Should horses have 1 rider?

Ginger Bear

Ginger Bear

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Just a quick question, I know quite a lot of people have a sharer/loaner so was just wondering if you think it's better for a horse to have different people ride them or if ideally a horse should have just the one rider? What do you think??
 
If at some point a horse will need to go well for a rider other than their usual one (eg, showing, or if the horse is being brought on for selling) then I think it's a good idea for them to have more than one rider. If it is unlikely that they will need to go well for a different rider (home for life, trainer doesn't ride the horse, no issues that need another rider to work through etc) then I don't think it makes any difference tbh.
 
ThePony said:
If at some point a horse will need to go well for a rider other than their usual one (eg, showing, or if the horse is being brought on for selling) then I think it's a good idea for them to have more than one rider. If it is unlikely that they will need to go well for a different rider (home for life, trainer doesn't ride the horse, no issues that need another rider to work through etc) then I don't think it makes any difference tbh.
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Agree with the above. Also individual horses are very different, bit lioke dogs, some seem to like a change whereas for others it winds them up. I personaly would like my horse to be able to cope with a variety of reasonable riders just in case anything ever happened to me.
 
IMO dont like others riding my horse now, after spending weeks getting her back jumping and schooling in a snaffle i broke a collor bone and had two other riders and she went back to her old habits and being strong and utter cow bag... and it just really got to me, but i guess some people will be differnt :)
 
I think it depends on the horse some find it hard to cope with more than one rider and others don't. If the horse can cope I don't see the problem but if the horse struggles then I think it depends on the circumstances.
 
I think it is good for horses to have more than ridder as it stops them having the habits that we put on them, like being one sided as the rider is etc....

But on the point of mine, i would never have a sharer etc.... I am so fussy about how my horses are done, no body would be good enough for my horses, the only person that rides my horse is my mum and that is my old boy who i no longer ride. But my baby i'd never let anyone ride...well maybe my trainer one day but i'd hate it. I'm a child i know, but can't help it.

Need a slap i think. he he
 
I would never have a sharer as I don't like other people regularly riding my horse. I teach him in a way that suits me so others undo that.

however I also don't want a horse that no one else can ever ride just in case anything happens to me (like surgery last year 3 months off)

He is a sensitive lad and tends to shut down when anyone else gets on don't know whether he will always be like this though. He did get used to the rider that looked after him while i was off but it took a while.
 
I make sure Ice is ridden by Lottie's old sharer ocassionally in case anything happens to me or I get all maternal and whelp in future.

Lottie will poddle for anyone and is just pleased to be working at her age.

Beau DETESTES physical contact and although she has never been mistreated she seems to have deep rooted trust issues, with horses as well as people. She lived alone from weaning til I bought her at 2. Anyway, she doesn't mind Lottie's old sharer riding her ocassionally but hates other people on her, or brushing and tacking up. She would go well for a decent rider ie a judge in a showing class but she would have a real frown on her face, she rolls her eyes and screws her nose up.
 
Some horses are fine with it but mine sure isn't. Molly will dump anyone who gets on her other than me, which I've tried to work on but it's hopeless. She's just a one person horse, but I know some people who's horses go the same no matter who is on them. Preference of the horse, I guess.
 
An old school instructor told me once that actually having maybe not one, but at least fewer riders is good for the horse's psyche. Which I agree with. I guess it depends on the horse too. I occasionally let friends have a canter on my boy but I know that to be calm he needs to 100% understand what's been asked of him, and he gets very frustrated if he doesn't. I also quite selfishly want him 100% to myself, hehe :)
 
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