Someone Wants To Ride My Pony

The urine is definately being extracted here.

I would not let anyone else ride my horse. I pay to keep her, I work damned hard to pay to keep her. She is MINE. I wouldn't spend money to buy a horse to then just let other people make money from him. Not a cat in hells chance, I am not a riding school!

Not only that, my horse is not a novice ride. Last time anyone but me got on her she bolted. I do not let anyone else ride her for their safety.

I would also be incredibly offended if someone had the bare faced audacity to just think "oh that pony looks nice I want to ride it and I won't even ask the owner I will do a business deal with the RI where the RI financially benefits from it and get her to convince the owner to let me". On that alone I would say no. If I OFFER you to ride my horse, feel honoured as in 6 years she has been sat on by different people 5 times, once each for about 5 minutes a go. Thats it.
 
Whilst many people do have 'sharers' for their horses and in some circumstances it might be beneficial for you if the other rider was good enough to help improve the horse, I do feel that the way this has been approached by the RI rings massive alarm bells and it would be a firm no from me.

OP, take care here, make it very clear to RI that the pony is yours alone and she will not be making a living at your expense.

Now down the line maybe you will find that the extra exercise and schooling is useful for the pony. If that is the case there may be room to negotiate livery/lesson prices for yourself.

But for now make the ground rules and stick to them. It might be worth taking your saddle home for 'cleaning' in the early days just to be extra sure
 
I'm another in the 'no' camp. Your RI is taking the mickey. You've found a pony that suits you and that you want to ride and care for, picking up the bills as you go (like we all do) and yet your RI wants to have someone else ride him so that she can pick up her fee for that person's lessons - while you gain nothing? I would also be thinking very carefully about moving to your RI's yard too, who's to say the RI won't use him for lessons anyway when you're not around - I very much agree with what others have said on this front.

btw- well done on taking the plunge and buying your pony - hope you have years of fun and games together.
 
At my yard they did a very similar thing when they were doing lessons. If you can fully ensure that the riders of your horse aren't going to cause it hassel (ie they are going to be of a different skill/way of riding and potentially cause your horse to become something you don't want) and you have a good relationship with the person then you could get away with it. However you do risk not being able to use your horse as often so unless you are really busy with little time for the horse it may be best not to do it unless you can trial it first to see how it goes.
 
No, no and no!!
I wouldn't worry about the bonding side. But if you're riding 5 days a week 2 off certainly won't hurt :)
Also, it's very different having an experienced rider on your horse if you are there vs a novice when you aren't around to see what's happening.
 
No, no, and no from me too! The thought of any of mine being ridden without me watching makes me shudder! Don't let them take advantage of your good nature.
 
LadyGascoyne said:
This sounds completely wrong to me.

I'm a bit cynical but I'd guess that your yard owner has had an enquiry re lessons from this chap and thinks she can just borrow your pony because, as a riding school pony, he'd be good for learning on.

I'd be worried that she's just got you to buy her next lesson pony. She can make money off him by teaching, whilst you fork out for livery and vets bills.

I'd also be worried that despite saying no, the pony would still be used for lessons if I wasn't around.

It seems terribly entitled to just suggest someone uses your horse.
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^^ This. Unless this guy was an extremely talented rider who would be improving your horse(which clearly isn't the case or he would have no end of paid offers already) then I would say NO. RI is taking advantage (maybe not conciously) and I would absolutely not risk moving to her yard incaseyour horse is used without your permission
 
What a cheek. Not only is someone asking to use your horse for free, there has been no mention of how skilled a rider this person is and you don't get any payment.

Long walk off a short plank. And while you are at it, tell your RI that you are not interested in anyone else riding your horse, particularly FOC.
 
If you'd wanted other people to ride your horse you would have put him on working livery. The fact that you haven't says very clearly that you don't want other people riding him and that you have enough time to exercise him yourself without assistance. If you find that you don't have as much time as you thought you can always change your mind, but do it formally, with an agreement about how much livery you pay, what is included, how much work your horse will do etc. An ad-hoc arrangement such as this is the first step on a slippery slope without any formalities. The next step is "oh, we thought you wouldn't mind x having a lesson, because you were fine with y doing it".

As you get used to your horse you will also find that you can tell if somebody else has ridden him, and that can be very frustrating, especially if you teach him something new and then find that he's forgotten the next time you ride. Or worse, if he goes nicely and then starts being difficult. If you have to put your horse on working livery due to lack of time that's something you have to accept, but it's a conscious decision, not something just to drift into.
 
I wouldn't share - especially with a potential novice rider on a new horse.

My cob is nice enough that I've been asked a couple of times if other people could ride him...said no in most circumstances. Like a lot of other have said, I don't want someone bumbling about on him when I've put a lot of time and effort into getting the headset issue sorted, and getting him to relax into a contact nicely.

That said, if it's people I know ride in the way he likes - or can be trusted to adapt their riding to the horse, I have let others have a go, or let my OH, or people's kids have a go. But under my supervision. For example - letting a friend pop him over a little cross pole as she hasn't started jumping her baby yet. Only other times is if it's a more experienced rider doing something I can't, like jump schooling, or testing the brakes in open spaces when I first had him 😃
 
Pretty much. I had one but she died after five days to a terrible wound on her hock. I bought this current one a week or so later.
 
Pfft, get a new RI and organise a new yard for yourself asap! Totally inappropriate for your RI to suggest this, they're on the wind up!

This is your horse, that means your rules, remember that.
 
Find somewhere else OP. There's literally nothing to gain for you, from what your instructor's suggesting. Remember that 'No' is a complete sentence; don't let her talk you into it; she wants to make extra money off you, at your cost.
 
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