Teenage helpers... your opinion??

TheEquineOak

TheEquineOak

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Does anyone have one??

I have a lovely, very kind natured (albeit MASSIVE) TB.

We have a two teenagers on the yard who are FANTASTIC. They are brilliant with the horses, willing to help, great riders etc etc.

I don't neccessarily need any help with my boy but I am seriously thinking about letting a 13/16 yr old help me out. They would get some experience with stable management and horse care (they will only be able to ride if there are competant) and generally have something to spoil. I would also let them have lessons on him.

I would of killed for an oppertunity like this when I was younger which is why I feel like offering it to someone else.
 
I was one!

I paid £2.50 per day, twice/3x a week to help with a horse. For this I did all her jobs that day, as well as general yard jobs I just did for the experience. If anyone needed any extra help I was always first to be called upon and I learned loads. I held lots of ponies/horses for vets/farrier if the owner couldn't make it and I was always asking questions in order to gain extra knowledge in an area I was interested in.

I got to ride the pony on my days and I was welcome on the yard any other day just to see everyone etc.

So personally I think it is a brilliant idea. It gave me a variety of experience that would be difficult to gain in any other way for those without their own pony. I was popular around the yard and know for being helpful and willing to learn. It kept me happy and the other people on the yard never complained if I swept the yard or tidied the barn where everything else was kept.

There are, I can assure you, many teenagers out there with parents who can't afford to let them have a pony who would relish an opportunity like this and be 100% dedicated. It might be it takes you a couple of tries to find "the perfect match" for you but it is certainly something that I would consider once I get a horse, if I trusted the horse!
 
I would love to have that oppurtunity, especially if lessons are involved. Its better than jsut going to a riding school where the horse is tacked and untacked for you and all you do is ride, and for those who can't afford it this is a really great option, so I'm sure whoever you do choose will be extremely grateful!

Just wondering then. where are you based? :')
 
JenR said:
I would love to have that oppurtunity, especially if lessons are involved. Its better than jsut going to a riding school where the horse is tacked and untacked for you and all you do is ride, and for those who can't afford it this is a really great option, so I'm sure whoever you do choose will be extremely grateful!

Just wondering then. where are you based? :')
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Haha!! I've had a couple of PM's already ;) I'm miles away from you, about 45 minutes from the Scottish border.
 
E_Lister said:
I was one!

I paid £2.50 per day, twice/3x a week to help with a horse. For this I did all her jobs that day, as well as general yard jobs I just did for the experience. If anyone needed any extra help I was always first to be called upon and I learned loads. I held lots of ponies/horses for vets/farrier if the owner couldn't make it and I was always asking questions in order to gain extra knowledge in an area I was interested in.

I got to ride the pony on my days and I was welcome on the yard any other day just to see everyone etc.

So personally I think it is a brilliant idea. It gave me a variety of experience that would be difficult to gain in any other way for those without their own pony. I was popular around the yard and know for being helpful and willing to learn. It kept me happy and the other people on the yard never complained if I swept the yard or tidied the barn where everything else was kept.

There are, I can assure you, many teenagers out there with parents who can't afford to let them have a pony who would relish an opportunity like this and be 100% dedicated. It might be it takes you a couple of tries to find "the perfect match" for you but it is certainly something that I would consider once I get a horse, if I trusted the horse!
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Thank you for this - I was thinking of asking one of the teenagers at the hard if she had any competant friends. That way the pair of them could keep each other company.

The horse is 17.3hh and only 6 yrs old though. Not your average teenage pony but a sweetheart all the same
 
I got my "teenage" helper when she was 9! She's now 13 and keeps her loan pony at my field is able to run everything when I go away on holiday. When my son was in hospital last month and I wasn't able to get to the yard, J did everything and even told my OH what to do! I trust her completely- she reads up on feed, etc. I only wish I had more horses so I could offer more kids the chance to take care of horses. I was a horseless kid in the city and could only take one lesson a week but I had the odd times where I was able to take care of other people's horses so it's kind of like "paying Karma back" :)
 
:D without the old fella that lived near me i would only of been able to have rs lessons when i was a kid, he had 4rescue horses and from the age of 8 i pestered him to let me help look after them, i finally got the chance when i wore him down at age 11 :o (against his better judgement) but i repaid his trust (i hope) and looked after his horses till i was 21 (i went off travelling) but every time i was home (in the winter months) he had me to rely on.. i was with 3 of his horses at the end and held them cos he couldn't bear to, sadly he after he died his remaining horse was being pts and i couldn't get back in time :( i owe that man the best of my childhood memories, and when i am in the position to have horses again i hope i will be able to give another horse-mad but horseless kid a chance like i had. :o x
 
hhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmm

not sure! there are some great senisible teenagers out there and there are some that arent!
I dont trust anyone to look after my pride and joy, if anythig happened i would never forgive them or myself. Just me as im a bit fussy
 
I'm one of those teenagers (a fairly sensible one - or so i've been told) who has to get by on just fortnightly riding lessons and I would definately love an opportunity like that: to learn stable management etc and actually get to spend time with horses rather than just riding. I think my mum wishes I had the same motivation to clean my room as I would to muck out and clean tack :rolleyes:.

