Summer loan?

[svincent]

Hi

I need some advice.

I am looking to loan my 14.3 Connemara over the summer, for 4 months maybe longer. He isn't easy so will need a very confident and experienced rider(s). I adore the pony and want to give him every opportunity to get his act together.

I don't want him to move yards and I am prepared to continue to pay all livery/teeth/vet/farrier/insurance costs over the summer or ask for minimal contribution - just need a rider.

He's 8, was broken in at 4, had a great 18 months riding him then it all went wrong, his attitude was dreadful! Checked all the usual things and sorted out the problems but he is still very dominant (castrated late!) and needs someone to teach him some manners.

Sent him away for schooling last summer which did not work out as the trainer was more interested in persuading me to sell pony instead of doing any actual schooling. It cost me £100 for one session on the lunge that first week - trainer admitted it! After three weeks and £300 I'd had enough and brought him back home.

I am a freelance adult education tutor and work has tailed off in the past twelve months so I cannot afford to send him away again to be schooled at the moment.

My daughter seems to think this idea may not work out - what if rider gets injured, etc, would I be liable? If pony gets injured will insurance pay out?

Pony needs work, he is too much for me and daughter has health problem which means she cannot ride him either.

What can I do? Any suggestions?

 

[Leo Walker]

The people that would be interested in doing this are not the people that are capable of doing this.

What were the usual things that were checked and sorted?

You need a full vet work up to find out what is wrong. Being late cut doesnt cause any issues for the vast majority of horses. Having had 18months of "good" behaviour from this pony something then changed to make him like this.

Other than that, sell him. Do it very, very, very carefully with someone who will either find out the issue and fix it or have him PTS. I'd be looking at him being gifted for a nominal sum once I was convinced it ws the right home for him. I am not sure you will find the right home without a lot of looking on your behalf though.

Or keep him as a pet. You dont want to ride him and your daughter cant, so dont.

 

[Lintel]

Why only summer? Sorry if I've missed it!

 

[Bellaboo18]

Are you hoping someone can sort out his problems over the summer and then you can have him back to ride after? If so this is something you'd have to pay for.
I'd be sending him on sales livery, I know you love him but the best thing for the pony is to get a suitable home.

 

[be positive]

I agree with LW the person that could or would do a good job with your pony will not be the one that turns up, most capable riders will have their own horses/ yard and even with you paying the outgoings will be unlikely to take him on for the fun of it unless you are extremely lucky.
I would recommend finding a better trainer who will do a proper job and either get him ready for you to take on or sell him for you if he is not carrying an underlying issue, I do this type of work and would never take something on that I was not able to put the work into, the last one did something twice a day until she had settled, accepted the work and was showing improvement, that was built into the cost I quoted, she returned home a different much improved horse that has continued to improve, anything else would mean I had failed and I think you need to find the right person who will do what you are paying for, that said £100 per week is way below what most pros would be charging and like much in life you do get what you pay for.

 

[Michen]

After 18 months his attitude was then dreadful?

Either there is something wrong with him or you have done something incorrect in his training to make him change.

Poor pony either way frankly.

 

[D66]

Wasn't there someone on here a few weeks ago that wanted a summer loan?

 

[Bellaboo18]

Wasn't there someone on here a few weeks ago that wanted a summer loan?

She wanted 15.3 or over and something to go out and compete on, I'm guessing this pony isn't ready to go out and about at the moment.
Her horse has also come sound...

 

[spoo]

It sounds like possibly you want someone to do all the leg work and then have the pony back to ride hoping he’ll now be perfect? Terrible idea to me. You won’t get the right people coming forward for the job and pony will end up more confused than ever

 

[Ceifer]

I think the OP needs to elaborate on what the behaviour is before judging.
She said his attitude was dreadful and that ‘problems were sorted out’
What were they?

 

[Melody Grey]

If you're offering someone the opportunity to ride a safe horse in return for you having the reassurance that the horse is kept ticking over, then great. This sounds more like you wanting someone to put themselves at risk for your gain in improving the horse though? That's a professionals job requiring renumeration in my opinion.

 

[bubsqueaks]

Hi

I need some advice.

I am looking to loan my 14.3 Connemara over the summer, for 4 months maybe longer. He isn't easy so will need a very confident and experienced rider(s). I adore the pony and want to give him every opportunity to get his act together.

I don't want him to move yards and I am prepared to continue to pay all livery/teeth/vet/farrier/insurance costs over the summer or ask for minimal contribution - just need a rider.

He's 8, was broken in at 4, had a great 18 months riding him then it all went wrong, his attitude was dreadful! Checked all the usual things and sorted out the problems but he is still very dominant (castrated late!) and needs someone to teach him some manners.

