Seriously thinking about........

Now, I can't see the point of having a horse and then getting somebody else to comete it. It's like having a dog but doing your own barking. I know plenty of people do it but it wouldn't be for me. More money than sense comes to mind.

If I couldn't compete mine, then nobody would.
 
I'm doing this at the moment, I have a 5yo who is very talented so I gave him to a girl I have known for years she keeps him at her yard/home and comps him bsja for me. She has her own horse so they got out together. I pay for everything (feed, bedding, hay I take these to her as and when needed), rugs, entries, half the diesel etc, but I don't pay her as I have given her a very good horse to help her make a name for herself, all she want to do is jump ans she's very good at it she's only 18 this week. I get prize money!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Now, I can't see the point of having a horse and then getting somebody else to comete it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think a lot of people feel like that. It would give me huge pleasure though.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ah Scoopy, you're so lovely
laugh.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

I am aswell
tongue.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

You're all lovely
tongue.gif
 
I have done that with Bob. He is a great jumper ( yes, he's a hairy cob, but has a huge pop). I don't have the nerve to jump over 2'6", and have done a couple of clear rounds. However, a young friend at my yard loves jumping and is a very talented rider who i trust completely. She has taken him over bigger courses and X county /hunter Trials, which i don't have the b*lls to.
I love watching her compete him, and she always does really well which makes me proud! Particularly when people look at him and stereotype him as a hairy cob that should be pulling a cart!
Last season, he came 7th in pairs and individual in novice XC out of a field of 35, beating lots of TB and WB types!
smile.gif
 
I think this is something only you can decide...

Firstly, as others have said, he does not really know how talented he is, and if you enjoy what you do with him, then you have all the time in the world to take him out to some competitions should you wish to. If not, I am sure he is happy in his life
smile.gif


Secondly, I think you would find the costs really mounting up as he would probably go out on full livery if someone was going to compete him regularly (I am a great believer that you need to spend time with the horse if you are going to compete it successfully) and you would also have to cover all costs I would have though.

Grace is bred for show jumping, she is by a great show jumping stallion (her great uncle is Milton for goodness sake!!!) but I never wanted her for that. I did get an eventer to come up and jump her for me once a week when she was in full work which she really really excelled at, but that was enough
laugh.gif
 
You may remember the grey mare I had in my siggie, I started off by riding / competing her for her owner. My SJ'r was injured so I was desperate to compete, I used to pick the horse up in my own lorry (she had no transport) take her to shows and the owner paid the entry, I kept all prizes but didn't ask for money to do it or for diesel, as I wanted to do it and it was a pleasure to ride her.

smile.gif
 
If Thumper has the talent and you would enjoy watching someone else compete him then go for it.
What about asking round locally for a talented young rider or riding instructor who would be willing to compete your boy for very little money as they need to become more 'noticed'. Someone else is going to hunt Fudge for me next year as I'm a wuzz too
laugh.gif

(not sure how much sense that makes my brain is fried today)
 
Ive got an advanced event horse whom my friend competes on. I only do OPN on him and she took him to Gatcombe and did the advanced track at the british eventing championships. It was brilliant and I felt so proud watching him.
Im now looking for another one for her as my dream is to have a horse at badminton. I know I could never do it but I get so much pleasure seeing him out doing well. I think you should go for it!
 
let someone take my horse out competeing, and he came back broken. Six months off work, and I thought he would never come sound again, fortunatly he has, and is now going out a lot. But never again would I let someone take him xc. I have tried to find someone to sj at heights bigger than I like jumping, but cant find anyone, so just have had to get on and do it as no-one else will.
 
Go for it! I had a youngster that I was hoping would be a show hack, but it didnt grow big enough. Anyway I had her produced as an intermediate and it was fab - went to all the big shows and saw my beautiful pony being ridden by one of the best young riders. Nearly burst into tears when she qualified for the RIHS. Loved every minute of it
 
I say that aslong as you want him going out and about because you enjoy seeing him doing it (rather than feeling guilt about him being 'wasted' - horses have no ambitions!) then fab, I did the same with my mare when she was with me
I like dressage, nice safe, 4 feet on the floor dressage - I used to JA as a kid but after some bad falls (not off my mare) I never managed to get my nerve back - I go to pieces in front of a fence and stop riding totally.
She never went out competeing because I felt she was 'wasted' she went out because she loved it and beacuse I get a huge amount of pleasure watching her.

She has jumped double clears BN on a ticket as well as schooling over Intro fences XC and competed in unaffil ODE. The girl who rode her for me loved it as my mare bridged the gap between coming off her pony and moving onto horses.
I payed entry and travel and acted as 'groom' - and loved every min.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I say that aslong as you want him going out and about because you enjoy seeing him doing it (rather than feeling guilt about him being 'wasted' - horses have no ambitions!) then fab

[/ QUOTE ]
That's it exactly.
 
I would say go for it!!!!! I too would have a HUGE amount of pleasure watching someone competing my horses!!! I'm planning on doing this with the foals, right from in-hand shows this year to when they hopefully become SJ ponies!

I am just a wreck in the ring, I hate it, but watching is something I seriously enjoy!
grin.gif


The only thing I would like to do is a bit of dressage, but anything else forget it
tongue.gif


P.S. Can we pleeeeeeeease have some updated pics of Thumper?!?!
 
