Quite confused about replies to my sharer advert!

GeeGeeboy

GeeGeeboy

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I put an add on Gumtree about a week ago looking for a sharer for my Icelandic gelding. I was overwhelmed by the amount of replies I got-about 35 so far!! The main thing that has surprised me has been the amount of very experienced people that seem interested. One girl has experience in show jumping, dressage and eventing and another one's last horse is an ex-racer. Whilst I think my boy is wonderful in all ways , I'm just surprised that these highly experienced "big horse" people would be interested in sharing a wee fluffy pony!? Any ideas?
 
I've ridden some of these 'big horses' and having ridden a friends icelandic, I wouldn't hesitate to take one on share if I wanted some fun!

The big horses aren't always what they're cracked up to be, especially when you want horse riding to be as fun as possible with minimal effort (aka spooking, silliness)
 
well my 'big horse' friend has loaned a 14.1 cracker for the last year and is having a wail of a time :D (I've been telling her ponies are better for ages though ;) )
 
This is interesting! Some people juat get 'converted' I think. I rode at a riding school till I was 16 and as I got a lot bigger and taller a lot earlier than everyone else I was put on the 'big horses' at a younger age. Rode all the x racers/ dressage etc etc but after a random comment to my instructor about a new PONY on the yard she suggested I try him as actually most ponies can take an adult. I've never looked back and have my own fat fluffy pony after many years of being a 'big horse' person. Even feels strange getting on anything bigger than 15hh now! Maybe these people are just 'converts'????
 
I much prefer ponies but would squish most of them! Some of them are probably lying (doesn't sound like they'd have much reason to either) but some are probably just looking for hacking to maintain horsey time while they can't afford or don't have time for their own, thats what I did :-)
 
Many years ago I advertised for a sharer. A girl turned up with her boyfriend and rode my mare nicely in the school. All seemed perfect and she said she'd love to share my girl. She then asked me how much I'd pay her for exercising my horse! :confused: That wasn't what I'd expected !! Lesson to self - be careful how you word your advert :)
 
elbee said:
Many years ago I advertised for a sharer. A girl turned up with her boyfriend and rode my mare nicely in the school. All seemed perfect and she said she'd love to share my girl. She then asked me how much I'd pay her for exercising my horse! :confused: That wasn't what I'd expected !! Lesson to self - be careful how you word your advert :)
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Ha ha!! See there in lies the problem!
Who is doing who the favour? you pay for the privilege of riding my horse, or i pay you to exercise it !!;)
 
If I was being cynical, I'd say the show jumper/ dressage/ eventer could be riding at 2'3"/ prelim unaffiliated level, and could be quite rubbish as a rider too for all you know! The one with the ex racer may not have rehabilitated it themself, they may have taken it on ready made, and possibly found it too much which is why they've no longer got it ;) You'll need a bit more of an in depth chat to decide their level of experience.
 
My friend has an ex-racer. She's a total novice, first time owner and he's an ex-racer because he was too lazy to even run after the other horses let alone race them ;)
 
I'd go with they're not as experienced as they make out - I had someone 'experienced but rusty' come to try out my mare when I advertised her for share (bearing in mind she's a very sensible cob but will try the 'do you really mean it - if not i'll creep into the middle' technique) who couldn't even get her to stay on the track in the arena (and I think I ride like a sack of potatoes and she goes ok for me) and just generally seemed clueless. Oh, and the 12 year old whose mother told me she'd been having lessons for a year - translated as she'd had less than 7 hours tuition. Ask lots of questions and even if you like them, do a months trial before committing to anything more permanent!
 
I had an ex BSJA, jumped at Hickstead, competed at Medium level dressage woman come ride my elder mare to see if she could share her. She couldn't sit to her canter (think rocking horse canter) and rode her overbent.

I put it down to rusty skills and gave her a chance. She came to the yard once, peed off everyone there, including the YM, didn't hose her off properly (middle of Summer) and after I'd rang to ask her if she had hosed her off as she was covered in black marks and dried sweat in her field she never came back.

