Riding in return for yard help?

srt544

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We have a lovely 14.2 standing around, doing not a lot. He is for my bosses daughter but she only really rides at the weekends, on the odd occasion the weather is good. We also have her (outgrown) section B in the field. I manage to lead the 14.2 from one of the big horses a couple of times a week, and he goes on the walker a bit but I dont think it's fair for that to become the majority of his work. I would like to keep him reasonably fit as daughter will most likely go to PC camp and some shows through the summer. The section B is turned out but only 9 and could do with a job too!
Sooo I was wondering if getting a keen teenager to ride them in return for help around the yard? This is just essentially sharing yes? It's simply because we have liveries and I could do with Someone to groom them, clean a bit of tack, fetch in, that sort of thing and I want make sure that because it's a business, it is still Okay to do this.
I also wondered about paying for them to do a couple of hours mucking out at the weekends and If I were to give them lessons, take them to pc rallies and shows?
Hoping to give someone who may not get the chance otherwise to ride, compete and learn what goes on, other than just the riding part.
 
I used to do this at a local livery and loved it. I've offered the same locally here but got a lot of people expecting me to pay them for it. This year i've offered for someone to come to shows and things but so far not had any takers. Probably because it's January and the weathers horrible
 
I have a lovely lady come as and when she can just to learn about caring for horses and be around them, she is willing to do everything from poo picking to untangling manes, she does get to ride as a thank you, I can't wait till she is confident enough to go out solo or with the grandkids, I would love to find someone to ride my lot, as they stand in the field too much since I went self employed
 
I have a teenager who has completely free rein to ride my boy. I have just booked 3 clinics for him to go to in Febuary which I will pay for completely, transport, enteries etc the works, and to be frank, if I was expecting him to do ANYTHING I'd be wasting my time! The amount of effort it takes me to get even minimal work out of him just isnt worth it! He drives me up the wall! And hes the best of a bad lot! There were 3 others before him who were worse. We rub along just fine as hes a lovely rider and gets on well with my boy and WILL take instruction when hes riding, but when hes off the horses hes always tired or injured or just so flaming slow and faffy its easier to just do it myself! :lol:
 
I did just this between the ages of 13 and 17, I had lost my much loved competition pony and was missing riding very much.
It was a very similar situation actually in that a lady had a 14.3 & 12.3 on her private yard, they were for her nieces really but the girls only rode them in the summer at the weekends, the 8 and 12 yr old ponies could of done with a bit more work so I went down 4 days a week brought them in, groomed, tacked up and rode both, (at 7st 4 I was still able to do bits on the 12.3 tiny cob even at 17!) then I'd clean there tack every week, poo pick, feed and hay after I'd ridden of an evening, the owner was around almost all the time, she of course had her biger horses to do and I just helped her with the ponies. After a few months she asked me if I'd like to muck out on a Saturday & Sunday morning, of course I did and she offerd to pay me or take me out with her, so most weekends we went to clinics, rally's, the beach, little un affiliated completions.
It was fantastic for me, I think if it very fondly. I was able to learn lots and was extreamly greatful for the opportunity to ride & spend more time around the ponies. It suited me better than buying another at that point, purely from an exams and school point of vue!
The girls completely lost interest so the ponies were sold and I bought my beatiful boy.
I think it's a great idea, and someone will be very very lucky indeed!
 
This is exactly what I did between the ages of 12 and 18, and it was amazing. I learnt a lot, got to ride some brilliant horses and ponies, and made some great friends. I didn't have the money to have my own horse, so I relied on being good at mucking out, willing to do anything/ride anything, and the generosity of people offering situations like this. I've always vowed that as soon as I'm in the position to do the same, I'll open my doors to someone horse-mad but horse-less.

Definitely do it!
 
okay good to hear! Thanks for your replies. Im just panicking because of all the riding schools locally and even the gallops have to gave disclaimers and I'm worrying that maybe I should :/ hopefully I'll find someone keen, I'm not particularly worried if they're much good in the saddle as I sort of think it's good for the ponies to go for a novice. Hence me not schooling them as I like them too sparkly!! Haha
 
Make sure they have insurance - BHS Gold cover will be enough, and I think it's cheaper for under 18s? Definitely worth the £50 or so a year for riding/learning for free!

Maybe start asking through word of mouth first? That's how I found all my people with spare horses. Less likely to find daydreamers/people completely unsuitable that way.
 
Make sure they have insurance - BHS Gold cover will be enough, and I think it's cheaper for under 18s? Definitely worth the £50 or so a year for riding/learning for free!

Maybe start asking through word of mouth first? That's how I found all my people with spare horses. Less likely to find daydreamers/people completely unsuitable that way.

okay, would pony club membership do? As a kid I used to ride for people and my mum said it was fine as I had insurance through pc? and this might be the end of It...do the ponies need insurance? My boss will not insure any of hers :(
 
Was never part of PC so couldn't comment on that - BHS is just third party so as long as that's covered, should be fine. Hmmm I think pony insurance is preference - I've ridden for people whose horses aren't insured, but as I have Gold BHS/third party that's fine, as it covers any horse I ride.

Pretty sure as long as you have third party insurance, you'll be ok. No money is changing hands, and that's usually where insurance gets complicated.
 
We have a lovely 14.2 standing around, doing not a lot. He is for my bosses daughter but she only really rides at the weekends, on the odd occasion the weather is good. We also have her (outgrown) section B in the field. I manage to lead the 14.2 from one of the big horses a couple of times a week, and he goes on the walker a bit but I dont think it's fair for that to become the majority of his work. I would like to keep him reasonably fit as daughter will most likely go to PC camp and some shows through the summer. The section B is turned out but only 9 and could do with a job too!
Sooo I was wondering if getting a keen teenager to ride them in return for help around the yard? This is just essentially sharing yes? It's simply because we have liveries and I could do with Someone to groom them, clean a bit of tack, fetch in, that sort of thing and I want make sure that because it's a business, it is still Okay to do this.
I also wondered about paying for them to do a couple of hours mucking out at the weekends and If I were to give them lessons, take them to pc rallies and shows?
Hoping to give someone who may not get the chance otherwise to ride, compete and learn what goes on, other than just the riding part.

I would love to do this! I'm currently trying to find someone in or around Bristol looking for a similar thing. I do know quite a bit about husbandry and care and have helped on a yard before but would love to learn to ride!!
It's good to see that several people have done this :)
 
Make sure they have their own accident insurance and that your own insurance is happy for them to ride. I'd exchange nasty jobs like poo picking for lessons (so perhaps three barrows of poo equals one lesson) so that it isn't actually costing you anything in terms of your time, and otherwise let them ride in exchange for non-nasty jobs like grooming and tack cleaning.
 
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