Question for sharers - financial contribution?

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CrazyZebra

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Hello

I am a uni student and before uni had two of my own horses, one of which is sold and the other is currently out on loan with a view to sell as I don't have the time to go home to ride him. However, for almost a year now I have been sharing a lovely horse near to where I work part time. I usually go up to see him, ride and muck out etc (DIY) on the two days a week that I work, plus if I am free any other days and his owner needs a hand I will try and pop up to muck out or ride. She is away at the moment and as I am working more days over the Summer I am doing him four days a week for the fortnight. I believe she also has another sharer who rides Saturdays and I imagine she is doing the remaining three days whilst the owner is away. The owner is great, very accomodating and is happy for me to do my own thing with her horse, who is great fun with a lovely nature. She doesn't have her own transport so there aren't many competing opportunities but as he's young I really enjoy schooling him and bringing him on as well as hacking.

The financial contribution I make at the moment is £125 a month, which I think is pretty fair especially considering what it would otherwise cost me to have riding lessons every week instead! However, my rent is a bit higher next year and as I am going into my final year as a student I get less student loan and will also have to cut my work hours slightly. Therefore I will be a lot tighter for money next year. Do you think it would be unreasonable to ask if she might take £90-£100 even if it meant me only doing one day? I really would like to keep the ride and I don't want to risk her finding another sharer instead!

Please can anyone else tell me what sort of arrangement you have in place with your sharers?

Thanks!
 
When I had a sharer I asked for £10 per day - which sounds cheap but I didn't let her hack out, she could go round the fields or up on the hill but no futher as there is a nasty road to cross. I think that made it fair
 
Wow, that seems alot to me. If you only go up 1 day a week, at £90 a month contribution that makes it £20 each time you go up.
Dropping down to one day might be less of a financial issue for her, but might put her in a quandry if there is no-one else to look after the horse on the days you normally would.
If so, if you all get on (people & horse!) she might consider you paying less but still going up the same amount of times a week as she knows you have a good relationship with the horse and it saves her having to find another person to look after horsey when you're not there. You could always ask? (But be prepared that if she can't afford the financial loss you may lose the ride)
 
My sharer pays £20 a week for 3 days, so £80 a month. She doesn't have to muck out. I certainly wouldn't be happy paying £90 a month for just 1 day a week!!

I agree with chaps89 that it could be a time problem for the owner if you cut down your days. I would suggest you speak to her and see what she says, but be prepared to potentially lose the ride.

Hope it all works out!
 
I would speak to the owner when she gets back. Explain it to her like you have done on here and see what she thinks. Between you, you should be able to come up with a agreement you are both happy with.

I know if it was me as the owner and I had a good sharer I would be prepared to compromise if needed.
 
I pay £10 per time I ride so unless you are in London it does sound awfully expensive. I'd have words with her as I'm sure she doesn't want to loose you as a sharer.
 
And I looked at loads of London shares - ranging from some nice ones at 10/day to some ridiculous ones wanting half super-expensive-livery costs for a horse you don't half own.

I think you should get something nice and competeing at local level if desired for 20/week for 2-3 days, (plus half for shoes and without the mucking out possibly!), even close to London.
 
I pay £25 a week for 3 days. Don't have to muck out but do feed, groom etc. My share horse can't jump due to a previous injury so that is probably taken into consideration but I really do think you are paying too much!
 
I paid £110 for 4 days a week when I was paying for a share. Had to bring in, muck out, feed etc on my days. I'd ask if the owner could let you drop a day and take it down to £100, maybe see if the other sharer wants to pick your day up??

If not, I'd be tempted to end the share, £90/month for 1 day a week is extortionate, no matter how amazing the horse is!! When I ended my last share I was gutted, but found some even better horses that suit me much better than the old one
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My sharer pays me £80 per month. She can ride Monty any day of the week and she doesn't have to do any chores, not even feeding since I come in the evenings. The only snag is that Monty can only do very small jumps on good ground and he doesn't box so only local riding and schooling.

She seems really happy with it though......as am I!
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i pay £20 a week for my loan, i ride two days a week and dont do much else, i dont muck out or anything. the sharer and i both think this is a fair price
 
I pay £10 a week for 2-3 days, with no chores, in London.
I can school, hack, compete, and owner is very very flexible (I can choose my days) and offers to take me out in her trailer
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It really does sound like you are being ripped off... I know I wouldn't be able to have afforded anywhere near that amount at uni!
 
My sharer pays £20/week for 2 days and has a lesson every other week which is an extra £10 so comes to £100/week including 2 x 45min lessons, she does muck out but i do feeds and haynets for her and we r in surrey , livery, hay, feed all quite expensive i think you are paying quite a lot, also good, reliable sharers are like gold dust so if she needs a financial contribution and doesn't want a big headache trying to find someone else she should agree to a bit of a drop...im also a uni student so is my sharer, hopefully she'll have sympathy.
 
Thanks for all your advice. It is near to London hence prices are probably on the higher side, and the horse is a beautiful young warmblood gelding so I feel lucky for the opportunity rather than hard done by! However I am going to ask if there is any way we could reduce the amount, if I suggest £90 perhaps? I would like to keep doing my two days for that price, but if not I would consider it. Everybody is warning me I should be working harder on my degree next year so I guess what will be will be!

Would like to recommend to anyone reading this thread who is thinking of sharing to give it a try because I think it can be a really good arrangement if you can't afford to keep your own/need help with costs for your own, (although no doubt people have had bad share experiences too so its always good to be careful) I would never have thought about it before but I just stumbled across the ad one day!
 
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