Sharers - Pros and Cons?

3Beasties

3Beasties

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I am toying with the idea of getting a sharer or two but want to know if it is worth doing? What I can expect and what I need to be aware of?

What makes a good share horse? What sort of financial contribution is normal?

I have two horses and a small pony at the moment. The pony currently has no rider so potential sharer could have unlimited riding, chances to compete, hunt and do PC. She is a great ride BUT not for a novice. She can be a bit of a diva on the ground so sharer would need to be able to deal with this. Are sharers easy to find for ponies? She is the main one I want to share (although really it would be more like loan but from my yard) as she is so wasted at the moment.

The other one is an 18 year old TB. Hacks out mainly but is still OK for light schooling and a bit of jumping. I'm a bit unsure about sharing him but thought I should ask some opinions. Overall he is a good, sensible hack but he can have meltdowns over nothing, these don't happen very often but obviously I need to know that whoever is riding him can cope with it. He could potentially be ridden by someone else 3 times a week, maybe more in Winter, and they would have the opportunity to have lessons and possibly do fun rides etc.

They are on a private yard, just me and my 3 beasties kept there. No school but we have a nice flat paddock for schooling in as well as a jumping field. The hacking is all quiet country lanes.

So, do they sound like they could be potential share horses?

Can I hear your share stories please, good or bad?

Like I said, at the moment it is just an idea, I'm not completely decided about it but thought I may be swayed either way by posting on here!
 
Hi ,I sort of share a lovely mare who I've been riding etc for almost 4 years
The owner works away in the week n home at weekends
No money cross hands but I've contributed over the time ,feed etc
I keep the mare exercised throughout the week n do yard duties n look after if owner n parents ( also help in week ) away on hols n not always paid for this as I would look after her regardless
This works out for both of us ,,mare is a lot more contented n not grumpy now she gets regular attention , I usually ride 3-4 times per week n myself n owner mother share rota bringing in/out
I treat her like if she was my own ,,I think £10-20 per week is a reasonable amount to pay
I suppose myself n owner n mare has the perfect solution n works for us
 
Sounds like a great deal for you and the owner :)

Do people usually charge per day that the sharer comes or just one set, weekly fee?
 
I've always assumed that sharers pay weekly or monthly :)

So hard to find a good sharer though, especially if you're a control freak like I am ;)

Sounds like if you found a keen teenager, the pony could be perfect, but finding the right teenager is the problem ;)

The tb shouldn't be too much of a problem, there are many adults looking to return to riding who are capable of handling a horse that can have it's "moments".
 
I share a mare who is amazing. I am probably the luckiest girl on the earth in terms of horse owner and yard as I also ride two other horses.
I look after Olive on the days I share, ride, duties etc. I love her like she was my own and have found a true friend in the owner of said mare.
If you find the right people it will make a massive difference to your horses lives... And yours! I'm only looking at this from my incredibly positive POV so I'm sure others on here will disagree.

Hopefully not Billie as I'm her sharer!!!
 
JennBags said:
I've always assumed that sharers pay weekly or monthly :)

So hard to find a good sharer though, especially if you're a control freak like I am ;)
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That will be my problem, I'm not sure I can hand him over to someone else :o I don't mind with the pony so much as she needs to work!

JennBags said:
Sounds like if you found a keen teenager, the pony could be perfect, but finding the right teenager is the problem ;)
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She's only 12hh though which makes it difficult to find a decent but small rider :(

JennBags said:
The tb shouldn't be too much of a problem, there are many adults looking to return to riding who are capable of handling a horse that can have it's "moments".
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I guess it would be a case of letting them try him and see how it goes!
 
We pay £80 a month for Boyo, very good deal for us as his owner doesn't ride him, and would be happy for us to go up every day if we could. Unfortunately he's an hour round trip away, so only see him a few times a week.

Hes a 10yo welsh D cross, we hack and play in the field (I couldn't call it schooling lol) My friend and I part loan him together, we are both experienced novices returned to horses after living eating and breathing ponies in our teenage years :)

ETA - we do yard duties on the days we go up
 
pogface said:
I share a mare who is amazing. I am probably the luckiest girl on the earth in terms of horse owner and yard as I also ride two other horses.
I look after Olive on the days I share, ride, duties etc. I love her like she was my own and have found a true friend in the owner of said mare.
If you find the right people it will make a massive difference to your horses lives... And yours! I'm only looking at this from my incredibly positive POV so I'm sure others on here will disagree.

Hopefully not Billie as I'm her sharer!!!
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Do you contribute financially?
 
Why don't you advertise for them both, and see who turns up?

I had an amazing sharer for my old boy, she became a very good friend. He could be...difficult...but she adored him, and was a far better rider than me (bitch :mad: :D). She popped round the other day & we watched a video of him, both in tears but it was lovely to have someone who knew him almost as well as me. When she bought her own horse, I didn't look for another sharer as she had set such a high standard ;)

At the time, he was on part-livery, so she gave me a financial contribution. However now I'm on DIY, if I were going to have a sharer now I'd just ask them for chores on their days (but I'm fairly well-off so money isn't a contributing factor for me, it's more time that I struggle with).
 
