sharer wanted advice

G

gally

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 September 2006
Messages
324
Visit site
im possibly looking into advertsing for a sharer for a boy but never having had a sharer im not sure on a few things

I own a 13.2hh NF pony, he is an angel in every way (can do almost anything to him, he never kicks, bites, rears, bites etc). Im aware that because of his size i will prob end up with a kid.

Im thinking of asking £120-150 per month for 2-3days a week, he is in surrey. Not sure if that is too much

also how much or how little do i expect them to do, im new to this whole sharer thing so any hints or tips will be much appriciated
 
In my opinion/experience you will be very lucky to find a sharer expecially one who wants to pay. This sounds awful, and perhaps it's this area, but I advertised my lad 16hh, done PC/RC national champs, tonnes of competing etc - I wanted someone to ride him 4 days a week, I was happy for them to do shows, hunt etc, and didn't want a penny towards keep. He's been advertised for a year now, and not a single bite! Not one call!

You might be lucky and find someone who has children that wants a share pony, or a small adult that wants to help. Most shares tend to be around the £15-£20 per week mark, for 3 or 4 days riding, so you probably are a bit high with your pricing.

I shared a horse in Sussex about ten years ago - I paid £20 a week for 4 days riding, they took me out to shows, PC etc and I did all the stable duties on my four days. She was a 15.2hh schoolmaster.
 
In Surrey that is probably fine - although you're bound to get responses saying its exhorbitant. A friend of my daughter's shares a pony of similar size on full livery, no chores 2 days per week and pays £180 per month.

You'll need to think about how often you want them to ride. Does this include a weekend day? Can they take him to shows, hack out etc? You may well end up with an older child so - do you mind if they join the local pony club? Must they be supervised on your yard or whilst riding?

What chores do you need them to do? Do you want them to muck out on thier days? groom? Clean his tack when they've used it?

Do you want them to contribute to shoeing and vets bills on a pro rata basis?

How much notice do you want them to give if they are going to stop?

It is really worth having a written agreement. It honestly keeps freinds in the long run. (If the sharer is a child the agreement must be with an adult!) The BHS website has a sample one.

Good luck.
 
I pay £80 a month for two lovely horses. I can go once a week or 7 days a week if I want. I do do stable duties when im there but if im struggeling for time or other way round then we try to help each other out. I geuss mine isnt a proper share at the moment though as owner is normally there when I am.
 
not he is on DIY so they would have to groom him before riding him but im happy to carry on with the not so nice chores such as mucking out etc (although hopefully will be back to being a field pony)

Id be more than happy for them to take him to shows, PC , hack him and stuff like that. He is a gent in every way and ridden regularly but my friends 8yr old. The yard is quite relaxed so its not a rule that they must be supervised at all times but an adult but obviously while they settled in and they were new to him i would like them to be supervised. The share would also include a weekend day and a weekday or two depending on how much they wanted him

Would def draw up a contract, not really thought about shoes, but any vet bills i would sort unless any injury was due to the sharers actions (again this would be written in the contract)
 
Try your local PC DC. If you need some contacts PM me but 2 of the Suurey based PCs have quite a lot of kids who share rather than have their own.

If you need chores etc doing make sure wither the child or the accompanying adult knows something about ponies! You don't want a child with little experience and an adult with none. Recepie for disaster!

Are you on a yard in Cobham by any chance?
 
I think you will struggle to find anyone to pay that much imo!

I have a sharer, she doesn't pay anything, I just wanted her to ride one of my horses midweek & come to the beach, hunting etc as I can't take the two of them on my own.

I advertised for two weeks for this free share and she was the only one that called!
 
no im in chessington, im more than happy to carry on looking after him just need to free up some time as he is starting to feel like a chore atm
 
I'm in Claygate. I know you get loads of responses saying the price is too high - but really for the area it actually isn't.

Try Wimbledon PC. They have quite a few kids who share ponies. Their DC is in Claygate, their CI at CEC so they're all very local.

Or advertise at Elm Farm. Freind of mine also stabled in Claygate got 2 sharers for her 13.2 NF from advertising there.
 
I too think that is too much money. Again agree with the others max £20 a week.

Why not go around to the riding schools and ask whether anyone there is looking at moving off lessons and looking for a share. Maybe they will know someone looking for the next step from having lessons.
 
I don't think it is too much money for that area. Horses and ponies cost a lot to keep and sharers need to contribute a fair amount. The BHS website has a contract which you can amend as required.
 
