's very good for the horses education as much as it is for us riders to experience riding other horses.
x x

 

[JFTDWS]

I'm more than happy for anyone to ride them, while I'm watching. There are a few people allowed to jump them in certain circs, and nobody is allowed to school when I'm not there. I'm a control freak about their education, but I am very happy for people to have a play on them!

 

[BBP]

I am utterly selfish, no-one is allowed to ride mine, bar my sister who has sat on him a handful of times. It's not that I think he would be badly behaved, there are plenty of better riders than me, I'm just extremely possessive over him, he is there to be my partner in crime not for other people to gain experience on. Luckily for me I don't know many horse people who would fit him so I never have to deal with relinquishing control or saying no!

 

[Auslander]

I'm more than happy for anyone to ride them, while I'm watching. There are a few people allowed to jump them in certain circs, and nobody is allowed to school when I'm not there. I'm a control freak about their education, but I am very happy for people to have a play on them!

I still think you (or Fergs) may live to regret suggesting I had a go on him. Poor little chap will buckle at the knees!

 

[JFTDWS]

I still think you (or Fergs) may live to regret suggesting I had a go on him. Poor little chap will buckle at the knees!

Poor little chap my arse - it was bred to drag stags down off the mountains and neither you nor I could rival a full grown stag!

 

[PaddyMonty]

Poor little chap my arse - it was bred to drag stags down off the mountains and neither you nor I could rival a full grown stag!

What about both together? Gretnagreen anyone.

 

[Auslander]

What about both together? Gretnagreen anyone.

I would prefer my next marital partner to be the opposite sex really!

 

[Megibo]

Mine is only 5 and only just really starting her proper schooling education. So I wont let anyone be riding her in the school until she is far more established, except for my instructor of course.

I'd occasionally let someone come hacking on her though, as she's mature beyond her years!

 

[JFTDWS]

What about both together? Gretnagreen anyone.

I would prefer my next marital partner to be the opposite sex really!

Likewise! I prefer my men to be in possession of a Y chromosome

 

[Shantara]

Really interesting answers from y'all

As others have mentioned, I want Ned to get used to other people...especially if something goes wrong and someone else has to handle him or ride him for whatever reason. Not that he was ever bad for other people, I just want him to be better

 

[rara007]

I don't know many people small enough but I like other people working him with me watching or people I trust. He's pretty straight forwards (for a fit PBA) and it highlights my quirkiness rather than his! Tbh only the current world champion has worked him better than I do but I'm humble enough not to think im the only rider/driver in the world that can cope with him Hes sensitive but not hysterical enough to be set back by a single ride/drive from someone else!