Selling and loaning out woes

There are some RDA setups I would never send a horse to, and some I would consider. I did consider that option for Rigs, but BF isn't that bothered about riding. If he had been, Rigs would have done his bit at the RDA and I would have purchased a bigger horse for BF. I only really have 2 stables as one is used for hay storage. I was prepared to send him many miles to find the right set-up, and had him back straight away of it had not worked out. I even had a local livery lined up who would take him. I thought he'd actually enjoy being appreciated at a low key RDA centre as, although he is now 20, he is fit, active and loving life. As it is, BF is really only interested in rides to the pub with the odd sprint in a stubble field, and Rigs is capable of that even though BF is technically too big for him.

What would be right for Rigsby would not have been right for other horses I have owned. One horse I sold, I looked for a home where it would not be on a big commercial livery yard. I was aware that this cut down on my market and some people were insulted, but that was what I thought would be wrong for my horse. He was sold to a groom on a private eventing yard, where yes, he was a livery, but he had the attention in a quiet environment that I thought he needed. Yes, what the owner wants for the horse is absolutely a factor. I would look for a centre that uses the horses in a collaborative way as opposed to simply treating them as working conveyances.

One RDA centre near here, I would not loan my dog to!

I would not send one to any college I have seen. Not that there may be nicer colleges than those I have seen, but the ones I have been involved with seem to use the horses until they become stiff and sad.

I do think it would be worth sending the advert to someone you trust to see what may be putting people off. Personally, I only call about horses that are advertised with a video that shows all 3 gaits, both reins, in the school and popping a fence.

I think an application form would put many people off. Is it correctly done, so the boxes are easy to populate? Does it require 'saving as' then filling, then saving, then emailing? I think emailing some questions, or talking on the phone would be better.
 
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Tiddlypom said:
Not all RDA set ups are equal.

Some are grand, and some are less so, with much less emphasis on the on going mental welfare of their equines. Mostly due to lack of knowledge rather than anything deliberate.

The two RDA groups I have been involved with attracted and were managed by horse people, and the equines were always very well cared for and kept sweet.
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Absolutely! All RDA Groups are different, which was my point.
Just as all loaners/buyers are not equal. If I were reluctantly rehoming a horse, I would resolve to check out any prospective home thoroughly, regardless of what the applicant told me.

Eta there are many private homes that I wouldn't send someone else's horse to, let alone my own.
 
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Pearlsasinger said:
Yes, of course it has. That is fine, it's the owner's prerogative to choose what to do with their horse, even if they are struggling to rehome one.
However that doesn't make the horse unsuitable for RDA. There is a misconception that RDA=plod, it doesn't.
I've known equines be used for RDA while also going hunting, showing, sj-ing, team-chasing and scoring well in dressage. What they do need is a willing, unflappable temperament.
Of course it may well be that OP's ponies don't have that. As I said I don't know her ponies.
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I think this is hitting the nail on the head. Many of us who have been involved in RDA feel browbeaten by the perception that all groups need are very ploddy weight-carrying cobs that won't shift if you put a rocket under them. While one or 2 of those in a group is often brilliant many of the best RDA horses I've known have been cracking pony club/riding club types. The challenge most groups face is that these types are also extremely popular with lots of homes too. I think we just want to dispel the perception that often a horse or pony is "too good" for RDA and if the ponies mentioned above are as appealing as OP describes this might have been an option. Not saying that it is the right situation for every horse!
 
Have you thought of sales livery? A friend of mine put her pony on sales livery with someone who is a leading light in the local pony club. Someone contacted the sales livery people because they were looking for a genuine pony to do low level pony club with and bought her before she was advertised. And although lovely, the pony is a cob of about 20 with a dust allergy. She was only for sale because of my friend's health issues and happily has stayed local.
 
marmalade76 said:
She's got one that would probably suit Birker as well but she said she'd put me on UI.
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Sounds good, marmalade. Maybe Birker will see this.

(Incidentally, if it doesn't show up, which I realise now it probably won't, marmalade said, "She's got one that would probably suit Birker")

Hey, ") looks a bit like a smilie in profile.
 
I agree with others that the application form may be putting people off the loan horse and it may be worth asking the questions over a pm rather than sending an actual form.

In regards to the other pony, what height is he/she? I think the 12-13 height range seem to be difficult to find people for as they are too big for littlies but some people think they're too small for children who have outgrown the shetland/ section A height.

I really struggled to find a loaner for my 12.3 as he's good on a lead rein and a brilliant 2nd pony but not a just off lead rein type and I found people tend to want something a bit bigger as second ponies so their children don't outgrow them too quickly.
 
HaplessHorse said:
Has it ever occurred to everyone that they may not want their pony to go to an RDA/RS/school/college setup?

I know that I would never send any horse of mine to a RS/RDA/etc, because of what I’ve seen. Even if what you see looks good, there’s no way of ensuring that every rider/member of staff will treat the horse with care. At the minute there’s also an issue (at least in my area) with a certain community buying up riding schools with a good reputation and running them into the ground (for max profit of course) with zero thought for the horses, even people loaning are struggling to get their horses back. It’s happened to two local RS/RDA setups locally to me.

It could also be the case that the pony works best in a 1-1 setting which just isn’t possible in a RS/RDA.
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Thank you 😊 I am a very small riding school myself who is unfortunately and unexpectedly having to close as our rented farm has just been put on the market. The child’s pony has done her time on riding school work, never really enjoyed it but put up with it gracefully, she now needs a 1:1 home which is much more her thing. She just lights up when she has a regular handler and rider. It’s a joy to watch!
 
Flyingsolo said:
Thank you 😊 I am a very small riding school myself who is unfortunately and unexpectedly having to close as our rented farm has just been put on the market. The child’s pony has done her time on riding school work, never really enjoyed it but put up with it gracefully, she now needs a 1:1 home which is much more her thing. She just lights up when she has a regular handler and rider. It’s a joy to watch!
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That's fair enough.

Have you tried getting in touch with the local pony clubs? Whereabouts (generally) are you?
 
Flyingsolo said:
Thank you 😊 I am a very small riding school myself who is unfortunately and unexpectedly having to close as our rented farm has just been put on the market. The child’s pony has done her time on riding school work, never really enjoyed it but put up with it gracefully, she now needs a 1:1 home which is much more her thing. She just lights up when she has a regular handler and rider. It’s a joy to watch!
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Any clients that would be in a position to take her on?
 
kaiserchief said:
@Surbie and @chaps89 if you're still looking for RDA houses, Juliet Clarke - Talk Horses on Facebook has two in at the moment, Bob and Noddy who she would like to home together and thinks they would be ideal.
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Thank you, I have passed this on,though I think we are sorted for smalls now and are joining everyone else in looking for the elusive awesome bigger horse...We have 2 but could really do with a third.
 
Can I advocate for telling your farrier. They are the ones who know whose horse and new owner are likely to be a good fit.
Maybe 25 years ago I did just that, my farrier's dad found me a pregnant mare as a companion over Christmas (nothing local) In due course the mare had a lovely foal which I sold locally. Once she had weaned the foal we tried riding her, she was brilliant and had probably hunted.
This year I realised my age/ strength level was not doing my 2 any favours so talked through the options with my farrier here in France. He found them a lovely home, and the horses have settled brilliantly and I know that I will continue to get some updates.
 
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