I'd say contact the pony club and local riding schools, if you are happy to have a child then I think you will find a sharer, it is just whether you will find one who can pay that sort of money. I think that about £20 a week is most peoples maximum, especially if they are expected to contribute time for chores.
 
nope - thats not too much why does everyone think that?!!
I'm in Berks and I know a lot depends on the area but thats very reasonable round here!!! Before I got my pony back I was looking to share and some people were asking for as much as £300 a month to ride 3 times a week!! My sharer pays £150 a month which is 2 weekend days in term time, then 2 or 3 rides a week in the school hols. This is for a good allrounder and she hacks schools jumps and can do a class on him if im going to a show. Now, my DIY livery costs me £150pm. On top of that I pay for turnout, insurance, shoes, haylage, shavings, feed, wormer. So she is getting a really good horse, no stable chores and no responsibility really, so what is unreasonable about that??!! I had advertised him for £200 as I was looking at getting a second horse, that didnt end up happening but I still had loads of interest in him at £200pm!! I think you'll def get plenty of interest from PC kids. What do you pay in livery? and what are your overall costs in keeping the pony as i do think thats important - eg im sure your not but if you were only paying £60 a month livery then £150 would be a lot to ask for yes!!!
smile.gif
 
QR I think it helps to look at the cost of a lesson, or a paid ride at a riding school locally. A few years ago (6?) I paid £20 per week for 3-7 days riding (plus jobs) the owner had 2 horses. If I rode that day I'd do the jobs for that horse too, and/or share poo picking etc. The cost of a private lesson in the area, or at a RS inc horse hire for an hour was £20 - so I felt my share fee was reasonable value, given that I would be riding more often, but without instruction, and doing jobs too.

I'd look at this, and the cost of your livery. I wouldn't ask extra for shoes, jabs, bills etc - make it a complete price for clarity.
 
based on wanting 150 for say 2.5 day - this works out that OP is spending atleast £420 per month on 13.2hh pony
blush.gif
blush.gif
blush.gif
- Sorry i would ask for less and have people queing up wanting to be sharer, instead of wanting big money...........
Sorry, but it's for child to have fun and learn and not to break bank of mum and dad
 
yeah but its not breaking the bank of mum and dad is it as they dont have to pay the full cost of having a pony, and driving to and from the stables everyday. If you think a lesson in a riding school is what, £20? 2-3 a week you are looking at £40-60 a week, therefore £160 - £240 a month....so by spending £150 for 2-3 rides a week they are saving surely!!! I know they aren't receiving instruction but just as an example for the cost of a ride.

This issue does get to me a little tbh as most people suggest im overcharging my sharer anytime iv mentioned it but i dont think i am!! Sure, if i didnt need the money just wanted my horse to get more exercise i wouldnt charge but as with the case of the OP, she is looking for financial help!! I would happily do and ride my horse every day but I need the sharer to help financially. You would get more interest if you asked for less money, but you should still get a good response asking for £150, and if you don't, then reduce what you are asking for!
smile.gif
 
This not a pop at you if you can get this of dosh and your happy with your sharer fair play to you.........

BUT

If I was looking or advising folks for, and again I say 13.2hh PC type, sorry it's not a 17.2 hh warmblood which eats and poos you out of house and home. Sorry I would say yeah defo overpriced! for based type and use of pony, but it would cost sharer more as then they would have pay for PC and transport on top of sharing fee

But each to their own
 
I agree with the others who say the price asked is way too high - and I think what you charge your sharer is also exhorbitant - she is covering the price of your livery for two days riding a week? Insurance should have nothing to do with the sharer as its to cover YOUR back should something happen, and certainly when I owned, the combined cost of shoes, bedding, wormer and feed was significantly less than the cost of livery.

I think it is reasonable to ask a proportion of what your horse costs you - so work out what it is per week for livery, shoes, feed etc and then charge accordingly to how many days they will do. Anymore is just greedy IMO - the sharer is doing you a favour by saving you time and money, and though hopefully it is a win win situation, I don't think it is right to make money out of them.
 
Lessons in this area start at £30 for half an hour. £45 is more common. 2 lessons a week costs at least £240 per month for less than a hour riding a week. Sharing a pony at £150 - £200 a month is not only better value it is far more experience, time in the saddle and possibly experience of shows.

I know things are cheaper in many areas of the UK but this is prime commuter belt. Greenbelt (not that that menas that much on planning terms here) Less than 30 min from London on mainline rail. House prices here are significntly above the average in any other area. This is an expensive area. Livery is expensive, lessons are expensive. Non emissions zone compliant lorries are really expensive at £150 per day just to drive out of your yard at one local place. The amount of money Gally is thinking about is really not excessive for this area. Stop giving her a hard time about it.
 
As other people have said I think you're asking way too much especially if he's on diy livery!! I shared a mare for 4 days per week and paid £110 per month. For 2 days a week I think £20/per week is fair.

What are your motives for sharing, is it financial or time related? If the horse is on diy I would ask for mucking out etc on the days the sharer has him especially if you're lacking time. With my old share horse I would do everything on my day so that in effect the owner didn't have to come up.

I think you may struggle to find a sharer at that cost, for not much more you could keep a loan horse on diy or grass livery and you have it 24/7 then... also bare in mind there are people offering 'shares' that don't ask any money so you're up against this, plus if the pony is small you may get lots of kids enquiring and I doubt their parents would pay that much for a share, especially if they have to ferry them to the yard every time the kid wants to ride.

Also it's no good comparing it to the price of a lesson- a lesson involves tuition from a trained instructor, horse is there tacked up and ready to go, all you do is get on, ride and then leave the horse again in its stable ready for the next person... totally different to a share where unless you pay for lessons with a private instructor you don't really get any tuition, the horse needs to be groomed/tacked up etc beforehand etc etc... it's very different.
 
