People who have sharers

L

littlen

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 August 2006
Messages
830
Visit site
How did you know that this person would be good for you/your horse?

Also what happens if say the sharer has an accident with your horse, breaks some tack etc who would pay?

Did you 'trial' the sharer, like watch them ride/tack up etc.

If anyone has any experiences of sharing they could share with me to help decide or put my mind at rest I would be very grateful.

I am looking for someone to ride my boy 2 times a week ish since he is an obese and lami prone and I dont have the time to ride him as often as I should.
I have had interest from a nice sounding lady who is getting back into riding but I am unsure how i will know whether to decide if she is the right person?!
blush.gif
 
Can't help r.e. how you know the sharer is right for your horse, but the sharer should get rider only insurance. If they go with Petplan (I am with them), I think NFU do a policy too, then they will be covered if they break tack, emergency vets fees and will payout a certain amount if the horse dies and it's the sharer's fault.
 
Just see how she is.

I've had 2 sharers in the past. They both came to my house and we went through a few things, I also did this so that if they didn't feel quite right then they don't get to see my horse!

Watch any potential sharers around your horse, grooming, taking up etc. Bear in mind that they might be a bit on edge as you're watching them and they won't be used to your horse. I went in the paddock with my sharers while they rode and when I was confident that Bob wasn't going to try it on, I left them to it for 15 mins (while peeping from the corner of the barn to make sure they weren't being horrid to my precious boy!).

Go with your gut instinct. Good luck. x
 
Fantastic thanks!

I have spoken to the lady and she sounds very nice. She is getting back into riding but is a little rusty but I am willing to overlook this as we all started somewhere! She is willing to have lessons on him.

The main issue im having is that horse is incredibly nervous (it took me a month to get close enough to brush him and 3 months to get tack on!) and im worried he might revert back to his old bad habits unless he is handled in the way he is used too.

Basically I am looking for some nice sharer stories to reassure me, or bad ones to stop me making a big mistake lol!


Would it be seen as overprotective of me to ask to tag along with sharer the first one or 2 times just to make sure and show her the tricks i have learnt to make him behave? lol
 
i am lucky, as it is my god daughter who shares one of mine, and i suppose she is lucky too,as we got the horse to suit her,and me. also she only rides with me, and i have total control of what she does with him.
i think you will know when they are right, do you have another horse that you can ride,and go with them for a hack to see how they cope in all situations.
 
i think if you explain the amount of time that you have put into your horse would help,also say how you would like things done from the start,then it should be fine, i know a lot of people who have had sharers,and every time things have worked out great. good luck
 
hia. i have had sharers in the past. all i would say is have a good chat with her about your horse, i agree with landyandy let her know how much time you have put into your horse and i think it would be a good idea for you to be with her for awhile just to help her, give her advice etc, he is your horse at the end of the day and you want whats best for him and im sure she will understand this and take on board all of your advice. i had one sharer who thought she knew my pony better than me and one day i went down the farm because my mum also had a horse and i just went to say hello to my pony and i have never felt so unwelcome in my life the girl just gave me a horrible look, i went to stroke him and he was eating his tea, the girl hadnt put any water in his tea which he liked and wouldnt eat his tea without abit of water, i had already told her about his tea but i just said to her again would you please remember to put water in his feed well she gave me another horrible look. some people might think i was being over protective and checking up on them but i actually only went to say hi and help my mum with her horse. other part loaners that ive had have been really nice and i like it when they take on my advice as its in the best interest of the horse. good luck hunni xx
 
[ QUOTE ]

Would it be seen as overprotective of me to ask to tag along with sharer the first one or 2 times just to make sure and show her the tricks i have learnt to make him behave? lol

[/ QUOTE ]

The Lady who owns the horse i share 'tagged' along with me for a couple of weeks until we both felt happy for me to be doing stuff with horse on my own. I didn't see it as overprotective at all, as i wouldnt have wanted her to be like "there's my horse, do what you want" IMO the sharer would probably be happier with you being there for the first couple of times.
 
As someone who hasn't yet decided whether to share again or buy when the time comes, I can honestly say if I were that lady I'd be absolutely fine with you asking to tag along or giving tips. I certainly wouldn't be offended by it, and if he's got potential for being very nervous then it's in everyone's best interests - I'm saying this as someone who's been out of the horsey game for a few years but prior to that had been riding consistently for 20-odd years and have shared before, so I'm hardly a beginner. All animals can come with baggage or quirks and only you know him best. Just my opinion, but I'd say if you get any vibes she's not happy with you tagging along or passing on tricks you've developed then warning bells would ring for me. Enjoyment for everyone and safety for the horse and sharer should take priority over any bruised ego
smile.gif
 
Thanks everybody!

I am just nervous as I have spent so much time gaining his trust and trying to make him relax and I dont want him to be back to square one.

I thought maybe i could invite this lady along and have a chat while she grooms him etc and then I would be there while she rides him/hacks out. Then if all goes well I could invite her back to discuss the finer details before leaving her alone.

He isnt dangerous, well with me he is like a big puppy dog. To strangers he can be distant, hard to catch and wont settle hence my being nervous about the whole thing.

I will ask her to get insurance etc though definatley!
 
[ QUOTE ]
How did you know that this person would be good for you/your horse?

Also what happens if say the sharer has an accident with your horse, breaks some tack etc who would pay?

