Jingleballs
Well-Known Member
I'm probably getting a bit ahead of myself as I've not met the girl yet and she's not met my horse but may as well think about the possible issues/considerations sooner rather than later.
I've advertised my horse for share and have a 16 year old coming to see him this weekend. She's a friend of a friends daughter, been riding for a few years and been sharing another horse for 2 years but that share has ended due to the horse being retired.
Firstly, there are practical concerns such as getting a contract in place (assume her parent would have to sign this), ensuring she has her own insurance - I need to read my own policy to see what the wording is around public liability if the horse is being ridden by someone other than me and if there are any restrictions around age or whether the other person needs to be insured.
Then there are concerns around how competent & reliable she is although I'm hopeful that if she's shared before she is pretty experienced but will need to find out more tomorrow.
Her age does worry me a bit in general - is a 16 year old responsbile enough to go out hacking on her own for example? We don't really have any facilities and I've advertised him as hacking only at the moment until we have an arena. There is plenty of company at our yard and I've known plenty of younger horse owners who were very responsible but I'm not sure if it's worth the risk? I'm not sharing him because I need the money but I don't have as much time these days and through it would do him good to get a bit more attention - I just don't know how much time I'd need to spend helping/watching this girl to feel comfortable leaving her to it on her own. My last sharer was older, more experience and also a vet and I didn't really have to spend much time to make sure she was competent on her own and trusted her judgment with things.
Does anyone else have a younger sharer and how does it work?
I've advertised my horse for share and have a 16 year old coming to see him this weekend. She's a friend of a friends daughter, been riding for a few years and been sharing another horse for 2 years but that share has ended due to the horse being retired.
Firstly, there are practical concerns such as getting a contract in place (assume her parent would have to sign this), ensuring she has her own insurance - I need to read my own policy to see what the wording is around public liability if the horse is being ridden by someone other than me and if there are any restrictions around age or whether the other person needs to be insured.
Then there are concerns around how competent & reliable she is although I'm hopeful that if she's shared before she is pretty experienced but will need to find out more tomorrow.
Her age does worry me a bit in general - is a 16 year old responsbile enough to go out hacking on her own for example? We don't really have any facilities and I've advertised him as hacking only at the moment until we have an arena. There is plenty of company at our yard and I've known plenty of younger horse owners who were very responsible but I'm not sure if it's worth the risk? I'm not sharing him because I need the money but I don't have as much time these days and through it would do him good to get a bit more attention - I just don't know how much time I'd need to spend helping/watching this girl to feel comfortable leaving her to it on her own. My last sharer was older, more experience and also a vet and I didn't really have to spend much time to make sure she was competent on her own and trusted her judgment with things.
Does anyone else have a younger sharer and how does it work?