Riding in Surrey - advice please!

  • Thread starter Thread starter xspiralx
  • Start date Start date
X

xspiralx

Guest
After a bit of advice as I'm moving to the area, but don't really know it at all myself yet!

The story is that I've been offered my dream job near Guildford, and am moving down to Frimley at the end of the week. Best news, is after a year of working stupid hours in London for basically no money, new job with a shorter commute will give me time in the evenings, and I'll hopefully be able to start saving towards buying my own horse again - just need to build up the capital first which means being realistic it will take me about a year.

The bad news is that for the last year I've been lucky enough to ride some lovely horses and do a bit of competing and go out and about, but once I move I'll be too far away to ride nearly as regularly, and certainly not during the week after work. However I think with increased time and energy, I'll go stir crazy if I can't do some riding - so will be looking for someone who needs help with exercising/schooling, or even possibly a share/loan.

This is where the advice comes in, as I don't really know the area at all and would like to know where would be good places that I could ask around and put up adverts - or look for help wanted type adverts - tack shops, livery yards, or local websites - any suggestions? Or if anybody local happens to know of anyone who might appreciate some help, please do let me know! :)

Thanks all!
 
I would offer you mine but we are about 45mins from Frimley and although in Surrey the evening traffic would be a real pain!!

Try Rokers feed merchants in Surrey (they have a website for their address) they have a great board going into their tack shop. I am sure there will be someone out there willing to chew your hand off to get some help exercising.

Good luck and welcome to Surrey
 
'ello! only just seen your post.

If stuck, I have a happy hack which 'could' borrowed for vino tokens if wanted, till you got yourself sorted properly.
About 7 miles north from central G/ford, prob 8-10 from central Frimley.

Try the local places with notice boards as suggested above - Rokers, Frosburys (they have a book of adverts to leaf through) also Buttons & also Chobham Rider notice boards (Chobham area).

Hope you settle in down this way, there is some nice hacking - and plenty of action with events (depending on what you want to do).
Merrist Wood have something on frequently (just 1-2 miles outside Guildford centre)

Good luck :)
 
Ahh thanks for your reply and the info Fuzzy!

Wish for vino tokens duly noted ;)

I'm really looking forward to moving into the area - its so lovely. Hope to make some new horsey friends too - its much harder when you don't have a horse of your own to bring to a yard.
 
I'm in the wrong part of Surrey for you!

I'd go to local tack shops and feed merchants. Might be worth asking at a few RS's if they know of any yards in the area that might have people looking for someone to exercise.

Good luck on your search!
 
We are in Dorking which is some 10 miles from Guildford so again, pob not close enough for you. What about conacting some of the riding clubs in this area? My local is Newlands Corner, then there is Reigate (sorry, again wrong direction)but maybe someone else can name the ones in your area? and get an ad in their magazines? I am in the process of looking for sharers for one of mine so shame you aren't near us!
 
Hiya, I live near Frimley and keep my horse in Pirbright - which is pretty much on the route you would go to Guildford for work. If you are still looking I keep my horse at a lovely yard and there are a couple of horses that may be after a sharer! Let me know what you're looking for xx
 
I have two sensible allrounder geldings close to fabulous hacking on national trust land between Farnham and Hindhead, and I've pretty much given up trying to find a sharer in the local area. People like you are rarer than hen's teeth!!

On the other hand, there are lots of people with horses in Surrey who work full time (sometimes in London) and who would love to find someone they can trust to ride. You'll be spoilt for choice! Definitely check all the local tack/feed stores, eg Rokers. Also check with riding clubs, as committe members will probably know of nice horses available to share/part loan by word of mouth to the right person.

What sort of horse are you looking for? I shared for years before I got my own, and was lucky to find a couple of real gems in the Surrey area, just through word of mouth.

When I was looking for a share, many of the horses available for share were the 'hotter' types that needed the extra work. That's how I ended up sharing a lovely Arab and TB for many years. Not sure how much things have changed since then, but last time I looked in Rokers, I saw a real mixture of horses and ponies to share for many different reasons - everything from sensible allrounders, to youngsters that needed bringing on to older sport horses that either had some quirks or just needed more work than they were currently getting.

Good luck in the search!
 
xspiralx said:
After a bit of advice as I'm moving to the area, but don't really know it at all myself yet!

The story is that I've been offered my dream job near Guildford, and am moving down to Frimley at the end of the week. Best news, is after a year of working stupid hours in London for basically no money, new job with a shorter commute will give me time in the evenings, and I'll hopefully be able to start saving towards buying my own horse again - just need to build up the capital first which means being realistic it will take me about a year.

The bad news is that for the last year I've been lucky enough to ride some lovely horses and do a bit of competing and go out and about, but once I move I'll be too far away to ride nearly as regularly, and certainly not during the week after work. However I think with increased time and energy, I'll go stir crazy if I can't do some riding - so will be looking for someone who needs help with exercising/schooling, or even possibly a share/loan.

This is where the advice comes in, as I don't really know the area at all and would like to know where would be good places that I could ask around and put up adverts - or look for help wanted type adverts - tack shops, livery yards, or local websites - any suggestions? Or if anybody local happens to know of anyone who might appreciate some help, please do let me know! :)

Thanks all!
Click to expand...

me me me me me me me me me :)

I'm about 8/10 miles from Guildford and have 2 horses (recently bought one back) I would love some help with the riding/work
 
What sort of horse are you looking for? I shared for years before I got my own, and was lucky to find a couple of real gems in the Surrey area, just through word of mouth.
Click to expand...