I have been thinking about trying to find a sharer or two for quite a while.

Drawbacks for me are that I am also a control freak, I have no surface, hacking is awful/non existant/dangerous, so I feel stumped before I even try to find the right person.
 
Yes I do contribute monthly. Not a huge amount - compared to others. But will put money towards dressage saddle that has just been purchased!
 
Here's what I've learned by experience

1. Check out the sharer. Have they shared before? Are they recommended by an instructor?

2. Will they enhance your life or are they emotional vampires and drama queens depleting you of all your energy?

3. Always charge them. If they pay, they will turn up to get their money's worth. If not, they will cancel last minute or send you a text in retrospect causing you to have a mad dash down to give your horse breakfast .... at 4pm

4. Insist they have a few lessons with an instructor before taking your horse on road.

5. Insist they clean your tack once per week or you will have to do it and in effect, become their groom.

6. Don't let them turn up to yard with boyfriend and his mates all the time.

7. No Facebook pictures on their page of your horse and tack room

8. Stipulate that no one but them must ride or lead your horse.

9. Do a contract.

10 any more than Three warnings about reliability ..... get rid

11. No moaning to other liveries about anything and must follow yard rules.

12. If they turn out reliable and follow your instructions, hang onto them for dear life, massage their backs and love them forever! :)
 
I used to be a sharer and now I have a sharer.

My reasons for having a sharer are to ensure my good doer is ridden as much as possible and to give myself a day off. I charge a small contribution which is helpful. I usually save this up over summer to help to pay for winter.

Cons are finding someone who you trust, but also who works for you and your horse.

I would say to have the best chance of success and learning from mistakes I have made...

Take your time in finding the right person. Get them to come down and spend time with you and your horse a few times before making a decision.

Get them to have a few lessons with your instructor at the start to ensure consistentsy for the horse.

Have an agreement where even things that might seem obvious are in writing.
 
I had one until quite recently. Very good rider but I had to get rid due to many of the things Achinghips has listed. I asked for weekly payment and ended up with monthly, in arrears. She cancelled almost half the time often with virtually no notice (not easy to re-arrange three kids on no notice!). She wouldn't make any effort to catch him herself so I'd find myself driving to the yard to deal with him for her. I became the groom. I changed the poor animal's routine so he'd be in for her, then she'd cancel. The final straw was when she text me after a night at her boyfriend's to say she'd not be on time because she'd "slept in", and then again five minutes later to say could she just not come so she could clean her flat (boyfriend coming to her this time)!!!! I sacked her there and then. She left me a self pitying pathetic little letter when she picked up her stuff telling me how important riding was to her and how she'd have liked more notice :D I laughed out loud then threw it in the bin.

I'd say be very selective who you take on. Avoid teenagers ( if you go to shows they bring the boyfriend, the boyfriend's friends and everyone's extended family!) unless you know them. Only take someone with a proper income that you won't have to badger to pay up. Make sure they have their own means of transport. If I do it again I'll be doing way more checking them out.
 
My daughter's first pony is currently on share so she can concerntrate on her show jumper. My YO commented to me when we started "Sharers just don't get it.." and she was right!

AchingHips is abolsutely right in her list. For the pony though - try the local DC for the Pony Club. There may well be a child she knows of who would fit the bill. We used to have a 12.1 on competition loan because no other rider small enough for him could cope with him. A honey on the ground, but a tricky ride. We had him for 3 years and were grateful to be with him when he died suddenly.

The only thing I would correct on Achinghips' list is the tack. I gave up trying to get my sharers to clean tack. I am very find of my tack and it is expensive. I want it cleaned properly. The only way to make sure this happens is to do it myself!

There are good sharers out there - but you are going to have to really look. And be very tough.

Oh. And yes - they pay. Quite a lot for mine because he is really brilliant. I don't make a profit from him - but we do cover costs.
 
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I'm currently sharing an ex racer who is a lovely natured chap but has had very little schooling. Owner likes to hack and my role was to get him used to traffic and hacking out so that she could then ride him.
I don't have any tasks to do as part of our arrangement but I do help where I can and fed and groomed them when she was away.
Down side for me is that horse needs schooling but owner just wants to ride out. Getting him away from his field mate is difficult so it's not feasible for me to go and work on him on my own.
A bit frustrating really as current arrangement is not helping my riding much.
I do pay her based on 3/4 rides a week which has not always happened due to weather or other things getting in the way.

Your pony sounds like a very good share as does the older horse. I found my share in Preloved and there are lots of adverts there at the moment. Just be clear about what you want from them.
 
I have done several shares, have paid in the past but at the moment I am not. To be honest, if this one ended (which I hope it doesn't) I would not be willing to pay for another because there are SO many horse out there for share at the moment, it feels like every day there's another one on the local facebook group. It's a buyer's market. Given the time of year, I think that most of these people must want a sharer to keep their horse fit and healthy, not just for the money.
I am doing the owner a favour for exercising her horse, and I'm happy to do it because the horse is lovely. I do jobs etc on the days I am up but would not pay a regular stipend as there are enough owners out there who need more time, not money.
If good riders can charge for exercising, then I (an ok rider) am not going to pay the owner for the privilege!
 
