Reducing share days in the winter?

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Daniel_Jack

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I'm going to sound like the sharer from hell here as I know winter is the time when owners need help most but I've been considering reducing my share days to a single day during the winter and dropping my mid week share day and only riding one day at the weekend.

This is due to how horrendous the arena has become now the weather has turned - it was never fantastic but now its so deep and muddy with the drains and membrane coming up through the surface. It seemed ok in the summer but now I'm reluctant to use it as the horse I'm riding is older and unfit and I'm worried about injury.

I've managed to arrange myself a regular riding lesson one night a week at a local RS and now think that I should just do this and hack out the share horse on the weekend.

I get the view that sharing isn't a fair weather thing and I have no problem riding/mucking out etc in the winter (horse is stabled overnight all year btw so it's not the mucking out I'm dodging, I've been doing that all summer) but it's the fact that I can now pretty much guarantee that I won't be able to ride or really even lunge the horse in the evenings and will just be mucking out, grooming and going home (while paying for the privilege).

Am I being really selfish to do this? It's not feasible for me to do two days at the weekend even though I know owner would be fine with this due to family commitments.
 
In one way, yes it is selfish - after all the owner doesn't have the opportunity to reduce his/her commitment to the horse during inclement weather.

On the other hand you are a sharer, not a horse owner, so yes you do have the opportunity to decrease your time with the horse.

I wouldn't expect to have a further agreement to increase your time with he same horse in spring though.
 
I would just explain this to the owner, obviously we don't know the full circumstances or yard but I think it would be a perfectly just reason and I'd be willing to accept that if you were my sharer. On the other hand if I was time constrained I'd still like it if you could muck out/groom the days you normally do but not charge of course for that pleasure(haha!)
 
I don't think it is unfair at all. The agreement has to suit both parties, and at the moment it does not suit you.

If the new arrangement does not suit the owner then they can cancel the arrangement.

If you have the time it may be nice to offer to still do the stable work in your week day, but not pay. I think this is fair as the school is unusable in the week, it is not that you are weather shy or work shy.

When I shared I would have been happy with that, and would have also been happy for you to pick up the extra day when the light evenings returned and you could ride at night again.
 
It very much depends on your share arrangement but if you were my sharer and wanted to drop the midweek day I would be looking for a new sharer who could do a midweek and if the new sharer wanted a weekend day too I would be dropping you. Obviously we don't know the background of your arrangement but for me I am ok to "give up" one of my weekend rides in order to get the midweek help I need so much and if I wasn't getting that why would I want to give up a weekend day?
I suppose what I am saying is be prepared that if you suggest this you might lose your share altogether. Of course you might not but is there no alternative solution you can think of?
 
I am doing something similar at the moment.

I would usually have 3 days a week (1 weekend day) - I have dropped to 2 but have used the rest of my years holidays on taking half days on Wednesdays so I can do a lot once in the week and once at the weekend.

I am also not trying to dodge mucking out but I can't go a half hour drive in the dark after work to do 1 wheelbarrow of poop scooping then go home as I wouldn't ride in the dark but am happy to make this up on the other days with an extra wheelbarrow lol!

It's not your horse that's really why you are a sharer because you can't commit to your own horse I guess! It depends how dependant they are on you two days a week I suppose!
 
Because the state of the arena means you can't ride effectively / safely during the week I think you're being sensible. I can't see many sharers wanting to share a horse (for money) and not ride it??? I don't charge my sharers, or even expect them to muck out, because for me having the horses exercised when I can't do it is a bonus. Mind you I've made sure the arena is in tip top condition...
 