Morganlafaye - thank you! I'm not fussy really, generally prefer more forward going types - ideally would like to do a bit of jumping and going out and about, but more than happy to help with hacking and schooling etc.

horsegirl - whereabouts are you? I'll have lots of evenings free so would be very happy to help out :)

joeanne - thanks! I'll drop you a PM!
 
Simarly to you, I moved to the Camberley/Farnborough area last summer, with no horse and no horsey contacts in the area to get me started. I wanted a share horse, and I started looking on the internet. I went to see a few, and eventually found a horse I liked in Yateley, and began sharing (about 15mins drive from Frimley). Now this horse has moved away from the area, but I've found another horse at the same yard looking for a sharer, proving how much easier it is when you know some local horsey people!

If you would be interested in sharing in the Yateley area, let me know because I know at least one horse looking for a sharer, probably more in fact!

Other than that, here are some useful websites:
http://www.yours2share.com/cgi-bin/mojoClassified.cgi?cat=5&parent=0&number=7
http://www.horsetoloan.com/
http://www.horsesharesuk.co.uk/category.php?type=12&sec=14
http://www.preloved.co.uk/fuseactio...k/subcat-Horses+and+Accessories/80399565.html
http://www.equineadverts.co.uk/-1/16_Horses_For_Loan/0/ (and the Riders section)

Also, it might be useful to bear in mind that nearby Fleet and Farnborough are in Hampshire, and Sandhurst is in Berks, so don't just look at the Surrey ads.

ETA: As you can see, I also put a quick note in my signature on here, and it's well worth doing because, as your seeing, theres lots of people on here in the local area who might just have what you're looking for. I certainly heard from a few people just through that note in my sig
 
Last edited:
Hi
Just found this post after being told about it by a friend!

I have a lovely well scholed RC event type Im trying to sell with no avail yet but whilst she is in the yard Id be happy to have help (and would lve the help!) with riding!! Ive got a full time job plus 3-4 horses a day to exercise due to riding full time until I changed to an office job. Im selling 2 of the horses but could do with a hand riding. Could do it in return for the odd bit of poo picking etc?

Pm me if your interested...
 
I have no idea what this yard is like but it may be worth googling foxtrot equestrian - they have horses for loan. It may not be any good - but the website looks interesting. I do not know anyone locally who knows of them though.
 
I don't own my own horse but found often the best way to get shares/exercising/word of mouth round was just to turn up to RSs and livery yards and see if anyone knew of anything. Usually someone knows someone who knows someone type thing. Had a really great time exercising at a small, very good RS simply by turning up and asking if they needed any help! In my experience informal, grass-livery yards tend to have a lot of people who keep happy hackers fairly cheaply and don't necessarily ride every day - these kinds of owners tend to always be happy for others to jump on and give their horses some more exercise.
Good luck
 
I used to ride round that area! There are loads of horses to loan Or share. On two occasions I've had horses all to myself as owners have no time forvthem. I would either visit yards local to you and ask around, put an ad in local saddleries, or (what I did) google horse shares, horse loans etc and there are so so many around Surrey (or at least there used to be about 4 years ago). I know someone at effingham who is always looking for sharers for their welsh cobs. Pm me if interested and I'll tell you some more!!
 
I'm in a similar situation and the biggest problem I've found is the cost. I had a share for a while (until she was injured - not by me I hasten to add!) and it was costing me nearly as much as it would to keep my own. I don't have my own horse, despite having three lovely stables at home, because I don't have the time - I commute into London Monday to Friday and sometimes work long hours. Admittedly my share was on full livery, but it was almost a relief when she was signed off work and I had an excuse to stop paying!

I think the tackshop noticeboards are a good idea - the internet adverts all seem to say "contribution towards costs" which scares me these days!
 
Prices for horse share or part loan are so high because livery here is so expensive.

I have 3 neds, sometimes they dont get ridden all week but then, as im a happy hacker and have no intension of doing anything that might involve a jacket it doesnt matter. They are happy just being horsy in the fields together.

I have a friend that rides occasionally and she gives me a tenner towards feed when she comes which is ideal.
 
puppystitch said:
I'm in a similar situation and the biggest problem I've found is the cost. I had a share for a while (until she was injured - not by me I hasten to add!) and it was costing me nearly as much as it would to keep my own. I don't have my own horse, despite having three lovely stables at home, because I don't have the time - I commute into London Monday to Friday and sometimes work long hours. Admittedly my share was on full livery, but it was almost a relief when she was signed off work and I had an excuse to stop paying!

I think the tackshop noticeboards are a good idea - the internet adverts all seem to say "contribution towards costs" which scares me these days!
Click to expand...

When I advertised, I wasn't looking for any contribution to costs, I just wanted to find someone with time during the week who enjoyed hacking and light schooling. I can cover weekends myself and in any event I'm often out competing. Still couldn't find anyone suitable. All I wanted was a mature, reliable adult with a bit of spare time and experience who was willing to ride a couple of times mid-week all year round - not just in summer! I wasn't asking for money - just someone to give my lovely, sensible older horse lots of love and attention.

I lost count of the number of people who only wanted to ride weekends in the summer, or who wanted a loan horse for their young daughter (ideally for the summer holidays!), or who had only ridden a few times.

I'm not sure why, but I also got a lot of teenagers just wanting to jump (and ideally compete weekends). This was despite advertising for a mature lady sharer for hacking/light schooling mid-week!

In the end, I despaired and gave up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top