Sharer vs paying someone to ride your horse?

[0ldmare]

Disappointingly the friend who was going to be riding one of my 2 horses is now not showing any enthusiasm. I am so stuffed on time that neither horse is getting much work and I am thinking of looking for someone to either share or just pay someone to come and school/hack one of them out. What do you think? Any suggestions where best to find someone? (Dont suggest selling one, I couldnt!)

 

[airedale]

If you can find someone reliable that does actually improve horses then I'd go for paying someone to train the one you want to compete the most. That way you can benefit and also hopefully as they are being paid they will be reliable.

However be careful as paying a trainer to school a horse means the horse should be schooled. That could mean you end up hacking it to give it variety in it's work.

 

[0ldmare]

I see your point, probably paying someone would be best. The hard part is knowing where to look for someone, I think.

 

[evsj]

Can you ask an instructor/friend. word of mouth has to be the best route, don't necessarily look at adverts. i once paid a 'professional' groom to feed and sort out my horse for one day over a weekend.
i got back the following day that my horse had not been fed, hayed, watered or even turned out of her stable for 36 hours. the girls excuse was that her parents wouldn't give her a lift to the yard that day and she couldn't dirve herself. I would never now pay to get someone in without a recommendation.

 

[Michelle73]

I'd pay someone if I had the money. Been let down by 4 people saying they want to ride in the last two years. I'm currently advertising for someone to take on one of mine.

 

[airedale]

I advertised my novice WH/SHP (novice as in needs bringing on but all the jump schooling has been done) for loan in nag and dog and got not one reply - even though I said could move to 30 mile radius.

finding reliable loaners seems to be luckier by friends of friends - just found one who is a neighbour of a friend of mine for one of mine..

 

[SillyMare]

I would pay someone reliable to do the donkey work (the boring hacking) and do the interesting (schooling) bits myself.