[ QUOTE ]
P.S. Can we pleeeeeeeease have some updated pics of Thumper?!?!


[/ QUOTE ]
I know - sorry, they're long overdue. If the sun comes out this weekend I will take some. I think he's looking really great at the moment...
smile.gif
 
Then go for it
grin.gif
grin.gif
grin.gif
grin.gif


I would ask about in the local PC or RC - look for someone whos good but maybe held back with there own pony being to small/money etc - thats how i found mine, and she was brill ( only 13 but rode like a dream, the Dc of the local PC could prob recommend someone?)
 
Isnt there anyone from HHO thats close enough to you and you trust and know the ability of?
crazy.gif


Would you be sending him away for this or stay as you are and just get someone to ride and compete?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Isnt there anyone from HHO thats close enough to you and you trust and know the ability of?
crazy.gif


Would you be sending him away for this or stay as you are and just get someone to ride and compete?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not sure if there is anyone close enough to me really. Although happy to be proved wrong
wink.gif


And I imagine it could be a bit of both - home and away - but ideally home.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Now, I can't see the point of having a horse and then getting somebody else to comete it. It's like having a dog but doing your own barking. I know plenty of people do it but it wouldn't be for me. More money than sense comes to mind.

If I couldn't compete mine, then nobody would.

[/ QUOTE ]

How very rude! So the people who have top riders such as William Fox-Pitt competing on their horses at Badminton, etc have 'more money than sense' do they? I'm sure they'd be interested to hear that!!!

Some of us know the limits of our talent, and if our horses are more talented than we are, we very much enjoy watching them do well in competition with a better rider.

Just because you wouldn't like this doesn't mean you have to be so rude and unpleasant about other people's choices.
mad.gif
 
I'm in a similar situation, I have 2 horses, both exracers. My mare is 5 and her and I get on great, I have confidence on her I dont have on any other horse and plan to spend the summer at local shows having fun, my gelding and I however have had issues and as much as I enjoy riding him at home I have no real desire to compete him. I have had someone else take him jumping a couple of times and loved watching him go round, he was perefect too which only went to prove the issues at shows were from my nerves when riding him. He is 6 now and really he should be out getting ready to do some events, he would enjoy it and tbh I would rather go as groom/owner than go through the stress of siting on him and it all going wrong. MY OH is leaning to ride and has started jumping on him and I think him going out this year and getting comp experience will help get him ready for my OH taking him out next year... and also take the pressure off me so I can go play with my mare.

Playing owner is great - just make sure you find someone who you trust to ride, thats my problem now, I need to find someone who can see past cheeky exrace horse and wants to go have some fun over the summer....

Good luck...!
 
I have always competed my own horse (and competed other people's horses too).

However, in 2005, I had a major accident and injury when I fell jumping.

I said to myself at that point 'I will never jump again' and I intend to stick to that - I don't miss it as I never liked it much in the first place. I have to minimise the risks of ending up being pushed around in a chair. I am still very nervous about even competing flatwork though.

My YO who is more like a friend said she would like to take my horse out to compete dressage. I was a bit jealous at first, as I wasn't brave enough myself and have always done everything with my horse myself.

I have truly loved going to the comps with her and my horse. And I have been lucky with the financial side of things as I go to shows to groom for her (with her other horses) which is a kind of returing of the favour. I pay her to ride him at home in preparation. I was SO proud when he did so well. I can't tell you how much pleasure it gave me, and I couldn't want for a better rider. She lets me keep the rosettes and we have some great professional photos too. I love my part of making him look fab for the events, that gives me a role.
smile.gif


I guess it could have been a difficult arrangement if she rode him in a way I did not like. Luckily she is a sensitive and feeling rider..... She also listens to and takes on board any comments I have - I know the horse best after all.
smile.gif


The only prob is she hasn't got much time this yr to compete him. That's OK by me, I take it as it comes and any day out is a bonus for me and Mickey seems to love his days out too.

At the end of the day I believe these outings are giving my horse a chance to do things that I wont do with him at the moment. Why should he miss out because of me? Being posessive is a little unfair on the horse IMO. I hope that gradually I will feel more confident and he will get used to going out (at present it's quite exciting for him!). Perhaps I will have a go myself then.
shocked.gif


I never used to see the point of owning a horse, putting in loads of work and letting someone else take the ride at comps. Given my circumstances, my view has totally changed.
 


Oh dear, I didn't mean to come across as rude ... or to be "told off" on an open forum. I was only stating my opinion!! When I said "many people" do it, I did mean horses in professional hands and yes, I do think they must have money to burn.

If you read AmyMay's reply to me, she could see what I was trying to say, so don't be getting angry on her account ... she can do that herself
grin.gif
 
Go for it Amy!

I get such a buzz when I hear that any of my youngsters have done well even though I'm not there to see them; I can't imagine how thrilled I would be to actually see them do it - well I can, one was Champion at the HIS show and sale at Malvern, wonderful, I floated all 90 miles home - and still have the framed pictures to remind me!
smile.gif
so I would imagine you would derive a great deal of pleasure from it too, I hope so.

Have you thought of asking your farrier or vet if they know anyone they could recommend, also what about the local Pony Club/riding club, they might be good starting points too?

Good luck, I hope you find someone as talented as he is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top