Should i say yes or no?

[leflynn]

I'd be tempted yes, if only to see how my horse went with another rider - you can learn by watching (or I think you can). It would be interesting to hear the riders feedback on your horse (can you do this?).

Plus I figure no one can be worse than me It is an interesting trial of a rider to spend minimal time on a horse and then do a test on them, fair play to the competitors!

 

[depurple1]

I would be quite happy for a decent rider to compete my horse - he is well bred and well schooled, and should be out competing, but I simply don't enjoy it. I wouldn't care about the money. I have offered for a friend to compete him this year with me paying all costs and grooming/transporting. I think that it is good for him to be ridden by a variety of different riders.

However, the deal breaker for me here would be not being allowed to watch the warm up. No way would someone I don't know get on my horse and ride him for the first time without me being allowed to be present.

 

[Jesstickle]

no as I expect it would invalidate my insurance. You are not allowed to hire your horse out for reward.... so if he was injured, what would happen?

Wouldn't you ask them first rather than assume though? I can ring mine tomorrow and see what they say. I'd be genuinely interested to know how it works as a one of thing and whether you can actually do it!

Possibly not knowing how insurers can be!

 

[MrsMozart]

No.

As soon as I read that you aren't allowed to watch the warm-up. If the riders are that good, why can't you watch?

As to them being great riders, well I've seen some riders that are considered good because of how they've done competition wise, but I wouldn't have them on my horse (and of course I've seen some that I would love to see ride my horse ).

 

[galaxy]

Wouldn't you ask them first rather than assume though? I can ring mine tomorrow and see what they say. I'd be genuinely interested to know how it works as a one of thing and whether you can actually do it!

Possibly not knowing how insurers can be!

Says it on my policy with the NFU. Pretty sure it's a standard thing with all of them.

 

[Jesstickle]

Says it on my policy with the NFU. Pretty sure it's a standard thing with all of them.

It probably is. I just wondered whether they'd let you do it if you explained the situation. I'm surprised they give you £50 as it does seem to complicate things. If they asked you to do it out of the goodness of your heart then surely it would be simpler for insurance's sake? There must be some sort of way round it or presumably no one would ever do it and the comp wouldn't run anymore?

I'm intrigued.

 

[Lolo]

You're not allowed to watch because you might give them hints- they're not allowed any help at all.

In all honesty (without wanting to sound rude) the competitors will all be capable of riding a Grand Prix dressage test and jumping a 1.35m SJ course as this is what is required of those who get to the finals. Can you calim the same credentials? You could end up with the boast that your horse has been ridden by some of the world's leading riders in years to come (Will Fox Pitt won one year, as have Emily Llewellyn and Harry Meade...).

 

[mulledwhine]

Usually a big yes from me... But,,, not being allowed to see the warm up !!!

I guess it is to see that the riders cam get on anything, and ride kindly, so TBH the jury is out for me

 

[Capriole]

I dont care who or how famous someone is or might become tbh I wouldnt let the Queen herself on my horse without me being allowed to be there, and thats my right as a horse owner, not unreasonable I think

 

[MrsMozart]

You're not allowed to watch because you might give them hints- they're not allowed any help at all.

In all honesty (without wanting to sound rude) the competitors will all be capable of riding a Grand Prix dressage test and jumping a 1.35m SJ course as this is what is required of those who get to the finals. Can you calim the same credentials? You could end up with the boast that your horse has been ridden by some of the world's leading riders in years to come (Will Fox Pitt won one year, as have Emily Llewellyn and Harry Meade...).

Doesn't matter what I'm capable of in this instance - my horse sure as heck isn't capable of doing any of that .

My answer would be no. I'd happily talk to them, and decide which one I'd want to ride my horse, and then I'd be happy to say in x years to come that So and So rode my horse . Just because someone can ride a horse over 1m30, it does not follow that they'd be the sort of rider I'd want on my horse

 

[Lolo]

Oh, I give up.

OP, we would let our horses do it. Reg is a very sensitive TB 2 years out of racing- he's a lovely horse, but he can get upset by people. 20 minutes max of people who know what they're up to on him would not cause him a jot of harm, and may even help him out a bit.

 

[tonkatoy]

i'm bemused by some of the responses. look at the format of the olympics!! i am aware they were top class riders in the final, (although not sure anyone had heard of the saudi arabian dude prior)?! but they just hopped on the most expensive horses in the world to jump 1.60m rounds. pretty sure more at stake there.

think its a fabulous opportunity to see how your horse performs for others.

was clearly a testament to eric lamaze's trainig to see hickstead jump clear for every rider.

just a thought....