I don't think it is unfair, it isn't that you don't want to go down and ride or cannot, more that the facilities where the owner chooses to keep their horse are preventing you from doing so. (and as an owner wouldn't want my oldie ridden on a rubbish surface either)
 
abbijay said:
It very much depends on your share arrangement but if you were my sharer and wanted to drop the midweek day I would be looking for a new sharer who could do a midweek and if the new sharer wanted a weekend day too I would be dropping you. Obviously we don't know the background of your arrangement but for me I am ok to "give up" one of my weekend rides in order to get the midweek help I need so much and if I wasn't getting that why would I want to give up a weekend day?
I suppose what I am saying is be prepared that if you suggest this you might lose your share altogether. Of course you might not but is there no alternative solution you can think of?
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So you'd be looking for a sharer to pay you for the privilege of mucking out your horse but not be able to ride it? :)

OP I think you need to have a chat with the owner and explain the problem. Personally I wouldn't want my horse ridden on that sort of surface, but if they don't ride at weekends presumably they ride in the arena during the week? Or are they about during the day to take the horse hacking?
 
I would just be honest with the owner and say that you feel uncomfortable riding in the arena and you can't hack in the dark. I would not be willing to pay someone to muck their Horse out and not be able to ride.
 
Unless the reason the owner has you on board is purely because the horse needs to be ridden every day then I think you are being a bit selfish, if not unreasonable. The reality is none of us can ride as much in the winter, unless we're the sort of person who rides in the school every day and we have a school that can be used in all weathers and, in most cases, floodlights.

I'm both a sharer and a sharee (it's complicated!) and I wouldn't dream of not taking responsibility for my share horse just because I couldn't ride. In fact, I'm still paying off a big vet bill for him as his owner couldn't afford it. (I could afford to pay it in one go but it makes more financial sense to have it on a 0% credit card and keep my money in the bank) For the 8 months he was off work with the problem the vet bill was for, I continued to do everything I previously did - and more as he was on box rest for some of it.

In the same vein, when my horse was off work for 5 months, not only did my sharer continue to do all her set days, she continued to pay me. I tried to give it back to her but she wouldn't let me so I used it to buy her a really decent coat for winter. When her father was really ill, I told her she didn't need to do anything but was welcome to come and ride if she needed to get away. She did maybe once a fortnight for the three months he was really ill and that was fine by me. I don't think it was a coincidence that she was with us for 6 years and only stopped as she moved back home (70 miles away) to be with her mother after her dad died.

There always has to be a bit of give and take and discussing things openly is the only way to make it work. Talk to your horse's owner by all means but recognise that it's just as bad, if not worse, for her. Are there other ways to make it work? could you ride in the morning, before work? Is there somewhere else you could go to ride on the other night? Any local riding clubs you could join that do fairly cheap group lessons? Mine does twice a week and they're a godsend in winter. If the owner is struggling for time rather than money, could you still do the night you're meant to but not pay for it?
 
why do you need to ride? horses arnt all about riding. as a shearer don't you just enjoy being with the horse? grooming feeding mucking out? I think you should just go to a riding school and give up shearing altogether. I'd be furious if I was the owner.
 
It will depend on the owner and why then need / want to share. Of course you don't have to ride every time - the horse might well enjoy some in hand work, or no work at all. But I do also understand that a lesson at an RS is going to cost money.

If you were my sharer I'm afraid I would cease the share. I won't accept weekend only - sharers have to do (or at least pay for) a mid week day too. But I do tend to have a waiting list for the pony so I can be a bit fussy. Your owner might not be in the position and might have to put up with it. But either way - talk to them. Its the only way to resolve issues.
 
I’ve been on both sides I used to share my pony for the entire 8 years I had him. I’ve also been a sharer of other people’s horses.

In the short term I wouldn’t mind missing the odd ride but I would categorically not pay for a share that I spent one out of the two days I had not being able to ride at all just like I wouldn’t keep my horse somewhere where I couldn’t ride 5 days a week because the school was so bad and the hacking unsuitable.
 
Owner doesn't ride the horse - no one else does much with her except me as owner doesn't ride. If I wasn't sharing her she'd just be a field ornament and owner would just muck out etc. I only pay a small fee for her as agreed with the owner and the actual share agreement (there is not written agreement but the verbal one) is 1 to 2 days a week so I'd still be sticking to that.

