Sharer's - Are there good ones?

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Deefa

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I am starting to think about maybe getting a sharer for Hazzle, To ride him maybe twice/ three times a week for a small contribution.
The only thing is is although he is 19yrs old i wouldn't put him as a novice ride. He isn't nasty but can be forward going and a little strong - he never bucks/rears etc. He normally is a plod at home but does have his days esp with canter/jumping.
Am i likely to find a good rider looking to share a 14.2 pony? he is fit and well and can be hacked around the farm land - 120 acreswith no roads or schooled/jumped.
 
I share out my two just to take the strain of looking after them with two young kids off myself, I think as long as you are honest about your horse and what sort of person you are looking for, and don't expect to find someone too quickly, it can work really well. :)
 
I have a horse on share, he too is older being 18 and being cheeky/naughty at the mo can be a bit strong but i'm sticking by him and getting through it. I guess his owner is lucky as i 'love' him like he was my own and like having the free rein, easy going side of riding him without the whole ownership thing.
 
Yes, just be completely honest, think long beforehand what the rules are to be, make sure these rules are outlined from the off. Ask if they can provide references, just to be sure they're reliable etc. You really can't be too cautious, I've been stung by sharers in the past,and met the oddest of people, however I have a fab sharer now for Charlie. A trial period is a good idea too.
 
I'm a good one :)

I'd consider your boy as a share - he sounds fun :) My share lad is 17. He had problems, which I was aware of, when I took him on. We've worked through them and he's going great now :)

Good sharers are out there. I'd say, if you can, the best way to fine one is word of mouth and personal recommendation.
 
you will find the odd good one. i experienced a few that only wanted the riding side of owning a horses and not the looking after part
 
To be honest i wouldn't mind that lol. I will be doing the other 3 anyway so the person would not need to do any jobs other than groom before and after riding and could poo pick if they wanted to.
In a perfect world i would love someone to come and hack/school him a few times a week while i rode my big lad just to help me keep his fitness up but didn't want to ask for a 'rider' as dont want joy riders....
 
There are good sharers out there I have one.

Like hens teeth but when you find them it feel brilliant. we have all heard the storied but mines was an aquaintence who asked ME to ride my horses I didnt advertise and now shes a friend :)

Nikki xx
 
I'm a good one... We are out there :)

My share horse is 16 years old, not a novice ride, strong, stubborn and can be a bugger when hacking but I knew all that before I took her on.

I would definitely agree with being honest about him, and what you're after. Before I even went to look at my girly the owner and I had a long conversation about exactly what it was we were both expecting/wanting from the share arrangement. We also had a months trial to make sure that everything was how we wanted it.

I'm sure somebody would love the opportunity to ride your boy for you!
 
We are about. :)
I have shared several horses in the past and still help the owners out now despite not sharing their horses anymore.
I've never made any financial contibution for sharing but ended up teaching the owners FOC. In all cases the owners felt that knowing their horses would always be looked after and would never be let down was worth far more than any £££. Also helped that I was far more experienced than the owners in each case.
Not currently sharing as cant find a suitable horse in the northampton area. :(
 
I was a good sharer of various horses and ponies for many years until I bought my horse 3 years ago. After 2 years of exclusivity (I didn't want to share him with anyone!) my sharer, who was already an acquaintance, approached me. As I knew her already, and she works with my OH, it was reassuring to know she is mature, responsible and reliable. Don't know what I'd do without her, TBH!
 
I have the best sharer in the world. She adores my boy as much as I do, stuck with us through 7 months of him on field rest and then 3 months of slow boring repetitive rehab work. When I wouldn't take any money off her or cash the cheques she gave me while he was out of action, I kept finding cash in my riding boots or gloves. She looks after him when I'm away, does her 3 days a week no matter what and is flexible when I need her to be. She has no interest in competing so I don't have to share him for that but will come and play groom for me whenever I go. She started as a sharer and is now a really good friend. She is also a vet nurse so gets me supplements at cost and sorts out the dog's glands when necessary - way beyond the call of duty!

I like to think I'm a good share-owner though, flexible when needed, keep her informed of everything, always offer her the chance to compete if she wants to, leave her alone to get on with it on her days and never ask her to do the dirty jobs like lifting the rubber matting and cleaning the stable or willy washing.

I was totally honest about my sweet but very strong boy and only got one reply but it was the right one. Best to be honest and sort the wheat from the chaff rather than see 6 people and none of them be suitable.
 
sounds brilliant. I share a 17y/o 14.2hh SectDx who's very opinionated and I love her to pieces. Been with her nearly 5 years and now see her every day.
I think I'm a good sharer - I'll help out when needed with the other mare, inc exercising her if the owner is stuck for time and even though Kelly's poorly (query Cushings) and has been on and off box rest and rehab work for the past 12 months, I'm still there every day grooming her and walking her :) now her owner won't take any contribution from me, but if I can stuff cash in the farriers/vets hand or buy food before she does, I do! ;)
I shared owner's first pony before Kelly and owner didn't leave me alone with the horse for the first 4 weeks until she felt I'd be okay on my own. I ride most days with owner and her other horse now and we are more like friends than sharer-owner! :)
Ask about I'm sure you'll find someone who's perfect!
K x
 
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Just to reitterate what others have said-as long as they know the facts and exactly what you want from them it should be fine. I share a very opionated arab and love it! He's very green even though he's 12 which can sometimes be tricky but as i knew what he was like before i began sharing him it's fine! I would say i'm a pretty good sharer and i know there are plenty of people who would not be bothered by age/difficulty of the horse :)

Sorry for long comment :p
 
Yep- ME!!