I let a 15 year old girl take her instead, rode like a dream, looked after her wonderfully and was reliable.
 
Best to make your own assessment of their experience - i was recently chatting to my hairdresser who takes her young daughter for riding lessons every week. I knew the hairdresser had ridden friends ponies a little as a teenager but when she started telling me how scared she'd been when she rode "point to point" i was quite surprised! - a little further gentle questioning revealed that her day out "point to pointing" was in fact a local farm ride with optional jumps and she had no idea what an actual point to point was!
 
maresmaid said:
Best to make your own assessment of their experience - i was recently chatting to my hairdresser who takes her young daughter for riding lessons every week. I knew the hairdresser had ridden friends ponies a little as a teenager but when she started telling me how scared she'd been when she rode "point to point" i was quite surprised! - a little further gentle questioning revealed that her day out "point to pointing" was in fact a local farm ride with optional jumps and she had no idea what an actual point to point was!
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Haha yea, the amount of people I know that tell me they've 'galloped' on a horse. No dear, that was trot. A slow one at that!
 
I would also agree that they could be making themselves out to be more experienced than they are?

Also I am in my early 20's and looking for a share and I have been mainly searching for ponies! I hope no one reads my emails and think I'm bigging myself up though! They are so much fun to ride and if I'm only going to get to ride once or twice a week then I want something that is easy, cheeky and fun!

Also if anyone knows of anything around Mill Hill/North London - Herts border let me know :)
 
There are allot of people out there at the moment that can't afford to have a horse of their own so sharing is ideal.
Work commitments are also a big factor, i know two horsey people who had to sell their horses as they had to take on a second part time job just to pay the bills so only committing to a horse a couple of times a week is the way forward.
Take what people say in their replies to your advert with a pinch of salt, until you assess their riding abilities for yourself.
 
Probably some inflated egos in there.

I'm a 'big horse' person but if I was wanting a share I'd probably go for a pony too too. As generally more straight forward and less issues.
 
Please don't believe all you are told, I advertised for a rider for my horse and a girl came to see him who had evented and helped re school ex racers apparently but she didn't know how to tack up, couldn't even put a headcollar on the right way!:eek:
 
Nah said:
Haha yea, the amount of people I know that tell me they've 'galloped' on a horse. No dear, that was trot. A slow one at that!
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Yes, the local riding school likes to tell complete beginners that they are doing a sitting trot, that is before they can do a rising trot!
Just had an experienced lady ride my boy [lapsed AI], boy is none to happy with her trot, turns out she was asking for an outline, he thought she wanted him to go forward with her legs and go backwards with her hands!
 
Nah said:
Haha yea, the amount of people I know that tell me they've 'galloped' on a horse. No dear, that was trot. A slow one at that!
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oh dear, i hope you didnt say that in quite that condescending tone nah! yes, i know people say some silly things but if we come off like we think we're superior to non horsy people then it puts them off getting into riding and learning properly.
 
I think you'll have to have a real good look at the replies. Some of them appear to be far too qualified & some will be over stating what their ability actually is? so I would probably put those to one side. Some no doubt will be from children who are desperate for a pony & will have applied probably without parents knowledge, so again those would go to one side. Then there will be real replies from people who will have had to let their horse go due to current financial problems & people who have had a leave of absence whilst bringing up children. The latter two are probably the ones you will want.

Possibly once you've weeded out many of the replies you'll get a feel of what the person is like from the way they've worded their reply. When you've got the list down to 2 or 3 invite them up, one at a time so you can chat to them & see them around your horse & hopefully you'll find the person you want.

Good Luck with your search.
 
Agree that there may be some exagaration going on I've had a break from horses and used to teach and school difficult horses. I also had my own difficult youngsters and got great results from them. I also was taught by some really good horse people.
Fast forward a few years my riding is rusty as hell and my fitness is awfull so even though I can say I've done what I have doing it now is another question I'd prob be half dead trying to ride what I did years ago so a nice pony would be ideal for me :D
 
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