 

[Honey08]

You're not allowed to watch because you might give them hints- they're not allowed any help at all.

In all honesty (without wanting to sound rude) the competitors will all be capable of riding a Grand Prix dressage test and jumping a 1.35m SJ course as this is what is required of those who get to the finals. Can you calim the same credentials? You could end up with the boast that your horse has been ridden by some of the world's leading riders in years to come (Will Fox Pitt won one year, as have Emily Llewellyn and Harry Meade...).

Yes, I agree - its obvious why you can't watch the warm up! They're meant to be able to get on a strange horse and assess it.. TBH they also want to keep some of the "know it all" type owners away too i would think!

For people's information, I didn't get on my Uni team despite being an AI and eventing myself - the standards are that good.. (That sounds bigheaded - I don't mean that I'm all that, just trying to show what levels get on to teams..) Yes you may get poorer riders on some teams, but I very much doubt that they will be of a poor standard at the finals..

It would be very interesting to watch, IMO.

 

[BombayMix]

I don't think the argument is about £50 being little money or masses of money what you have to remember is what the horse means to the individual and to me £50 would be nice (no longer have a horse anyway!) but I would be putting the work in behind the scenes and then have to drive there (my lorry costs £1 per mile - so it would be pretty likely to cost more than that).

I would then not be able to see my horse be ridden and however good a rider is anyone is capable of a temper and just because you can ride well doesn't mean you suit a horse - surely that is fairly obvious from seeing horses swap around at the top level and going from not being known to fantastic? And personally, I never let anyone ride my horse without knowing how they ride individually eg if I was going on holiday I would rather give my horse a holiday than someone else ride it.

I understand the reason for not being able to watch them warm up because the rider has to assess but I think the owner should at least be somewhere they can see the horse to make sure everything is going the right way.

The other comment on "seeing how a horse goes for someone else" seems laughable to me. Surely you could get anyone you know to hop on your horse?!

 

[Pedantic]

£50.00, tell em to go do one......

 

[ABC]

Do you know many people who can ride to that standard? I don't

I think its a good opportunity to see what your horse is capable of with a rider who can do a GP dressage test and jump 1.35 etc. Its just like paying a professional to ride your horse, which many people do.

I don't understand what the issue is, am I missing something?

 

[Redwind]

Speaking as a non owner and as a relative nebie my opinion probs aint worth much BUT I do know how much harm even one negative experiance can have on the horse.

I guess if money is insanely tight and you dont have another option go with it, but if it were me and I had another way forward I would sure take that first!

 

[MrsMozart]

If I pay a professional, then I get to choose the professional

I don't see why people are getting het up because some of us wouldn't let our horses go. Our horses. Entirely up to us whether we let strangers on or not

I know a couple of very good riders - one would not suit my horse at all, whereas the other one rides her like a dream, far, far better than I can , and I love to watch them, but the other - no, never again (he's still a bloody good rider, just not on my horse).

 

[ruby1512]

Nope!

 

[Daytona]

I was already a yes but now i understand the level the riders are at I would defo say yes as long as I was not going to be out of pocket , I see it as a good experience for your horse.

 

[Honey08]

Who is getting het up Mrs M??

Everyone is entitled to do what they like with their horses. I don't think anyone is getting het up or mocking you. I (and a couple of others from how I read it) were just trying to explain what the competitions were like and the standards...

Like I said, I did my BHSAI, worked with horses for years, breaking and schooling for a living, yet there were better riders than me at our uni who made the team when I didn't..

 

[PingPongPony]

Ok, now i have made a proper decision thanks to a lovely person who talked to me So, horse is definitely 100% not going to do their show jumping, sorry but no, i have put in too much work into her jumping and she is very very quirky when at sj comps, no chance there. HOWEVER, she is a lot better behaved at dressage, she is a show off, much much calmer and quieter, responds to light cues and theres no silliness as such. My mind is not 100% made up as to if she is going to the dressage or not, this will depend on the answers i will get from the organisers hopefully tomorrow as untill i know answers to those questions i'm not totally comfortable with letting her go. So i will update you all if she is going to do the dressage or not once i get my reply from the organisers Thanks everyone

 

[MrsMozart]

Sorry m'duck, I was trying to do the quote things, but couldn't get it to work - I'm a complete tech failure . I shall take it as a sign not to pick people out .

