Putting your horse up for share, experiences please?!

E

ellieplatt

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 June 2009
Messages
333
Visit site
Well i'm debating whether or not to put my horse up for a 2/3 day share for purely happy hacking as i'm currently in my last year oh gcse's and planning on doing A levels next year - I don't have to but money and time wise it would be nice for it to lift alittle bit.

So hopefully you can answer some of my questions:

What are your experiences with sharing?
Do you need to lay down the law in a contract?
What is a reasonable price for what i'm offering?
Also would somebody be interested in paying for a horse purely to hack? Would I put in a contract that no jumping or canter/galloping is permitted (only because he's a TB and I do not want him to get into the habbit of galloping around the farm)

I am reschooling him so thats why it would be pure happy hacking a couple times a week with no jumping...

Also say in a years time when he was ready for competing, where would the sharers rights lay? As obviously it would be me competing him.

Thanks guys any other tips much grateful!
 
I have recently found 2 lovely sharers for my older event mare for hacking. 1 had rung in on our yard website and after talking to my YO, looked like my mare was a better fit for her. Both ladies were very clear in what they wanted as was I - they only want to hack and get fitter and are really sweet with my mare..
 
Wobblywibble said:
TBH a horse that you can only walk and trot isn't that appealing as something to hack out. Can understand you don't want him hammered around but surely a sharer would be allowed to have a canter?
Click to expand...

Course somebodys going to want a lovely canter - i've just heard alot of horror stories really, but is it possible to find the right person who would like a nice hack around the block with a canter up the hill a few times a week?

TBH - i just dont want him jumped or gallopped into the ground. this is why i thought somebody older would be more suitable?
 
i think you have to take it with a pinch of salt, when advertising you will get a lot of people who say they are really experienced then they will turn up and they are actually novices, some people believe they weigh less then they do so if you put say a 10st weight limit you will get people who weigh more than that and you will get alot of people who will come back again and again and say yeah i will share him and then they will go quiet and you cant get hold of them and then a few weeks later and say oh sorry i have found another horse sorry :o

but i dont think if you are just offering a walk and trot happy hacker you will get many people as people do want to go for a canter occationally as walking and trotting can get boring especially if the hacking in the area is bad and also if your horse isnt completly bombproof as a happy hacker then you have no chance

if you dont have to look for a sharer then i wouldnt more hassle then they are worth but then there are some lovely people around i just havent found them ;)
 
StormyMoments said:
i think you have to take it with a pinch of salt, when advertising you will get a lot of people who say they are really experienced then they will turn up and they are actually novices, some people believe they weigh less then they do so if you put say a 10st weight limit you will get people who weigh more than that and you will get alot of people who will come back again and again and say yeah i will share him and then they will go quiet and you cant get hold of them and then a few weeks later and say oh sorry i have found another horse sorry :o
Click to expand...

Exactly what i'm kinda frightened of.. thank you for your veiws! x
 
I did -years ago-never ever again! Don't take horse on roads as it's an idiot-out it went - don't feed anything other than what I do- carrots cut sideways- try not to leave horse whilst you tack it up- did one better, left it untied! Pay me twenty pounds a week for 4 days- like getting blood out of a stone that one!
 
My add among other things stated that my horse was not suitable for beginners and needs a quiet but confident rider.... I had a very small but very wide girl come and try him and she fell off. I had a mother with 5 children ( 3 of which she brought along with her) who was having the odd lesson at a riding school and another lady who was so nervous she couldn't stop shaking and didn't know what a leg up was!

Either people can't read and understand plain English or they just fancied a free ride. I think it was a bit of both!
 
I was a sharer, who then bought the horse I shared. I have also had sharers for my horses. It's been a mixed bag - I've had one fantastic sharer, who then went on to buy her own horse, but the rest have not been so great and some have been downright awful! Would I do it again? No.

If you decide to go ahead, make sure that you and the sharer are on the same wavelength - if you are in the process of reschooling, you don't want someone to come along and undo all your work. I would lay the law down from the start - you can always relax aspects of the terms if you find the sharer to be reliable. I would have a trial period to see how you/the sharer feel. As for cost, I used to just ask for the sharer to pay the farrier's bill, but asked for a bit more when the horse was on full livery for a time.
 
I think it depends how sensible/quiet your horse is. There are lots of people looking for sensible hacking shares.

I have had two fantastic sharers, both over 40. When my mare was a bit younger I had a guy who did her 2 days a wk, had the odd lesson, bit of jumping but mainly hacking.

My current sharer is amazing & spends ages grooming my mare, tidying the place and keeping my bed immaculate! She is a happy hacker.

I advertised recently for another hacking sharer and got lots of replies. I don't ask for a lot of money (£60pcm and share of chores) and my horse is fun to ride but sensible and won't do anything daft. You do have to sort through as a lot of replies are not suitable and some people don't even read the ad properly.

I've never had a contract, but I'm fairly relaxed about it. If they don't want to carry on thats fine. I think some sharers choose to get their own rider insurance.

In terms of competeing in the future, its completely up to you. Your horse, you decide who does what with him.
 
