Tips or ideas when looking for a sharer please?

[hoorsey]

My friend is currently looking for a sharer (no yard duties to do, just a contribution of £25 a week for 3 to 4 days schooling/hacking/jumping). She has a lovely horse so I thought there'd be lots of people interested.

So far she's just had one very novice person contact her.

She's in the Telford/Ironbridge area so has put an advert on preloved and an advert on one of the facebook pages for over that way.

Any suggestions on how to go about finding a sharer?

 

[E_Lister]

Hey,

As someone looking for a share (not round you though!) I can tell you where I have been looking.

> Local tack shops
>Facebook
>Preloved
> Horsemart etc

However, the wording of adverts often puts me off. I find that 50% of adverts advertise in a way which makes me feel like nobody less talented than an olympic eventer need bother applying and the other 50% make it sound like the horse they are advertising is so quiet is is possibly a taxidermy horse

Could you take the price off the advert? It might encourage more dreamers, but it may also mean that more people ring up? One of them might not be able to afford to pay £25 per week, but may be willing to do all the jobs on those days or something and just pay £15?

Does the photo have pictures of the horse doing everything that the advert says? Loads of ads have a blurry picture of a horse standing 15m away in a field with a rug on, yet the advert is describing them as a hugely loved horse that goes out competing every weekend. If that is the case surely you have one or two decent photos?!?

Would there be a chance to compete? If so, is that mentioned?

Does the advert make your friend sound a little scary? Words like "apply" and "potential sharers will be thoroughly vetted" put me off despite the fact I have several glowing references and shouldn't need to worry.
It makes me feel like I might not be good enough and that the owner may be intimidating rather than approachable if something went wrong later.

It doesn't mean you can't vet them... just don't make the advert sound intimidating!!

Hope this helps

 

[hoorsey]

That is really helpful thank you.

I don't think she has put the price on her advert but I'll mention that. He is on full livery so there still wouldn't be any jobs to do but she might be ok with a bit less of a contribution for the right person.

He is a cracking horse and that's why I was surprised she hasn't had that much interest so far. She's looking for someone with some experience but he is very sensible horse (not stuffy or boringly unresponsive though!!) so they don't need to be a pro.

There is chance to compete yep. She doesn't have her own transport but that could be arranged or there are competitions about once a month at the yard where he's kept.

I'll double check with her about the photos too!

 

[E_Lister]

Glad I could be of some help