Sharer/Rider - Should I really bother??

[chickeninabun]

I've put a couple of ads online looking for someone to share/ride my cob. I've had one reply, who I have to contact this week regarding it, but I'm now getting cold feet about it.

All I want is someone to come and plod out on mare, as many days as they like for no charge. We have no school only paddocks and hacking, so they'd only be able to some during the day or the weekend. She's not well schooled, she's not a complete novice ride but she's very safe.

But now I'm beginning to think if I can be ar$ed with it!! I don't have much time (in fact I haven't seen my nags in daylight for over a week!) so I'll struggling fitting in someone coming to try her and then having to meet them at the yard the first few times they come to make sure everything is ok/show them where to hack etc. Then there's the fact that she hasn't been ridden at all for about 3 weeks, so she'll be a tad "fresh" for someone to come and try anyway!

I just can't decide whether to bother getting someone or whether to just leave her to veg in the field for the winter and start again next spring. I feel guilty that she just mopes in the field most of the winter, although she probably couldn't care less!

(Just in case anyone is interested she's a 14.3hh HW cob in East Yorkshire btw!!)

 

[PaddyMonty]

Unless your horse needs to be kept active for medical reasons or age then I probably wouldn't bother with the hassle over winter.

 

[BillyBob-Sleigh]

How old is she? I'd be tempted to leave her have the winter off and start afresh in the spring

 

[Hippona]

TBH.....mine mooch about for most of the winter getting scruffy and hairy.....I don't have a school either and I work 9-5 so its weekend hacking only.

Hasn't done them any harm up to now. I'm in can't be @rsed camp

 

[Mince Pie]

I was the same - until I got my sharer, now I wouldn't be without her and she is a total godsend. She even does my other horse on occasion even though it's not part of her 'contract'.

 

[chickeninabun]

Oh no! Was just thinking that everyone was in the "don't bother" camp when broke_but_happy says sharers are great!! Argh!

Really should have rung this girl back today but am still out with the jury! Might try and get a ride in tomorrow (by car headlights!!) and see if it makes me feel any different. If I can ride by the car lights, or even lunge (well teach her to lunge first), then I might be able to keep her ticking over myself.

 

[fjordhorsefan]

Mine has most of the winter off - hacking at weekends if it's not too foul - and he is none the worse for it. He comes into spring willing and keen to get out and about again!

 

[noblesteed]

I didn't bother with a sharer last winter, had one previously but fell out with her before the winter so decided to see how horse got on... I used to stress anyway when she was out riding him as she wasn't the sharpest tool in the box!
tbh horse was no different, I just did weekend hacking and made sure he had plenty of turnout and the odd RC event and horse did fine. Wasn't sharp or anything. Plus given the weather we had 8 weeks of frozen yard and no riding so wouldn't have got ridden much even with a sharer.

THis winter I have a sharer due to my pregnancy but the worry and stress has come back! However better to keep my horse and have sharer look after him than have to sell him.

 

[Mince Pie]

To be fair CIAB my sharer was a friend before she was my sharer! But she is still an utter godsend! (love you B!)

 

[summerguest]

Loosing my sharer at the end of the week, and I'm devastated. She was best thing since sliced bread. Poo picked every day, mucked out beautifully and groomed them till they shone. One in a million!