Sharing/Part-Loaning - riding others peoples horses

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hatters

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While at uni I rode regularly due to being involved with equestrian club so did loads of jumping, lessons etc, and before uni I rode many peoples/loaned/lessons etc at home.
Would love to buy my own, but worried about not being able to afford the upkeep at the moment (just starting working/paying off student debt) so Im thinking a share would be a good idea?
How much would you expect to contribute towards its upkeep?
I am looking to compete (so not just after a happy hacker), what do you think the chances are of finding that kind of arrangement?

I been looking through a few adverts, and am shocked at what people are expecting - rider wanted to back my 3 year old £30 a week contribution!! How utterly ridiculous! Anyone got any advise or places to look?

Thanks
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As a guide I hopefully have just got a sharer for my horse.
He will be kept with me but the sharer has as much or as little riding use of him as she wants, and can compete, have lessons and I have made my lorry available to her.
The horse is an 11yo schoolmaster with a cheeky side and has competed and won BE/BSJA/BD. The only conditions on the sharer are that she has rider insurance, looks after him a minimum of 4 times a week (days to suit her) and has a lesson at least once a month.
For that she will pay £150 a month inclusive of everything.

Its an arrangement that should suit us both well, she essentially gets a quality horse that she can learn a lot from but without having full financial or time commitment. I get an extra pair of helping hands giving me extra time and a bit of cash to put into my young horse.
 
Hi I have a sharer for my older horse as I was finding riding 2 a bit much anyway I advertised locally and found a fantastic girl who pays £5 each time she comes to ride, she helps out with jobs although I've usually already done the beds, she came to an adult camp with us over the summer and she brings my horse to rallies, lessons and local competitions. She comes 4 or 5 times a week but it varies, which doesn't bother me. The contribution comes in handy although it wasn't my primary reason for getting a sharer, because he is a bit of a schoolmaster and safe to hack etc I am completely flexible with what she can and can't do and leave her alone to get on with it.

I think howver if he was my only horse I'd be more careful, or if I was sharing my young competion horse as he has a set schooling fitness plan and I'd be neurotic about him getting injured, plus I'd have to have found a rider with specific credentials, infact personally it just wouldn't work for me.

I would say advertise locally, or through would of mouth, pony club or riding club. Be honest about what you expect from the beginning that way you'll avoid any possible heartache good luck x
 
I wouldn't mind paying if the horse was a schoolmaster type like yours ben_and_jerrys, something I could get straight on and have fun.

Is it just me that would be relectant to pay to ride someones horse that was green and needed bringing on? I don't mind doing it, and if I was looking to buy I would want something that needed some work. But it kind of seems like I could do lots of hard work, and then have it taken away? Thats my only issue I think.
 
The cost of sharing varies MASSIVELY. It depends on wether you are doing the owner a big favour by doing their horse a few times a week.

I had a sharer for my horse whilst I was at uni, and she didnt pay anything as she was doing me a massive favour just by giving me more time to study. She took him to local comps etc and could do what she liked with him 3 days a week, which suited us just fine.

I now share Boris (see pic gallery), for a very menial sum a month, as the woman who owns him doesnt have time to ride 2 everyday, so I help keeping him fit. She has said I can compete him if I want but Im a bit of a chicken when it comes to jumping, and our dressage isnt up to scratch yet so we shall see!

There are good shares out there but i would think you are looking at paying a premium for a competition horse, as Im sure the owner would also want to compete it!
 
I've always found the best course of action is to put up your own advert at a tack shop/ riding centre. I can't believe some of the prices people are asking. One woman wanted £15 per ride on a happy hacker!! I used to share a TB for that and got about 4 rides a week! Plus access to competitions.

I don't mind paying a fair price for the right horse, but I think ultimately it is the owners horse and they should to pay a bit more than you for having that privilege. After all, they get all the say in what goes on. Good luck, I've been sharing a horse for a year now!!
 
I have a fab sharer who currently rides twice a week, but as I'm 6.5months pregnant she's gonna do 3 days a week from now on. She pays for Jack's shoes. The money helps, but to be honest, it means I get 2/3 days at home with hubby! And with baby on the way, it's gonna help loads.

I have my own transport, so she is competing him for me at the moment. She used to have her own horses so is experienced and she care's for him in the same way I do - ie she follow's my rountine/feeding etc to the letter!

Put an ad up in tack shops, and newrider.com is a good one, found my old sharer on there (who subsequently has her own now)

Jack is on DIY so my sharer has to muck out etc and do jobs, I think if the horse is on livery then you could be expected to pay a little more. A friend of mine also has a sharer and her sharer rides twice a week and pays £15 quid a week. (DIY)

Good luck finding something!
MX

Good luck!
 
i used to share and with one horse i paid £10 for the first ride of the week £5 thereafter. with my most recent share i paid £20 per week but wasnt expected to do any "labour" altho i insisted on feeding / mucking out / grooming the 3/4/5 days i rode per week. i say 3/4/5 as it started on 3 days, worked well so got expanded upon. i think there are some very very steep share charges out there at the moment when i look (for nosiness sake) and if the sharer gives the owner a day off with each ride, ie offers all stable management duties surrounding the visit (not to mention holiday cover etc) then i wouldnt pay much more than i did.
 
I wish you lived near me, I'm desperate for someone to share my chunky 13.2hh welshie, I dont want any contribution, just someone to ride her, I cant find anyone in my area that will take her on, she is not for a total novice but she is very well schooled and competing at Novice/Elementary dressage, she has shown and can jump and is a fun hack. She is just your average cheeky pony, can you not move to my area?
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