Did you 'trial' the sharer, like watch them ride/tack up etc.

If anyone has any experiences of sharing they could share with me to help decide or put my mind at rest I would be very grateful.

I am looking for someone to ride my boy 2 times a week ish since he is an obese and lami prone and I dont have the time to ride him as often as I should.
I have had interest from a nice sounding lady who is getting back into riding but I am unsure how i will know whether to decide if she is the right person?!
blush.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

1) I chatted to her at length for a few weeks over the phone before she came to see him

2) We havent fully dicussed what will happen in the event of an accident, however I would expect her to pay for any item of tack damaged (unless she couldn't pay that is) in the event of anything happenning to my horse, I would pay.

3) I let her tack up and let her get on with riding, the horse is a bombproof hack and she was returning to riding after a break but was competant.

Mainly I was looking for someone who inspired confidence in me and someone who I saw could take the initiative with Ed from day 1.
 
Sorry to say this, but if you dont have to do it, THEN DONT! I have recently had a terrible experience with a sharer. I had the sister of one of the liveries on our yard offer to share my horse. She seemed and actually is very kind, but took not a bit of notice of my feelings. My horse is a fit and healthy 16 year old cob, who is hacked/schooled 4-5 times a week and my daughter hunts him a couple of times a month in the winter. He also gets to do PC duties when daughter's event horse is indisposed.

She started off by taking him hacking with said sister and totally hammering him, pretty regularily. He was then taken to a competition without my consent and in my trailer, again without my consent. Her next move, well sisters next move was to try and intimidate me into letting said sister have my horse 5 times a week, on the basis that I have a very demanding career, surely it would be better for him to be ridden every day? Bearing in mind the sharer did not pay a penny for him, and the original agreement was 2 days a week. She did not even offer to pay for his shoes, or even buy a lead rope for him - she even used all my brand new stuff I had bought and had put in the bottom of my tack box.

Things came to a head when I confided in a friend on the yard about my concerns, which was overheard by the sister. Said sister tore my head off. Apparently I was slagging her sister off and she wasnt having it. I had a serious of intimidating texts and the whole thing got blown out of all proportion. It ended up with me in tears on Friday morning all over our YO. I would add that I am a Company Director and I dont cry easy. Said YO heard both sides and promptly asked both sister and sharer to leave the yard once they had found something else to go to.

It caused a real rift on the yard - whch had been a lovely, calm place and upset me to the core. I will never, ever share my horse.

Good luck with you, but listen to your instincts before proceeding.
 
as a sharer its important to make sure you do what the owner asks and not start thinking its your horse and changing its routine.

Its also important you both get on and can have a laugh together - then the horse stuff will go well too
 
I have the world's best sharer. She has stuck around for 5 months while my horse has been on gentle hacking only at first and then off work completely and even still tried to pay me (I refused to take it).

She e-mailed first about an ad I had placed and we chatted a bit on e-mail. She then came to the yard met Archie, watched me ride, rode him and generally fiddled about with him. We decided to give it a try and for the first two weeks she came to the farm while I was there, I would borrow a friend's horse and ride out with her etc. When we were both happy we agreed on T&C's, who would do which days, how much to pay etc.

That was nearly 2 years ago and despite him being lame, and being a git for a few months before actually going lame (we now know why, bless him) she has stuck around, played groom at competitions for me (I've offered her the chance to compete as well but she doesn't want to) been happy to swap days when I've needed to and generally been a good egg. I don't know how I'd manage without her, to the point that if he ends up being a happy hacker and she wants him, I would consider giving him to her on permanent loan.
 
Thankyou everyone

TheoryX- That is the sort of thing im worried about. What is someone else injures him or steals something or breaks my tack and refuses to pay out! Surely I cant force them? He needs careful management being obese, lami prone, colic prone and god knows what else prone and I worry about him!

Annagain- It is your type of story that makes me want a sharer, someone who is also a friend and not just someone who rides my horse. I just dont know how to weed out a person like this from all the nightmare sharers you hear about!

I have thought long and hard and have came up with the reasons why i am concidering a sharer, is there another way to solve these issues without going down the sharer route do you think?

-Horse needs excersise and I dont have the time to give him as much as he needs. I could maybe make abit more time but I dont really have the motivation to ride 4plus times a week when working and having other comittments.

-Help time wise. Again not neccessary but I would need to rush around like a mad woman on work mornings to get him/me ready and by this time im too exhausted to ride. In winter he is stabled which he hates and he needs riding to take the wear him out enough to be stabled. I suppose i could sedate him to be stabled but it wouldnt be nice. 24/7 turnout isnt an option. Help financially would also help at the moment.

- Horse would benefit from some extra schooling. I am no good at it and have no time or the money to afford an instructor.

The reasons I am concerned are that he may revert back to his old ways, he isnt exactly the easiest horse to deal with. Sharer may be unreliable and I may not get on with her. There are also the issues of who pays vets bills, replaces broken items etc.

If i had known how difficult this horse would be I wouldnt be having this dilemma. When i bought him i was told he was 100% and if he was sane and sensible and with no medical issues i would happily turn him out 4 days a week and leave him too it. Unfortunatley he needs excersise to keep his lami at bay and to keep him from boiling over
blush.gif



Maybe I just have to bite the bullet and hope I get a good one!
blush.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top