To those suggesting that I'm only in it for the ride, sorry but how presumptuous of you! In the months I've shared the horse I've done loads of in hand to help with her mobility (she's in her 20's with clicky joints hence my reluctance to work her on an unsuitable surface - there are others at the yard who still ride on it :( ), I've walked her out in hand, spent ages grooming, given her massages, done loads of carrot stretches, bought her supplements and tack that the owner couldn't afford, paid for the dentist that the owner couldn't afford.

It's the fact that I can now only ride once a week (if that!) due to the facilities that is the issue and I don't feel it's fair to expect that.
 
ester said:
I don't think it is unfair, it isn't that you don't want to go down and ride or cannot, more that the facilities where the owner chooses to keep their horse are preventing you from doing so. (and as an owner wouldn't want my oldie ridden on a rubbish surface either)
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This!
Plus as someone else said u are a sharer because you can’t commit
It is of course a bit rubbish for the owner but that’s life!
 
Daniel_Jack said:
To those suggesting that I'm only in it for the ride, sorry but how presumptuous of you! In the months I've shared the horse I've done loads of in hand to help with her mobility (she's in her 20's with clicky joints hence my reluctance to work her on an unsuitable surface - there are others at the yard who still ride on it :( ), I've walked her out in hand, spent ages grooming, given her massages, done loads of carrot stretches, bought her supplements and tack that the owner couldn't afford, paid for the dentist that the owner couldn't afford.

It's the fact that I can now only ride once a week (if that!) due to the facilities that is the issue and I don't feel it's fair to expect that.
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To show you are invested I would offer to stick to your days helping with the horse but reduce the payment to reflect the one day riding you get, and that you would pick the fee back up when the summer comes and there is more riding for you. Be aware the owner may decide it's not worth the hassle and feel messed around or you could just stick with it if the fee is only small instead of risking losing the share altogether (it's not winter forever ;) summer will come)
 
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Daniel_Jack said:
Owner doesn't ride the horse - no one else does much with her except me as owner doesn't ride. If I wasn't sharing her she'd just be a field ornament and owner would just muck out etc. I only pay a small fee for her as agreed with the owner and the actual share agreement (there is not written agreement but the verbal one) is 1 to 2 days a week so I'd still be sticking to that.

To those suggesting that I'm only in it for the ride, sorry but how presumptuous of you! In the months I've shared the horse I've done loads of in hand to help with her mobility (she's in her 20's with clicky joints hence my reluctance to work her on an unsuitable surface - there are others at the yard who still ride on it :( ), I've walked her out in hand, spent ages grooming, given her massages, done loads of carrot stretches, bought her supplements and tack that the owner couldn't afford, paid for the dentist that the owner couldn't afford.

It's the fact that I can now only ride once a week (if that!) due to the facilities that is the issue and I don't feel it's fair to expect that.
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Since the owner does not ride she will probably not realize just how bad the school surface is/rides. Could you not have a word with her and ask her to approach the YO?
 
If I were the owner, I might be a little peeved, but the reality is that a share by its very nature gives you the freedom to walk away or reduce your commitment at any time. The owner would equally be perfectly entitled to find someone else who can do two days a week and replace you with them, but that's the risk you take if you choose to alter the agreement. You're certainly not being unreasonable though: why would you carry on paying for a privilege you're no longer getting to enjoy?
 
You can't miss how bad it is and it's been that way for years - owner always makes noises about fixing it to keep the liveries on side and sometimes dumps some more surface down but never fixes it - when I owned a horse I used to keep it there years ago and have been through all this including constantly pestering the YO about it - nothing changed.
 
To be fair, you are totally allowed to just be sharing because you want to ride (even though it sounds like that's not the case).

Happens at my yard every winter, for various reasons. In my case I don't mind as we have no school and I explain this to people at the start of their share. I explain winters are hard, and I have a few "seasonal folks" who leave in winter and draft back in summer. Horses are hard work and it's my choice to have the 24/7 responsibility for them. The sharers have chosen not to take on that responsibility, and often that's for good reason. I'd explain the situation to the owner. She may well be glad that you're still there at all. Or she may be disappointed that you're moving on!
 