I'll work for the occasional bit of chocolate - any takers? :D
 
mollylolly said:
hhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmm

not sure! there are some great senisible teenagers out there and there are some that arent!
I dont trust anyone to look after my pride and joy, if anythig happened i would never forgive them or myself. Just me as im a bit fussy
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Exactly this also

It's just the teenager I know I'd trust with any horse - she's fabulous. I want one of my own!!! Their parents would also have to be supportive because they would have to bring them here.
 
i was one! Used to get up at 5.30am and ride my bike a mile to the yard, feed 20 horses and ponies before school, then be back up there after school to muck out etc got to ride some lovely horses but also got lots of abuse from unkind owners that didnt appreciate my dedication and took me for granted but had an amazing childhood and proved to my parents that i could cope with my own and they got me my first :) i am a grown up now and my daughter has inherited my love of horses, she shares a pony and i am so proud of her for being so responsible. There are kids out there that are not fortunate enough to have parents in a position to pay for even a lesson and people like you should be patted on the back for giving them an opportunity like this.
 
i dont know if i'd be classed as a helper, as i get paid over min. wage for my age, but im 16 (still in yr11 at school) and help/work weekends, and i love it. Ride out p2p horses, and am treated exactly the same as the other girl who works for him who is 24. I think it can work really really well for both involved, however do your checks :)
 
Personally I'd be extremely hesitant to offer riding to a teenager, unfortunately we live in a litigatious society with Elf'n-Safety throwing their weight around, plus the whole issue of child protection thrown into the pan as well.

Which means that the opportunities we all enjoyed as teenagers can't be enjoyed by today's generation. A pity, but there it is.

There's a girl here in the village; she can't ride (not her fault) but a few years ago came up here pestering the life out of me to let her ride mine. She was a tiny little thing, very slightly built, and way too small for my 15.1 cobby mammoth, needs more like a 13.2. I felt awful refusing, and she kept coming up here on a couple of evenings and asking persistently, then brought a friend as well - a very pretty little girl. The road between us and the village is isolated, but is on a rat run, so I had to get tough unfortunately and tell them to please stop coming because the answer had to be no, full stop. If something happened to either of them between here and there, or indeed here, imagine what everyone would say, that we encouraged them etc etc. You just daren't do it these days.

So the only people I would ever let ride mine would be someone over 18. You just daren't do anything other now and unfortunately anyone letting a teenager ride or do their horses is just asking for trouble. Parents might be OK and even sign a disclaimer, but my understanding is that this isn't worth the paper its written on!! If something happened the lawyers would have a field day.

So I wouldn't have anyone under 18 anywhere near the yard, sorry but there it is. If they want to ride they'd have to go to a riding stables - who'd have the necessary insurance, CRB etc.
 
OK, so "what if" child in question falls off or injures herself, and sues the pants off me coz I'm deemed "negligent" by some piffling claims lawyers acting for their precious client?

I could lose my house, my livelihood, everything, all for someone elses benefit - why should I? I don't need the worry of it TBH. Sorry thats being brutally honest, but I don't.

Incidentally, mother of said child I mentioned, is well known in the area for saying that if her darling child ever gets hurt doing ANYTHING, then she'll sue coz she's one of these people that sees it as an easy way to a fortune. People like this do exist and I'm not gonna run the risk.

The only way I'd ever consider a teenager riding is if the parent(s) accompanied the child and paid for their own insurance for the child to ride; and we'd got it all sorted out legally.
 
I had teenage helpers and they were amazing. They learned lots (I like to think) and got tons of riding and I had my ponies kept going while my kids were babies. Smiles all round IME. Both girls went on to have horses of their own, and I am sure they must have learned something which stood them in good stead as horse owners, during their time with me.
 
It depends who you get we had one who was meant to be helping my mum out but was so in-competant and un-willing to learn we had to ask her to leave because she was making everything take longer.

But a friend at the uard has someone who helps her and is amazing will poo pick without being asked, tack cleans, mucks out and is fairly good rider.

I would say go for it but make sure you vet them out first :)
 
MJR2BT, fair enough then, however if the rider has insurance, and the horse has insurance (which is pretty common practice) and you make up a small contract if your that worried (just to say rider rides at own risk) then your away with no risk of being sued!
 