Sent him away for schooling last summer which did not work out as the trainer was more interested in persuading me to sell pony instead of doing any actual schooling. It cost me £100 for one session on the lunge that first week - trainer admitted it! After three weeks and £300 I'd had enough and brought him back home.

I am a freelance adult education tutor and work has tailed off in the past twelve months so I cannot afford to send him away again to be schooled at the moment.

My daughter seems to think this idea may not work out - what if rider gets injured, etc, would I be liable? If pony gets injured will insurance pay out?

Pony needs work, he is too much for me and daughter has health problem which means she cannot ride him either.

What can I do? Any suggestions?

We find ourselves in a similar situation with our connie who had glandular ulcers but on top of that have my daughter is not the right partner for him.
He has currently been turned away for a year but we are planning to restart him first revisiting all his groundwork, long reining etc to restablish a partnership of trust.
Then following the purchase of a proper fitting saddle as I have suspicion awful K&M was pinching him, as long as he is showing no ulcer signs we will pay somebody to ride him initially.
I believe our problems have been exacerbated by the trauma of travelling from Ireland together with restricted turnout of livery yards - he now lives out 24/7 & will continue to do so.
I have long forgotten the substantial sum I paid for him plus the other costs of 3 months on sales livery at 160.00 per week.
Now its about doing right by him - he's not the right pony for my daughter but he is a cracking connie & I so hope to find the perfect match somewhere BUT it cannot be rushed or forced & I have to accept ultimately he is my responsibility.
I totally agree with others having considered loan options myself that the majority of riders will just not be up to the task of handling/riding him correctly & sympathetically, it really does take a professional person & one with insight into natural horsemanship.

 

[Leandy]

I don't get this idea that some people seem to have that competent people will be grateful to ride their problem/project/green horse for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. If you want it schooled/expertly exercised/problems sorted out you need to be prepared to PAY a suitably qualified person a professional rate for a professional service.

 

[Ceifer]

Actually I have helped people out with a green horse in the past for no money.
I’d been out of working with horses for a while. Moved area and was looking for a share. Went to see an ex racer that the owner was absolutely petrified of. He had a few minor ridden issues and was sharp.
She wanted me to pay her to ride him but within 2 minutes of arriving it became evident she was in over her head.
I explained I wasn’t willing to pay for the privilege of helping her out but, I would ride a couple of times a week for free.
She wasn’t keen and I walked away but a few weeks later she called me back.
It worked well, the horse was geographically very close to where I was lodging. I felt no pressure to ‘get a result’ quickly as I wasn’t being paid. The horse got the time he needed. It took a good 9 months of reschooling, something the owner would not have paid for or stuck with any trainer who said it would take that long.
I moved away with work. The owner occasionally texts me with updates saying he’s still ok.
I wouldn’t have taken on anything that was dangerous or thought had physical problems. She had got the horse virtually off the track and plonked him into a routine he simply didn’t understand and expected him to be foot perfect in the school.

 

[RHM]

Whereabouts in the country are you? If you are sure his problems are behavioural it might be worth advertising him at any local university’s. I used to help back and ride away youngsters during the summer break of uni as it was the only way I could afford to ride! Someone in a similar situation could be interested. I would maybe add a stipulation that as you are covering all costs they need to pay for a lesson once a week with a professional just to ensure they are on the right track!
I would be surprised though if four months just of a different rider would make that much of a difference (assuming that you yourself are relatively experienced) but rather a holistic approach to changing his whole management may be more successful. No doubt someone more experienced could offer a better insight.

 

[hattie2525]

Depending on what the behavioral issues are this could work or could be a disaster. There are plenty of people (like myself) who have worked professionally with horses previously but are not in a financial situation to have a full loan or even a share but would be willing to do some fairy drastic re-schooling and manners teaching for free as part of a mutually beneficial agreement. However there is a big difference between a horse who has just been taking the p*ss and the owner has been scared off and horse just needs a few months consistent work or a truly dangerous horse who needs full time management with a team of people and working maybe twice a day. You have to be very honest about previous issues and have had EVERYTHING checked to rule out health issues. A signed contract and proof of liability and personal accident insurance should cover most bases if you choose to go down the 'loaning' route.

 

[Berpisc]

I would suggest sales livery to be honest.

 

[oldie48]

My previous horse was "cut late", he was six when it was done and he had impeccable manners, so i doubt this is at the heart of your problem. Provided he doesn't have any health related problems that need addressing I would sell with a full disclosure of any behavioural issues to someone competent enough to re-school him.

 

[Melody Grey]

I would suggest sales livery to be honest.

This!

 

[D66]

Richard Greer would assess the pony for you. Hie is based near Daventry but does travel. He sorted my horse, physical and schooling issues.
He is on Facebook.
Rgequestrian.