I'm sure there are some good sharers out there but I didn't manage to find one whilst pregnant. I had 3 people try her out who all claimed to be experts, all were scared off her or bucked off.
Then when I thought all the adverts had gone another lady rang. She managed to stay on and said she loved the horse. She then decided in the 3rd day of bringing her back into work to gallop her around the cross country course. 3 hours after I found her sweated up to extremes in minus temps dumped in her stable, this girl thought she had the right to tell me how my horse needed looking after. So got rid of her.
Then I had a family friend who was great while I was there but when left to his own devices he wasn't so good. My polite lovely horse started breaking away when tied up and when I went to put a saddle on dropped to her knees in fear. He also let her get loose as he did not follow my instructions. She galloped for home and jumped a car in her was. Three weeks after my csec I was having to go to the yard 5 times a day and still paying the vet bill now. This sharer then vanished into thin air!
I wouldn't bother sharing again!
 
I had a sharer for Thin TB,
1st one thought Thin TB was too fizzy and stopped feeding her on her days, I put an end to that.
2nd one came for a month but never made any contribution as per the agreement, when I raised it I never saw her again, shame coz the kid was nice but Mom clearly pulled a fast one.
3rd did as asked, learnt quickly, didn't mind being stuck on Old Dear out hacking as Thin TB was a bit sharp and Sharer was only 14, stuck with me when Thin TB was sold and I moved, paid the same for use of Old Dear, then stuck with me but wasn't asked to pay when Old Dear retired, mucked out all 3 for me in exchange for hack on Jumping Pony 3 times a week while I was working away saving loads of late nights and time, despite no school and limited hacking, stayed around to help a couple nights a week and weekends even when she outgrew Jumping Pony.
3rd Sharer now has my sister's horse on loan, I keep an eye and look after it 2 days a week and turn out for her in a morning, in exchange she helps me with mine and is generally good company.

Here's some things I learnt!!

Be prepared for false starts
Advertise where non horse owners are, ie pet shops, preloved, riding schools
Expect people to think they are better than they are
Be kind when you decline

Be open minded about who, Sharer was 14 and a little bit green (so was horse!)when she turned up, very non horsey mom, who has learnt loads in the last 2 years, and she is Polish which I wasn't sure about knowing nothing about technique or riding styles abroad, she was very willing to learn new ways so no problems there!

Keep a close eye and have them up only when you are around or someone you trust is initially.

My Old Dear has benefited greatly from 2 of us loving her in her old age, she now gets 2 half attentions as we both do things with our riding horse but spend time with her too!!
 
I've got both sides - i've shared 2 horses in the past, both when I was in my early twenties. Still friends with both the owners, and I was very conscientious and would never have done anything they asked me not to. The 2nd one I shared was a much older boy so needed a longer warm up, so he got it. Always helped out with additional days and horses. Now i'm looking for a sharer for my mare and finding people aren't always what they say - the 'competent' rider who came to try her couldn't even get her to stay on the track and she's an easy going safe ride.

Would definitely put a contract in place though - the BHS have one for full loans that you can adapt. And with both of my shares, the owners were around the first few times I rode and the first time I ever did anything new to give them the confidence i'd be fine - so do that with yours if you can. Or ask them to ride with a friend/ fellow livery to start with so that you can keep a discreet eye.
 
What are your experiences with sharing?
Have had a few for different horses, most were great but had a few nightmare sharers who completley disregarded what was agreed in the contract. Dont currently have a sharer as to be honest I dont want other people riding my horse for me whilst I have the time to do so!

Do you need to lay down the law in a contract?
Just be clear I used the BHS loan agreement as a template but yes you dont what people can be like so making sure it is all written down helps (I think I have a template on here if you want it for share).

What is a reasonable price for what i'm offering?
Walk and trot, I would say nothing to be honest mabye just ask them to do jobs to help out. A 5er a ride if they can do more but still only hack is probably fair.

Also would somebody be interested in paying for a horse purely to hack? Would I put in a contract that no jumping or canter/galloping is permitted (only because he's a TB and I do not want him to get into the habbit of galloping around the farm)
If he is otherwise safe to hack Im sure there must be people wanting to enjoy the countryside and amble out! Dont know about money as I personally have never had a sharer limited to hacking - a friend did though (but it included cantering and galloping) and her sharer was quite happy paying for horses shoes :).

Hope that helps!
 
I'm currently a full time student (only for a year) and have 2 sharers for my horse, each have her 2 days a week. I have a contract in place for both of them, they both give me the same contribution. I don't allow either to jump her (as had problems in past with her refusing and she can be very whizzy). Both are allowed to hack her out, school her and could do the local dressage comp if they wanted, but neither do. They both pay the same, under £20 a week.

Competiton wise you don't have to offer it, but I think it's nice for people to have the option, although to be honest none of my sharers have every really been bothered.

I've had a few sharers over the years, some have been awful, some great, and it's pretty much luck of the draw. However if you can tell your not going to get on with the person then don't take them on. The best sharers are people who treat my horse the same way I treat her and do exactly as I ask them to. I'm not saying I'm a control freak, I hardly see them as I don't go down on their days, but I mean in terms of if I ask them to give her a certain amount of food etc I would expect them to do so.
 
When i bring my TB back into work in the spring i will be looking for a sharer to help me ride her and my cob with myself out hacking 3 x per week. They won't be left alone riding as they will be hacking with me, won't ask for any contributions just help with poo-picking etc..........
:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top