I share a 18 year old 17hh!!! with all manner of quirks (did you know blue things eat horses????).... but have shared him for 3 years now- through thick, thin, snow, hail etc...... they found me on
newrider.com where I had advertised!
 
There are good sharers out there, but I think they can be hard to find. i had one for years for my 'not novice ride' 12.1 pony!!

She was 11 when she started sharing, and I stipulated that she had a weekly lesson that she paid for herself. The other times she came she was supervised by me to start with. I was honest from the start and she was very willing and accommodated by particular ways of wanting things done!

All I wanted was someone to love and exercise pony three times a week - for several years my sharer came 5 times a week, she did indeed love and exercise, but she also mucked out, poo picked, swept, groomed, tidied feed rooms cleaned tack, had my horse and the pony mucked out, brought in, groomed and tacked up ready for when I got there after work - in other words she was a complete angel. We remain good friends and the only reason she no longer shares is that she is now almost 20 and away at Uni, though she will still come and muck in/out when she is home.

She paid £15 per week to start, this I didn't think was bad as it was the price of a half hour lesson at the local riding school. We all (inc pony) gained a lot from this experience.
 
annagain said:
I have the best sharer in the world. She adores my boy as much as I do, stuck with us through 7 months of him on field rest and then 3 months of slow boring repetitive rehab work. When I wouldn't take any money off her or cash the cheques she gave me while he was out of action, I kept finding cash in my riding boots or gloves. She looks after him when I'm away, does her 3 days a week no matter what and is flexible when I need her to be. She has no interest in competing so I don't have to share him for that but will come and play groom for me whenever I go. She started as a sharer and is now a really good friend. She is also a vet nurse so gets me supplements at cost and sorts out the dog's glands when necessary - way beyond the call of duty!

I like to think I'm a good share-owner though, flexible when needed, keep her informed of everything, always offer her the chance to compete if she wants to, leave her alone to get on with it on her days and never ask her to do the dirty jobs like lifting the rubber matting and cleaning the stable or willy washing.

I was totally honest about my sweet but very strong boy and only got one reply but it was the right one. Best to be honest and sort the wheat from the chaff rather than see 6 people and none of them be suitable.
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god! send her my way please!!!

seriously though. I've found some fantastic sharers and some really odd ones but for some reason (through no fault of mine or my horse's) have been through 5 in as many months.

I agree you definitely need a trial period and a long phone conversation before you meet them to make sure you both have the same wants/needs from the share.

Good luck.
 
I would like to think I am a good sharer.

I am reliable and flexible. I care for horses as if they were my own and ALWAYS follow the rules.

However, sharing is a two way street...

I have had two shares, both totally opposite.

The first, the owner needed a sharer in order to persuade her OH to let her buy a horse. I was there to contribute financially and give her 3 days off. This I was fine with, why else would you want a sharer?

However the owner was totally neurotic. I had a list to follow with the exact care guidelines for the horse, detailing everything to the tiniest action, and I followed these down to the letter.

I wasn't trusted to do anything for myself and she constantly picked faults in what I was doing... haynet too high, haynet too low, yard swept incorrectly, put shavings in when she could last 3 more days without a new bale, only poo picked half the field, turned her out too early, left her rugs folded incorrectly. She used to constantly tell me how rubbish I was and that I was harming the horse through all these mistakes, I was reduced to tears more times than I care to remember.

I also remember the horse going ballistic in the field when I had just caught her, she was bucking, rearing, spinning and trying to bolt off away from me. I stood my ground and carefully calmed the horse down again, speaking slowly and soothingly and eventually chilling her out. I led her down to the yard and groomed her, but felt too shaken by the horses actions to ride.
The owners house overlooked the field where the "incident" had taken place so I went round as soon as the horse was back in the field and told her what had happened. Apparently she had watched me the whole time (nearly an hour) and felt (for once) I had dealt with it well but hadn't been bothered to come help me. She then said it had happened to her three times in the last week, yet she hadn't bothered to tell me even though it was very dangerous.

Yet I must have been doing something right because I had passed all her vetting procedures AND she kept me for 3 years. I was also, by the end trusted to look after every other horse on the yard because I was so good with them and could be relied upon to do the job well. The owner was just over protective.

I eventually gave up the share because I realised I was dreading going down to the yard in case she was there and although it broke my heart to leave the horse I knew for my own sanity and self confidence it was the only thing to do.

I then moved to my second share. It was the polar opposite of that, the owner was and still is amazing! She trusts me and approached me within days of me stopping my first share to ask if I might consider helping her out.

I had total freedom with the horse on my days and somehow, even without a second by second account of how to look after a horse written in big red letters, I managed ok. She is totally open with me and entirely happy to give me advice etc if needs be yet also is happy to take a back seat on my days because I am trusted.

Eventually the share turned to a loan of the horse in the summer before I went to uni, where I still only had to pay "share" donations towards her upkeep. I have returned from uni to find "my" pony ready and waiting for me and I have slipped back into looking after her no problem at all. She is not one to let it lie if I make a mistake, but somehow I feel far happier taking constructive criticism rather than a b******ing!

As she is more approachable I am also far more likely to approach her with any concerns, however small they are, with the horse, because I know I won't be blamed and harrassed for them

Anyway...

If you are going to get a share, I personally would look for recommendations from others. Trust the sharer, if you think you would struggle to "let go" and properly share the horse, I would be inclined to avoid the situation! Fine, spend time with them and watch their actions and riding, because in the end your end motive is that your horse is healthy and happy, but don't nit pick about everything, because you might end up scaring a perfectly good sharer off!
 
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