Mo-Jo said:
I have done several shares, have paid in the past but at the moment I am not. To be honest, if this one ended (which I hope it doesn't) I would not be willing to pay for another because there are SO many horse out there for share at the moment, it feels like every day there's another one on the local facebook group. It's a buyer's market. Given the time of year, I think that most of these people must want a sharer to keep their horse fit and healthy, not just for the money.
I am doing the owner a favour for exercising her horse, and I'm happy to do it because the horse is lovely. I do jobs etc on the days I am up but would not pay a regular stipend as there are enough owners out there who need more time, not money.
If good riders can charge for exercising, then I (an ok rider) am not going to pay the owner for the privilege!
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Uuum, I have to confess that I've had similar thoughts here, as in why am I paying someone when the current arrangement helps her out more than me. However on the other hand it allows me access to a horse without having to get up early and check or feed or poo pick or any other of the associated chores :)
 
I had a sharer for my last horse when I was at uni- she looked after him 3 days a week for £25 a week. it worked really well, I knew he was in good hands, she loved him as much as I did and liked to have fun but was sensible. we now both have different horses and are really good friends. It can work out really well. :)
 
See its really difficult. I currently share a little ex racer similar to TrasaM's. he belongs to a teenager who I really like and she is still concentrating on her pony. He's very sweet and had come on loads since I met him, chilling out etc but his schoing isn't there. He's at least 20 mins away too. I don't mind bringing a horse on at all but I've just been sent a link by a friend for a mare who has done elementary dressage and placed at riding club ode and is in my village. They want a contribution and it sounds like they've been messed around by sharers before but this mare is probably going to teach me more than a little ex racer. But I'd feel awful leaving them in the lurch a bit.
What to do?

It's about finding the right combination for you. Advertise and see what you get back although the lack of school or hacking would put me off.
 
Mo-Jo said:
I have done several shares, have paid in the past but at the moment I am not. To be honest, if this one ended (which I hope it doesn't) I would not be willing to pay for another because there are SO many horse out there for share at the moment, it feels like every day there's another one on the local facebook group. It's a buyer's market. Given the time of year, I think that most of these people must want a sharer to keep their horse fit and healthy, not just for the money.
I am doing the owner a favour for exercising her horse, and I'm happy to do it because the horse is lovely. I do jobs etc on the days I am up but would not pay a regular stipend as there are enough owners out there who need more time, not money.
If good riders can charge for exercising, then I (an ok rider) am not going to pay the owner for the privilege!
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TrasaM said:
Uuum, I have to confess that I've had similar thoughts here, as in why am I paying someone when the current arrangement helps her out more than me. However on the other hand it allows me access to a horse without having to get up early and check or feed or poo pick or any other of the associated chores :)
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Well I'd rather turn the horse away than have a free sharer. I did let someone ride my mare for free once and it was a disaster. Very quickly she became very demanding and developed a feeling of entitlement. She was not doing me a favour - I was doing her a favour, so I ended the arrangement. Horses are expensive and if she wants one to ride into the ground - she can pay the vets bills herself (ie she can get her own horse).

I now personally feel that asking for a small financial contribution does cut out the dreamers and timewasters to some extent. As AH said -

3. Always charge them. If they pay, they will turn up to get their money's worth. If not, they will cancel last minute or send you a text in retrospect causing you to have a mad dash down to give your horse breakfast .... at 4pm
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I understand some people will have been let down by teenagers in the past. However don't rule us all off. I am a sharer, who shares a girls pony who I used to go to school with (so that may be different). But I know so many people my age who eat, sleep and dream horses (as I do, my friends have to put up with my share horse coming first before them ;) ). I am extremely grateful to my share horses owners for letting me ride him!
I pay a monthly fee, which is a fair share of what he costs them a month. One thing that put me off when looking was an owner (I trialled their pony for a month), who did not declare to me that they would want me to pay vets bills and this is something which I couldn't afford. So many that's something to think about for the pony's sharer?
If you want to know anything feel free to PM me :)
 
I shared twice, first time I contributed, second time the owner didn't want contribution as that would involve a contract (:rolleyes:). I think it helped both that not only was I reliable and responsible, I had previously owned my own horse so 'got it'.

Have to say that the concerns aren't always one sided either. After the second ended (not without incident or welfare concerns :rolleyes:) I said I wouldn't share again.
 
Have to say that the concerns aren't always one sided either. After the second ended (not without incident or welfare concerns ) I said I wouldn't share again.
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Very true there are good and bad owners as well as good and bad sharers.
 
Some really good advice here, thanks everyone!

A financial contribution will be required I'm afraid, the TB doesn't NEED a sharer as such as I can ride him myself and get friends to ride him but a contribution towards costs would be very helpful being a student!
 
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