I'm considering looking for a sharer and was going to say £15 a week towards costs, ride as mjuch as you like and I'll do all the work... he is a bit of a nutter though
 
[ QUOTE ]
I agree with the others who say the price asked is way too high - and I think what you charge your sharer is also exhorbitant - she is covering the price of your livery for two days riding a week? Insurance should have nothing to do with the sharer as its to cover YOUR back should something happen, and certainly when I owned, the combined cost of shoes, bedding, wormer and feed was significantly less than the cost of livery.

I think it is reasonable to ask a proportion of what your horse costs you - so work out what it is per week for livery, shoes, feed etc and then charge accordingly to how many days they will do. Anymore is just greedy IMO - the sharer is doing you a favour by saving you time and money, and though hopefully it is a win win situation, I don't think it is right to make money out of them.

[/ QUOTE ]

I do not use my sharer to make me a profit!!!! One point actually thought is I don't technically own him, I have loaned him for 8 years and his owner sees him as being mine but legally he isn't. she pays nothing at all though and rarely sees him. I pay his insurance, yes that does affect the sharer as when i added the cost of keeping my horse £150 works out as less than half. This is how it breaks down:
Livery £150pm
Turnout £40 approx per month
Shavings £40 approx per month
Haylage £30 per month
Shoes £40 per month if you work it out
Feed £12 per month
Wormer £5 a month I suppose

And this is a bare minimum so in bad weather he has needed more hay/bed etc etc. And you think the horse has 1 day off a week so thats 6 days in work, well she rides him 2-3 times, riding more often in the holidays. I constantly offer to let her ride more but her mum won't let her ride more as she's doing schoolwork (poor her!!!) Plus she is riding him at the weekends which means I get the weekdays only - dark evenings stuck in the school and she gets the hacking and the jumping in daylight. I just dont see how thats unreasonable I am not using her to make money!!!!!

Getting a bit sidetracked from OP there sorry but that did irritate me a little
smile.gif
a lot depends on how much the livery is, i would guess its prob about the same as mine? if not more?? A friend of mine in surrey pays £235 pm for GRASS LIVERY and cant find anything cheaper!!!!!!
tongue.gif
crazy.gif
 
Okay so your sharer is paying half the costs - but as you say, only riding twice a week during term and 2/3 times a week in the holidays. You might not be making a profit out of her, but she is certainly paying more than the proportionate costs for the days she does, so IMO that is greedy. Sorry but that is just what I think.

FWIW, I have been on both sides of the sharer thing. I shared my mare the summer before she was sold to a friend - she looked after her on the days she rode and I didn't charge her anything, as she was doing me a favour, but of course she also got to hack, school and jump a very nice horse for free. Since I sold my horse 4 years ago due to uni I've only ridden and shared other people's horses. The most I've been asked to contribute is half the cost of shoes, and a little bit of yard work on the days I've ridden - and that is for some very very nice horses.
 
Im actually a little offended by that tbh!! I think people are seeing it as the sharer is doing the owner a massive favour, well I'm sure in some cases they are but IMO, and in fact hers Im doing her a favour she is paying less than lessons in a riding school, and in fact less than she paid to share her last horse and is getting a much better horse out of it! She gets to do whatever she likes with him and she doesnt have to muck out. By her riding my horse at the weekends i cant so i am effectively doing her a favour by allowing her to do this - therefore why shouldnt she pay?!?!

in addition to this, my bill for livery, services, turnout hay and shavings last month came to over £400 thanks to the weather, thats before you factor in the rest of the costs! So I think she actually is paying a proportionate amount!! If she wasnt happy with it she wouldnt have him, and if that was the case then fine as i had absolutely loads of enquiries and people happy to pay that amount!

Having said that my first horse i shared and ok so it wasnt the best horse in the world but i did only pay something like £60 a month for her as her owner didnt like riding particularly so i just helped exercise her. So i have been on both sides of it too, and like i said when i was looking recently there were 3 people i spoke to who wanted between £200 and £300 pm to ride 2-3 a week... IMO that's expensive, not £150!!!
 
sorry you have got dragged into this Suzie, just to clarify, my livery is £200 a month, shoes £65, then feed bedding etc on top, £120 to £150 was a starting figure as thats what other around here seem to charge their sharers.

My motives for getting a sharer are to save time and also some money as my monthy outgoings come to over £400 for a pony on DIY so someone coming along and paying £60-80 a month isnt really worth it

IMO it works both ways really, i would be getting help and the sharere would be getting access to a lovely pony they can do whatever to, including the chance to affiliate if they wish
 
thats ok gally, this topic comes up a lot and ever time iv mentioned my situation people start saying i charge excessively so i do get a bit defensive about it!!
wink.gif
this area really is expensive, which i guess people don't take into account!! I would advertise at £150, if you dont find the right person at that price then can reduce! But if you can get a good sharer happy to pay £150 then why not!?
wink.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top