I've had a fair few really good helpers of school age over the years.
Parents had to give consent & understood it was at their liability that their children came to help. If they fitted in helping, then I'd pay their Pony Club subs for insurance cover & then they got riding on something pretty safe firstly under instruction from myself and if really sensible were allowed to hack out to. 1 or 2 even went on to ride on the National show circuit for me too.
I did keep one dear old saint who would help teach them along the way. (sometimes on how to catch wily old ponies, othertimes how to stop old ponies from scoffing the scenery all the time :D )

Good luck - hope someone works out for you, but beware the litigageos (sp) parents - it only takes a bump/bite/accidental hoof to make mummies see red :(
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Personally I'd be extremely hesitant to offer riding to a teenager, unfortunately we live in a litigatious society with Elf'n-Safety throwing their weight around, plus the whole issue of child protection thrown into the pan as well.

Which means that the opportunities we all enjoyed as teenagers can't be enjoyed by today's generation. A pity, but there it is.

There's a girl here in the village; she can't ride (not her fault) but a few years ago came up here pestering the life out of me to let her ride mine. She was a tiny little thing, very slightly built, and way too small for my 15.1 cobby mammoth, needs more like a 13.2. I felt awful refusing, and she kept coming up here on a couple of evenings and asking persistently, then brought a friend as well - a very pretty little girl. The road between us and the village is isolated, but is on a rat run, so I had to get tough unfortunately and tell them to please stop coming because the answer had to be no, full stop. If something happened to either of them between here and there, or indeed here, imagine what everyone would say, that we encouraged them etc etc. You just daren't do it these days.

So the only people I would ever let ride mine would be someone over 18. You just daren't do anything other now and unfortunately anyone letting a teenager ride or do their horses is just asking for trouble. Parents might be OK and even sign a disclaimer, but my understanding is that this isn't worth the paper its written on!! If something happened the lawyers would have a field day.

So I wouldn't have anyone under 18 anywhere near the yard, sorry but there it is. If they want to ride they'd have to go to a riding stables - who'd have the necessary insurance, CRB etc.
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Well this shows how docile I am... I had not even thought about the legalities of it.

The horse is insured, is it reasonable to ask for proof of riders insurance?

I don't want an 'official' set up. I don't want the teenager (or the parent) thinking they have any rights over my horse. I just want to give someone the chance to bond with him and learn a bit of stable management and care. Sort of set them up to own their own
 
nativetyponies said:
Teenagers are brilliant

i have a girl on the yard who is SO keen..:D

she loans out 1 of my ponies..but helps out whenever she can.

she now knows how to mix and feed straights, knows about rugging, worming programmes, poo-picking comes without being asked, tack cleaning

she sucks up everything and anything.

a joy to have around TBH
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I live in a beautiful cottage in Northumberland.... would she like a holiday?
 
I have had 2 over the past 6 months and they are not worth the hassle!!
Only want to ride go to shows!! But wont do anything else!!

If you can get someone who is really dedicated you wont go wrong!!
 
I was a teenage helper many moons ago!

Now I believe in repaying the karma, we have a couple of youngsters ride pony but so far haven't been lucky enough to find the teenage helper I would like. I love teenagers, and all their quirks and nonsense; they make me laugh and are so rewarding.

I strongly believe that todays teenage helpers will be tomorrows responsible owners. It's where the knowledge comes from, and hand in hand with experience.
 
I almost had a teenage helper, well I say helper she was more of a hinderance! My husband decided to offer my horses out for her experience (my horses are only 2 and a half) she wasn't really competant with them and I can't afford to have disrespectful youngsters and an unknowledgable teenage running riot.... She also harrassed me every day with texts and phonecalls, there's keen and then there's too keen!! she also wanted me to pick her up every time, I was going out of my way and then having to pussy foot around to make sure she was ok all the time.

My suggestion is you find someone that has been working Sat/Sun at a local riding school that has a keen, self motivated approach and who has parents that are willing to ferry them around so it doesn't put you out too much.

I would love to find someone to help me out, but I am just going to have to wait until my boys are a little bit older, and I am going to nab someone from a riding school myself and give them what I had given to me. But a little knowledge of how to do the basics and the confidence to do it on your own initiative will be of massive use to you trust me!!!

I was myself nabbed from a riding school for a lady that had broken her leg in a riding accident, where I had been working since I was 9 years old. I used to cycle to my yard sat and sun, muck out, groom. Wait for the owner to arrive around 10am then we used to go out for a ride and potter around the yard for ages, I got taken to shows she taught me how to ride side saddle took me to badminton every year all sorts kept me off the streets and learnt me responsability I owe that lady a great deal!!
 
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