Daniel_Jack said:
You can't miss how bad it is and it's been that way for years - owner always makes noises about fixing it to keep the liveries on side and sometimes dumps some more surface down but never fixes it - when I owned a horse I used to keep it there years ago and have been through all this including constantly pestering the YO about it - nothing changed.
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Well then I think you are totally justified in dropping a day. I too would not ride on a bad surface (especially if the Horse wasn't my own in case of serious injury)
 
Downton Dame said:
why do you need to ride? horses arnt all about riding. as a shearer don't you just enjoy being with the horse? grooming feeding mucking out? I think you should just go to a riding school and give up shearing altogether. I'd be furious if I was the owner.
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You would be furious that someone doesn’t want to pay for the privilege of looking after your horse for you?
 
Daniel_Jack said:
Owner doesn't ride the horse - no one else does much with her except me as owner doesn't ride. If I wasn't sharing her she'd just be a field ornament and owner would just muck out etc. I only pay a small fee for her as agreed with the owner and the actual share agreement (there is not written agreement but the verbal one) is 1 to 2 days a week so I'd still be sticking to that.

To those suggesting that I'm only in it for the ride, sorry but how presumptuous of you! In the months I've shared the horse I've done loads of in hand to help with her mobility (she's in her 20's with clicky joints hence my reluctance to work her on an unsuitable surface - there are others at the yard who still ride on it :( ), I've walked her out in hand, spent ages grooming, given her massages, done loads of carrot stretches, bought her supplements and tack that the owner couldn't afford, paid for the dentist that the owner couldn't afford.

It's the fact that I can now only ride once a week (if that!) due to the facilities that is the issue and I don't feel it's fair to expect that.
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I don't think you're being unreasonable.

Personally I keep my days (both of which are weekdays) over winter and we have no arena, but we have an off-road hacking route that is safe in the dark and I can usually flex my work hours to ride in the daylight once a week. I'm fine with not riding on some of my days though - I find it rather satisfying to do the jobs and have evening cuddles with them when they're tucked up in the winter :)

Given what you've said above, I wonder if this is the point at which you end the share and look for something more suitable? Obviously you know the horse better than any of us but riding a 20 year old horse one day a week (and maybe not even that if the weather is poor etc) doesn't sound ideal for her, and you don't particularly sound as if it's the right arrangement for you right now.
 
I have two sharers for two horses. A pre-requirement of mine for sharers is they have day time mid-week availability to ride all year round. As I primarily have sharers to ensure my horses hack enough in winter!

So I wouldn’t accept a 9-5pm monday to Friday working sharer, and my horses, location and facilities are nice enough, I can afford to choose.

My expectation of sharing, is it about finding a way of meeting both the sharer's and the owner’s needs.

One of my sharers tolerates “hacking in the school” if there is a very good reason not to hack, but enjoys HACKING. If my horse couldn’t hack over the winter e.g. surrounded by boggy clay, she’d not be getting what SHE wants from the agreement and I’d understand her wanting a change.

My other sharer schools, hacks and has lessons. If our arena was out of action long term, I can see he’d be unhappy and need to change the arrangement.

Both are long term sharers, and both stick with me if there is a short term injury with horses, which is what I’d expect. But I expect to understand and meet their needs for share arrangements to work.

I’ve been round the block a few times with sharers. I know a sharer who works 9-5pm Monday to Friday doesn’t work for me in winter.

How about hacking in dark with lights? Or in handwork and stretches on the yard? Or clicker training in stable? On the non riding weekday. It depends what you want to get from the arrangement, and if what you want is achievable.
 
Downton Dame said:
why do you need to ride? horses arnt all about riding. as a shearer don't you just enjoy being with the horse? grooming feeding mucking out? I think you should just go to a riding school and give up shearing altogether. I'd be furious if I was the owner.
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why would you be 'furious'?
 
I can totally see why you would reduce your days. However if the sharee needs your help with stable duties, I could see a middle ground in keeping your days & doing your chores for a reduced fee.
 
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