I got the impression, rightly or wrongly, that some people think that because someone is at a certain level, then they are suited to ride all horses, which we've seen at even the highest levels is not always the case

Maybe if I had a different sort of horse then I would say yes, but even then, I would want the chance to see the warm-up and to veto the rider if I felt he/she wasn't right for my horse

I know what the standards are like Back in my dim and distant past I worked with such people, but it still doesn't mean that because they ride at that level then they are right for my horse . There are some riders at the top level now that I wouldn't want anywhere near my horse and some that I would lick their boots to ride my horse - but I'd want the choice

 

[BombayMix]

I got the impression, rightly or wrongly, that some people think that because someone is at a certain level, then they are suited to ride all horses, which we've seen at even the highest levels is not always the case

Maybe if I had a different sort of horse then I would say yes, but even then, I would want the chance to see the warm-up and to veto the rider if I felt he/she wasn't right for my horse

I know what the standards are like Back in my dim and distant past I worked with such people, but it still doesn't mean that because they ride at that level then they are right for my horse . There are some riders at the top level now that I wouldn't want anywhere near my horse and some that I would lick their boots to ride my horse - but I'd want the choice

My thoughts exactly

 

[mik]

Ok, now i have made a proper decision thanks to a lovely person who talked to me So, horse is definitely 100% not going to do their show jumping, sorry but no, i have put in too much work into her jumping and she is very very quirky when at sj comps, no chance there. HOWEVER, she is a lot better behaved at dressage, she is a show off, much much calmer and quieter, responds to light cues and theres no silliness as such. My mind is not 100% made up as to if she is going to the dressage or not, this will depend on the answers i will get from the organisers hopefully tomorrow as untill i know answers to those questions i'm not totally comfortable with letting her go. So i will update you all if she is going to do the dressage or not once i get my reply from the organisers Thanks everyone

I think you are making an informed and sensible decision, you know your horse.

 

[MrsMozart]

I think you are making an informed and sensible decision, you know your horse.

Ditto this (very considered words ).

 

[Pearlsasinger]

No.

As soon as I read that you aren't allowed to watch the warm-up. If the riders are that good, why can't you watch?

As to them being great riders, well I've seen some riders that are considered good because of how they've done competition wise, but I wouldn't have them on my horse (and of course I've seen some that I would love to see ride my horse ).

I agree with every word of this!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Sorry m'duck, I was trying to do the quote things, but couldn't get it to work - I'm a complete tech failure . I shall take it as a sign not to pick people out .

I got the impression, rightly or wrongly, that some people think that because someone is at a certain level, then they are suited to ride all horses, which we've seen at even the highest levels is not always the case

Maybe if I had a different sort of horse then I would say yes, but even then, I would want the chance to see the warm-up and to veto the rider if I felt he/she wasn't right for my horse

I know what the standards are like Back in my dim and distant past I worked with such people, but it still doesn't mean that because they ride at that level then they are right for my horse . There are some riders at the top level now that I wouldn't want anywhere near my horse and some that I would lick their boots to ride my horse - but I'd want the choice

And having read to the end of the thread I agree with this too!
There are many show-jumpers who I wouldn't put on my rocking horse but they manage to make a living at it.

 

[Bikerchickone]

Have to say I think your decision is a good one. I like seeing other people ride my horses, mostly because I always get favourable reports (smug face here ) BUT I get to choose the rider and be there at all times. I wouldn't want either of my horses jumped by someone else when I ccouldn't see them every second, there's far too much that can go wrong, inc injury and insurance claims are hard enough in the nest of circumstances! I think I would be inclined to agree to the dressage though, as I'm very keen on dressage and would like to see what my horses would do with a rider at that kind of level.

Ultimately though, if I wasn't 100% happy about what they were doing it'd be a big no for me. My horses are worth far more to me than £50 could ever be. As some of the others have said I think I'd feel better if they were just paying transportation costs rather than fees for use.

 

[Dubsie]

Ultimately though, if I wasn't 100% happy about what they were doing it'd be a big no for me. My horses are worth far more to me than £50 could ever be. As some of the others have said I think I'd feel better if they were just paying transportation costs rather than fees for use.

Might well be expenses for time preparing horse and tack as opposed to a fee for use of the horse. In this way they will get round insurance issues - am sure it will be looked at in this way